When the Medina Volunteer Fire Department won a $200,000 Texas Forest Service grant, they knew what they needed to do with the money. They needed a new fire truck that could haul a lot of water. With a fire district covering 386 square miles and only ½ SQ. mile with fire hydrants, it didn’t matter what else that truck could do as long as it held water. The board and the officers decided to buy the largest tanker tender they could legally run on the streets. And so fire truck 3397 came to be.
The next puzzle the board needed to solve was where to keep it. This truck is 10 feet longer than the fire station’s largest bay. There were no buildings in Medina with 45-foot bays to buy. It became apparent that a new purpose built fire station was necessary. As the local volunteers got their financial affairs in order, they ran into a snag. A Home Owners Association (HOA) stopped the sale of the land for the new station. Four years of planning down the drain. The fire department was in a tight spot. The truck was coming. There was no giving it back.
The board of directors found a new location, and a good old fashion Texas land swap ensued. The new site was four times larger than the old station and property. There was only one problem; there were trees that needed to be cleared. The truck’s arrival was known. The last week of September 2016 unit 3397 would be delivered. The truck’s arrival date was one month earlier than the expected completion of the new fire station and a full week earlier than the deadline for the hoses, nozzles, fixtures, ladders, hand tools, and other things necessary to outfit a large fire truck.
Barton Logistics arranged to house the new truck in our service bays, at least until it could be commissioned for use. All of the fixtures were delivered to Barton Logistics and stored until the truck’s arrival. With the help of the volunteer firefighters, a few of the area’s fire chiefs, the county fire marshal, and a couple of Barton employees the truck was loaded with 2200 feet of fire hose and everything else needed. It’s fitting that the first official duty of the new fire truck, unit 3397, was to lead the Medina Bobcat’s Home Coming Parade last Saturday, October 1st, 2016. “Medina to dispatch, show 3397 on station and ready for service.” “Copy, Medina 3397 is in service.”
Our company tag line is a way of being. It reads “Life is better with Barton.” It doesn’t matter what challenges arise. We never stop believing in what is possible, in spite of setbacks, large or small. It’s the spirit that fuels our industry, company, and personal growth. Barton Logistics supports many causes with something more precious than money. We support the things we believe in with blood, sweat, and tears. We give of our time and talent.
