Cramahe Township Council approved the purchase of the $236,900 vehicle at a special meeting on January 28 after extensive research was done by a Fire Department selection committee. The price included $6,900 of options designed to make the truck safer and more efficient.
A week earlier on January 19, council refused to accept the recommendation of its interim Fire Chief, Jim Harris. The Chief wanted permission to purchase the truck from a single source without taking it to tender.
In the end the result was much the same, but the firefighters got a truck which met their specifications, and the decision passes public scrutiny.
Township staff met with the firemen after the January 19. A committtee of three firemen was formed to locate possible suppliers and to detemine exactly what was needed. Chief Harris commended John Jakab, Gary Cammack, Larry Dadson and Ken Awender for their efforts in getting the best possible vehicle at the best possible price.
Through extensive research they located seven possible suppliers and asked each to provide quotes on stock vehicles. Some did not have stock, others had stock which failed to meet the township needs. Dependable Trucks, located in Brampton, had three.
Chief Harris had stated from the beginning, that time was of the essence if the municipality was to get one of the last remaining 2009 trucks. He met for three hours with members of the committee on January 23 to create a prioritized list of availablle vehicles. Their first choice was the one selected by council, even though it cost $5,000 more than the second choice.
The truck will be paid for through $210,000 now in the fire department reserves. The balance will come from the 2010 budget.
The preferred 2009 model pumper is a heavier vehicle, designed to carry 1,000 gallons of water, rather than 750 gallons. It also has an enclosed area to store the ladders and equipment and a better hose setup. In the $231,500 model the equipment is inaccessible when the ladders are gotten down. The third choice was a custom ordered truck at a cost of about $280,000 and with a delivery time of 8-10 months.
The committtee was able to negotiate favourable prices for an additional foam system, extra shelving and an extra divider for the hoses. They got the axes and wrench sets mounted on the truck and a heat pan installed under the pump so it doesn't freeze. A traffic advisor will be mounted on the back of the truck. A metal piece will be installed on the back of the cab to protect the operator, and safe running boards will be installed before the truck arrives in 4-6 weeks from Seattle.
Councillor Pat Westrope wondered what will happen to the 26-year-old pumper which is being phased out.
Chief Harris and Works Director Barry Thrasher are to meet with a person who will give them an estimate on the cost to convert it for use by the Works Department. It cannot be used as a fire truck because of its age, but has very low mileage - only 34,000 km. It's sale value is considered minimal.
There will need to be some adjusting done at the fire hall as the firemen juggle their equipment so that the new truck is housed indoors. When it arrives the firefighter will receive training from the supplier.
No comments:
Post a Comment