Eastern Salisbury Fire Department has presented its plans to purchase a new fire engine to the Salisbury Township Board of Commissioners.

Eastern firefighters unveiled a schematic drawing and a poster of the advantages of a new engine, estimated to cost $858,000.

The new engine would replace two of Eastern’s engines.

The new engine is expected to be obtained with bidding through Costars (Commonwealth of Pennsylvania cooperative purchasing program) and the sale of Eastern’s Engine 20-12 and Rescue 20-41, which are expected to garner about $200,000 combined.

Representatives from Eastern Salisbury Fire Department, in a presentation during the Oct. 10 Salisbury Township Board of Commissioners’ workshop, said they reviewed fire truck proposals and favor that of 4Guys Fire Trucks, Meyersdale, Somerset County.

The 4Guys’ proposed cost for the new fire engine, $858,000, is said to be the least expensive proposal among those of four vendors’ representatives with whom Eastern officials said they met.

A portion of the cost would need to be approved as a down payment. Eastern officials said an increase in the price could occur after a Nov. 15-30 time frame.

A vote on Eastern’s proposed fire engine is expected to be on the agenda of the 7 p.m. Oct. 24 commissioners’ meeting, in the municipal building, 2900 S. Pike Ave.

If approved, the new fire truck would be ordered before the end of 2019, with the first payment due in the second quarter of 2020. That payment is expected to be from $350,000 to $450,000.

It’s estimated that, from the date of ordering the fire truck, it would take approximately 13 months until its delivery.

Township commissioners discussed various proposals to fund the fire engine, as well as the township fire fund. Discussions are to continue as part of 2020 township budget deliberations, Salisbury Township Director of Finance Paul Ziegenfus said during the workshop.

4Guys, according to Eastern representatives, is designing a fire truck based on tools and features the firefighters want.

“This truck could handle any situation,” Eastern Salisbury Volunteer Fire Company Chief David Tomcics said, adding, ”We feel very comfortable with them [4Guys].”

Eastern plans to consolidate functions of two fire engines, Engine 20-12 and Rescue 20-41, with the new combined rescue engine, with no loss in capabilities, Eastern representatives said at the commissioners’ workshop.

A chart presented by the firefighters listed the positives and negatives of their plan.

According to the chart, Engine 20-12 has no fire rescue capabilities, limited storage because of older design, poor scene lighting and exposed ladders. Engine 20-12 does have full fire-suppression capabilities, 1,000 gallons of water, a 2,000 gallons per minute water pump, 1,600 feet of water supply line and combined 1,075 feet of attack lines.

Also, according to the chart, Rescue 20-41 has extremely limited fire suppression capabilities, no water capacity, no water pump, no water supply line, no attack lines, ladders difficult to access, poor layout and tool-mounting and outdated and unsupported hydraulic tool system. Rescue 20-41 does have full rescue capabilities.

Again, based on the chart, the proposed new combined rescue-fire engine would have full rescue capabilities, full fire-suppression capabilities, 1,000 gallons of water, 1,500 gallons per minute pump, 1,100 feet of water supply line, 2,400 feet of combined attack lines, custom tool and equipment mounting and layout, updated, lighter hydraulic rescue tools, low easy-access ladders and LED scene lighting.

The new engine would have a six-person cab. The truck would be one-foot shorter in length, and have dual axles, or two rear wheels and tires on each side of the vehicle, which is expected to improve the turning radius.

The Eastern firefighters’ poster chart also listed considerations concerning the fire company’s decision to combine operations into one fire-rescue engine instead of two fire engines.

“With the decline in volunteer firefighters across Pennsylvania and the nation, Eastern Salisbury Fire Department is by no means exempt from this,” the poster shows.

“By combining our existing engine 20-12 and Rescue 20-41 into a new rescue engine, Eastern Salisbury Fire Department will be better able to serve the residents of Salisbury Township, as well as those that pass through or work in Salisbury Township and the neighboring communities.

“With reduced manpower, it is more difficult to get both an engine and a rescue to emergency scenes. With a combined apparatus, a smaller crew can do more, quickly,” stated the poster.

In a fire-department related matter, commissioners’ President Debra Brinton requested Western Volunteer Fire Company Fire Chief Joshua G. Wells to request the proposed plan for Western’s new fire station include accommodations for Fifth Ward election voting.

“Mention that the training room could be used as a polling place for the Fifth Ward,” Brinton said.

Fifth Ward voters cast their votes at St. Timothy’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 140 S. Ott St., Allentown.