The Wellesley fire station’s 18-year-old tanker will be replaced next year, as township council voted this week to spend $245,000 on a new truck.
Meeting Tuesday, councillors awarded the contract to Asphodel Fire Trucks Ltd located of Norwood, Ontario. The new unit will be identical to the one built by the company for the Linwood station.
The new tanker will de developed to include National Fire Protection Association and Underwriters Laboratories of Canada requirements that improve vehicle and firefighter safety.
The operation of the truck will be identical to the Linwood tanker, with compartments containing the same equipment, which will benefit firefighters when the truck is used at multi-station responses.
The initial cost of the Wellesley truck will be $244,600 minus the trade-in value of $15,000 for the 1993 tanker, bringing the total to $229,600. The cost well below the $275,000 in the department’s budget.
“This is a great strategy and will save us a lot of money in the end,” said Coun. Herb Neher.
Spending more money to repair the existing tanker no longer makes sense, as parts have become harder to find, said township fire chief Andrew Lillico in recommending the purchase.
“When I came here, council asked that I develop a 10-year capital forecast and spread the equipment out over the 10 years with appropriate replacement that would not create blips in the contribution reserve,” said Lillico. “The replacement of the tanker now will keep
contributions consistent over the next few years.”
The current tanker is beginning to show a lot of wear and tear, he explained.
“If we did not replace the vehicle we were heading for some significant costs in repairs and replacement parts.”
This will be the third tanker for the Village of Wellesley since 1965.
“Significant changes in technology have occurred in firefighting over the last 18 years. The new tanker will have the ability to fill faster and the new design allows for quick offloads. It will carry significantly more water than the current tanker and will help the firefighters perform their duties better and safer,” said Lillico.
The township should expect the new tanker to be in operation by late 2012.
