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Board approves surplus of two fire vehicles as directors outline fleet-rightsizing plan
Summary
The Waterford Board of Selectmen approved surplussing a 2016 E‑One pumper (W51) and a 2010 Ferrara heavy rescue (W57). Fire Director Christopher Haley and the fleet ad hoc committee described repeated mechanical failures, steep repair costs and a plan to downsize the heavy-apparatus fleet while keeping two reserve engines.
The Waterford Board of Selectmen voted May 5 to surplus two heavy fire apparatus — a 2016 E‑One pumper (asset 101405, fleet ID W51) and a 2010 Ferrara heavy rescue (asset 101011, fleet ID W57) — after an extended discussion of repair costs, parts availability and fleet strategy.
Fire Director Christopher Haley told the board W51 has “engine block damage” and estimated an initial repower quote at “approximately $79,000,” on top of more than $97,000 in repairs in the past two-and-a-half years. Haley said that continuing to maintain an almost unique cab and chassis has driven unusually high parts lead times and labor costs: “I saw one where getting a windshield wiper motor took 9 weeks.”
Haley framed the recommendation as part of a broader effort to standardize and downsize the heavy‑apparatus fleet. He said rightsizing could produce significant fixed-cost savings — roughly $96,000 per pumper in insurance, annuals and depreciation — and would reduce long‑term fleet liabilities as apparatus prices have risen dramatically in recent years. “By downsizing the fleet responsibly,” Haley said, “we can direct savings to things that will get us a much better ROI like people.”
Selectmen raised questions about operational impacts, replacements and reserve capacity. The fire director and fleet-ad hoc committee members said the town would still retain seven active front-line engines and two ladder trucks after the surplus, leaving two reserve engines for backfill. Haley noted the department had consolidated rescue capability by repurposing other vehicles and that ladder trucks now carry some rescue equipment to preserve capability while reducing single‑purpose vehicles.
At the meeting a selectman moved to table the matter for further fleet-plan recalculation; after committee members and the director described recent refurbishments, data work and the ongoing fleet plan review, that motion was withdrawn and the board approved the surplussing recommendation.
What happens next: the vehicles will be sold via broker services as recommended in the purchasing backup materials; proceeds and final disposition details were not specified in the motion.
The board took the vote after roughly an hour of discussion; the vote was recorded by voice (ayes) without a roll-call tally in the minutes.
