By Mike Sanders

Station 8 in Loudoun County, Virginia is the Philomont VFD. The fire department has recently placed into service two newer vehicles to enhance their apparatus fleet.

Engine 608 is a 2009 KME Predator equipped with a 1500 gallon per minute pump and carries 1500 gallons of water. Engine 608 is the second KME engine at Station 8. Wagon 608 runs a 2008 KME Excel model that is equipped with a 1250 gpm pump and carries 750 gallons of water. The new KME replaces an older 1987 FWD/Seagrave engine which was sold to a fire department in Pennsylvania.

SERV 608 (Special Emergency Response Unit) was designed as a EMS first responder unit since Philomont does not operate any ambulances. SERV 608 is a 2008 GMC Sierra that was completed by Fast Lane. The rear section carries a large slide out bed that carries a variety of EMS equipment.

In addition to the two KME engines and the SERV, Philomont operates two tankers (a 1996 Freightliner FL80/Semo 1850 gallon and a county owned 2006 International/4-Guys 3000 gallon), a 1984 Ford F250/4-Guys brush truck, a 1999 Ford F550/LSI light squad, and other support vehicles.