NORWICH – The Norwich Fire Department has been short a truck since they took their 1973 tanker out of service. The department has been relying on automatic mutual aid when responding to calls. Multiple departments respond to a call in order to ease the burden on one department. This has been working since the 1973 truck was removed from service, but at the City Finance Committee meeting on Sept. 5, Chief Joseph Angelino discussed the need to purchase a replacement tanker on an emergency basis. The Common Council passed a motion giving him permission to do so at Tuesday night’s meeting.
Angelino explained that not having a tanker truck is not hurting the City of Norwich. The situation is being handled through automatic mutual aid, but by authorizing the purchase on an “emergency” basis, it will speed the process by as much as a year.
Angelino estimated a new tanker truck will cost the city between $90,000 and $200,000, depending on what size and type of truck is purchased. He discussed the possibility of buying a combination pumper and tanker truck, although he cautioned these trucks are nearly as big as ladder trucks and might be cumbersome on some roads, especially in the winter months.
“All of these vehicles are extremely expensive and sit 99 percent of the time in a heated garage. It’s an insurance policy you need to pay,” Angelino said. He told the committee having a tanker truck would help the city’s ISO insurance rating because a big portion of the rating depends on the water supply. Angelino and the officials at the department are investigating all of their options for a replacement vehicle.
Mayor Joseph P. Maiurano said he has faith in the group’s decision. “It’s a good group over there with educated information about what the city needs,” he said. He explained the situation never should have come to this. “We never should have been in this position, but we will never be in it again.” All department heads are now budgeting funds for replacement vehicle costs in the future.