By year’s end, the Independence Township Fire Department will buy two rescue trucks valued at nearly $1 million combined.
The Independence Township board okayed the purchase at their March 7 meeting, but plans to explore finance options were postponed until their next meeting scheduled on March 21 at 7:30 p.m.
Independence Township Fire Chief Steve Ronk presented a financing plan offered by Pierce Manufacturing, the company selling the trucks, which includes approximately $38,000 in savings if accepted.
‘We’re looking at what works best economically for the township,? said Ronk, who explained Pierce’s plan was just one payment option.
‘That is an option. We’re just hoping we can get just a little better rate with some of our local banks,? concurred township Finance Director Susan Hendricks.
‘We put out requests for proposals from various banking institutions last Thursday (March 9). This Thursday at 11 a.m. we will open the bids. Then we will make a recommendation to the board about the financing options,? she added.
Ronk explained the two vehicles are not traditional fire engines, but rescue trucks designed to carry equipment to emergency scenes.
According to Ronk, the purchase from Pierce out of Appleton, Wisconsin, is part of a larger five-year plan meant to replenish and restore rescue capabilities.
‘When he went ALS (Advanced Life Support) five years ago, we sold three medium rescue trucks to buy ambulances,? said Ronk. ‘So we’ve kind of been doing rescue work off our fire engines, which is limited.
‘We can’t carry everything we have. These trucks will allow us to get everything back and expand rescue services,? he added.
One of the vehicles is designed primarily to extract victims from auto accidents. The truck, costing an estimated $525,196, comes with hydraulic tools and allows firefighters to fill up their air tanks directly from the truck on an accident scene. The truck also has two light towers to enhance night time operations, said Ronk.
‘This truck is replacing one we already have,? said Ronk, who explained the department plans to sell its special response unit sometime around the end of the year. He speculated Pierce needs about nine months to build the truck.
The second truck is designated to carry equipment for technical response including trench and rope rescue, structural collapse and confined space rescue. This truck costs approximately $448,762.
Ronk said the department has a portion of the money already and that payments for the trucks are budgeted for in 2006. He could not provide exact monthly payments without a definitive financial plan in place, but acknowledged Pierce has payment plans of three and five years.
‘We expect to have these trucks for fifteen years,? said Ronk.