Fairfax Article #4

[PotterFXFD]

Article # 4

        I would like to take a couple of minutes to explain this article. It is to pay off Engine # 1 that was purchased in 2004 and financed on a 10 year note. There is $80,000.00 left to be paid on this truck. The goals behind this are to clear up the loan so we can purchase a new tanker in 2009. And so that the Town can save on interest, As I understand the town would save roughly $5000.00 in interest fees if the loan is paid off this year.

 We currently have three tankers in service a 1995 (retired town truck) a 1985 (retired fuel truck) and a 1983 (retired town truck) that is out of service.  The tankers are the backbone of the department to be able to affectively fight fires, they bring us the water that we use. Even with the upgraded water system in the village this only covers the village and can only be used for short amounts of time. We do not want to run the water system dry. So even with a fire in the village we are looking to haul water from the closest river, brook or pond that we can find.
             There is six trucks in the Fire department fleet. Please find below a replacement schedule that the fire department officers have come up with. We have used a 25 year service life for all apparatus. The more the town grows the more we use the equipment and the faster it will have to be upgraded or replaced. When I started with this department back in 1994 I think we ran 40-50 calls per year. In 2006 we went on 97 emergency calls, and in 2007 that number grew to 130. In the future this equipment will have to be paid for with shorter term loans so that we are never paying for more than one piece at a time. Currently tankers cost around $180,000 to have built and Engines are more in the range of $325,000.
      We meet every Tuesday night for training or maintenance at the station between 7-9pm. I encourage anyone with any questions or that would like to see the equipment to stop by and talk with one of the members.


 

Truck   Year   Year Replace
Engine #1   2004   2029
Engine #2   1996   2021
Utility #1   2003   2028
Tanker #1   1995   2020
Tanker #2   1985   2012
  Tanker #3   1983   2009
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Thank you for all the support
Chief Dean Potter
Fairfax Fire Department
     

[NorthFairfaxBoy]

Chief,
One thing I would put out there for the public to understand is that (and correct me if I'm wrong) your tankers are converted from fuel oil/milk tankers, and do not meet the NFPA standard for fire water tankers.  While they do the required job, it is still important to remember. 

Brian

[HayesFXFD17]

Again to echo words already expressed by Mr. Ferris earlier NONE of our current tankers were "designed" to be fire apparatus.  None of them comply with current NFPA and or OSHA standards for emergency vehicles.  Even though we are a small town department we are still obliged to comply with current standards.   Remember these trucks we currently employ have been retired from service once already due to high milage, engine hours and overall wear and tear.  We received our current tanker chassis' as "hand me downs" are they are failing us quickly as they continue to age and deteriorate.  Tankers are extremely vital to successful rural firefighting operations and should they fail in an active emergency the whole scene along with overall firefighter safety could be jeopardized.  Thank you to ALL the Fairfax taxpayers whom have shown their support for the Fairfax Fire Department over the years.

Justin Hayes
Deputy Chief
Fairfax Fire