The city has been planning to replace the fire truck for about seven years, said Fairfield Fire Chief Don Bennett. So with or without the 2.5-mill fire/EMS levy voters will consider for the Nov. 8 ballot, the purchase was always anticipated to be made, he said.
“The parts to repair that engine are no longer available,” Bennett said. “We’ve been very fortunate that we didn’t have any major mechanical issues because there are no parts left for that whole generation of engine,” which is a 6v92 engine.
And the chief said they know of only one mechanic in the region that has the knowledge to make repairs on that type of engine.
“That is an enormous amount of money,” Bennett said of the purchase price.
Bennett said city officials realize they “didn’t go cheap by any means,” but the current fleet and fire truck being purchased are expected to serve the city for a generation.
“The out-of-pocket expense is significant, but we believe this apparatus will serve the community in excess of 20 years,” he said.
For the first time in 15 years, voters are being asked to approve a fire levy that will help with the operation of the fire department. The levy is needed to help improve coverage for the city, by increasing the number of on-duty firefighters from 13 to 17.
The levy will provide the department with an additional $2.38 million a year and it’s not expected the city will need another levy for at least a decade, and most likely longer, said Bennett. The city’s current levy, a 4.65-mill levy, lasted 15 years before the city decided to ask for the additional levy funds.
Passage of the levy would also prevent the city from having to to dip into its general fund coffers, which it has done annually for the past few years.
About the Author
