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September 06. 2012 3:00AM
Gilford to ask voters again to purchase new fire truck
GILFORD — For the second time this year, the town will ask voters to approve the purchase of a new fire truck to replace 25-year-old Engine 4, which has been taken off the road because of age-related deficiencies.
At Tuesday’s town voting from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Gilford Middle School Gymnasium, voters will be asked to approve a new $450,000 fire truck.
Engine 4, which has been the town’s pump truck and has served as the primary backup to Engine 1, the department’s “attack” engine since it was added to the town’s fleet, was scheduled to be retired in March because of its disrepair. The National Fire Protection Association recommends that all fire apparatus over 25 years old be replaced.
The town was asked to approve a new truck in March, but voters defeated the article, 709 in favor to 915 against. Opponents of the purchase have questioned why the town doesn’t repair the truck, and have also questioned whether the town needs four fire trucks.
Fire Chief Stephen Carrier said the fire department’s truck usage this summer shows the need for a new truck. There have been six calls that required the town to borrow a neighboring town’s fire truck in place of Engine 4. In three of those cases, the department borrowed a Laconia truck, and three times it borrowed a Belmont truck.
On several occasions, mutual aid was needed from other towns because the town only has three trucks at the moment, he said.
“Engine 4 was the only truck that could take the place of Engine 1 — it was our only backup,” Carrier said.
“That engine is a critical need for our fleet, and it’s critical for us if we are to continue the high level of service we have provided with four trucks since 1958.”
After the March vote, a local heavy truck repair shop said it would cost at least $50,000 to fix Engine 4, and the town was told that investing more money into Engine 4 may not be wise.
A state police inspection legally took the truck off the road in April.
Town officials hoped residents would vote differently given new information about repair costs and infeasibility of repairing the old truck, so they petitioned Belknap County Superior Court for an emergency town meeting for a second vote. The deliberative session was held last month. Carrier said no one spoke in opposition to the purchase at that meeting.
Dan Seufert may be reached at dseufert@newstote.com.
At Tuesday’s town voting from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Gilford Middle School Gymnasium, voters will be asked to approve a new $450,000 fire truck.
Engine 4, which has been the town’s pump truck and has served as the primary backup to Engine 1, the department’s “attack” engine since it was added to the town’s fleet, was scheduled to be retired in March because of its disrepair. The National Fire Protection Association recommends that all fire apparatus over 25 years old be replaced.
The town was asked to approve a new truck in March, but voters defeated the article, 709 in favor to 915 against. Opponents of the purchase have questioned why the town doesn’t repair the truck, and have also questioned whether the town needs four fire trucks.
Fire Chief Stephen Carrier said the fire department’s truck usage this summer shows the need for a new truck. There have been six calls that required the town to borrow a neighboring town’s fire truck in place of Engine 4. In three of those cases, the department borrowed a Laconia truck, and three times it borrowed a Belmont truck.
On several occasions, mutual aid was needed from other towns because the town only has three trucks at the moment, he said.
“Engine 4 was the only truck that could take the place of Engine 1 — it was our only backup,” Carrier said.
“That engine is a critical need for our fleet, and it’s critical for us if we are to continue the high level of service we have provided with four trucks since 1958.”
After the March vote, a local heavy truck repair shop said it would cost at least $50,000 to fix Engine 4, and the town was told that investing more money into Engine 4 may not be wise.
A state police inspection legally took the truck off the road in April.
Town officials hoped residents would vote differently given new information about repair costs and infeasibility of repairing the old truck, so they petitioned Belknap County Superior Court for an emergency town meeting for a second vote. The deliberative session was held last month. Carrier said no one spoke in opposition to the purchase at that meeting.
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Dan Seufert may be reached at dseufert@newstote.com.
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