Kelowna Fire Department to buy four new trucks for $1.6M
KELOWNA – The Kelowna Fire Department is going to get a bunch of new trucks in 2016.
The city will spend $1.6 million next year replacing four of the department’s service vehicles, including $1.33 million for two new fire engines.
That will buy the department two engines; an $810,000 replacement for engine four, a 1996 Tele Squirt and a $530,000 replacment for engine seven, a 1999 Freightliner.
Replacement of two aging bush trucks will cost Kelowna taxpayers another $280,000.
Fire chief Jeff Carlisle told councillors the four vehicles have all exceeded vehicle replacement guideliness and costs for maintaining them are increasing.
Council was surprised earlier this year when staff requested an additional $180,000 to cover the surge in cost of a fire engine priced in U.S. dollars.
To counter this, staff will now flag U.S. purchases and set aside the necessary funds in a U.S. dollar account to counter currency swings.
The fire department took delivery of a new fire engine last January. Another engine is on order and due for delivery this spring.
To contact the reporter for this story, email John McDonald at jmcdonald@infonews.ca or call 250-808-0143. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
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