Residents of the RM of West Interlake will have an opportunity next month to share their views on how the municipality will pay for a recently purchased fire truck.
Council has scheduled a public hearing for Sept. 9 at 10 a.m. at the Ashern municipal office to review Local Improvement Plan 2-2025. The plan outlines the financing of a 2024 pumper fire truck from Fort Garry Fire Trucks, which arrived in Eriksdale three weeks ago.
The total price tag is $767,360, with funding to come from $385,000 from the Protective Services Reserve, $32,360 from the Fire Department Reserve, and a $350,000 loan from the Province of Manitoba. The proposed loan would run for five years at an interest rate of 4.5 per cent.
Eriksdale Fire Chief Randy Mason said the purchase is long overdue, noting the primary pumper truck is nearly twice as old as industry guidelines recommend.
“The National Fire Protection Association says your primary piece of firefighting equipment should be no older than 15 years, and a secondary after 20 years,” Mason said. “Ours should have been retired as a secondary years ago.”
The existing 1996 pumper was rebuilt about a decade ago, including a new primer and pump, but Mason said it no longer meets the department’s operational needs.
Finding the right fit
The search for a replacement began several years ago, with early estimates during COVID-19 supply chain disruptions coming in at $1 million or more. After reissuing a request for proposals, the department reviewed five or six quotes. Mason and firefighter Brian Botterill spent “hundreds of hours” visiting and assessing 30 different trucks, developing a rating system that considered both cost and equipment needs.
Fort Garry Fire Trucks and Quebec-based Maxi Metal were shortlisted, but Mason said Fort Garry’s willingness to work with the department to make changes—such as adjusting the crew cab and adding a command light—helped seal the decision.
“Fort Garry dropped the price by $60,000 after making the changes we needed,” he said. “In the end, it came down to who could deliver what we required for the next 20 years.”
The new pumper will carry 1,000 gallons of water—critical for rural firefighting where hydrants are scarce—and features foam capability on its four most-used hose lines, which Mason said can cut water consumption in half.
Other upgrades include:
A five-person cab with breathing apparatuses built into the seats for faster readiness.
A front-bumper “trash line” for quick deployment.
Hydraulic ladder system.
Additional storage for equipment and breathing apparatus bottles.
Command lighting, enhanced traffic lighting, and reflective chevrons for visibility.
“Grass fires are our bread and butter, and we never have enough water,” Mason said. “Having that extra 1,000 gallons will go a long way in keeping our people safe.”
While the new truck will primarily handle structure fires, Mason hopes to keep the old pumper as a secondary unit for grass fire support.
A benefit to the community
Mason acknowledged there was hesitation from council to commit to such a large purchase, but stressed it was necessary.
“It’s something that was desperately needed,” he said. “We make our equipment work to protect our community, but this truck is going to go a long way in keeping people safe.”
Copies of the Local Improvement Plan are available at the municipal offices in Ashern and Eriksdale during regular business hours. Residents wishing to object can submit a written notice to Chief Administrative Officer Gary Campbell by mail or in person before the Sept. 9 hearing. Objections must include the name and address of the objector, identify the property concerned, and outline the grounds for objection.
