The Danbury Fire Department is looking to avoid supply chain issues and an expected double-digit manufacturers increase and buy a new fire apparatus from now. Chief Richard Thode requested $881,000 for the rescue pumper.
Pierce Manufacturing is the largest fire apparatus manufacturer in the world and built all of the City's apparatus. The company will have a double digit price increase in February. They are also estimating that new orders for trucks placed in the Spring or Summer wouldn't be able to be delivered for a year to a year and a half.
Danbury's oldest truck, a 2006, has over 12,000 engine hours and 110,000 miles. The estimate for repairs came in at between $35,000 and $40,000. Thode spoke with Pierce and learned that there's a truck in the early stages of construction, with the parts purchased months ago bypassing supply chain issues. No one else has purchased the truck yet.
Had the City Council not agreed to the spending request, Thode said that would have set the Department back two years.
The Department's 2007 Pierce Rescue truck did not see the severe service the pumper did and is coming up for a complete refurbishment at a cost of $300,000. By purchasing this new truck, the 2007 can be placed in Special Call status, prolonging its life.
