Thursday, March 28, 2024

Ladder 71 will be replaced with a dual purpose truck

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CHELAN – Chelan Fire Commissioners approved $220,000 to purchase a new dual engine truck to replace Ladder 71, during a special meeting held on Nov. 29.

In a previous Chelan Fire and Rescue Board of Commissioners meeting, Fire Chief Tim Lemon and Fleet Manager John Goyne reported on Ladder 71 being out of service.

Ladder 71 failed the UL testing which certifies the performance and safety of fire apparatuses, systems devices and ground ladders, back in early November.

During the special meeting, the Commissioners heard from Lemon on different replacement options for the ladder truck.

Goyne reported that it would cost anywhere from $90,000 to $100,000 to fix Ladder 71. To take the ladder apart it will costs $10,000 alone.

However, some of the truck parts are obsolete. It would take anywhere from six to eight months to put the ladder back together.

Commissioner Russ Jones, requested more information from Lemon during the meeting as to why a ladder truck is necessary.

“If we do not operate the ladder within Chelan, the four story structures, we won’t be able to reach them … insurance issues will go up, I am not sure what that really means but the price will go up,” said Lemon.

Not having a ladder truck will also affect the Washington Survey and Rating numbers, “the most high risk aspect is not having the capability, it’s a unique tool that is not used every day, but it’s the only tool that can the job if we have people up, on the side of the building,” Lemon added.

To Commissioner Phil Moller, “not having a ladder is not an option.” He argued that Chelan’s ladder will service other communities, not just Chelan.

On the other hand Commissioner Jay Witherbee, wants the fire department to obtain a dual purpose vehicle.

Lemon expanded on how a dual purpose vehicle would work, “we are looking at something different that we can actually run in the front plan engine out here for the city and the commercial area.”

With a dual purpose vehicle, the plan would then be to reduce fleet by one vehicle. “Seventy-one will bump down as a second out for further out and support of the City response, that moves engine 79 down and we actually put all of our trucks down and retire the oldest truck.”

The engine to be retired would be 74, which appears to be the weakest one of all. By reducing the fleet, the fire department is looking to reduce some costs.

With that being said, Lemon presented a few used engines that could be purchased by the fire department to replace ladder 71.

In the options was a Pierce 2007, coming from the low part of Florida, with 13,000 miles, 2,000 hours. This engine costs $418,880 after tax, with an annual cost of almost $30,000 and a life span of 14 years.

Such engine was preferred by Jones, due to low hours, miles and for the “decent value.”

For his part, Moller doesn’t think any of the vehicles presented to the Commissioners are the right ones to buy.

The real question came from Witherbee, when he asked, “how do we pay for all this? Where does the money come from?”

“We currently sitting just under $300,000 in the apparatus account $299,153 … if we go for higher end one we would tap over the emergency reserves,” said Lemon.
Moller presented Lemon a different option, a Pierce 2005, “it’s two years older, a hundred and some thousand dollars less.” The actual cost of such truck is  $185,000.

Lemon and Goyne will be looking into the 2005 truck and get in touch with the seller to get more details on it. The Commissioners voted on authorizing $220,000 to purchase the Pierce 2005.  
If it doesn’t work out, Lemon will continue to search for a dual purpose to fit Chelan Fire and Rescue needs without surpassing the $220,000 range.




 

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