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Weatherford approves purchase of four crash‑protection trucks to protect responders on high‑speed roads
Summary
The council authorized purchase of four Mac MD6 non‑CDL trucks with truck‑mounted attenuators (not to exceed $821,559.1) to improve responder safety on I‑20 and other high‑speed corridors; fire and public‑works staging, retrofit options and replacement risks were discussed.
The Weatherford City Council approved spending for four Mac MD6 trucks equipped with truck‑mounted attenuators to create mobile crash protection during roadway incidents on high‑speed corridors.
Staff presented the request to purchase the units through the HGAC cooperative contract for an amount not to exceed $821,559.1. Two trucks are designated for the fire department and two for multi‑department use (public works, parks, electric, water/wastewater) to support roadway maintenance and incident response. Staff said TxDOT requires attenuator‑equipped crash trucks for traffic control on high‑speed roadways.
Council members asked whether existing city vehicles could be retrofitted instead of buying new units. Staff and Fire Chief (Chief Peacock) said trailer retrofit options exist but raised concerns about availability, weight and operational logistics; the chief described staging plans and noted past incidents where apparatus were damaged and lengthy repair times made rapid replacements difficult.
Chief Peacock cited 2024 statistics for the I‑20 corridor within city limits (312 accidents involving 690 vehicles and 845 people) and said the second leading cause of line‑of‑duty deaths in the fire service is traumatic injury, with roadway strikes among those causes. He said dedicated crash trucks provide a safer, more reliable buffer and keep specialized apparatus available.
The council moved, seconded and passed the purchase authorization. Staff said two units (for fire) will require slightly longer build time and that message boards and preprogrammed messages on the vehicles will provide additional traffic control capability.
What’s next: Staff will proceed with procurement under HGAC and coordinate staging and training for multi‑department use.
