Longmont is donating a $50,000 fire truck to Ciudad Guzman, Mexico, the third donation of a city fire truck in the 25-year relationship between Ciudad and Longmont.
The City Council this week unanimously approved the gift.
Ciudad became Longmont’s second Sister City in 1997. The connection between Longmont and Ciudad is based on similarities between the two cities and Longmont’s large Hispanic population, according to the Longmont Sister Cities website.
The fire truck has reached the end of its official life but would still be useful and helpful for firefighters in Ciudad Guzman, Sandi Seader, Longmont’s assistant city manager.
The fire truck would fetch $50,000 if it were sent to auction, Seader said. “But I think it would be priceless for Ciudad,” she said.
The Longmont truck is big enough to hold more water which is key since Ciudad is also battling wildfires and the city’s existing trucks don’t have the same water capacity, Seader said.
This is the third fire truck Longmont has donated to Ciudad. The most recent truck helped the city recover from flooding, Seader said.
“They (Ciudad officials) are very excited about this,” she said.
