LYNN — Spirits were considerably lifted when two brand new fire engines were delivered at the end of Friday morning’s ceremony commemorating the 19th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Lynn Fire Chief Stephen Archer said the delivery was not planned for the end of the ceremony, but it turned out to be fortunate timing.
“These were ordered last year and are just now coming today,” said Archer. “The two fire trucks are capital purchases from last fiscal year.”
The two new fire engines were purchased through a $2.5 million bond the City Council authorized last December, which also included the cost of six new Department of Public Works vehicles. The city will pay about $221,000 annually toward the loan.
The two new fire engines will replace the department’s oldest pieces, Engine 5, a 2001 model at the Fayette Street station and Engine 10, a 2000 model at the Broadway station, Archer said.
“They are both vehicles that have given us good years and service, but they are (aged) and sorely in need of retirement,” said Archer. “These will allow us to carry out our mission.”
Last year, Archer said the department had been behind on replacing its apparatus due to the city’s financial condition, explaining that it’s not safe to use equipment older than 15 years as front line pieces in a busy city like Lynn.
The purchase of the two pumper trucks will get the department closer to where it needs to be with its replacement plan, Archer said.
And the department is planning to use grant funding it received from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) this month to replace Ladder 1, a 2001 model, he said.
The two 2020 E-One Typhoon Pumpers that were delivered on Friday will be put into service after a couple of weeks of training with their crews.
