SOUTH HADLEY — Residents of Fire District No. 1 will vote on Thursday at a Special Meeting at the fire station on whether to approve financing for the purchase of a $1.2 million fire truck, in addition to voting on other appropriations for new equipment and new floors.
“It think it’s important that people understand the need for the fire truck. We have an aging fleet,” said Fire Chief Robert Authier. “It’s good for the safety of the community and the safety of our firefighters.”
Last spring, Fire District No. 1, one of two that serves the town of South Hadley, retired a 1985 fire engine after it failed to pass inspection. The station has two remaining fire trucks; one from 2009 with no ladder, and another from 1993 with a 70-foot ladder.
“We have been planning for a newer ladder for the last couple years,” said Authier of the proposed truck purchase. Referring to the 1993 vehicle, he added: “Several times when that truck has been out of service, the parts designed for that model are scarce.”
The new truck would feature a 100-foot ladder, an engine to pump water, a platform, and additional high-tech safety features like collision prevention technology. The new truck is also more automated, so a lone firefighter can operate it and thus respond without waiting for additional operators.
Authier says the new ladder truck would allow the department to better serve the taller buildings in town, like those at Riverboat Village and Mount Holyoke College.
A second vote would authorize the transfer of $200,000 from the Fire Vehicle Stabilization Account to the New Fire Truck Account to pay for new oxygen tanks, Jaws of Life and other equipment.
A third article would authorize transferring $150,000 from the unreserved cash fund to the Building Improvement Account. Currently, Fire District No. 1 has $640,472 of unreserved funds, as certified by the state on Dec. 4.
The financial agent for Fire District No. 1, the Prudential Committee, paid off the bond used to purchase the 2009 fire truck last year, in an effort to save money on interest and knowing they would need another truck soon. According to Authier, a new fire truck would last the community between 20 and 25 years.
Understaffing issues at the Holyoke and Amherst fire departments further press the need for another truck, said Authier and Prudential Committee member Michael Wozniak. In the past, when one of South Hadley’s fire trucks was out of service, the town relied on units from Holyoke and Amherst for fire response, a time-consuming and dangerous situation.
The district plans to apply for a grant through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help defray the cost of the truck, according to Authier.
Additionally, Mount Holyoke College offered to donate to both fire districts a total of approximately $400,000. If approved, half would go toward District No. 1’s new fire truck and half to a new ambulance for District No. 2. Both districts serve the Mount Holyoke College campus.
“There’s been preliminary discussions,” said Prudential Committee member Michael Wozniak about the potential donation. “We won’t know anything until they have a meeting their meeting in January.”
Thursday’s meeting will take place at 7 p.m. at the Fire Department headquarters at 144 Newton St.
Sarah Robertson can be reached at srobertson@gazettenet.com