No new fire truck now

The Flomaton Town Council voted to spend about $3,000 to repair an old fire truck with hopes of planning how to purchase a new truck in the future.

Former Fire Chief Jimmy Brantley told the council Monday night one of the trucks keeps failing the pump test and it possibly needs a new clutch. He noted there is no explanation for the failed pump test but said it would cost about $2,000 to replace the clutch. He also said it could be more once a mechanic got to the root of the problem.

“Cutting to the chase, do we need a new fire truck?” asked Councilman Buster Crapps.

“I don't know your financial situation,” Brantley answered.

A new fire truck will cost about $300,000.

“You're running the department, what do you want to do?” Crapps asked. “You decide and we'll see if we can afford it.”

Brantley said the department needs two trucks to keep its current ISO rating. The fire department is currently borrowing one from the Escambia County (Fla.) Fire District while the other one is not working.

Mayor Dewey Bondurant Jr., said he talked with the town's accountant and the bank and said at this time the town can't afford to buy a new fire truck.

The council agreed it needed to first see if the old truck could be fixed to give them time to look at options to purchase another truck.

Brantley said the truck in question has enough water power for the town to use to blow out culverts and other issues, just not enough pressure to fight fires.

Councilman Roger Adkinson said in the 1980s the town bought two fire trucks at the same time.

“We don't need that to happen again,” Adkinson said. “We need to go ahead and buy a new truck and never have to buy two again.”

Brantley said the life of a fire truck is as long as it's reliable and passes the pump test.

Adkinson said it was really “bad, bad timing” right now for the town to purchase a new fire truck, but said it needed to be put on the forefront of the agenda to purchase one in the near future. He said the town needed to get this one fixed and plan over the next two to three years to buy a new truck.

Town Attorney Chuck Johns noted the town did not include a new fire truck in the current budget and also suggested getting the truck fixed and look at a new truck in the next budget.

Mayor Bondurant said he'd love for the town to buy a new truck but he didn't see any way at this time.

The council then voted to spend about $3,000 to fix the truck. If the amount goes higher they agreed to meet and discuss the issue.

 
 
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