Posted: Nov. 27, 2009

Muskego — Despite some misgivings about spending more than $1 million on fire equipment in two years, the Muskego Common Council last weekapproved buying a replacement pumper truck.

The $474,568 cost will be paid with landfill fees.

While approving the purchase, aldermen decided that a safety committee will be formed to make a five- or 10-year equipment plan for the Tess Corners Volunteer Fire Department. It also will look into whether use of mutual aid could be improved and into whether some other communities are making too much use of Muskego's preparedness through mutual aid agreements.

Pumper offers more versatility

Part of the reason why the council hesitated buying the pumper was that aldermen had understood that last year's purchase of a $635,000 ladder truck with limited pumper capability would head off having to buy another pumper. But Fire Chief Carl "Skip" Wojnowski said the requested truck will have abilities a regular pumper does not have so that the department will be prepared for commercial development. It will be equipped with an aerial device to reach the top of buildings for rescue or ventilating. It also has a wide wheelbase so that it can go where the other fire truck cannot and has full water pumping capability.

Alderwoman Tracy Snead, a member of the Finance Committee, said the ladder/pumper purchased last year was to replace a first-responder vehicle. It can be a first-responder, but does not have enough pumping capability to put out a fire, she said.

Snead also said that the price will go up significantly next year because fire equipment manufacturers will switch to a different kind of engine. She said Fire Department officials would rather stay with an engine that is known to be reliable and it is cheaper.

Alderman Noah Fiedler said he had been skeptical, but his concerns were answered.

Alderman Keith Werner also had been dubious but said he supports the purchase partly because the Public Works Committee recommended the pumper. He said the action also lays the groundwork for a safety committee that will focus on just safety equipment needs.

In addition he said, the council has made great strides with the fire service in the last three years and he does not want to lose any of that ground.

Does county have excess?

Mayor John Johnson said it is too bad that the purchase deadline is rushing up so fast. He said he had hoped a decision could have waited for a recommendation from the new committee.

Johnson expressed doubts that communities need so much fire equipment.

There are 100 pumpers in Waukesha County, he said.

"That's an awful lot of fire response," Johnson said. The fire services should make as much use of mutual aid as police departments do, he said.

Muskego itself has about six building fires a year, he said.