Williamsburg rolls up savings

By OWEN BOSS

Staff Writer

WILLIAMSBURG - A town firefighter with a keen eye for a good deal saved the town $220,000 by securing a "mini-pumper" fire truck through a Department of Defense surplus equipment program.

Fire Chief Donald Lawton said the town was preparing to borrow that amount to replace a deteriorating fire engine that has been in the department's garage since 1973.

About a week and a half ago, Lawton said, a firefighter within the department noticed that a mini-pumper from Dover with just 10,000 miles on it had become available through the Department of Defense.

"One of our firefighters worked for a place that had access to the equipment that was coming up, happened to see it, and when it became available we were able to get it," Lawton said.

Lawton said there were no transportation costs associated with the new truck and obtaining it was as easy as sending a firefighter to go and pick it up.

The new fluorescent yellow modified pickup truck, which has side compartments for storing a variety of equipment, is a combination of an all terrain vehicle, mini-pumper and a wilderness rescue vehicle.

Its small size, Lawton said, makes it invaluable to a department that frequently responds to calls for brush fires and alarms at homes with steep, long or narrow driveways.

"It is a mini-pumper that is used for a quick attack," Lawton said. "They are used to get in the long driveways that we can't access with a larger truck and to fight brush fires. And you can operate them with less personnel."

At the Town Meeting Monday, the new truck was parked outside of Anne T. Dunphy School so residents could get a first-hand look at the new equipment.

Before opening the meeting, Selectman David Mathers announced the acquisition and attributed it to the hard work and quick thinking of Fire Department officials, which drew a loud round of applause from the more than 100 town residents in attendance.

"This replaces the $220,000 we were going to borrow for a new truck next year," Mathers said, "and we can all thank the Fire Department for always looking forward, because this apparatus is perfect for us."

A formal presentation of the new vehicle, Lawton said, to recognize the many people who contributed to the department's success in securing the truck, will be organized sometime in the coming weeks.

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com