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Fire Chief says town will hunt for replacement for 23-year-old engine as department completes new-unit commissioning
Summary
At a June 18 meeting, Fire Chief Tom Yemc said he will check the market for a replacement for Engine 2, which is 23 years old; the department reported E1 commissioning is 99% complete and has met a $50,000 equipment commitment. Town leaders discussed funding options including a possible water-bill user fee.
Fire Chief Tom Yemc said the Long Beach Volunteer Fire Department will look for replacement options for Engine 2, a 23-year-old apparatus whose manufacturer or supplier is no longer in business.
Council Member Cindy Levy told the group she would like the department to consider used trucks as a potential, lower-cost option; Tom Yemc agreed to check the market, which historically has limited availability as departments often retain apparatus beyond typical service life.
The meeting also reported progress on Engine 1 (E1). Department representatives said E1’s final equipment installation was about 99% complete and that LBVFD had fulfilled a $50,000 commitment to buy a fire hose, apply decals and striping, install radios, and mount compartments and other equipment.
Leaders outlined recent and upcoming training: new-engine training is nearing completion, and a structure at Stop 28 was donated for live-burn training and scheduled for demolition to support those exercises. The department also noted quarterly CPR classes for the public; the next session is set for July 27, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
As discussion of vehicle replacement continued, participants raised funding options, including increasing the town’s fire-service user fee on water bills. No formal motion or vote was recorded at this meeting; participants listed the fee as a potential revenue source to be explored further.
The meeting was called to order by Fire Chief Tom Yemc at 3:59 p.m. Attendees recorded present were Joy Schmitt and Cindy Levy; Kurt Earnst, John Wall, and Brian Kanyer were recorded absent. The department placed items requiring broader town review — including any fee change — on the town council agenda for future action.
