Crime & Safety

Fire Truck Purchase Talks at a Stalemate

A demo model truck that can't clear the Bruce Avenue Bridge was rejected by the Town Council at a recent special meeting because Council members said it wouldn't serve all residents.

A committee charged with picking a new fire truck that “fits the town,” chose one that can’t make it under the Bruce Avenue Bridge.

Even so, the current depleted condition of Stratford’s fire truck lineup had Town Council members at a recent special meeting considering the imperfect purchase.

“I get a strong feeling the public is at risk,” said Council member Stephanie Philips. “Ideally, if two trucks weren’t damaged, we wouldn’t be having this conversation [to purchase this truck].”

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in a January 7 accident on I-95. Acting Fire Chief Brian Lampart told the Council there is “no definite date” of when the two trucks will be ready for action again, but he expects one to return at the end of July. Since January, three 1997 pieces of apparatus have been filing in, he said.

But the reserve trucks are “reserve trucks for a reason and not safe to be frontline,” said Lampart, who was backing a proposed ordinance to include $550,000 in the capital improvement plan for fiscal year 2010-11. Those funds would go toward purchasing the demo model that was recently selected by a committee within the fire department.

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“Over 300 man hours went into researching this apparatus,” said Lampart. “I told [the committee] it has to fit the town.”

He said the fire department has had past trucks that haven’t been able to clear the Bruce Avenue Bridge and it hasn’t caused any delays in response. “We can work around it,” said Lampart, adding that purchasing the demo now – which comes with a hose and a Jaws of Life apparatus – could save the town $200,000.

Being a demo model that travels from show to show, the interim fire chief urged the Council to approve the money: “Someone could buy it tomorrow or tonight.” He said it’s fit to jump right into the department’s frontline immediately.   

“I’m inclined to believe the acting chief if he says there’s a need,” said Council member Jason Santi, chairman of the public safety committee, whose move to approve the purchase failed.

Lampart said one of the three reserve pieces is riddled with electrical problems, and that the demo would take the place of two reserve trucks.

Citing his opposition to a purchase that would exclude fire service to some residents, Council member Christian Barnaby made a move to strike the item from the agenda.

“It’s a little difficult for me to swallow if two trucks may be coming back,” he said. “The committee came up with a truck that doesn’t go under all bridges, [which] doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.”

After Barnaby’s motion to strike the item failed, the Council tabled the fire truck purchase for its next meeting.

Mayor John Harkins, in a closing remark, said before the town buys a new fire truck it has to be sure that the apparatus can be used throughout the entire town.


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