The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly passed a consent agenda item that would appropriate funds from the Western Emergency Service Area Operating Fund for the purpose of purchasing two pieces of fire apparatus. Central Emergency Services currently has a surplus engine and tanker available for purchase and Western Emergency Service Area would like to acquire both in order to upgrade their current fleet.
Assembly member Tyson Cox:
“This was a couple of pieces of equipment from the Soldotna area that are going, now, to the Western Emergency Services Area. What they’ll be paying is $24,240. What we were told in our last meeting that those were pieces of equipment that are several, like, 20-30 years older than the pieces of equipment they will be getting. It was a benefit for both to be able to give the piece of equipment to another service area that can use that.”
The apparatuses will be replacing vehicles in Ninilchik and Nikolaevsk. In addition to being 20-plus years newer than the current ones in service, they will provide more modern safety features, such as shoulder seat belts and air bags and have increased pumping capacity, which will provide for improved firefighting capabilities over the replaced apparatus.
The funds will go towards purchasing a 2007 H&W 3,000-gallon tanker with a 1,250 GPM pump, which will replace a 1985 GMC 2500-gallon tanker with a 500 GPM pump at the Nikolaevsk station. The purchase price is $14,000 plus the 1% applicable admin service fee. In addition, a 2008 H&W 1,000-gallon engine will be purchased that has a 1,500 GPM pump, which will replace a 1985 GMC 2,000-gallon engine with a 1,250 GPM pump at the Ninilchik station. The purchase price is $10,000 plus the 1% applicable admin service fee.
NOTE: photo courtesy of Western Emergency Service Facebook page.