OTHO — During any future power outages, the lights will still be on at the Otho fire station and the big garage doors will still roll up automatically so the fire trucks can go out.

A new generator, paid for in part by a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture, will make that possible. Final installation was completed Friday.

Fire Chief Marty Smith said it will start running automatically whenever there is a power failure.

”Anytime the power goes out — boom — it goes on,” he said.

Backup power is needed to support the operations of the Fire Department. But it is also needed because the fire station is the emergency shelter for the city.

”For many reasons, we needed a generator,” Smith said.

The diesel-powered generator cost $37,400.

A $20,200 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture covered much of the cost.

The remaining roughly $17,000 will come from the city government and the Otho Fire and Rescue Association, which is the Fire Department’s fundraising organization.

The federal money came from the Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program, which provides money to communities with 20,000 or fewer residents.