Fire truck wanted in Manassas
{Submitted photo}
A new fire truck would replace the city’s 16-year-old tower ladder truck, which was parked in a garage for more than 100 days last year because of mechanical problems, said Manassas fire and rescue spokesman Francis J. Teevan.
Fire officials in Manassas are asking the public to help them get a new fire truck.
The department recently filed a request to obtain $900,000 from the Department of Homeland Security for the purchase of a new ladder truck.
The truck would replace the city’s 16-year-old tower ladder truck, which was parked in a garage for more than 100 days last year because of mechanical problems, said Manassas fire and rescue spokesman Francis J. Teevan.
The ladder truck is the only one of its kind in the city, and the only truck that is consistently staffed by firefighters from Manassas, Manassas Park and Prince William County, added Teevan.
Hard budget times have meant more down time for the aging vehicle and, without the federal grant, it is unlikely that the city will be able to come up with the funds to replace the truck.
The current projected cost of a replacement truck tops $1 million, said Teevan.
But there is something residents can do to help get the grant money.
City officials are encouraging residents to write to the Grant Programs Administrator at DHS in Washington in hopes a public outcry will help their chances in getting the money.
The City of Manassas Fire and Rescue Department is a combination department, which uses both career staff and volunteers to respond to fires and medical emergencies in Manassas and can assist in Manassas Park and Prince William County.
Staff writer Uriah A. Kiser can be reached at 703-878-8065.
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Reader Reactions
Paid Taxpayer said “What happens when they dont get the money and someone dies because a truck could get to the scene quick enough, everyone will be crying foul even though they didnt want to get a new truck!! Keep in mind that the Tower has the aerial that can reach many stories in the air and it carries ladders over 24’ in lenghth to reach all those 3rd floors of those town houses!!“
Talk about blowing out of proportion ... how did you get along all this time without a ‘Tower’ on your truck?
Bottom line now is a terrible time to ask for money for a ‘bright shinny new truck’ or anything else that has made due for years.
By the way, we all are sacrificing. I drive a 1990 and it still runs like a top with a gas engine. The old decrepit fire truck must have a diesel engine, don’t they last longer?
I agree that further explanation is needed. $1 million for a fire truck sound absurd.
Also, how come the Rescue Squad seems to get a new truck every other year and the Fire Company doesnt. I think both Depts need investigation by an independent party for management of Funds.
Ok, lets not blow this way out of proportion!
T511 is staffed 0600-1800 M-F by career, outside those hours it’s a crapshoot!(1st due apartment fire a few weeks ago and T511 was not staffed) and Tw525 is NOT staffed during 0600-1800 but usually gets staffed on nights and on weekends with the help of career staff. Now if 11 is not staffed and the second truck is 13 (assuming it is staffed which it may not be), how long will the response times increase?? Times are critical in todays construction methods, a fire unchecked can rip through a home in 10 mins. So now imagine you are the taxpayer trapped in your home and Tw 501 is OOS and the next closest truck is 10 mins or longer away, you do the math. Is it expensive? Yes but if another truck is purchased then they will have a back up with the old tower and can start to rotate time between the two maximizing the life span of both units!!!
What happens when they dont get the money and someone dies because a truck could get to the scene quick enough, everyone will be crying foul even though they didnt want to get a new truck!! Keep in mind that the Tower has the aerial that can reach many stories in the air and it carries ladders over 24’ in lenghth to reach all those 3rd floors of those town houses!!
Sounds like very poor planning by the Fire Chief and the City. That or a general want to upgrade to a new shiny truck.
Dr, good points.
drzeus,
read the article. The City fire & rescue spokesman Francis J. Teevan states that this is the “only truck that is consistently staffed by firefighters from Manassas, Manassas Park and Prince William County”. It appears that someone is “throwing rocks” in this situation but expecting the taxpayers to come up with another million dollars. The City Fire & Rescue levy is now 14.3 cents vs. PWC 7 cents and no levy in Manassas Park. Where is that money going? The City spokesman doesn’t explain that clearly enough.
16 years old? That means it was placed in service in 1994. While it’s no spring chicken, if it were properly maintained, you should be able to get another 10 years out of it.
Washington D.C., Alexandria, and Arlington all have units from the 1980s still in service. Why should Manassas be any different?
These are not cheaply made vehicles like your commuter car that only last a few years. They are designed to last a very long time with proper maintenance. PROPER MAINTENANCE.
Besides, Tower 525 and Truck 11 are right around the corner. Do we really need 3 aerials in a 5 mile radius? Manassas residents, despite your city being a separate entity, you need to look at the apparatus surrounding you geographically. Assuming sufficient staffing is in place (a whole different issue), you are well-protected. A new tower would be a huge waste of money.
100 days in the shop is BS. I would like to know details of what was wrong and who was in charge of working on it. These trucks are made to be serviced and to stay in service for a long time. A regimented preventive amintance schedule should be followed and with any piece of machinery things will break, new or old.
How critical is this piece of equipment? What does this one do that cannot be done by the others?
I would think need would be the determining factor.
Probably not going to happen. Might want to get the tools out and start fixing. 1 Mil for a truck and there are people out there who have no homes to live in no jobs and kids with no clothes on there back and you want a new fire truck. Come on. Maybe in a few years. I think a million right now could go a long way in some other areas.
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