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4‑wheel‑drive for new Rosenbauer truck divides select board and fire leadership
Summary
The board and fire officials debated adding a Freightliner EZ Trac four‑wheel‑drive system (vendor estimate around $50,000) to a new Rosenbauer truck; manufacturers cautioned against removing NFPA‑required parts, and the board left the build in progress while scheduling a follow‑up discussion.
A prolonged discussion at the Select Board meeting centered on whether to add a Freightliner EZ Trac four‑wheel‑drive system to a Rosenbauer fire‑truck build. The board did not overturn the current build but agreed to continue discussions at a follow‑up meeting.
S3 (Nick), a fire‑department speaker, asked the board to consider four‑wheel‑drive so that apparatus could access remote roads in severe conditions; members questioned the frequency of need, total cost and whether private roads should be the town’s responsibility. S3 read a supplier email cautioning that itemizing and deleting parts can create NFPA compliance issues. S3 reported the vendor thought the Freightliner EZ Trac component cost “around $50,000.” Chair (S1) framed the question around the balance of savings and public safety: “If it saves 1 house, 1 life, 1 thing, you know, absolutely.”
Some board members said they were reluctant to authorize an additional $50,000 without detailed cost‑benefit numbers and assessment of whether the truck would be the first apparatus on scene in most incidents. The truck build was underway; the board agreed not to cancel the contract immediately and scheduled further review and a follow‑up meeting for members to examine cost breakdowns and operational implications.
