Pennsylvania Council Votes on Purchase of New Fire Engine

Greensburg City Council will vote Monday whether to purchase a $550,000 fire truck to replace Hose Company 7’s 25-year-old pumper.

Federal guidelines mandate departments keep trucks no longer than 25 years, according to fire Chief Edward Hutchinson.

“After 25 years, the truck should be replaced,” he said. “After 25 years they look beautiful, we keep them shined, polished, etc., but the brakes are 25 years old.”

Wiring and other internal systems can start to fail after a quarter-century, even if the truck looks like it is in good shape, Hutchinson said.

The hose company on East Pittsburgh Street responds to many of the city’s fire calls because of its central location.

“They’re one of the most traveled companies in town,” Hutchinson said.

If council approves the purchase, it will take until August 2016 for the truck to be delivered.

The city would order it from Seagrave, a fire truck manufacturing company in Wisconsin.

City Administrator Sue Trout said the vote to buy the truck is expected to pass without trouble. The money for the truck will come from the fire department’s capital fund, which is funded through the revenue from the J. Edward Hutchinson Parking Garage.

This fund is healthy for the short-term, although income has slowed in recent years, Trout said.

“The revenue is dropping recently, because of fewer people using that garage,” she said.

The city last bought a fire department vehicle about two years ago, when it spent about $1 million for a ladder truck.

There are 33 vehicles in the fire department.

When the new truck arrives, the old one will either be given away or sold, Hutchinson said.



Jacob Tierney is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 724-836-6646 or jtierney@tribweb.com