Council here has approved a proposal from Fort Garry Fire Trucks of Winnipeg to supply a new pumper truck for the local fire department at a cost not to exceed $530,000.
At the June 5 meeting, Fire Chief Harrow reported the department had budgeted $450,000 to replace a 1999 pumper truck at the Palmerston station.
Harrow noted the specifications called for a pumper rescue vehicle with eight seats, similar to the Clifford truck purchased in 2011. The 2011 truck was awarded to a New Brunswick company for $306,000.
Early on in the process, Harrows stated in a report, he learned other fire departments were finding truck prices were “increasing drastically.” The RFP resulted in five proposals from four different companies, which was less than expected. Proposals ranged from a low of $475,800 to a high of $599,869.
“Truck prices have gone really, really crazy,” Harrow stated.
The two lowest bids, Harrow explained, were for demonstrator units currently on the companies’ lots, which did not provide all the features Minto Fire was seeking.
The recommended proposal from Fort Garry Fire Trucks for $487,001 was the most compliant proposal “with many options that ensure best value for the town,” Harrow stated.
The total cost with the recommended options similar to the Clifford vehicle is $530,000.
“So seven years later I thought that we had lots of money sitting there for it, but it came back a lot higher than what we had thought,” the chief stated.
“Minto Fire is exploring different options for recovering the extra money needed to be put back into our reserve account,” Harrow stated in his report.
He noted a plan by the department to move from a 20-year to 25-year replacement schedule for vehicles is expected to help replenish vehicle reserves.
“Extending the life of the pumper trucks is possible with the care and maintenance the firefighters show to Minto Fire vehicles. In the 2019 budget Minto Fire will review reserve contributions and come back with some recommendations on continuing to fund the plan moving forward to adjust for rising costs of apparatus,” the report states.
Councillor Mary Lou Colwell asked what would happen with the existing pumper truck.
Harrow noted it would be sold, with the proceeds bringing down the cost of replacement. However, he stated, “I never budget for that because that market is so topsy-turvy.”
Noting the 40 per cent price increase between 2011 and 2018, councillor Dave Turton asked, “Where’s the major expense, is it the chassis in this case … or is it all the trinkets and bells and whistles.”
“We don’t put a lot of bells and whistles on them,” Harrow said.
He added the chassis for fire vehicles are all made in the U.S. and he pointed out “the dollar was a little better in 2011.”
Mayor George Bridge added there is less competition in the truck market these days “which is one of the problems.
“In Ontario alone there was three manufacturers in the last year or two that have closed up.”
Councillor Ron Elliott asked if the new unit would provide any efficiencies to assist in fighting fires.
Harrow pointed out the new unit is a rescue/pumper which can carry eight, rather than six firefighters, and eliminate the need for a rescue unit.
“It can go with eight people and have your rescue equipment, your hoses, your water and everything on it. That does help, that is a lot more efficient,” he noted.
