The District of Sparwood will be buying itself a shiny new fire engine for a shade under $800K.
The district council voted to approve the expense at the July 5 council meeting, with the funds to come from 2021 capital reserves.
The new front-line fire engine for the district’s fire service will be a Rosenbauer Custom Pumper, with the price-tag set at $799,979.08. Rosenbauer fire engines are built in Minnesota and South Dakota, and the company has delivered over 16,000 units around the continent.
The new fire engine will replace the district’s unit 1447, which is from 2001. According to a district staff report, it has aged beyond its service life of 20 years, and requires replacement. The current unit does not meet required standards, and needs a special exemption which the district applies for annually.
The new model was selected because of its high-capacity pump, and capacity for upgrades for multiple uses on an emergency scene.
The new fire engine is expected to be delivered sometime in 2023, at which point the old fire engine will be sold to recoup some capital reserves.
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scott.tibballs@thefreepress.ca
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