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Volunteer firefighter questions need, weight and procurement plan for proposed fire truck reserve
Summary
A longtime firefighter, Jim Welch, urged the Select Board and voters to scrutinize a proposed addition to the fire truck reserve, citing low usage of existing apparatus, weight and dimensional concerns with the proposed vehicle, and the lack of a full committee review or detailed specifications.
At the end of the June 2 meeting, volunteer firefighter Jim Welch addressed the Select Board to question the rationale and procurement approach behind a proposed increase to the fire truck reserve.
Welch, who said he has been with the Wayne Volunteer Fire Department since 1983 and has 13 years of professional experience working on fire trucks, told the board he had reviewed recent calls and vehicle use and found that the town’s three pump-capable trucks rarely all respond together. He said record review showed just five incidents in five years where all three left the station and in none of those was all three required.
“Why are we spending money for a new fire truck when currently the trucks aren't being used?” Welch asked, and he urged a more rigorous specifications and committee process before adding significant dollars to a reserve. He raised technical concerns about a proposed truck’s dimensions and gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR), noting the sample chassis in the brief proposal appears to carry a GVWR that, once fully equipped and loaded with 2,000 gallons of water, could exceed chassis limits and Department of Transportation standards if not carefully specified.
Board members thanked Welch for the detailed remarks and encouraged him to raise these issues at the annual town meeting, where voters consider reserve-appropriation articles. Town manager Shannon said resident submissions are posted publicly through meeting minutes and the town’s YouTube posting and suggested Welch bring his points to the floor at the town meeting for full consideration.
No formal action was taken at the meeting on the fire truck; the Select Board noted that the purchase of a vehicle would follow separate procurement steps and that adding money to a reserve is a town-meeting decision the public would vote on.
Next steps: Welch said he will continue outreach to inform residents and plans to bring technical questions to the town meeting discussion; the board and staff promised to review procurement documentation and to make the reserve article and any supporting specifications available to voters.
