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New Canaan commission hears union grievance over Engine 4; agrees to fuller vendor diagnosis
Summary
Commissioners heard a union-filed grievance raising safety concerns about Engine 4's pump and electrical systems, discussed prior informal repairs and insurance accounting, and agreed to pursue a full vendor diagnosis (including a $7,600 rewiring quote) before making a final repair or replacement decision.
The New Canaan Fire Commission on Tuesday took up a union grievance that alleges safety problems and delayed repairs for Engine 4, a reserve pumper that has been used for training and as a backup while other apparatus have been in repair.
Kevin, who provided a detailed timeline for the truck, said Engine 4 was the department's reserve rig and suffered cab damage on Nov. 13, 2024. He testified that the first documented pump issue was recorded in February 2025 and that he and colleague Ed Quarrel performed interim troubleshooting over the spring and summer that allowed the truck to enter pump during training. "Engine 4 was always... our reserve backup rig," Kevin said, and he described later pump testing that produced a derated rating and intermittent faults.
Commissioners weighed that operational history against certification and liability concerns. Commissioner (or attendee) 9 said the liability risk of a frontline engine not repaired by a certified technician was significant: "I'm not comfortable sitting here, and I think that's why I'd asked Lieutenant Betty to remove whatever he had done," he said. The chief confirmed that formal repairs of pump systems should be performed by a certified emergency vehicle technician and said insurance proceeds for bodywork on the apparatus had been posted to the apparatus account and used for other repairs, leaving no clear earmark for the pump work.
Technical details discussed at the meeting included prior pump work of roughly $16,000, a pump plate showing a derated flow (speakers referenced a 1,500 GPM original rating and a later 1,000 GPM plate), and a vendor quote of $7,600 to rewire the pump-shift system. Commissioners heard estimates that a full pump "belly" rebuild to restore 1,500 GPM could be substantially more — commissioners cited figures ranging from tens of thousands to roughly $100,000 depending on how much valve and pump work is required.
Multiple vendors have inspected Engine 4; commissioners and staff agreed to narrow to a single, comprehensive diagnosis before committing to larger repairs. Kevin recommended a stem-to-stern vendor assessment to resolve inconsistent opinions from different shops. The commission agreed to authorize the immediate diagnostic step (the Hale-sourced $7,600 rewiring quote was cited in the discussion) and to return to the board with pump-test results and a clearer cost-benefit recommendation.
The grievance was filed with the commission today; the chair said the body would respond formally at the next meeting after gathering the additional vendor reports and invoices. No disciplinary action or final repair authorization was taken tonight; the directive was information-gathering and vendor coordination to resolve both safety and accounting questions.
What's next: commissioners instructed staff to solicit a complete diagnostic from a vendor familiar with both the pump and the pump-shift electrical system, to have pump testers validate capacity after any electrical work, and to provide a written vendor opinion on whether the truck must be decommissioned, repaired, or refurbished. The commission will issue a formal response to the grievance at its next meeting.
