The Liverpool fire department now owns their ladder truck free and clear thanks to a donation by Mersey Seafoods and the J and W Murphy Foundation.
Volunteers at the station were surprised when opening mail this week to discover a cheque for $50,000 to go towards the purchase of another truck.
The department determined before Christmas they would need to replace their ladder truck.
Hydraulics that lift the ladder had failed and the department learned repairing the equipment was not only costly but there was no guarantee the repair would pass an inspection to return the engine to service.
Liverpool fire department approached the Region of Queens for help to buy a replacement. The municipality stepped up with a $46,000 interest-free loan.
Members located a ladder truck for sale in New Brunswick and took ownership it earlier this week.
Captain John Long says the department had been exploring several options to raise the money needed to buy the ladder truck.
“We had sent out some letters requesting some help,” said Long. “This came through and it’s huge. Not just the number but the impact it has on us is huge. And we can work towards replacing our boat.”
Replacing their 1994 rescue boat had been the fire department’s focus before the issues arose with the ladder truck.
Long says the boat is showing its age.
“The ring is not holding air. We can use it in an emergency but we can’t really do any training with it,” said Long.
The new boat will need to be outfitted for rescue operations. A T-top, rear bench, console, steering wheel and search lights will need to be fitted to the boat. A new modern, sonar system will be installed and other safety equipment will be updated as well.
All told, Long says they need to raise $56,000 to turn out the new boat.
He says any money donated by individuals and businesses in the community towards replacing the ladder truck will be applied to the purchase of the boat.
Longs says thanks to the generous donation from Mersey Seafoods and the J and W Murphy Foundation the loan to the municipality has been repaid in full and the rest will go into the boat fund.
Reported by Ed Halverson
E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
Twitter: @edwardhalverson
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