Lyndeborough has purchased a used fire pumper to replace its 1994 pumper ahead of schedule, after a major mechanical issue took it out of service.
On Oct. 26, Select Board members approved the use of excess funds from this year’s operating budget to replace the pumper.
Town Administrator Russ Boland said the issue with the town’s pumper truck was brought to the board’s attention a few weeks ago, and consisted of a major pump failure. Estimates to fix the issue ranged from $18,000 to $25,000. Boland said as the truck was built in 1994, and was scheduled to be replaced in 2024, such an expensive repair would have been a significant investment.
“They did an analysis as to whether it would be prudent to spend that amount of funds on a truck that is scheduled to be replaced in a year-and-a-half,” Boland said.
The board decided to look at other options, including purchasing a used truck to replace the pumper. They found a truck for sale, out of New York, which was slightly newer than the current truck, with similar specifications, but had both lower mileage and lower use hours than Lyndeborough’s current truck.
On Friday, the board authorized a team from the Lyndeborough Fire Department to travel to New York to inspect the truck, and ultimately, to purchase it for $25,000. The truck is a 1997 RD Murphy pumper,
The funds will come from this year’s operating budget, Boland said. The town has a capital reserve account specifically for the replacement of the 1994 pumper truck, as it does for most town vehicles, but it cannot be expended without a vote of the public at Town Meeting. Boland said the reserve will be kept intact for the eventual replacement of the newly purchased 1997 pumper, which, he said is likely to be a few years from the scheduled replacement for the 1994 truck.
“We are going to reassess that, because this truck is in better condition, and has less mileage. We may get as many as five years, but we do not anticipate replacing it in a year-and-a-half,” Boland said. “So, it benefits us in that not only are we paying less for the truck than we might have for a repair, but it will likely also extend our capital improvement plan.”
The truck is expected to be shipped to Lyndeborough this week. Until the truck arrives, the town’s current pumper remains offline, and the surrounding communities who provide fire mutual aid to Lyndeborough have been alerted to the temporary shortage.
Boland said while not identical to the town’s current truck, the new truck is very similar, with the same top-mounted pump system, and will take very little training with the department before it is ready to be in service.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172, Ext. 244, or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on Twitter @AshleySaariMLT.