Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, January 28, 1993 TAG: 9301280373
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: E-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: NANCY BELL STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
LADDER-TRUCK OPTIONS STUDIED
Vinton officials are getting closer to resolving a 2-year-old problem of having no ladder truck for its Fire Department.An option proposed by the town's fire chief would delay the necessity of buying a new tanker truck.
Vinton's ladder truck has been out of service for two years because of a manufacturer's warning that the ladder might collapse.
Vinton Fire Chief Barry Fuqua, in a letter last week to Acting Town Manager Bob Benninger, recommended that the town purchase a new ladder truck and refurbish the out-of-service truck as a replacement for the town's outdated tanker.
Fuqua said this would give the town a ladder truck for the next 25 to 30 years and would delay the need to purchase a new tanker by 10 to 15 years.
Town officials also are considering purchasing a $26,000 repair kit for the defective ladder. But Fuqua has reservations about the kit because it has not yet been approved by the National Fire Protection Association. A Vinton delegation recently visited two Northern Virginia fire departments to look at repair kits.
Officials also are looking at the option of just buying a new ladder for the truck.
Vinton fire personnel say they attempted to get the truck operable through direct contact with the manufacturers but had to turn to town officials when the companies responsible for the defect went out of business.
The town has filed a lawsuit seeking $750,000 in damages from seven manufacturers associated with production and testing of the ladder. The case is pending.
Meanwhile, ladder trucks for Roanoke County have assisted with Vinton emergencies.
After a December Town Council meeting, Vinton Fire Lt. Roger Cupp said Vinton has flood and fire emergencies that require a ladder truck. The lives of citizens and firefighters are in jeopardy without the truck, he said.