ST. PAUL – During a delegation held during the County of St. Paul’s Oct. 25 Public Works Meeting, Fire Chief Trevor Kotowich told council that one of the trucks in the department’s fleet fire truck is nearing the end of its 20-year replacement cycle.
The fire chief advised and consulted with the council on the implications of the best standards and practices related to the replacement of the pumper truck.
County council accepted Kotowich’s presentation as information, citing financial challenges as the price of fire trucks has increased drastically over the last two years.
The County fire truck currently used by the St. Paul Fire Department, according to Kotowich, was constructed in 2003 and started service in 2004. He said the fire truck cost between $235,000 and $240,000.
“The chassis current has just over 32,000 kilometres on it, and the pump has 500 working hours on it,” said Kotowich, explaining that as per industry standards, the age of a fire truck is considered when assessing a fire department’s ability to “respond and meet the needs of the community.”
He said the replacement guideline for fire trucks allows “up to a 20-year” replacement cycle to ensure fire trucks are replaced regularly and that the “County is demonstrating due diligence toward ensuring a dependable response fleet.”
Kotowich also said that as of Oct. 25, the fire truck attended 691 calls since 2004, and “this is where it gets interesting – I would estimate approximately 75 per cent of that time is spent on gravel roads and in areas, fields, and conditions that our Town trucks never see.”
According to Kotowich, the County of St. Paul’s fire truck is put through many “extreme” situations, as opposed to trucks that mostly respond to calls within the Town of St. Paul. “I call our Town trucks ‘pavement princesses’ because they don’t leave the pavement – they don’t leave the asphalt,” he explained.
Kotowich said past County councils have asked if it is possible to replace or repair the pumps of fire trucks, to which he affirmed that “pumps are repaired and replaced all the time.” However, he added that he is not aware of any manufacturers that “actually replace pumps to increase the longevity of an old fire truck.”
He told the council that the 2004 fire truck would still function well past its 20-year replacement cycle in 2024, as it has been “extremely well-maintained” and serviced over the years.
But he said the fire truck “is getting tired without a shadow of a doubt,” and that the County “ultimately will need to decide the risk versus benefit when determining the age of their firefighting fleet.”
Prices going up
Kotowich then advised council that the prices of fire trucks may continue to increase. He said Bonnyville Regional Fire Authority (BRFA) awarded a manufacturer to construct a fire truck 16 months ago, costing BRFA $577,000.
Kotowich said he has heard that fire trucks have jumped in price over the last 16 months and advised that if the County chooses to replace the truck, it will “need to budget accordingly.”
“I’m suggesting anywhere between $650,000 to $800,000 for a County replacement truck... so in a nutshell, these trucks have become extremely pricey,” he said.
Reeve Glen Ockerman asked about the replacement cycles of fire trucks in other municipalities, and Kotowich said some trucks have replacement cycles up to 30 years. But their primary response fire trucks are “within that 20-year range."
Coun. Maxine Fodness also asked if mileage is taken into account when it comes to the longevity of fire trucks. “If, let’s say, somebody has 50,000 kilometres and we have 32,000 kilometres, does that mean the longevity of our equipment could last a bit longer?”
Kotowich responded, saying, “absolutely, and it all depends on usage.” While fire trucks remain at bay most of the time, the trucks “work hard for hours on end” when responding to calls, such as fires. So, “A better comparison would be the number of calls,” he said.
Coun. Darrell Younghans asked about other consequences that could come about if the municipality does not replace the fire truck. Kotowich said the consequences include the fire truck failing ULC Standard’s tests, which may end up putting the fire truck out of commission.
ULC Standards is an organization accredited by the Standards Council of Canada under the National Standards System. Its duties involve making sure fire trucks are up to Canada’s standards, according to ULC Standards’ website.
“My worry is that if something fails, we don’t have a backup [fire] truck,” said Kotowich, explaining the County only has one fire truck and one tanker. “The County tanker is not capable of fighting fires,” because the tanker only provides water, according to the fire chief.
Coun. Kevin Wirsta said that in a meeting with Alberta Fire Chiefs Association he attended, the prices of fire trucks have far surpassed what anybody expected. Wirsta heard that some fire halls are extending the life of their fire trucks due to the increased cost.
Budget
While the County of St. Paul has been planning ahead and putting money aside, CAO Sheila Kitz said the amount was "based on a much lower number for replacement.”
“So, we really need to look at the reserve allocation” when preparing for the County’s 2023 budget, said Kitz.
Fodness also asked what fire equipment is typically used on-scene. Kotowich answered that when responding to buildings on fire within County limits, a tanker provides the County’s fire truck with water while the rescue truck provides the manpower.
An additional tanker from the closest fire department also responds. He added that if the fire truck’s pumper breaks down on the road, “we’re going to call a neighbouring department.”
“But, that’s a short-term fix, not a long-term solution,” said Kotowich.
During discussions, Kitz asked, “If we did order a [fire] truck in 2023, what would the deposit be for the chassis?” Kotowich responded, saying the deposit is usually 10 per cent, and “I’m hoping we can get a [fire] truck under $700,000... we don’t need anything too fancy.”
In Alberta, firefighting is considered a municipal responsibility.
When asked what would happen if municipalities chose not to replace their fire trucks, Kotowich said, “eventually something catastrophic is going to happen, and someone’s going to have to step in.”
County council motioned to accept Kotowich’s presentation as information and will review the request during budget discussions.
