Plum council postpones plan to purchase new rescue truck for Unity VFD

Plum officials have postponed taking action on a request from Unity Volunteer Fire Department to help fund the purchase of a new rescue truck.

The issue was not on the agenda of this month’s voting session.

Council members said they want to see a 10- to 15-year apparatus plan from the fire chiefs of each department before making a decision.

“We have to have that information before we make a decision of that magnitude,” council president Dave Odom said. “We’re talking about a half a million dollars.”

Unity’s plan is to purchase a new rescue truck from Pierce Manufacturing for an estimated $750,000 with $510,000 of that coming from borough coffers.

The rest would come from a $200,000, 20-year, low-interest state loan and fundraising. Pierce is holding a truck for them until May 15.

“We’re still within the parameter of the time frame,” Councilman Paul Dern. “Council is hopeful that we get the information that we ask for and then we can make our decision.”

The plan would help council map out future use of the borough’s fire fund, part of the general fund set aside for fire truck and equipment purchases. There is about about $375,000 available.

Fire department president Ira Helfer said he was disappointed with council’s inaction and is concerned about the departments not being able to come up with a long-term vehicle purchasing plan in time.

“That’s really going to put it down to the wire,” Helfer said. “Our membership has to approve the purchase, and we can’t do that if council doesn’t approve the money. The plan’s going to take some time to come up with. It’s being worked on, and it’s started to be worked on before they request it.”

The next Plum Fire Chiefs Association meeting is set for April 26.

Helfer said their pending deal with Pierce came by luck.

The company had a few trucks that were expected to be shipped overseas, but never went out. One of them is a rescue truck a little more than 40 feet long that, with a few modifications, would fit the department’s needs.

Unity’s current rescue is 21 years old with a rusting frame and is expected to be put out of service within the year.

The new truck would have a mobile air compressor, which would help power some tools and be used to replenish firefighters’ breathing apparatuses. Unity uses compressors from other departments to fill its cylinders.

It also could hold other specialized equipment and struts used to stabilize large vehicles at crash sites and homes damaged by trees or other means.

If the deal falls through, the next truck might cost the department about $1 million.

Unity has 27 active firefighters and five trucks, including a ladder truck, an SUV and two pumpers.

The department responded to 680 calls last year and about 115 calls so far this year.