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The Western Carteret Fire and EMS Department’s new 2022 combination fire truck and rescue vehicle will go into service after a “roll-in” ceremony on Aug. 20. The public is invited to attend. (WCFD photo)
The Western Carteret Fire and EMS Department’s new 2022 combination fire truck and rescue vehicle will go into service after a “roll-in” ceremony on Aug. 20. The public is invited to attend. (WCFD photo)
CEDAR POINT — The Western Fire and EMS Department will “roll in” a new $850,000 2022 model Spartan Emergency Response Rescue–Engine at Fire and EMS Station 1 on Saturday, Aug. 20.
The public is invited to come to the station on Sherwood Avenue in Cedar Point to see the ultra-modern combined fire and rescue apparatus, which replaces two old response vehicles.
The viewing session for “Engine 121” will begin at 1:30 p.m. with the official “roll in” ceremony to follow around 2. Those who attend will get to visit and talk to members of the department and enjoy snacks and drinks.
After that, according to a press release from the department, the new apparatus will be placed into service.
Chief Kevin Hunter said the rescue-pumper replaces two apparatuses that are at least 21 years old.
“In the past, our personnel assigned to firefighting and rescue tasks for the day would have to move back and forth between the (fire) engine and the rescue truck depending on the type of call, a fire or a rescue scenario,” Chief Hunger said.
“Now, those personnel basically can mount their gear on one apparatus and not have to constantly be back and forth depending on the call.”
Hunter added that it has become a great problem nationwide to balance responses to fires, rescues and other emergencies, such as vehicle crashes and EMS calls with the limited staffing and budget concerns many departments are experiencing.
With the new apparatus, he said, “We keep crew continuity, reduce response times and save the taxpayers money by combining what would be multiple large vehicles into one.”
The two apparatuses being replaced will be phased out over the next few weeks and sold. The new 2022 apparatus cost approximately $768,000, with new state-of-the-art rescue equipment, communications equipment, etc. added at nearly $80,000. The total cost to put it into service for residents and property owners in western Carteret County comes to about $850,000.
The process that led to purchase of the rescue-pumper began more than three years ago, according to Hunter.
Officers and the apparatus committee assessed how the department could address the need for a new rescue vehicle and the need for a new engine to replace the two aging and high-maintenance apparatus in the fleet.
“It was easy to see that the cost was going to be tremendous,” Hunter said. “A new engine alone now can cost nearly $600,000 and a rescue truck alone well over $800,000, making it what would have been a $1.3 million dollar undertaking.
“We knew this was not an acceptable solution at the time, even without the foreknowledge of a coming economic downturn. Our officers and staff then turned to planning the dual-purpose–dual-role apparatus that we have here today.”
The WCFD and EMS Department serves the towns of Bogue, Cedar Point, Cape Carteret and Peletier, plus unincorporated areas in the county in and around those towns, including Stella.
The Western Carteret Interlocal Cooperation Agency oversees the department. Its board of directors is comprised of representatives from Bogue, Cape Carteret, Cedar Point and Peletier, plus the county. Its members are appointed by those local government entities. It has a second fire station in Stella.
The department gets its revenue from property taxes. The rates are 10 cents per $100 of assessed property valuation in Stella and 5 cents per $100 for EMS and 6 cents per $100 for fire service districtwide. The budget this year is about $3.2 million.
Contact Brad Rich at 252-864-1532; email brad@thenewstimes.com; or follow on Twitter @brichccnt.
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