Four new shiny red and black fire engines will soon be rolling through the streets of Kent.

Kent-based Puget Sound Fire purchased four engines for its East Hill stations and one to serve the city of SeaTac, which contracts with the agency, to replace aging engines. Each engine cost $890,000 (with Washington state sales tax) for a total cost of $4.45 million, according to Puget Sound Fire spokesperson Pat Pawlak.

The sparkly new engines will have more features than the older trucks.

“These engines have better lighting, interior and compartment lighting to save firefighter’s night vision, and enhanced scene lighting for firefighter safety,” Pawlak said. “These engines also have a better suspension.”

It’s a less expensive engine and turns quicker than what Puget Sound Fire previously purchased from Pierce Manufacturing in Appleton, Wisconsin.

“Approximately seven years ago, we switched from a Pierce Quantum model to a Pierce Enforcer model,” Pawlak said. “This switch has been very positive since it saves us approximately $280,000 per engine and the engine has a better turning radius.”

Not all of the older engines will go away.

Two Skyboom engines, each about 14 years old, will be sold, Pawlak said. Two engines will be designated as reserve apparatus, which means they will be placed in-service when a fire engine goes in for preventative maintenance and repair. The fifth fire engine will be stored until Puget Sound Fire determines when and where to build a new station, a decision that is expected later this year.

Puget Sound Fire pays for the engines from a 20-year capital replacement fund, Pawlak said. The capital replacement fund identifies apparatus, staff vehicles, and equipment lifespans and replacement cycles.

“We anticipate a fire engine will be a frontline response apparatus for 10 years and then will move to being a reserve engine for five years,” Pawlak said.

Members of Puget Sound Fire traveled recently to Pierce Manufacturing in Wisconsin to complete the final inspections on the engines. During the inspection, firefighters and apparatus mechanics tested to make sure the different components were operational, and that the workmanship and construction of the fire engines met the agency’s specifications.

Workers at Pierce Manufacturing spent seven to 10 days completing a short punch list of items and then it delivered the engines to Puget Sound Fire’s dealer in Tacoma. The dealer will complete dealer prep prior to the engines being delivered to the stations for inspection and acceptance testing.

The new fire engines will be assigned to Stations 72, 74, 75 and 77 on the East Hill of Kent and to Station 45 in SeaTac.

Puget Sound Fire provides emergency and non-emergency services to more than 120 square miles of property, protecting a population of more than 260,000 residents, according to its website. The agency serves the cities of Covington, Kent, Maple Valley, SeaTac and Tukwila, as well as unincorporated areas of King County Fire District 37 and King County Fire District 43.

Property taxes and fire benefit charges (based on the size and type of structure) are collected to fund Puget Sound Fire.

Puget Sound Fire employees inspect an engine at Pierce Manufacturing in Appleton, Wisconsin. COURTESY PHOTO, Puget Sound Fire

Puget Sound Fire staff take a close look at a newly built fire engine. COURTESY PHOTO, Puget Sound Fire

Inspections crews from Puget Sound Fire examine a new fire engine after it was built in Wisconsin. COURTESY PHOTO, Puget Sound Fire

One of Puget Sound Fire’s five new engines, at a cost of $890,000 each. COURTESY PHOTO, Puget Sound Fire