FD Must Wait Another Year for New Engine

The Millburn Fire Department was supposed to get a new fire engine this summer, a year later than anticipated, but it's going to have to wait even longer.

Township officials are changing their contract with Campbell Supply of Edison, which is on the Township Committee's agenda for Tuesday night. Instead of buying a 1,500-gallon-per-minute Class A pumper from American LaFrance, officials are now buying one from Crimson. The nearly $490,000 price tag stays the same.

The move comes after firefighters have waited for more than a year for a new engine, which was ordered in 2007. It typically takes about a year for a new engine to be delivered because each is custom built.

The delay occurred because American-LaFrance filed for bankruptcy and has been reorganizing, said Fire Chief Michael Roberts. Because it was taking so long to build the engine, American LaFrance loaned the department a truck for $1.

But about a month ago, Roberts received a phone call from Campbell Supply explaining that American LaFrance was moving all of its assembly plants into one location in South Carolina. Roberts said the news meant it would take at least six months to a year to have the move completed.

"It would take too long for them to bounce back," he said.

Because Campbell Supply also represents Crimson, township officials just needed to change their order with the supplier rather than having to break any contract with American LaFrance directly, he said.

"It means we have to start all over, but we already have our (specifications) in," Roberts said.

The truck should be delivered in 10-12 months, he said, which means it would arrive at the department in May at the earliest.

The delays with the engine, however, are causing problems for Roberts' capital planning to replace the fleet of four engines. Typically an engine is replaced every five years so the oldest is no more than 20 years old.

"By the time we get the engine, it will be time to replace another," Roberts said. "I'm due to ask for another replacement in 2011. We'll receive (the new engine) in 2010 and that fall I'll have to prepare a budget that includes (another new one)."

Fire officials also are already planning for when they have to return the loaner engine to American LaFrance. The old Millburn FD engine was sold at a public auction earlier this year, so fire officials need to find another loaner.

Roberts said he expects American LaFrance will want the pumper back when the order is canceled, so he is working with Campbell Supply to locate another loaner.

He hopes that he doesn't have to borrow an engine from a neighboring community, but Livingston and Summit fire departments have been helpful in the past, he said.