PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The Presque Isle Fire Department is currently looking at funding options to replace its oldest engine/tanker truck, according to Fire Chief Darrell White.
The department has two engine trucks and one ladder truck. One of the engine trucks, which doubles as a tanker truck, is a valuable part of the department’s missions because of its dual capacity, according to White. As that 34-year-old truck continues to exceed its life expectancy of 15 years, the chief is increasing his efforts to obtain the $600,000 necessary to pay for a manufacturer to build a new engine/tanker of the same model.
Although the truck continues to pass its yearly inspection, White said that it has withstood body rust and electrical and mechanical issues too many times now to put off funding any longer.
“Especially during the past two or three years we’ve been limited in what we use the truck for because every time we go out we’ve seen some type of mechanical issue,” White said. “The fuel tank fell out of the truck during one fire and we’ve had numerous water leaks because of rusted pipes.”
Most recently the fire department applied and was rejected for a $300,000 Assistance to Firefighters grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The program receives 26,000 applications from fire departments across the country each year and the grant would have provided Presque Isle with much of the funds needed for a new truck.
White plans to continue working with city councilors as they begin discussions about the next yearly budget in August to see if there could be enough municipal funds to support a truck purchase without affecting local tax dollars.
“The city has been very good to us and they understand how crucial our need has become. They’ve put as much money as they can into the fire department budget without affecting taxpayers,” White said. “Unfortunately we don’t have a lot of time now before the truck will likely be unsafe to use on the road. It has past its lifespan by about 10 plus years at this point.”
Once the firefighters create a list of specifications for what they’d like to see with a new engine/tanker truck, they will go out to bid with at least seven or eight manufacturers and choose the most affordable bid. If city councilors make a funding decision by the end of 2018, the department could accept a bid for a truck around that time in hopes of receiving one by fall 2019, since building a new fire truck takes most manufacturers an average of eight to 12 months.
White is confident that once his department is able to purchase the fire truck, it will not have to worry about replacing trucks for many more years.
“We purchased another one of our trucks in 2001 and it was built to last 30 years, so I don’t think we would look at getting a replacement … for at least 15 years,” White said.
He added that having a dual engine/tanker truck not only provides more efficiency to firefighters during emergency situations but also benefits local residents with fire insurance.
“Right now our insurance service office rating is three, which is a pretty good rating. When a fire department has a low ISO rating, it helps lower a person’s insurance premium for fire protection,” White explained. “So it’s crucial that we have a fire truck that can play both roles and help us serve people in our community.”
