Fulton Fire Department officials expressed their continued concern for the condition of their 25-year-old ladder truck at Tuesday's regular city council meeting.
Assistant Fire Chief Kevin Coffelt and fire Capt. Brian Smith joined Fire Chief Dean Buffington in addressing the council about the truck not passing certifications during testing a few months ago.
Buffington said the department received a bid to make the necessary repairs, which would cost about $58,000. He said two companies inspected the truck, with the first recommending a manufacturing-backed testing company because of some discrepancies it found. The second company turned in an order to the truck's regional manufacturing company.
"It does have some places in the fourth section in the extension on the bucket that has to be replaced," Buffington said, describing the truck's maintenance needs. "This is not an aisle-off-the-shelf item; this is something for each individual unit .... We have major gaps in the slide guides, which would cause us some extra friction in the area units when it's up in the air."
Buffingon added that the $58,000 would include the second company transporting the truck to and from Fulton with all necessary repairs made and required testing and certification completed. He told the council that he expects the process to take about three months.
Coffelt said since the manufacturing company would be making the repairs, he would expect the truck to have a service warranty. He also said he spoke with other companies, but they all refused to touch the old truck for liability reasons.
"It has served us well," Buffington said. "It was due for some issues to come up. We've been through the motor two or three years ago and now we've got some trouble with the aerial on it."
Coffelt said the truck just has wear and tear from Fulton's use and its 12 years in Columbia, but otherwise, "It's a solid truck."
Buffington added that the truck is still in service as a pumper, but fire crews will not raise the aerial part due to safety concerns because it did not pass vehicle inspections.
Buffington said although the ladder truck may not be used every day, its primary function is for rescuing people trapped in the upper floors of a building or a roof. The truck also serves a secondary role as an elevated water stream, the fire chief said.
While the ladder truck is out of commission, FPD relies on mutual aid from the Central Callaway Fire Department and the Columbia Fire Department. However, not having an operating ladder truck at immediate disposal may impede the department's emergency response time.
"So the time element and the need for that truck, although it's not a daily needed vehicle, it is something that we need to have," Buffington said.
Fire officials and council members discussed other options, but purchasing a new truck was not one of them.
"The amount of money it would cost to get another ladder truck in here is way more than that money we put into it," Buffingtold told the council.
A few council members questioned where they'd find room in the budget for the truck repairs.
"We can find it," Fulton Director of Administration Bill Johnson told them.