Southeastern Volunteer Fire Dept. in Lower Saucon Township will soon have a new truck to replace a 1998 pumper that is beginning to have equipment problems.
Southeastern Volunteer Fire Department in Lower Saucon Township (FILE PHOTO)
At their meeting Wednesday, Lower Saucon Township Council unanimously approved the purchase of the new truck from Spartan ERV at a cost of $495,000.
Township manager Jack Cahalan noted that the current truck has been used “extensively” to respond to incidents on Interstate 78, which is not far from Southeastern.
The township will own and insure the new vehicle, which will be paid for with money from the township’s fire tax fund and a five-year, low-interest loan from Lafayette Ambassador Bank.
A downpayment of 50 percent, or nearly $250,000, will be made on the truck, and the rest of the cost will be financed.
Council also unanimously approved at the meeting a memorandum of understanding to develop a consolidated township fire department.
Cahalan noted that work toward that goal has been ongoing for some time.
“This agreement says basically that we have the intent to continue that process and hopefully formulate a plan for a consolidated fire department,” he said.
The memorandum had already been approved by Southeastern, Steel City and Se-Wy-Co–the township’s three volunteer fire companies–prior to the meeting.