Alberton eyeing new fire truck

The Township of Alberton has a big decision to make next week that will have consequences far beyond the term of the current council.
Cory Jewell, chief of Alberton’s volunteer fire department, made a detailed pitch for a replacement for the township’s aging fire truck at Wednesday night’s council meeting.
He proposed council opt for a new unit as opposed to buying another used one.
The township’s current fire truck is 28 years old, and rising maintenance costs have raised the question of replacing it soon.
Chief Jewell also expressed concern Wednesday night over the reliability of the old truck, citing the potential consequences to the township should it fail to respond in an emergency.
“We’re here to protect the public: If there’s a house fire and the truck won’t move, we could have a liability issue,” he warned.
Chief Jewell strongly recommended council purchase a model made by Freightliner that costs roughly $180,000, even though there are cheaper alternatives, because this particular unit carries a number of standard features that make it ideal for the township’s purposes.
As well, this model is identical to the unit recently purchased by La Vallee, which would make it more useful in the event of a situation that requires a response from both municipalities.
It also is less complicated to operate, Chief Jewell said.
“It’s user-friendly,” he remarked. “One man can operate the water alone if necessary until other firefighters arrive on the scene.”
The proposed truck has a much larger water and pumping capacity than the old one, and also has the capability to disperse foam, which Chief Jewell said is particularly useful in situations like car fires.
As well, it has a large, onboard storage space that could eliminate the need for the township to purchase a cube van to carry things the current truck cannot accommodate.
But the real issue is long-term reliability, said Alberton Reeve Mike Hammond. “It’s a lot of money, but it will last for 25 years,” he noted.
Alberton council has been aware for some time of the need for a replacement fire truck and has been considering a number of options, including buying a used unit.
“I think we’re pretty much agreed we need a new truck; it’s just a matter of how we want to do it,” remarked Coun. Barb Cournoyer.
There is a catch, however—the fire truck Chief Jewell wants may not be available unless council acts quickly. He said only 12 such units were made in that particular configuration and to have another custom-made likely would drive up the cost considerably.
Consequently, council Wednesday night gave direction to Chief Jewell to determine if there is one still available, and if there is, to appear before a special session this Monday (Sept. 13) in which a resolution authorizing the purchase will be up for a vote.