The Limestone Fire Department recently purchased a $55,000 1998 Smeal Aerial Ladder Fire Truck in New York. Fire Chief Jon Poitras says the vehicle has been needed for years and will enhance their ability to put out chimney fires as well as crew safety. From left, Dennis Kelly, Ed Mincozzi Jr., Jerry Flower, Capt. Nick Poitras, and Chief Jon Poitras. (Courtesy of Limestone Fire Department)
LIMESTONE, Maine — The Limestone Fire Department has been in need of an aerial ladder fire since 2011, according to Chief Jon Poitras, and they recently met that need by picking up a used truck from New York.
“One of my personal goals I set when I became fire chief in July of 2013 was to bring an aerial ladder back into the department,” said Poitras, adding that these trucks allow firefighters to shoot water down onto roofs, something that is particularly helpful during chimney fires.
“With chimney fires, you have to get on the roof and any time you get to a height unsecured, it poses risks,” Poitras said. “A firefighter can do a lot of work from a ladder if they’re tied into it. That eliminates the risk of falling, and safety is one of the biggest reason we wanted to get the truck.”
The 1998 Smeal is the department’s first real multi-cab truck, according to Poitras, who says it can haul up to six firefighters at a time in its huge cab and it doubles as a pumper with a capacity of 1,250 gallons, in addition to having a 55-foot aerial ladder.
“We had an aerial ladder around 2011,” Poitras said, “but it became unusable due to deficiencies and eventually it wouldn’t pass an annual inspection. We were left without a ladder so we began the search for a new one.”
The chief says their search was over when the found the 1998 Smeal through Brindlee Mountain Fire Apparatus, a company that markets an array of used fire trucks. The truck, which came from Bayville Fire Company Number 1 in Bayville, New York, was $55,000 and only had 15,000 miles.
“Captain Nick Poitras and myself drove to New York over the weekend and picked it up,” Poitras said. “It was a 500-mile trip for us,” adding that Bayville Fire Company 1 delivered the truck to a Long Island Ferry Port, saving the LFD captain and chief from having to drive the large vehicle through New York City.
Poitras says the vehicle needs to be outfitted with a hose and the crew needs to be trained to work with the ladder, and expects to see the vehicle in service within the next few weeks.
