Federal grant helps replace old, unsafe fire truck in NJ

Volunteer firefighters who ride in the old truck risk ejection and serious injury from a partially enclosed cab

By Nick Clunn
The Herald News

NORTH ARLINGTON, N.J. — The days are numbered for a 1984 firetruck that officials say would fail to adequately protect firefighters in an accident.

A new truck could arrive by early 2012 if the Borough Council moves ahead with a plan to order a $550,000 replacement next month, Councilman Richard Hughes said Friday. A $285,000 federal grant will cover more than half the cost, he said.

Volunteer firefighters who ride in the old truck risk ejection and serious injury from a partially enclosed cab, a design that is no longer considered safe, he said. The truck also fails to meet new federal guidelines for diesel emissions.

Firetruck manufacturers usually take about nine months to fill an order, said Hughes, who is also a firefighter in the borough.

The North Arlington Fire Department was one of nine in the state — and the only one in North Jersey — selected to receive an Assistance to Firefighters Grant in January.

A station on Schuyler Avenue would house the new pumper once it arrives.

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