A recent infusion of nearly $25.5 million in the City of Williamsport through the American Rescue Plan funds has energized the Williamsport Bureau of Fire as it seeks replacement of two engines and a ladder truck that have reached their life spans. “The goals are to maintain a modern, safe and reliable fleet of apparatus that meets the current and future needs of the department,” said Fire Chief Mark Killian during a recent meeting with members of council’s finance committee. The department also is going through an accreditation process to provide the most cost effective methods of providing fire service, he said. The department is using a realistic, data-driven apparatus replacement plan taking into account the city’s financial outlook, he said.

The purpose is to align apparatus specifications and capabilities with current and future operational needs. After getting a positive recommendation from the committee, a special meeting is likely to be scheduled before the end of the year and expected price increases due to inflationary pressure starting Jan. 1. Killian and others have for the past 15 months prepared a financing package and analysis. As early as the start of the year, he addressed the need for replacement of the appratus with the finance committee. “Now it’s crunch time,” Killian said, adding he’d like to lock in the prices before inflation is expected to set in. Moreover, the department anticipated a 16- to 18-month period for ordering and delivering the vehicles, which would not be available and arrive until 2023 and involves a 30-year appratus replacement plan. Ideally, Killian said, the next step would be to secure the funding through a vote by council to replace two engines and a ladder truck and to sell an existing ladder truck as downpayment for a quint, a type of vehicle that can act as an engine and ladder. The department is thinking two engines (each with an 18-20 year life span rotating front line service). The cost of each engine is estimated at $700,000, Killian said. It also needs a Tower (20-year life span prior to replacement/refurbishment) with an estimated $1.6 million price tag, for a combined financing amount of $3 million. Replacement is necessary for Engine 1, which was built in 2016, Kovatch, Killian said. Most engines have a six- to eightyear lifespan for frontline service. This engine has had signficant maintenance requirements. The engine goes on about 1,700 to 1,800 incidents per year. It is experiencing mechanical issues such as air leaks, intermittent emissions and motor issues. It was out of service more than 25% of the time this year and had 15 maintenance write-ups. Engine 3-1, which was purchased used in 2016 to replace a damaged engine reserve unit, has had maintenance issues since it was purchased to include transmission and fire pump.

Operational issues such as the height of vehicle makes it difficult for pulling hose lines and it has limited compartment space which makes operating it as a front line apparatus difficult due to limited storage space of primary equipment, lack of pre-connected hose lines, which causes delays in getting additional hose lines in service at fires. It has 17 maintenance write-ups. Tower 1 is a 2011 Pierce engine which has had boom issues over the past two years and issues with waterway during extension and retraction. Additionally, Tower 1 has a cracked body in ladder compartment area of the truck and has 15 outstanding maintenance write ups. The proposal is to sell the ladder truck and with the income purchase what is known as a “quint,” a vehicle that acts as either an engine or a ladder together. Currently, if the existing ladder truck is out of service, the city relies on outside companies, Killian said. The department also can save on its insurance premium with the additional apparatus. The goal is to get four pieces of equipment it can properly maintain — two engines, one tower (ladder) and a quint. The process can involve either a municipal leasing (loan) or the department can go through a third-party such as the manufacturer directly. One option is to finance 100%, estimated at $5.8 million. A second option is to use $700,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds and finance $2.3 million, which would cost $4.9 million, and a third option is to use $1 million of rescue plan funds and $2 million in financing for a cost estimated at $4.6 million. The financing package as presented showed long-term savings of $1.3 million over the course of the payment schedule. It does not include the Engine 14-1, which is operated by Old Lycoming Township in an alliance with the city. The finance committee members said they appreciated the funding analysis and said council will need to weigh which option would benefit the department and city the most. The committee gave the plan a positive recommendation and Killian said with that information he could further explore various quotes and get a bid package prepared.