City of Worcester, MA

New Fire Truck Purchased with CDBG Funds

For Immediate Release: 1/5/2015 1:16 pm

Worcester, MA (January 5, 2015) - Mayor Joseph Petty, City Manager Edward Augustus and Fire Chief Gerard Dio on Thursday will be at the Fire Department Headquarters to get a tour of the City's newest ladder truck.

The new apparatus, a 100-foot aerial cab and ladder truck, was purchased with $950,000 coming from federal Community Development Block Grant funds. Ladder 2 is stationed at Grove Street, and will generally serve the north side of Worcester.

The new truck replaces a 23-year-old, manually-operated Spartan tractor-trailer that currently serves as Ladder 2. That truck lacked automatic safety features and was frequently out of service due to mechanical failures that required costly repairs. The new ladder truck will enable firefighters to work safely with less risk and injury, and will improve the City's ability to maintain public safety.

The new truck includes:

• Telescoping, stainless steel, 100 foot, aerial ladder with a 250-pound tip load
• 4000-EVS, automatic, 6-speed transmission
• Full-tilt cab capable of accommodating a five-person crew
• Mobile radio system
• Module for radio transmittals and communication with tiller operator
• Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus harnesses mounted to the individual seats
• Safety features that meet the latest National Fire Protection Association standards

The four groups of firefighters who will serve on Ladder 2 are training on the new apparatus this week. It will go into service this weekend.

The project was put out for a competitive bid, which was won by to Seagrave Fire Apparatus, LLC, of Clintonville, Wisconsin. The final cost was $987,037.