Woodlands County buying new fire engine for Fort Assiniboine FD

FORT ASSINIBOINE — The Fort Assiniboine Fire Department is getting a new fire engine two years from now to replace its current engine, though the exact cost of the unit won't be known for another month. 

Woodlands County councillors passed a motion at their Aug. 17 meeting to approve the purchase of a new fire engine from Rocky Mountain Phoenix at the estimated cost of $706,129. The new engine will be available for delivery in 2024. 

Director of infrastructure Andre Bachand said the 2022 budget included $200,000 for a down payment on the purchase of a new fire truck. The remaining cost will be covered via the 2023 capital budget. 

Bachand said a tender was let out and the county received one bid from Rocky Mountain Phoenix, which is a safety equipment supplier with offices throughout western Canada. 

However, the company was unable to confirm the price of a new chassis – the framework that the engine rests on — until September 2022. Instead, they provided an estimated price of $126,830 for the chassis. 

“That bid number may change one way or the other (in September),” Bachand said. 

Noting that a lot of vehicles are being replaced as they age out, Coun. Peter Kuelken asked if it was possible for the county to continue re-certifying these vehicles to keep them in use. 

He later clarified that he wanted the public to understand that the county is trying to update its infrastructure as affordably as possible. 

Chief administrative officer Gordon Frank said the standard policy for municipalities in general is to replace vehicles after 20 to 25 years. 

However, it was possible for these units to go beyond their life expectancy provided they continue to be certified. The cost of doing so for the fire engines at all four Woodlands County rural fire departments is about $1,500 per year, which covers the cost of a company coming out and conducting the certification. 

Coun. Devin Williams, who is with the Fort Assiniboine fire department, clarified the unit being replaced is a 2004 model, so it will hit its 20-year life expectancy in 2024. 

He noted that it is “still a good truck,” but they must follow National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards regarding the age of their equipment. 

This retired engine will in turn be going to another of the smaller fire halls in Woodlands County, likely Anselmo or Goose Lake. 

“The intent is always to use those units most efficiently,” added Frank. 

Reeve John Burrows asked if the county expects equipment prices to stabilize or possibly come down in the future. 

Frank couldn’t say with any certainty, adding that inflation seems to be stabilizing depending on what you read and who you listen to. 

However, he also noted that he had recently asked to do a test drive of a completely different unit and the seller indicated they couldn’t say when a test drive would be possible.

Kevin Berger, TownandCountryToday.com