Money for new fire truck, ambulance approved

Havelock officials learned Wednesday that loans and grants totaling $900,000 for a new fire truck and ambulance had been approved.

A release from the office of U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan, D-N.C., said the money would come from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

"These grants are investments in our communities," Hagan said in a statement. "During these tough economic times, these grants will help our local governments."

Diane Miller, Havelock spokeswoman, said Wednesday that the money would be spent on a new quint fire truck and a new EMS unit. The money comes in the form of U.S. Department of Agriculture loans and grants for which the city had previously applied.

The new fire truck, which will be the city's first ladder truck, is to be housed at the city's new fire station at Tucker Creek, which is currently under construction.

The city has accepted a bid from the company E-ONE to build the new fire truck, which is a multi-function firefighting vehicle.

The city has not opened bids for the ambulance, which will be a replacement for the fourth EMS unit used by the city.

Financing for the new $3.1 million station is also being provided by the USDA, but that money is not available to the city until the project is complete. In the interim, the city has taken out a loan from BB&T to build the facility.

Ground was broken at the site, adjacent to Wells Wayside Furniture on U.S. 70, in March, with construction taking about a year to complete. The general contractor is Norstate Contracting of Greenville.