New Engines, Ladder Truck Arriving Soon at PA Department

Oct. 26—Hazleton Fire Department expects delivery of two new pumper trucks within the next two weeks while a new ladder truck could arrive early next year, the city's fire chief said.

An ongoing effort to upgrade the fire department's fleet resumed recently with a vote cast by city council to sell a 2002 KME pumper truck and a 1987 Mack pumper truck.

Two 2021 model pumper trucks that will replace those vehicles should arrive within the next week or two, Fire Chief Donald Leshko said.

After radios and other equipment are installed, crews will train on the new pumpers before they are placed into service in two to three more weeks, Leshko estimates.

The pumper trucks will be stationed at the Diamond and 14th Ward fire stations, effectively giving the entire north side of the city a boost in fire protection, Leshko said.

"This will give more solid protection, not only for firefighters but for the citizens we are trying to protect," he said.

A third vehicle that is part of the estimated $2.4 million fire apparatus upgrade — a 2021 ladder truck — will be delivered in early- to mid-2023, Leshko said. That vehicle replaces a 1995 KME ladder truck and will be stationed at the Southside Fire Station on East Broad Street.

Efforts to upgrade the city's fire fleet date to October 2020, when council authorized the city to sign a purchase agreement. A resolution approved at the time capped the purchase price at $2.5 million, though officials said the price could change when the custom-built vehicles get to the design phase.

Administrators initially planned to pay for the new vehicles by refinancing debts and floating a $3 million bond issue.

The refinancing, however, did not go forward as the city instead opted to use money from a number of accounts to pay debts.

Administrators have since earmarked $2.6 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to pay for the three fire vehicles.

In hindsight, Leshko said the decision to buy the three vehicles at once rather than spacing out the purchases over several years saved the city at least $600,000 when considering prices that have skyrocketed since the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We saved a great amount of money just because of everything going on with the economy (and) parts and supplies," Leshko said. "It's taking a little while to get the order. With parts, supplies and manufacturing there's been a delay but it's something that everyone is experiencing. On the positive side, it was a collaborative effort by the fire department, administration and council. We saved a drastic amount of money."

Advantages

Leshko said the new apparatus will help firefighters operate more efficiently and effectively and cut down on costly repair projects on older apparatus.

The new vehicles are covered under warranty for two years, he said.

Officials will also no longer have to hunt down parts for older vehicles that can be difficult to find or have to be completely rebuilt, he said.

"With the 1987 Mack, we had a fuel pump go in it," he said. "We had to have it rebuilt in Michigan and had to have it reinstalled. You can't get a fuel pump for it. With the newer rigs, everything is modernized and efficient."

Inventory

The new vehicles will join a fleet that consists of a 2017 KME pumper, a 2008 KME pumper and a 2011 KME ladder truck.

Officials will accept bids for the 1987 Mack pumper and the 2002 KME pumper for about two more weeks and will be available until the new apparatus goes into service, the chief said.

Proceeds from the sale of the older vehicles will go back to the city, Leshko said.

The fleet upgrade is referenced in Hazleton's Act 47 recovery plan. Recovery plan coordinators recommend replacing the 1995 ladder truck, as well as the 1987 pumper and 2002 pumper.

"This should be done as funds become available," the recovery plan states. "Doing this would maintain a fleet of an appropriate size for the City as mentioned in the (national) apparatus recommendations."

Contact the writer: [email protected]; 570-501-3586

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