Earle needs a new fire truck ASAP

Earle needs a new fire truck ASAP

City agrees to fund purchase of used truck for EFD after old truck fails mandatory testing

news@theeveningtimes.com

Earle has agreed to let the fire department buy a used fire truck for $35,000 after both its fire trucks failed a state mandated pump test.

Earle Fire Department firefighter John Buford told the city council that the department’s 2003 fire engine failed a pump test — twice — and that its other fire engine, a 1982 truck, hasn’t been pump tested in over seven years.

“That is a (National Fire Protection Association) requirement,” Buford said.

“If those things aren’t done, it is definitely a risk to our firefighters and also to the citizens because we can’t provide good fire protection. “ Buford said they located a 1996 Pierce Saber rescue pumper for sale for $35,000 in Rogers, Ark. The truck has a new paint job and has been pump tested.

“It’s not a new one,” Buford said. “But it would be new to us. They pumped it and showed us all the records,” Buford said. “It is doing everything it is supposed to do.”

Buford said the fire department will pay for the truck using money in its ACT 33 fund which the state provides to each rural fire department.

A new fire truck would cost upwards of $300,000.

A similar truck in Alabama was listed for $60,000.

“I know we can’t afford that,” Buford said. “ We work on a very limited budget at the fire department.”

Buford said the fire department in Rogers indicated they would meet them halfway near Conway to make it easier to transport the new truck.

Councilman Kenneth Cross expressed dismay that both of the city’s fire engines failed the pump test.

“Why didn’t the truck pass?” Cross asked.

Buford said that he has only been with the fire department for two years, but noticed that the last time the units had been tested was about seven years ago. “I know it hasn’t been tested in those two years,” Buford said. “Our newer engine — which is a 2003 and is now 15 years old — was pump tested last year and it failed. We got a second opinion with a company out of Little Rock and it also failed.”

Buford said the engine does fine on the pressure test, but fails the capacity test. In order to pass, the engine is required to be able to pump 1,250 gallons at so many RPMs.

“It falls short on capacity,” Buford said.

“So whoever was chief dropped the ball,” Cross said. “I wasn’t here,” Buford responded. “It speaks for itself,” Cross added.

Buford said it is important to get a fire engine that passes the pump test in order for the city to maintain its ISO rating. Earle currently has a 6 ISO rating. That rating would go up if they were to get audited and would cost residents more money on their insurance policies.

“You’re supposed to have three years of pump testing,” Buford said. “And we don’t. We don’t want to be in a situation where we have two trucks that won’t pass the MFPA required pump testing.”

Buford said buying the new truck will allow the department to retire the 1982 year engine and eventually take the 2003 one out of service for repairs.

“Then we will have two good trucks that will pass the pump test,” Buford said.

The council will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, June 19, to pass an ordinance waiving competitive bidding to allow the department to buy the truck.

In the meantime, Mayor Sherman Smith said he would write a letter to Rogers indicating that the council has given them permission to buy the truck so they will hold it for the city. “We’ll be able to tell them that the council voted to buy it,” Smith said.

“I appreciate you doing this on such short notice,” Buford added.

By Mark Randall