Three new fire vehicles funded by ARPA have arrived; dedication planned

Mayor (unnamed) said the city has received three new fire vehicles — a rescue truck, an engine and an ambulance — that were purchased using American Rescue Plan Act funds and that all three have arrived at the Gardner Fire Station.

The mayor said the purchases were made using federal ARPA funds allocated earlier and that the city will schedule a dedication ceremony for the new apparatus. He said Father Luke Johnson of Annunciation Paris performed a blessing recently; the mayor thanked volunteers who filled gaps after the passing of Reverend David Cody, the former long-term fire and police chaplain. "We're going to be having their dedication ceremony pretty soon. So keep an eye out on the city's website and social media pages for that," the mayor said.

This announcement is primarily informational: the vehicles are in service or in the process of being placed into service and the mayor expects a traditional dedication and blessing ahead of public display.

Less critical details: the mayor said the city used a large portion of ARPA funding to update the fire fleet and that a permanent fire chaplain position is expected to be filled in the coming month or two, per his remarks.