NEW KENT — New Kent County is preparing to spend almost $1 million on a used fire ladder truck, reflecting what the fire chief has described as a “pretty ridiculous” market for appartus.
The Board of Supervisors voted at a work session May 30 for funds for a refurbished 2008 ladder truck for the new fire station to be built in Bottoms Bridge.
Fire-Rescue Chief Rick Opett said equipment costs at Station 6 would be about $3.8 million if new equipment was bought. Although a refurbished tower ladder would cost less, he said the long-term cost would be about $5.2 million because the used tower ladder would require replacement sooner.
“Pretty much since COVID, the manufacturing world has been turned upside down. You can’t get parts and pieces to anything and backlogs seem to be the biggest issue dealing with anything large,” Opett said. “What’s happening in the apparatus world is complete sickness,” he said.
He said equipment purchases should now be planned 2-3 years in advance.
Opett presented two options for fitting out the Bottoms Bridge station. The first would cost $3.8 million. It would include a new tower ladder costing $2.5 million.
He said three-story apartments being built in the Bottoms Bridge area justify the purchase of a tower ladder.
A new ambulance would cost $417,000, higher than the $300,000 estimate the chief gave for ambulances in the last budget discussions. A new fire engine would cost about $900,000.
Opett suggested buying a used tower ladder as an alternative. Option 2 would also include a new ambulance and a fire truck at the same price as option 1.
“We have located a tower ladder that can be refurbished. We would purchase that for about $400,000 and then send it to Ohio to be refurbished for about a total of $900,000,” Opett said. Although the ladder truck dates from 2008, it only has 18,000 miles.
The fire chief said the refurbishment might cost 10% more than projected and that the refurbished tower ladder would only last a decade.
“You are going to invest about $1 million for 10 years, whereas, on the other side, you are going to invest about $2.5 million for about 25 years,” Opett said.
The fire chief said reserve apparatus can be used if the station opens before the equipment arrives. “However, it limits us if something else goes down,” he said.
Supervisor John Lockwood said the 2008 ladder truck was likely to be more reliable despite being older.
Lockwood moved a motion for the fire chief and county administrator to sign a contract for up to $425,000 to buy the used ladder truck and up to $475,000 for the refurbishment of the vehicle. The motion received unanimous support.
David Macaulay, [email protected]
