Fort Drum’s Fire Department Chief Jason Brunet is spending some time admiring the department’s newest fire truck.

The brand new engine arrived less than a month ago and is specifically designed to handle North Country winters.  It comes at a perfect time, as the department is down a handful of trucks.

It’s giving everyone in the department peace of mind and a sense of pride.

“All of our members at Station 2 have had their fingers on this truck, mounting the hose. It’s a great morale booster for them,” Brunet said.

It’s the kind of investment that while, yes, does protect Fort Drum, it’s also something that reaches much further.

Drum’s Fire Department often works with neighborhood civilian departments as mutual aid.

Watertown, Philadelphia, Black River, Calcium and more, it is a partnership you do not see in many military communities. A lot of the firefighters here also volunteer with these local departments.

It’s so much more than a job. It is personal.

“This is the best profession on Earth you know. We get to interact with families, soldiers and service members on their worst days. If we can fix the outcome for them, that’s what we’re here for,” Brunet added.

At the end of the, many times a long, day, folks can take pride in knowing their efforts truly make an impact. So much so that the Fort Drum Fire Department recently earned an international accreditation through the Commission of Fire Accreditation International. Only nine other departments in the nation have that distinction. Based on service provided, commitment and performance, it’s yet another example of being personal.

“As you go around, other departments may have fancier equipment or better apparatus, but we’re qualified,” Brunet said.

Something Brunet says can allow those on Fort Drum and in the community, to sleep a bit better each night.