A new ladder truck for the Great Bend Fire Department will be able to reach the fourth floor of the new Lofts at the Zarah and the new hotel proposed for Great Bend, Fire Chief Brent Smith told the Great Bend City Council on Tuesday. He received approval to order a “demo” truck from Hays Fire Equipment for $1,590,023. It will be delivered sometime in 2026.
As part of the fire department’s vehicle replacement plan, the current 2004 ladder truck was scheduled to be replaced this year. Money is set aside each year but back in 2022 members of the apparatus committee realized there would not be enough money in reserve for a 2025 purchase at the rate the GBFD was saving.
“At that time, two more years were added to the project date,” Smith said, reading from agenda material he prepared.
In visiting with multiple fire truck dealers, it became apparent that at the current rate of inflation (7-10%, according to Smith) there still wouldn’t be enough money saved to purchase the ladder truck in 2027 and if the GBFD waited until 2027 to order a truck it could take up to 48 months (2031) before it was delivered.
While the 2004 truck has been well maintained, it is starting to have issues and nearing the age when it should be retired, Smith said.
The reach of the ladder was also a concern.
“We’d struggle to get to the fourth floor at Zarah,” he said, adding even the third floor could be a challenge if cars are parked on the street.
"We can replace buildings; my biggest fear is not getting the people out.”
The apparatus committee went on to identify two manufacturers that have slots reserved in their build schedules for stock/demo trucks. These trucks are built to a spec to allow dealers to demonstrate them to prospective buyers, and would be available to purchase.
“This would save the city a significant amount of money by cutting two years of inflation off the project’s current completion date,” he said. The recommendation to use the Hays Fire Equipment cost less and would arrive earlier than the other manufacturer’s offer.
The half-cent sales tax renewed by voters last November will be used for the purchase, along with money from the capital outlay reserve.
A third-party vendor may be able to sell the old truck to a smaller city. Smith said he was told it might bring $80,000. Whatever it brings could go back to the capital outlay reserve.
Almost all of the equipment on the current ladder truck can be transferred to the new one.
Another truck
Wednesday morning, Smith and his team were scheduled to travel to Mississippi for their final inspection of a pumper truck already ordered for the fire department. It is expected that the pumper will be delivered by the end of the week.
