New Bedford Unveils Custom-Build Ladder Truck [VIDEO]

The City of New Bedford unveiled it's latest addition to the Fire Department - a custom-built ladder truck.

The Ladder 3 truck came at a cost of $1.2 million, which is being bonded for under the City's Capital Improvement Plan.

Fire Chief Michael Gomes explains he wanted a full-sized ladder truck that didn't compromise compartment space but was narrow enough to navigate the city's streets. "The engineers pulled out their slide rules and did what they do, and came up with what you see today, which they now market as the 'New Bedford Mid-Mount Option.' It's the only one like it in the country. But they've actually sold two more of them based on our design, so we're pretty proud of that," says Gomes.

The 46-foot Ladder 3 truck features on-board computers, firefighter trackers, and battery-powered jaws of life.

The Ladder 3 is the first new ladder truck the City has acquired in eight years.