Old Engine 23 has been sold! On Saturday November 1, 2003, Chief Andy Jay Lathrop and Secretary/Treasurer Mike Hanney, of the Bingen Volunteer Fire Department, visited HVFDEMS’s Station 2 to take a good look at the 1982 Pemfab Grumman 1000 gpm pumper. After going over “Engine 23” from top to bottom, they decided that they would report to their Board of Directors with a recommendation to purchase the unit. Their board met on Tuesday November 4, 2003 and approved the purchase for a sum of $25,000.00.

That means, it will probably leave us sometime within the two weeks. It will be shipped to Bingen on a flat bed truck. Before it leaves, it will be re-striped and Bingen’s name will be put on it. However, they’ve decided to keep the “Engine 23” designation. When it arrives in Bingen, it will most likely be placed in-service immediately.

Bingen is located in Hempstead County, Arkansas. Their department opened their doors in 1996 and they run about 50 calls a year. Engine 23 will be the first engine in their County to have a deck gun! What is even more amazing is that the Bingen VFD has an operating budget of only $12,000 a year.