Dalton Ladder Truck Delayed
DALTON, Mass. — The delivery of the Fire District's new ladder truck has been delayed again and is now expected to be delivered by August.
While being refurbished at Northern Fire Equipment, it was determined that the truck's Detroit Diesel ECM, which controls the fuel injection, is "shot," interim Fire Chief Robert Czerwinski said.
The replacement part costs $2,700, but will be covered by Northern Fire Equipment.
Northern Fire Equipment Vice President Michael Burke has also agreed to add a USB-A/USB-C outlet to the dashboard at no charge, Czerwinski said.
The bodywork is almost complete and the interior work is expected to be done by Friday, he said.
The ladder truck has been completely refurbished from the ground up. Since the start of the project Northern Fire Equipment has had people leave, which set it back on a lot of their projects, the Board of Water Commissioners had been told last month.
According to the prior fire chief, the Boston Fire Department has requested the return of its ladder truck but the department has not received an official notice, Czerwinski said.
The Boston ladder truck is currently not being used. When the department needs a ladder truck, it will have to request mutual aid from Pittsfield, board Chair James Driscoll said.
The Fire Department sidelined its 32-year old ladder truck in 2022 because of mechanical and safety concerns and had been loaned a truck from the Boston Fire Department.
The town purchased its "new" 2000 ladder truck for about $100,000, including having it refurbished. A brand-new ladder truck can cost a million and a half to $2 million.
The Boston Fire Department has replacement trucks that lends out to other fire companies in the state, Driscoll said.
In other news:
- The Fire District has appointed Daniel Filiault to the Prudential Committee, replacing Adelard Nadeau. The board reappointed Melanie Roucoulet as district treasurer and clerk.
- The department has received an Assistance to Firefighters Grant in the amount of $28,525 for turnout gear. The district budgeted for the grant's 5 percent match. The department withdrew a Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant application because it was unable to meet the deadline.
- Czerwinski is working on completing department rules and regulations and will submit them to the committee once complete. The district approved the general and specific orders that Czerwinski has compiled, which will likely go into effect Aug. 1.
- The department has responded to 118 calls between June 27 and July 24, 48 fire incidents and 70 emergency medical service calls.
- A career member has resigned from the department.
- The department will be getting a bigger flag to meet federal regulations following feedback from local veterans.
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