Bill Friedrich found the following information at newslocker.com Positive developments are continuing at Portage la Prairie Emergency Services. Following a $1 million investment for a new building addition, the successful sale of an old fire truck for a good cause, and over a year of searching, the fire department has finally secured a new aerial ladder. "It's really exciting—it's been a long time coming," said Fire Chief Phil Carpenter. "We haven’t had an aerial ladder for 18 months, and there have been times when we could have used it. We had backup plans in place, like getting one from Brandon or Winkler during emergencies. But buying a used unit turned out to be more challenging than expected." The city council approved a $400,000 budget for the 2000 Pierce Dash 100-foot Aerial Platform truck, which ended up costing $410,000 and was purchased from Carriere Fire and Safety Co. 1988 Ltd. Carpenter expects the new truck to arrive in Portage by April or May. "The Illinois department we're getting it from is also receiving a new aerial, but they won't get it until March and will need training first," he explained. Carpenter and Carriere Fire representative Ben Vanderzwaag traveled to Bedford Park, Illinois, to inspect and test the unit before purchasing it. According to Carpenter, Carriere Fire will “Canadianize†the ladder by adding a heater to the pump compartment, replacing the tires, repainting, and rebuilding the motor before it arrives in Portage. Training for the firefighters on the new equipment is included in the purchase price, as per Carpenter’s statement. Proceeds from the sale of the 1976 aerial truck and the 1984 pumper truck will go toward the fire truck reserve fund. Carpenter hopes to sell the pumper for $30,000, but he’s unsure about the value of the aerial ladder, which failed certification. He believes it might be sold for scrap, possibly bringing in around $2,000, though he’s hoping for a better price through either a sale or at a metal yard. Bedford Park Truck 709 has been sold and will be transferred after the new tower ladder is delivered. Bill Friedrich photo Precision Die Casting Mold Base Precision Die Casting Mold Base,Cast Iron Ingot Mold,Die Casting Machine Parts,Graphite Ingot Molds Kun Shan Qi Dian Precision Mold Co., LTD , https://www.qidian-mold.com
Fire Department to Receive New Aerial Ladder