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Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company has acquired a new rescue truck, a key piece of firefighting apparatus firefighters use when responding to motor vehicle accidents, medical calls, and structure fires.

Each of the town's five volunteer fire companies have rescue trucks that carry a wide range of equipment.

The custom-built vehicle, known as Truck 444, which cost the fire company $628,000, was fabricated by Rescue 1 of Manasquan, N.J., said Sandy Hook Fire Chief Bill Halstead. Sandy Hook's former rescue truck, which the fire company used for 20 years, was sold to a Kentucky fire company.

The new truck seats eight firefighters, is powered by a 450-horsepower diesel engine, and has a gross vehicle weight of 49,800 pounds.

Engineer Steve Stohl displayed the truck's many features.

The vehicle has a series of pull-out trays loaded with equipment, which normally are kept within the truck body, but can be extended outward from either side of the truck, as needed. Among the items stored in the truck are Hurst Jaws of Life power prying tools, which run on rechargeable batteries instead of hydraulic pressure lines.

The new rescue truck has multiple storage compartments atop the vehicle where various gear is stored. Access to the compartments is provided by a steep staircase built into the truck's body. The vehicle also has a remotely controlled lighting mast positioned atop the truck for nighttime illumination. The truck has multiple light arrays to make it highly visible.

Chief Halstead said fire company members are very impressed with the new vehicle's capabilities. Acquiring the vehicle involved two years of planning work, he said.