New engine expected within two weeks; Engine 1 briefly out of service, Marlborough commission hears

At its Feb. 17 special meeting, the Town of Marlborough Fire Commission heard that a new fire engine should be completed within about two weeks and that Engine 1 was briefly taken out of service after a shore line power plug shorted.

Kyle Szemreylo provided the update on the new engine, saying the apparatus should be finished within roughly two weeks and that personnel will receive training before it is placed into service. Fire Chief Kevin Asklar reported the engine outage, telling commissioners that Engine 1 was out of service this week due to a short in the shore line power plug.

The commission also reviewed routine purchases: bills and purchase orders were presented to the board and approved during the meeting. The transcript records the approvals but does not list who moved or seconded those specific approvals.

Why it matters: apparatus availability and maintenance affect response capacity for the town’s fire department. A new engine entering service after final delivery and training would expand the department’s operational readiness; an equipment outage reduces available resources until repaired.

Supporting details: the chief’s report also noted training items and station maintenance needs discussed elsewhere on the agenda. The commission did not set a specific in-service date beyond the rough two-week timeline reported by Szemreylo.

Next steps: department staff will schedule training before deploying the new engine; the shorted shore line plug on Engine 1 requires repair before the apparatus returns to regular service.