New home for Bedford Park tower ladder

Bill Friedrich recently came across some interesting details on newslocker.com. The story focuses on the Portage la Prairie Emergency Services and their efforts to acquire a new aerial ladder.

A New Aerial Ladder for the Fire Department

This is the Portage la Prairie Emergency Services' 2000 Pierce Dash 100-foot Aerial Platform truck, bought back in January 2014 for $410,000. (Photo courtesy of Portage la Prairie Emergency Services)

Things are looking up for the Portage la Prairie Emergency Services.

After securing $1 million for an expansion project, successfully selling an older fire truck for charity, and spending over a year searching, the fire department has finally finalized the purchase of a brand-new aerial ladder. “I’m really excited about this,” remarked Fire Chief Phil Carpenter. “It’s been quite the wait—over 18 months without an aerial ladder. There were several occasions when we could’ve used it, but thankfully, we had backup plans to borrow from nearby departments like Brandon or Winkler if it had been a major emergency. We underestimated how challenging it would be to find a suitable used truck.”

The city council granted Carpenter a budget of $400,000 for the 2000 Pierce Dash 100-foot Aerial Platform truck, which ultimately cost $410,000. The truck was acquired from Carriere Fire and Safety Co. 1988 Ltd., located in Canada. Carpenter anticipates the new vehicle arriving in Portage la Prairie by April or May.

“The Illinois fire department we sourced it from hasn’t even received their new aerial ladder yet—they won’t until March, and they’ll need to undergo training with it first,” Carpenter explained.

Before finalizing the deal, Carpenter and a representative from Carriere Fire, Ben Vanderzwaag, traveled to Bedford Park, Illinois, to thoroughly inspect and test the unit to confirm its functionality. According to Carpenter, Carriere Fire will perform additional modifications to make the aerial ladder suitable for Canadian conditions. These include installing a heater in the pump compartment, fitting new tires, repainting the vehicle, and rebuilding the engine before delivery to Portage la Prairie.

Firefighters will require specific training to operate the new ladder, which is already factored into the purchase price.

Proceeds from selling the 1976 aerial truck and the 1984 pumper truck will be directed toward the fire truck reserve fund. Carpenter estimates the pumper could fetch around $30,000, though he remains unsure about the exact value of the aerial ladder, which recently failed certification. He speculates the ladder may only fetch scrap value, around $2,000, but hopes for a better outcome either through a private sale or at a metal recycling facility.

The Bedford Park FD's 709 Pierce Dash tower ladder truck has been sold and will be transferred once the new tower ladder arrives. Photo by Bill Friedrich.

Bedford Park's 709 Pierce Dash tower ladder truck has been sold and will be transferred after the new tower ladder arrives. Photo by Bill Friedrich.

As the Portage la Prairie Emergency Services continue to enhance their fleet, the community can look forward to improved response capabilities and safety measures.

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