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Pensaukee Volunteer
Fire Dept. Needs
The fire department is in need of a newer fire engine/pumper. The current fire engine/pumper was purchased in 1988 and is 22 years old. The recommendation of the National Fire Prevention Association is that an engine should not be more than 10 years old. In addition, there are some reliability issues with our current engine making it questionable, and thus endangering the lives of our volunteer firefighters.
A new engine/pumper could run between $350,000 and $400,000. However, a refurbished fire truck, only a few years old, can be had for much less, possibly as little as $150,000 to $200,000. However, purchasing a used fire truck may not be ideal since it may not be set up for rural fire departments and will become obsolete sooner than a new one would.
If something isn’t done to upgrade our engine/pumper soon, we may be in danger of losing some of our firefighters and possibly the whole fire department. At that point, the town would have to consider contracting with some other entity, such as Oconto’s Fire Department, which means firefighters coming from further distances and this would probably increase homeowner’s insurance premiums. Also, Oconto is currently using our fire department for mutual aid so that may not work so well.
A second issue is, that, if indeed, the Fire Department was to purchase a newer fire engine/pumper, it would most likely not fit in the current fire station. Newer fire engines are longer and are required to have cabs holding at least four firefighters, which, of course, our current one cannot do. In addition, our current fire station cannot contain all of our current vehicles, one of which stands outside most of the year and is moved to an off-site garage during the winter months and is drained during the most important months for house fires.
Here there could be a couple of options:
Option One would be to add an additional bay large enough to accommodate a new engine and the other vehicle which stays outdoors onto the existing fire station. This option would require that the storage building be razed. This may or may not be the cheapest alternative since by touching the current fire station, we will be required to bring it up to code. The roof needs replacing as well as a lot of the steel siding which is rusting out due to being too close to the ground. The air exchange rate within the current station will not meet code and will have to be upgraded. Extra insulation should be added as an energy saver. The concrete catch basin in the floor holds water and needs to be corrected so water is not standing in it like it currently does. Current air piping is not up to code and will need to be replaced as well. Chances are the electrical system will need to be upgraded as well as the restroom facilities which will need to be handicapped accessible. This may be the cheapest alternative but is only a short-term solution and we may have to go thru this process again in a few years.
Option Two would be to leave the existing station as it is temporarily, and add a whole new set of equipment bays onto the building. Both the training center and the storage building would have to come down. Once the new bays were available, the fire equipment could be moved into them and the existing station could then be renovated to accommodate offices, restrooms with showers, training center & meeting area as well as a small kitchenette in preparation for the time when we will be required to have first responders or paramedics on duty. By adding enough space, we can accommodate any additional equipment that may be necessary in the future without having to reinvent the wheel and should be good for the next 50 years or more.
Option Three would be to level the current fire station, training center and storage building and build a whole new fire station complex. This would obviously be the most expensive option but would accommodate all equipment needed as well as any anticipated needs for the future. If this were the option chosen, maybe relocating to a more centralized location to better protect the whole community would be advisable.
There will be a special town meeting on Sept. 8th at 6:00 p.m. to discuss these options and determine what if anything should be done. The public is welcome to attend this meeting and voice their opinion.