By Patricia Bogumil
Interim Editor
The Tichigan Volunteer Fire Co. dedicated its new fire truck May 19 during an open house held at the fire station.
The truck is the first TVFC fire engine with on-board automatic foam. It can carry 1,000 gallons of water and 30 gallons of foam.
According to Fire Chief Todd Bluhm, who was called away from the open house for a rescue call, the Town of Waterford and the Fire Company saved a “substantial amount of money” by allowing the manufacture, Pierce of Appleton, to use the fire engine at the Dayton 500 this spring.
The engine was shown on TV after one of the crashes during the race.
A commemorative bell, donated by the Pugh family, adorns the fire engine.
“Kenny Pugh has been a member on our department for over 45 years,” Bluhm explained via email.
“When his wife passed away last year, he donated money for the extra equipment we needed on the truck from her estate. Kenny humbles us all every day by reminding us what community service really means.”
Some of the features on the new truck are: hydraulic reels built into the engine; an all LED 100,000-hour maintenance-free lighting package; active safety monitoring to make sure everyone is belted in when the truck is in operation; a high-volume water gun with 1,500 gallon per minute pumping capacity; and all new aluminum ladders.
Because of insurance, TVC holds title to the vehicle, explained Robert Langmesser, Waterford Town Chairman.
The cost of the truck is $370,000. To pay for it, a special $40 annual assessment appears as a separate line item on the tax bill. It is expected to be paid off in three years, said Langmesser.
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What a complete waste of taxpayer dollars!
A waste, Hmmmmm, until you need it. Worth the money and hope and pray it gets very little use.
We voted ‘NO’ for a brand NEW fire truck. They where supposed to buy a very USED truck. Not one that was barely used. When are the politicians going to LISTEN. Same goes for Rochester building a new complex in downtown rochester. Quit wasting MY money.
I know this is not related to the new fire truck, but it would be nice to have an emergency siren in Tichigan. I was informed that we have one, but it hasn’t worked for many many years and they don’t want to spend the money to fix it or replace it. What about the safety for us people that live here and this area just keeps growing. My son was in the village of Waterford last year he called me to say get in the basement the sirens were going off in the Village. Of course we didn’t hear a thing. Come on where’s the safety here pretty scary!
Boy Scott, someone forgot to take his happy pill this morning. I hope the good lord is with you when those wasted tax dollars are needed to come rescue you, or anyone like you, who doesn’t realize the value of money well spent.
Any clear thinking level headed individual can see that spending dollars on fire and police protection should be of the utmost importance. And it should also trump our blowing money on parks that no one really uses, or cranes who can migrate elswhere if our shorelines aren’t perfect.
I’ve listened to people like you complain for years when I lived there, and it’s one thing I can honestly say I don’t miss.