Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Rescue Squad Replacement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Fire chief: Berlin’s rescue squad is a 1989 ambulance; commission asks staff to seek replacement options
Summary
The Berlin commission discussed replacing a 1989 rescue ambulance, noting $100,000 was earmarked in the capital plan; members asked staff to pursue purchasing options and consult township partners about cost-sharing.
Fire Chief (S6) told the commission the department’s rescue squad is a 1989 ambulance and said the vehicle is worn and increasingly unreliable. He told members the city’s capital improvement plan includes $100,000 earmarked toward a replacement and that the city borrowed money this year with that amount identified for the rescue squad.
Committee members asked whether townships that share response responsibility should contribute to replacement costs and discussed reasonable purchase sources, including government surplus sites and specialty fire apparatus dealers. Chair (S5) and members agreed no formal action was needed at the meeting and asked staff to identify vehicles that will fit the station and to consult the towns about potential cost-sharing. The chief noted the borrowed funds must be used within three years from the July 2026 borrowing.
"So our rescue squad is a 1989 ambulance," Fire Chief (S6) said, describing mechanical problems and open doors on calls that prompted the need to plan for replacement. "That put in a $100,000 to replace the rescue squad," he added, summarizing the capital earmark. The commission instructed staff to report back with options and cost estimates.
