Lapel approves financing for new fire truck

Jun. 6--LAPEL -- The town of Lapel has agreed to finance the purchase of a new truck for the Lapel-Stony Creek Fire Territory.

The Lapel Town Council on Thursday voted unanimously to finance the purchase of the new truck to replace one that has been in active service for 27 years.

Attorney John Reeder said there were concerns about the age of the fire truck and the fire department was seeking help from the town in purchasing a new piece of equipment.

Reeder said Stony Creek Township provided the funding mechanism to purchase a new ambulance in 2019.

He said there would be a public hearing on June 17 at the fire station to explain the details of the planned purchase.

Tom Marvel, a member of the town council, said the truck being replaced has been in service for 27 years and it should have been replaced after 20 years.

"The pump is starting to leak and it's time to replace the truck," he said.

Marvel said many of the department's fire trucks are built on the chassis for a commercial vehicle.

"This will be a custom chassis designed for a fire truck and will last at least 20 years," he said. "It will be the first custom chassis the department has had since the 1970s."

The truck will carry 1,000 gallons of water and be capable of pumping 1,500 gallons per minute. It will be able to transport six firefighters and all their gear at once.

Marvel said the estimated cost of the new fire truck is $620,000.

He explained once ordered it, will take 395 days to be built and the manufacturer will provide the town with a pre-pay discount.

"We don't know what the discount will be," Marvel said. "It could be $20,000 or $25,000. It will cost $13,000 to $15,000 to buy the hoses needed for the new truck."

The purchase of the new truck will be financed over six years.

Marvel said the fire department has some funds available in the equipment replacement account.

He said the current truck will be used as a reserve unit.

"This will be the first time ever that the department will have a reserve truck," Marvel said. "It should help with the town's insurance rates, which saves homeowners money."

Follow Ken de la Bastide on Twitter @KendelaBastide, or call 765-640-4863.

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