Washington’s newest fire engine could be in service sometime between mid-July and the end of July.

The City Council, during its meeting last week, approved a $466,342.23 purchase order for a new fire engine to replace Engine 3, a 28-year-old reserve engine that failed a recent test because its pump is not working properly.

“Pending approval by this council, we’ll send a couple of people out to Nebraska to inspect the truck next week,” Fire Chief Robbie Rose told the council. “They’ll have to truck to use probably by the middle of July.” Graphics going on the new fire engine will be produced locally, he noted.

The city is buying the fire engine, its second new one in less than a year, from Smeal Fire Apparatus in Snyder, Nebraska. After receiving several proposals for stock/demonstration fire engines from several vendors, city fire officials decided on the Smeal fire engine. Rose said the Smeal apparatus best meets the needs of the Washington Fire-Rescue-EMS Department.

Smeal will cover travel costs to its factory by two city fire officials for final inspection of the vehicle prior to delivery.

The Smeal fire engine, built in January, has 5,700 miles on it because it has been used as a factory stock/demonstration vehicle.

Last year, the council approved funding for a new front-line fire engine. But discrepancies with the year model for that new apparatus were discovered by fire department personnel during an inspection of the vehicle, according to Rose. In a memorandum to the mayor and council, Rose wrote that “in consideration that this was inconsistent with the information originally provided to the Council for consideration; we terminated that purchase transaction.”

On Sept. 28, 2015, the council authorized spending $450,000 on a new fire engine from C.W. Williams Co. in Rocky Mount. The company services the city’s fire engines.

Rose wrote in a memorandum that the department sent requests to seven fire-engine vendors for bids to provide the department with in-stock/demonstration models. An eighth vendor contacted the department about submitting its bid, Rose noted. After reviewing the proposals, the department recommends the city buy a stock 2015 Pierce fire engine from Atlantic Emergency Solutions at a cost of $448,995.