Mineola Fire Department’s new pumper-tanker, dubbed “Tender One,” has been in service for about two months.

In addition to being a state-of-the-art fire apparatus, it also sports a unique color scheme.

Unlike the traditional red paint job carried by most of the department’s other vehicles, this one pays homage to the Mineola Yellowjackets, using the school’s orange color with gray trim.

The department had hoped to spring their new colors on the community as a surprise, until the manufacturer posted photos as it came off the assembly line in Florida, and they spread – like wildfire.

Tender One is one of three new vehicles coming the department’s way.

The city council decided the upgrades to the department’s fleet were worthy of taking on additional debt, and signed off on certificates to help pay the tab.

The tender’s price tag was $847,700.

The other new vehicles will be a brush truck, with $165,000 in assistance from the Texas A&M Forest Service, and an aerial ladder truck to give the department the ability to fight fires in multi-story buildings, such as the hotel on the south edge of town.

That truck will cost $1.8 million, with planned delivery next year.

It will be the only aerial apparatus in the county, with the previous closest such unit in Lindale.

Fire marshal and longtime Mineola fireman David Madsen said the new truck will be used as a tender to supply water to other trucks and as an engine with a 1,500 gallons-per-minute pump so that it can serve as first truck on structure fire calls if the primary engine is out of service and will serve as second truck out on structure fires in the primary service area.

It can carry five personnel, and will also be used for mutual aid to structure fires in other communities, as it can supply both manpower and water (with 3,000-gallon capacity).

It also carries a 3,000-gallon folding tank that can be used to shuffle additional water.

Of the department’s 142 calls since the tender arrived Jan. 20, it has responded to 21 calls.

The department also recently held officer elections as follows:

Fire Chief-Javier Ortega 

Assistant Chief-David Madsen

Assistant Chief-Eric Hooks 

Captain-Justin Clower

Captain-Eric Carrington

Treasurer/Secretary-Craig Gould 

Training Coordinator-Justin Clower 

Public Information Officer-David Madsen