Fire engine to be replaced

The Olds Fire Department is looking to replace one of its fire engines.

The vehicle in question is about 17 years old, which would make its replacement earlier than the typical 20-year cycle, said fire Chief Lorne Thompson.

However, he said doing so would allow the fire department to time future replacements every 10 years, making budgeting easier. The next engine replacement after this one would take place in 2027.

He adds the early disposal sale would net more money that would go back into reserves.

"Not as much as we would hope but we're hoping to get as much out of it as we can," Thompson said.

The fire department currently has a fleet that includes two engines, a water tender, command vehicle and rescue, aerial, wildland and utility trucks. As well, it possesses a bus to transport firefighters to and from training.

There is also one other tender, a type of truck that transports water and can also spray water, that is aging and will be taken off the fleet in the future. The town has discussed donating it to the Rotary Club, which would send it to a poor village in Mexico.

Council has backed the fire department, committing funds for the engine replacement in its 2016 capital budget. Last week, it voted to approve the purchase, not to exceed C$738,525. However, before it goes ahead, Mountain View County, which would pay half the cost, must approve that purchase as well.

The project could still end up deferred to the 2017 capital budget, Thompson said.

In his presentation to council, Thompson said the truck they wish to buy was the less expensive of two proposals the fire department received.

But they also preferred some of the features, such as a custom cab versus a commercial one. A custom cab is built entirely by one company, which would also make it easier if warranty issues arose, Thompson said.

However, the most attractive part was safety.

"The way that they're built, the cabs themselves are structurally a lot safer than a commercial truck. So when we're going to a call and we have six people in the truck, we want to keep them as safe as possible. They have airbags and SRS systems. God forbid you get into an accident but if you do, it's the safest place to be," Thompson said.

The new truck would carry more than double the volume of water as the old one: up to 1,500 gallons. Great for rural firefighting, Thompson says.

As well, the truck would include a 360-degree camera and additional touch screen controls for the sirens and lights. This would allow the officer to access them, allowing the driver to concentrate on the road.