Town of Westlock council will decide whether to add another item to the capital budget and replace one of the town’s fire trucks at its March 26 meeting.
This, after a presentation at council’s March 19 committee of the whole meeting by fire chief Stuart Koflick and Transitional Solution Inc. (TSI) consultant Ron Cust on why the current 1987 Ford Superior Teleboom needs to be replaced with either a newer used truck or a new one altogether.
On the wish list for Koflick and the fire department is a truck with a 32-metre reach that has a platform instead of just a ladder for easier and safer rescue of fire victims and access to rooftops. The cost of a new truck would range up to $1.3 million and would be custom-built, while a few used trucks Koflick selected fell between $451,000 and $688,000 for 2006 and 2007 models.
“Anything over 25 years old is highly or strongly recommended to be replaced,” said Koflick, referring to the National Fire Protection Association’s standards for automotive fire apparatus.
The yellow 1987 Ford is no longer reliable as it has electrical problems and the pump was rebuilt in 2009. It can also only transport two firefighters and has limited storage capacity for equipment and without a platform it is unable to perform safe rescues from heights.
“In the end, the unit is beautiful, it’s a museum piece,” said Cust of TSI, which was contracted to take a look at the 1987 Ford and document what kind of condition it was in, comment on its viability and when it should be replaced.
Koflick proposed that 20 per cent, or $260,000, of the cost of a new fire truck come from capital reserves with the remaining 80 per cent, or $1.04 million, coming in the form of a debenture.
There would also be some additional maintenance costs due to the tandem axle on a new truck, he said.
A new truck would be built to the fire department’s needs and specifications and could transport six firefighters and all the equipment they could need, the town would get the full life out of the machine, along with a warranty, and would have the requested 32-metre span that would make high altitude rescues safer and more feasible.
“It has the reach, especially for those properties with the larger setbacks where we can’t get right up to the property itself,” said Koflick. “It’s about safety. Safety for our firefighters accessing roofs and safety for the potential rescuees … it’s quite a versatile unit.”
“It’s not about the tall buildings, it’s about being able to get to the location you need as quickly as possible to aggressively fight that fire,” said Cust, who was once fire chief in Morinville.
Cust laid out three recommendations for council from TSI.
First, to enter into more agreements with neighbouring municipalities like Barrhead and Morinville to assist when they are needed. Next, to purchase an aerial pumper truck with a platform. And last, the town should consider replacing the 1987 Ford within two years, said Cust.
Westlock’s fleet of fire equipment is aging quickly. The 1996 one-ton rescue truck has passed its service life and the 2006 rescue engine is due for replacement in 2026. Koflick said he is hoping to replace both of them with a single unit at some point. The 2010 Engine 2 is also scheduled to be replaced in 2035.
