North Cowichan’s South End fire hall will soon be getting a new fire truck at a cost of approximately $1.4 million plus taxes.
Council made the decision at its meeting on May 15 to award the contract for a new stock fire engine to Safetek Emergency Vehicles Ltd., and the truck will be delivered within 260 to 360 days.
Fire chief Ron French said the South End fire hall’s current front-line truck is at the end of its service life, but is still in working condition so it will be redeployed as a second-line engine to meet the fire underwriters’ requirements.
Asked by Coun. Tek Manhas if the purchase of the new truck is necessary, French said the fire underwriters require fire apparatus to be replaced on a regular schedule to ensure a safe community.
RELATED STORY: LANGFORD DONATES FIRE TRUCK TO MALAHAT FIRE HALL
“To maintain our current grading, we must have one new front-line fire engine that is less than 15 years old,” he said.
“If we do not maintain our current replacement program, the fire underwriters may downgrade our community rating, which will directly impact fire insurance costs for all businesses and residents.”
As well, French said it would be financially prudent for council to approve the buying of a new truck at this time as new environmental emission requirements that are soon to be implemented would cost an additional $86,000.
“Unfortunately, the cost of these vehicles are going up basically daily,” he said.
“If council does not approve the purchase, obtaining a new truck could take up to two years and will likely increase in cost significantly.”
The new fire engine’s funding was identified in North Cowichan’s 2024 budget, and the initial deposit of 50 per cent of the truck’s cost will be funded in the 2024 fiscal year, with the balance due in 2025 funded from the municipality’s fire-truck replacement fund.
RELATED STORY: DUNCAN MOVES FORWARD WITH PLANS TO PURCHASE $1.9-MILLION FIRE TRUCK
French said the reserve fund will be depleted once the remaining 50 per cent of the purchase is paid in 2025.
Coun. Mike Caljouw asked French what would happen if more purchases have to be made before the reserve fund is refilled.
French said the fire department is currently working with North Cowichan’s director of finance on ways to replenish the fund, but it will likely be 2026 before it begins to have money in it for future purchases.
He said the department does have a couple of fire engines that are aged out.
“We’re trying to work with our underwriters to see if we could rebuild a truck from the ground up so we can get a few more years out of it,” French said.