By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
The Great Bend City Council Tuesday night moved forward with the purchase of a $1.59 million ladder truck for the fire department. Great Bend Fire Chief Brent Smith said the current model is getting close to aging out and its safety limitations are a concern for the future.
The department’s vehicle replacement plan scheduled the ladder truck to be replaced in 2025. In 2022, staff recognized they would not have enough money saved to replace the truck by 2025, so they extended the project date by two years. Because of inflation, the department also found out they would not have enough money to complete the purchase in 2027.
Smith stated with the department’s current 2004 model, they are starting to see maintenance issues with the breaks, turbo and air leaks.
"That truck is scheduled for a 15-year life expectancy," said Smith. "At the end of 15 years, it can be completely rebuilt with a pump and ladder. That rebuild can give you 10 more years out of the truck until it officially has to be retired. This truck is a 2004, so we're 21 years into that, and it hasn't had its 15-year rebuild done, so we're three and a half to four years away of it being retired anyway."
The Fire Department’s apparatus committee found a Rosenbauer ladder truck to be built that could be delivered by late 2026, tentatively in August, and save the city two years of inflation, roughly 7% to 10% annually.
Currently, with ladder truck’s 75' ladder, the Great Bend Fire Department cannot get to the top of Holiday Inn hotel. Smith said staff struggles to get to the fourth floor of the Zarah building downtown and if there are vehicles parked on the side of the street it is difficult to reach a third floor of a building. With a new hotel coming on 10th Street and downtown lofts being constructed, Smith said the new truck will include a 109' ladder.
"Especially with the new loft apartments going in downtown, my biggest fear is we would have people trapped inside and couldn't get them out," said Smith. "We can replace buildings but that's my biggest fear is not getting people out."
The council approved the bid from Hays Fire Equipment for the ladder truck costing $1,590,023. Funds for the purchase will come from the half-cent sales tax, $1.25 million in reserves for the truck and $275,000 scheduled to be set aside for the truck in 2026.
Smith said rough estimates on selling the 2004 model could garner $80,000.