Close to 75 people attended a June 27 open house at the fire hall on Second Street to discuss the proposed purchase of a new ladder truck.
“We were pleased with the turnout. We had lots of good questions and the feedback was very positive,” explains City of Grand Forks Fire Chief Dale Heriot.
The current aerial truck is 20 years old and doesn’t meet the Fire Underwriters Survey of Canada insurance criteria anymore. The fire department is looking at a new ladder truck as a replacement that will meet Grand Forks’ requirements for the next 20 years.
A new ladder truck can provide enough reach to access high balconies while the truck remains a safe distance from a fire. A platform is also a safer working area for firefighters. As well, higher elevated water streams provide increased access to fires.
“The safety of the community is the key factor in the proposed purchase. We’d like to thank everyone for their valuable feedback and it will be used to help guide city council’s decision,” Heriot added.
The proposal was given preliminary support during initial budget discussions in January 2013. Heriot says the proposal now goes back to city council in the fall for a final decision.
Grand Forks Fire Rescue operates out of five fire halls with 14 pieces of apparatus and three command vehicles. The current ladder truck, and the proposed replacement, will be based at Station 4.
– Submitted by the City of Grand Forks