New Ladder Needed in Roanoke Rapids

ROANOKE RAPIDS – Roanoke Rapids Fire Chief Gary Corbet is hoping city council members will help him do his job in a more cost-effective and safer manner by approving the purchase of a new fire truck.

Corbet first told council members of the need for a new ladder truck for his department three years ago, but at the time council members believed the cost was too high to replace the 1998 model currently in use as a front-line fire vehicle.

“We have experienced problems with that truck literally since the day we got it,” Corbet said. “Fan belts, brakes, springs and tires. The truck has a steel ladder so it’s very heavy. It’s got a large motor in it with a lot of torque that twists the body and rattles things loose.”

The maintenance book on the vehicle is 12 pages long, Corbet said, and the department spends $10,000 a year to keep the vehicle running. It gets 1.6 miles per gallon of gas due to its weight, Corbet said, and it costs $28 to simply drive it to Interstate 95 and back to Fire Station 1 on Roanoke Avenue.

Corbet originally dealt with the issue by moving the ladder truck to reserve service and putting the 1990 model pumper truck in front-line service, but now the pumper is breaking down and the ladder truck is back in front-line service.

“In December 2009 we moved (the pumper) into front-line service and took the ladder truck (to reserve) because we had so many problems with the ladder truck,” Corbet said. “I informed council because it was 20 years old, it would work well, but it would eventually start to give us problems. That has come to pass.”

After consulting with Interim City Manager Ed Wyatt and city Finance Director MeLinda Hite, Corbet moved forward with pursuing a new ladder truck.

Since July, Corbet said, he’s been closing in on a stock model ladder truck. The new truck, if the council purchases it, will still have the 75-foot ladder, but the ladder will be aluminum.The new truck is smaller and has a shorter wheelbase, which will enable it to handle narrow city streets more ably. The ladder truck will carry 500 gallons of water and will pump the water at 1,500 gallons per minute.

The price is still being negotiated, and Corbet has had what he termed a very good offer for the city’s current ladder truck, which would offset the expense of purchasing the new one.

Corbet would not disclose the price until council has heard the terms.

Hite said she’s behind Corbet’s request and thinks it is in the city’s best interest to move forward with the truck.

“The financing options are favorable,” Hite said. “We’re looking at a straight financing deal or a lease-purchase program. This is certainly a priority and a public safety need and is certainly a concern.”

PRIMARY AGENCY: Roanoke Rapid Fire Department