New Fire Truck Heading to Rio Grande

CORRECTION: The below story misstated the price of the new Pierce Enforcer pumper truck. The $366,872 approved by the Fire Commission was merely the final payment on the new apparatus. According to Kirby Stiltner, a member of the commission seeking reelection, the total cost of the vehicle was $985,000, offset, in part, by trading in the vehicle it will replace.  
RIO GRANDE – A new fire truck for the Rio Grande Volunteer Fire Company is on its way, volunteer company officials reported to the Rio Grande Fire Commissioners, at their March 18 public meeting.
The meeting was held remotely and in person, but the connection to the remote meeting program was spotty, with the meeting’s video and audio freezing several times.
“I’m not sure you can hear me, but I’m not hearing anything that’s going on,” said one member, participating remotely.
The company has long discussed the purchase of a Pierce Enforcer pumper truck, with a compressed air foam system. At the meeting, members reported the total cost of the truck, $366,872, stating there was an $8,000 reduction due to changes in the specifications.
The truck set to be replaced will be sold. Members of the commission indicated it is worth $145,000. In his report to the commissioners, Fire Chief Richard Sweeten said everyone who has seen the new truck is enthusiastic about it.
Sal DeSimone, chairman of the commission, also praised the volunteer fire company’s efforts to contain a serious house fire on Holly Drive March 13, which saw flames pouring from the front of a two-story home. The company reported there were no injuries.
Unmentioned at the meeting was a controversy about the use of a command truck by a member of the district’s board of commissioners, which launched an investigation by Middle Township police.
The Chevrolet Tahoe was damaged when another car backed into it, according to minutes of previous meetings.
Members said the use did not violate any policies of the fire commissioner.
ED. NOTE: The Herald attended the March 18 Board of Fire Commissioners meeting, in Rio Grande, to learn more about the use of a command vehicle by a commission member because we were told there’s potential misuse. However, the topic was not discussed at the meeting. A member of the Board of Fire Commissioners, at the January meeting, called for a new policy against the personal use of fire company vehicles, according to the minutes of that meeting, but no action was taken at that meeting. Based on the March 18 meeting, the topic appears to have been dropped. We want readers to know we will continue to follow this to its conclusion.