Why is There a Danvers Ladder Truck Stationed in Salem?

One of Danvers' fire engines has been on duty rolling through the streets of Salem for the past two weeks and is stationed at Salem's Fire Headquarters on Lafayette Street.

Why? It's because the ladder truck is actually on loan to the Salem Fire Department while Salem's ladder truck is in the shop.

Danvers Fire Chief Kevin Farrell said Engine 5 is one of two older apparatus his department has on hand as reserve engines. This one is a 1997 75-foot ladder truck -- the other reserve engine is a pumper. Danvers does have a newer 100-foot quint in active service.

"We have a spare one so I let them have it," he said, describing the loan as a courtesy between departments.

"He [Chief Dave Cody] can have it as long as I don't need it," Farrell said, adding that if there were a need to call in the reserves, Engine 5 would return immediately to town.

He said he wasn't sure how long Salem's truck would be out of commission -- he was expecting to get a status update from Cody soon. Farrell added that he does know Salem is waiting for a new tower ladder truck to arrive in September or October.

It's not the first time Danvers has loaned out an engine or been on the receiving end of such a courtesy, Farrell said, noting the town had to borrow a pump engine from Peabody at one time.

"It's sort of like one hand washing another," he said.