CLIFFORD – Town council has authorized Minto Fire Chief Chris Harrow to negotiate the purchase of a used tanker truck for up to $140,000.
A report from Harrow presented to council at the Aug. 11 meeting held at the Clifford Community Centre indicates Minto Fire currently has a fleet of five tanker trucks, the oldest manufactured in 1989. Other tankers in the town’s fleet are 1993, 1995, 2015 and 2018 models.
“I knew there was an issue when three of our trucks are older than some of our firefighters,” Harrow told council.
Tanker trucks can be utilized until for at least 25 years, as long as they are maintained and the tank remains in good condition, the report states.
The main drawback of having trucks older than 25 years is the availability of parts to be able to fix the truck portion. After a certain time period, manufacturers stop making parts making it difficult to repair breakdowns, Harrow explains in the report.
Harrow requested authorization to look at purchasing a used tanker truck from a reputable dealer.
“We believe exploring this option, we could upgrade our fleet of tanker trucks with a combination of used and new ones that would be a lot more cost effective, saving us hundreds of thousands of dollars,” the report states.
Harrow told council the cost of trucks is “through the roof,” with “a new one now costing anywhere between $350,000-$500,000.”
The report states the fire service has looked into a 2014 tanker listed at $119,000.
“We would have to put a little bit more into paint and lettering which would not exceed $140,000 total cost,” stated Harrow, who noted the fire service currently we has over $230,000 in a truck reserve fund.
