ELY– The Ely Fire Department has been searching for a replacement aerial truck, but will soon have two additional firefighting vehicles on the force to keep this community safe. City council members this week approved a recommendation from the budget committee to purchase a ladder truck and an engine from a Pennsylvania fire department for about $470,000.
Fire Chief David Marshall told council members in a special meeting Tuesday night that in searching for a replacement for the 1979 American LaFrance aerial truck, he recently traveled to Bloomsburg, Penn., after department members had looked for several months at online purchase opportunities.
“While we had set out to replace our 1983 Seagrave ladder truck, we might actually be able to replace our 1979 LaFrance,” he said. “I don’t think we need to have two aerial trucks in town, but the LaFrance did not pass its pump test this year. That company is no longer in business, so finding parts is becoming increasingly difficult.”
He noted that the department’s Seagrave truck, manufactured in Clintonville, Wis., is still in business and parts are available.
“Essentially, under that plan, our existing ladder truck will become our second engine, and will run alongside our Pierce engine truck,” Marshall said. “Through additional conversations with the budget committee, the recommendation was developed that while we are considering purchasing an aerial truck, we should also consider purchasing a second engine down the road.”
The city’s Capital Improvement Plan calls for fire department apparatus and equipment replacement at a cost of $600,000.
“Truly coincidentally, this same (Pennsylvania) department has an engine for sale,” Marshall explained. “In all honesty, I had to rein in (Assistant Chief) John Zobitz, and told him that we’re not interested in the engine, and we were there to look at the ladder truck.”
Budget committee member Al Forsman told the other council members that the committee was ready to make a recommendation to purchase the ladder truck for $450,000.
“We had the information that would get us the ladder truck for about $400,000. It was obvious that we could meet all our immediate needs in the fire department by also making an offer on the available engine as well,” Forsman said.
The budget committee authorized Marshall to submit a bid for both trucks, and he negotiated a price of $467,485.
“The budget committee fully supports the purchase of both the ladder truck and the engine for that price,” Forsman said.
Both trucks are manufactured by E-One.
“It will be good to have trucks from a strong company that is still in business, and parts are available. I’m all for this double expenditure that I didn’t expect,” he said.
“The new ladder truck will have more capabilities,” Marshall said. “What we have now is a 75-foot ladder, and the new vehicle will have a 95-foot aerial platform. It is much safer than a ladder. It is substantially different from the truck we currently have.” He noted that all Ely Fire Department members fully support the equipment upgrade.
Mayor Roger Skraba expressed his vision of the Ely Fire Department maintaining and operating two aerial trucks. No decisions have been made on what equipment will be kept on the firefighting force.