The Grand Falls-Windsor Fire Department in Newfoundland and Labrador put a new Freightliner M2 112 / Metalfab pumper‑tanker into service on January 22, 2026. The vehicle is intended to act as a mobile water source for areas without hydrants and to deliver high volumes of water and pump pressure to speed fire suppression in both municipal and rural responses, including along the Trans‑Canada Highway.
Built by Metalfab Fire Trucks, the pumper‑tanker carries a 2,900‑gallon water tank and replaces aging frontline apparatus from the early 1990s (the department previously operated a 1991 pumper that had been phased to a backup role). The procurement is part of a broader equipment modernization effort to improve water delivery rates for industrial and rural fires and to provide a safer working environment for the department’s more than 30 firefighters during complex responses.
The department has reported elevated call volumes in recent years — CBC reported a record year for calls in 2019, and town and department statements cite continued high activity tied to extreme weather events and heavy‑vehicle crashes on regional highways. Fire Chief Vince MacKenzie has stressed that changing construction methods and increasingly unpredictable fire behaviour make high‑volume, mobile water delivery a top priority for the department.
Town Council approved the purchase, and the vehicle was funded through the Town’s 2025 capital budget processes announced in the town’s 2025 budget release. The truck was ordered in February 2025 and arrived in January 2026 after the build and delivery process, fulfilling the town’s commitment to equip first responders with updated apparatus.
