BRUNSWICK
The Brunswick Town Council on Monday approved the purchase of a new fire engine to replace a 19-year-old vehicle deemed unsafe to operate.
The total cost will not exceed $650,000, and the vehicle will be funded through bonds.
In a memo to the council, Fire Chief Ken Brillant said Engine 2 was built on an American LaFrance chassis. American LaFrance is no longer in business and finding parts is difficult.
During an inspection, Greenwood Emergency Vehicle noted the vehicle’s frame was rusting and warping and in rough shape. Rust and corrosion have gotten in the vehicle’s double frame, pushing it apart and warping it. The engine has 40,900 miles on it.
Brillant said new designs of engines include galvanized frames in an effort to avoid the same problems as the older vehicles in the fleet.
Councilor David Watson inquired about the condition of the other vehicles operated by the department. Brillant said the fleet is inspected annually and the vehicles do not show the same wear as Engine 2.
Brunswick Fire Department has a fleet that includes a tanker, tower truck, and ambulances among other vehicles. However, Deputy Chief of Fire Prevention Jeff Emerson said last week the department should have three engines in the fleet, and they are currently operating with two.
Brillant on Monday said the original plan was to operate Engine 2 until the replacement was available in August 2018. However, with the inspection of the vehicle by two mechanics who have deemed the vehicle unsafe, he does not want the department or town liable in the event of an accident causing injury or death.
Brillant said the department will try not to have two vehicles out of service, and said the department can always rely on mutual aid if necessary.
Emerson said the purchase of a replacement fire engine falls within the parameters of what is typical practice. The engine to be replaced was purchased in 1998 and is at the end of its life expectancy. Emerson said opposition to purchasing a new truck is usually anticipated but said this is not a new item, but a replacement.
No members of the public or the council spoke in opposition to the bond.
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