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Norwich Township approves new EMS vehicle, signs fire contract with Brown Township and funds department upgrades
Summary
Trustees accepted Horton’s low bid for a new squad, formalized a $130,000 fire contract with neighboring Brown Township and approved multiple equipment and training purchases as Norwich Fire Department marked its 50th year.
Norwich Township trustees voted this spring to replace the department’s aging emergency medical squad and to finalize a multi-part agreement with neighboring Brown Township as part of broader investments in personnel, equipment and community outreach.
The board accepted the low bid for a new EMS vehicle from Horton, which offered a trade-in and 21‑day delivery, after the chief and lieutenants reviewed competing bids. Trustees instructed department leadership to proceed with procurement and trade‑in arrangements; the new vehicle was reported delivered and inspected later in April.
The ambulance purchase came amid other department actions. Trustees approved funds for turnout‑gear storage and maintenance, ordered replacement breathing‑apparatus units and approved a program of annual physicals the department says are required under federal hazardous‑materials guidelines. The board also authorized fitness equipment for the department’s exercise room and purchased pagers to broaden member notification coverage.
In late November the board and Brown Township trustees agreed to a 1993 fire contract for $130,000, with an option to continue at the same rate in 1994; the Brown board also agreed to study a potential Brown‑Township satellite station. The Norwich board recorded that the contract includes an over‑run fee structure for calls beyond an agreed threshold.
Chief and volunteer leadership emphasized continuity of service during the equipment transitions. Capt. Ritzenthaler and other officers led a volunteer recruitment and onboarding effort in spring 1992; trustees approved hiring a probationary class of volunteers and budgeted for turnout gear and training costs. The department also marked its 50th anniversary in April with public events and a 40‑page commemorative history the board agreed to publish.
What’s next: trustees have directed staff to complete the ambulance procurement, finalize equipment delivery and follow up with Brown Township on the satellite‑station feasibility study. Funding for these items was recorded in regular appropriations and approved motions; no litigation or legal challenges were noted in the minutes.
