Repairs to fire truck could cost Plum’s Unity Volunteer Fire Department $60,000
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Repairs to one of the five vehicles at Plum’s Unity Volunteer Fire Department will wipe out the department’s budget for repairs this year, its chief says.
Fixing the 25-year-old Freightliner could also eat up most, if not all, of what’s left of the $35,000 the borough budgeted for repairs for all four of its volunteer fire departments this year, borough Manager David Soboslay said.
Plum Council was expected to vote Monday on approving repairs to the truck but instead delayed the vote. Soboslay said they are seeking more information on the cost and need more time to work through it after Unity fire Chief P.J. Mudar presented the request to council last week.
Repairs over $10,000 require council approval, with the borough covering half of the cost, Soboslay said. Repairing the truck is expected to cost $40,000 to $60,000, which would have the borough covering $20,000 to $30,000.
The borough’s repair budget has $25,000 remaining, after spending $10,000 already this year, Soboslay said.
The 1999 Freightliner is used for vehicle crashes and technical rescues. Despite its age, the truck has only about 39,000 miles on it.
Replacing the truck would cost about $1.2 million, and it would take more than three years for it to be ready, Mudar said.
The truck’s problems were found when it went to a business in Zelienople for annual maintenance. The biggest issue discovered during an inspection is that the attachment points between the aluminum body and frame are cracked, which will need fabrication and welding to make the truck structurally sound, Mudar said.
The also are problems with the rear suspension, where the leaf springs are cracked; the drivetrain, bearings and fittings need to be replaced; fuel system, fuel pump and fuel valves on the motor have issues; and the air brake system needs to be replaced, Mudar said.
Among other issues is the truck’s light tower, which provides scene lighting at night. Two of the four heads on the tower are cracked and won’t function. Because of its age, the heads are no longer available, so all four heads have to be replaced, Mudar said.
The truck passed an inspection at the same facility a year ago.
“We’re a little surprised,” Mudar said.
The truck remains at the shop in Zelienople, he said. To get by without it, the department placed much of the tools and equipment it carries onto one of its pickups.
“We have the bare minimum for the type of calls that (rescue truck) should respond to,” he said.
Once begun, repairs are expected to take two to three months, Mudar said.
Of Unity’s vehicles, its 2005 ladder truck is most in need of replacement, which, Mudar said, is why they are not planning to replace the rescue truck. Replacing the ladder truck is expected to cost $2.1 million to $2.2 million.
As volunteer fire departments reach out to their residents for donations, Mudar said, it’s important residents don’t throw away the mailers but, rather, return them with anything they can give.
“We’re trying to overcome a stigma where people think we’re a paid department and 100% funded by the borough,” Mudar said. “That’s not the case. We are volunteers.”