Murrysville council approves $1.39 million heavy rescue truck for Sardis Volunteer Fire Company

Murrysville's council unanimously approved the purchase of a 2027 E1 heavy rescue truck for the Sardis Volunteer Fire Company on a voice vote during its regular meeting. The council voted to buy the vehicle for $1,389,465 after a workshop presentation explaining the apparatus's technical rescue capabilities and the municipality's procurement options.

Chief Joseph Payano Jr., who identified himself as the chief of the Sardis Volunteer Fire Company, told council the unit will replace the department's 2004 heavy rescue and is designed for high‑ and low‑angle rope rescue, trench rescue, confined‑space operations and building collapse response. "We're here tonight to discuss the acquisition of a 2027 E1 Heavy Rescue," Payano said, adding the apparatus is configured with a 12,000‑pound Ramsey winch, breathing‑air compressor with a four‑cylinder cascade backup and rear walk‑in access to improve firefighter safety.

Council was given a detailed equipment breakdown, including transverse compartmentation for Stokes baskets, vehicle‑rescue tools, cribbing, multiple cord reels and scene lighting sized to meet NFPA lumen guidance. Payano explained the department is the primary local responder for specialized technical rescues and noted out‑of‑area mutual‑aid technical teams can take up to about two hours to mobilize, which informed the request.

Officials explained procurement and funding. Chief Administrator Michael said the municipality can purchase through CoStar (a state contract) without local bidding, which locks current pricing and avoids repeated bid cycles. The cost will be covered from the special equipment fund, which the presenter said had been budgeted years earlier but would accrue interest while the unit is delivered (anticipated delivery in 2027). The 2004 rescue will be sold when replacement draws nearer; Payano estimated at least $200,000 in resale value and reported interest from Windber Fire Company in Somerset County.

Councilor (speaker 4) moved to approve the purchase and Jamie (council member, speaker 5) seconded. The motion passed unanimously; the roll call earlier in the meeting showed eight members present.

The vehicle proposal included allowances for rising costs: Payano said several manufacturers either declined to bid or quoted substantially higher prices, and the apparatus as specified had an estimated lead time of roughly 1,050 days. Payano noted the department would reuse current rescue equipment where it meets NFPA life‑cycle standards and that a removable CAFS (compressed‑air foam system) skid will be provided at no cost to the municipality, purchased with the fire company's relief account.

The council recorded the final action as approval of agenda item 13d to purchase the 2027 E1 heavy rescue for $1,389,465. The purchase will proceed under the terms explained in the meeting; the delivery timeline and final financing offsets (including resale of the current unit) were identified as items staff will manage going forward.