NORWICH – Nearly nine months after the ladder of the aerial truck at the Norwich Fire Department was taken out of service due to severe deterioration that rendered it unsafe for use, the Norwich FD crew on Saturday continued their ongoing pursuit of a replacement apparatus.
Members of the Norwich Fire Department gathered at the firehouse to look at a replacement demo truck driven into the city early Saturday morning by the Smeal Fire Apparatus Company, based out of Snyder, Neb. It was the second demo truck the crew has examined over the past two weeks and according to Fire Chief Tracy Chawgo, hopes are to inspect two additional trucks from two different companies in the coming weeks.
“This is a huge expense and we want to make sure we do it right the first time,” Chawgo said, citing the $650,000 price tag attached to the 2012 Smeal model. “We would like to see two more demos, if the companies can get them out here.”
Chawgo also said the department considered buying a new or used aerial truck, but the cost of such a move could reach upwards of $1.3 million, while a used vehicle - though much cheaper at roughly $400,000-$600,000 - might not last as long and put the city under the same burden a few years from now. “It is a difficult situation to be in,” he added.
During May’s Joint Committees meeting, Chawgo updated the city council on the search process, which has been underway since the Norwich FD recommended in April that the council allow it to move forward with the purchase of a replacement truck instead or repairing the tuck currently owned by the department. Chawgo told council members that warranties for demo trucks begin when the purchase contract is signed, as if the truck were new, which makes demo trucks likely to be the best option for the city.
The Norwich FD has approximately $100,000 in its fire truck reserve account. The city is presently exploring financing options, including low-interest loans and potential grants.
The challenge of deciding to repair or replace the existing aerial truck at the Norwich Fire Department has been deliberated since June, when the truck did poorly in an inspection conducted by the American Test Center. It was brought to the attention of city officials that the truck - a used, 1982 model with a 75-foot ladder, purchased for $90,000 in 2000 - has rotted around the crossmembers that provide support when the ladder is raised.
Although the truck still responds to fire calls, use of the ladder is off limits. According to the Norwich FD, the cost of repairs - estimated to range between $60,000 and $100,000 - would exceed the truck’s current value.
Adding to that complication, the city’s property and casualty insurance carrier requested that – if the city purchase a replacement truck – it should include a 100-foot ladder for the city to maintain its good rating, which ultimately translates to lower fire insurance rates paid by residents and businesses within the city, as well as the Norwich FD’s contracting townships of Norwich, North Norwich and Guilford. Anything shorter than a 100-foot ladder forces firefighters to park the truck in the collapse zone, Chawgo pointed out.
For the time being, the Norwich FD is relying on the Sherburne and Oxford fire departments through the county’s Mutual Aid Program for use of their aerial; but doing so, said Chawgo, drastically effects response time and takes away from other municipalities during emergencies.