New Fire Engine Expected in July

It's two years late because of financial problems at American LeFrance, but the Millburn Fire Department is expecting its new fire engine in July.

The department has scheduled a dedication ceremony for July 7, although the official delivery date may be later. Battalion Chief Ed Wade, department public information officer, said the engine, which was built by Crimson, is in New Jersey and needs to be lettered and outfitted. The work is being done in New Brunswick and South Plainfield.

"It looks real good so far," he said. "It's really nice."

Township officials changed their contract with Campbell Supply of Edison a year ago to buy a 1,500-gallon-per-minute Class A pumper from Crimson instead of American LaFrance. The nearly $490,000 price tag stayed the same.

Officials ordered an engine from American LaFrance in 2007, and it should have been delivered in 2008. It typically takes a year for a fire engine to be delivered.  The delay occurred because American LaFrance filed for bankruptcy and has been reorganizing. Because it was taking so long to build the engine, American LaFrance loaned the department a truck for $1.

But because of further delays predicted a year ago, fire officials changed their order to Crimson. Also, American LaFrance took back the loaned truck last winter. The department has been borrowing engines from area departments. They had one from Summit until that department needed it back. Right now the department has an engine on loan from Livingston.

The only difference between the new engine and the department's existing group is a new foam system and a light tower, which can be used to light a scene.

Firefighters will need to train on the new engine once it goes into service, much like they did with the borrowed American LaFrance engine. Wade said they've scheduled a special training for the new foam system since it is different than what firefighters have used in the past. They plan to train with the Summit department because they're receiving a new engine with a similar system.