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Fire department seeks long‑lead ladder truck, SCBA replacements; EMS revenue uncertain
Summary
Fire leadership described multi‑year lead times for a new ladder truck, phased replacement of SCBA bottles, and capital needs for a maintenance truck; EMS transport revenue projections were presented but noted as variable.
Speaker 5, presenting the fire department review, described capital and equipment priorities for 2026. The department removed a ladder‑truck capital line from the current draft after earlier discussions; Speaker 5 said procuring a ladder truck can take 36–39 months from specification to delivery and that priority decisions hinge on grant availability and program guidance. "So the last conversation I had was 36 to 39 months for a bill for at least time to get 1," he said.
Speaker 5 also described SCBA (self‑contained breathing apparatus) needs: the department received some replacement bottles through a previous AFG grant and now needs to phase additional bottles into inventory as older units are retired and hydro‑tested every five years. Water hose replacement and a miscellaneous maintenance truck were identified as other near‑term needs.
On EMS revenue, Speaker 5 said run‑rate figures as of Oct. 16 reflected about $272,708 in ambulance revenue and projected roughly $337,000 by year‑end, but emphasized that transport volumes and revenue fluctuate and that those figures could change before the budget is finalized.
Why it matters: long lead times for major apparatus and variable grant cycles mean capital planning requires early decisions and realistic timelines; EMS revenue variability affects operating assumptions for ambulance services.
Next steps: staff and fire leadership will refine capital timing, monitor grant opportunities and provide updated EMS revenue estimates before finalizing the budget.
