PRESS RELEASE
CITY COUNCIL SUPPORTS BOND APPROPRIATION FOR
NEW LADDER TRUCK FOR CHICOPEE FIRE DEPARTMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CHICOPEE – On July 2, 2019, at the City Council Meeting, Mayor Richard J. Kos requested approval of a bond appropriation of $1,161,500.00. This amount was needed to fund a new Ladder Truck for the Chicopee Fire Department. The City Council voted to approve the bonding.
“I thank the City Council for their support for this initiative,” said Mayor Kos, “as we work to maintain public safety in our city.”
The New KME Model Ladder Truck will be a 100-footer housed at Station 5 in Willamansett. The new truck will be replacing the existing 2004 ladder truck. This heavily rusted truck is “on borrowed time” according to the American Testing Center, a vendor utilized during mandatory yearly testing.
“This particular truck will have a lifetime guarantee on the frame, eliminating the need to be replaced due to rotting,” stated Fire Chief Daniel Stamborski.
In addition to the rusted body, the old ladder truck doesn’t have a water pump on it. An additional water pumper is required to connect to a hydrant to pump water into Ladder 5, tying up that pumper for the duration of the call, leaving the rest of the city down by one engine. If the old truck were to arrive first or are the only response, it could only utilize fire extinguishers.
The new self-sufficient truck offers a pump capacity of up to 1,500 gallons per minute, according to Fire Chief. Stamborski, and will not be dependent on an additional engine. They are also built more streamlined, making them easier to navigate the streets of Chicopee.
“It’s going to be a reliable piece of equipment. We can count on it to bring the quality of service our residents have come to rely on and deserve,” said Stamborski.
It will take approximately a year to be custom-built. The custom build is due to the height of the bay door openings at Station 5, restricting the purchase of a stock vehicle.
“The new purchase approval for a fire truck was essential,” said Mayor Kos. “This fire truck is going to save lives, and it’s going to help protect our community.”
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