IN Fire Department to Replace 40-Year-Old Tanker

MONTGOMERY, IN—Sometimes when a vehicle reaches a certain age, a time comes to replace it. For the Montgomery Volunteer Fire Department, the time to replace their 40-year-old tanker appears to be now. Backed with a $270,000 federal firefighters grant, the department is now putting together the plans to order the new vehicle.

“We’re excited and ready to do it,” said Montgomery Assistant Fire Chief Dwayne Murphy. “Because it is a federal project, I am leery of all of the paperwork. I think they killed three trees just putting the grant together.”

There are a couple of constants for small volunteer fire departments like Montgomery’s. They rarely have a lot of cash, and they often rely on fundraisers to stay in operation and fill in the financial gaps.

The fire department recently held its annual turkey dinner and the community came out and gave it plenty of support.

“Normally, that event raises around $4,000,” said Murphy. “This time it brought in $8,800, and we are still receiving donations. We wanted to put the money toward the matching funds for the truck and the community really got behind that. We were sold out of meals right away.”

The money from the turkey dinner along with other funds raised by the fire department have just about covered the cost of the matching funds. Murphy points out that the department still has a need for cash.

“We normally raise about $10,000 per year just to keep the volunteers in turn-out gear, and to make equipment replacements on the vehicles,” said Murphy. “We may have hit the amount we need for the match but we are still going to need to raise some money to cover our expenses.”

Murphy points out firefighting equipment can be pricey. A pair of boots can run $400.

Currently, the specifications for the new tanker truck are being drawn so that the fire department can put them out to bid. The department is hoping they can get a good enough bid that they will not have to spend additional money to equip it.

“It just depends,” said Murphy. “If the bids come in low enough for the vehicle, we might be able to take the extra money and have new equipment put on it. If they are too close to the $270,000 amount, we may have to pull old equipment from other trucks and use that.”

Murphy says the fire department appreciates the support they are receiving from the community as they prepare for the new truck. He does warn that it may be a while yet before a shiny new truck is at the fire house.

“We still have to follow up on the spec’s and the federal paperwork,” he said. “I have also heard that Vincennes Township Fire Department ordered a truck and it will take two years to get it delivered. I am hoping we can get ours bid and get it back here within a year.”

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