A change that the Alna Fire Department is making to its fleet of vehicles will better serve the community and help protect a major investment the town made in the fleet, Fire Chief Mike Trask said.

The department has bought a used, white 2007 Chevrolet utility truck from Norm’s Used Cars in Wiscasset for $10,000, Trask said. It can carry more equipment than the truck it replaces; in addition, taking it on calls to downed trees or other incidents where there is no fire to put out will spare wear on the pumper-tanker truck that the town just got for nearly $300,000, Trask said.

When roads are icy, taking the used truck on those same types of calls will also avoid the risk of damaging the fire truck, Trask said July 15 at the fire station on Route 218.

Residents agreed to buy the new pumper-tanker in March 2014. It arrived in Alna on June 29. Since then, firefighters have been training to drive and use it. Its foam system for helping put out fires is a first for the department.

The department got the used utility truck with funds from the department’s nonprofit arm. Bean suppers and other fundraisers, as well as donations, bring in money for the nonprofit to spend on items the department does not seek tax money for.

Since fundraising also funded the 1972 Dodge Power Wagon, four-wheel drive truck that’s for sale, the money it fetches will help offset the cost for its replacement, Trask said.

The department listed the sale on Craigslist. Sealed bidding closed on July 15. More than 20 bids came in, Trask said. Plans called for the bids to be opened at the department’s July 22 business meeting.

The Craigslist listing states that the department has the right to refuse all bids. Trask said he hopes the truck will go for $6,000 to $10,000.

In addition to carrying equipment, the Dodge truck will also be used to fight brush fires; another department truck now serves that purpose, Trask said.

The Chevrolet truck that will replace the Dodge was away getting lights and the department’s lettering on it on July 15. The truck will be kept white, Trask said.

It has about 190,000 miles on it and no rust, Trask said. “It’s in really good condition.”