Rusted and well past its prime, the Cartier Fire Department’s 44-year-old tanker is being replaced by a 22-year-old truck gifted to them by the Greater Sudbury Fire Department.
The heads of both fire services hosted a media conference at the Azilda fire hall on Thursday to announce the donation of a 2003 Freightliner tanker.
Although the old truck could have been sold for as much as approximately $20,000, Greater Sudbury Fire and Paramedic Services Chief Joseph Nicholls said their neighbours needed help.
“Small fire departments like that depend on donations to continue to run, and a big city like ours can absorb that,” he told Sudbury.com.
“This truck has provided us great service over the years that we’ve had it, and it was paid for long, long ago. I took the position that we’re not going to put additional financial burdens on a small community volunteer fire service that’s just trying to help their community. Any money they would have had for this truck they can better use doing something else.”
With limited income streams, Cartier Fire Department Chief Albert Lemelin said $20,000 would be a “very big expense” for the small department, which has approximately 10 volunteer members.
Their 44-year-old tanker has “seen better days,” he said in expressing his gratitude for its 22-year-old replacement, adding, “It’s still running, but it’s getting pretty rusty.”
The newer, well-maintained vehicle from Greater Sudbury will add a level of assurance that volunteer crews in Cartier are able to do their jobs, Nicholls said.
The donation is part of a broader mutual aid partnership between the two neighbouring fire departments, in which Nicholls said members occasionally meet each other at motor vehicle incidents on Highway 144, where they work together. Greater Sudbury crews also head out to Cartier to assist with calls as needed.
“We’re always there to support each other, and this was a great way that the city could support Cartier,” he said, adding that as Greater Sudbury cycles through old firefighting apparatus they’ll continue to see how they can help neighbouring fire departments.
The tanker in question has cycled through Greater Sudbury fire departments during its 23 years, ending its run in Wahnapitae a couple of years ago.
Once apparatus hit 20 years, they’re used as backup reserves before being cycled out of service.
Tankers like this are able to truck water to fires where hydrants are not available. Cartier also has a pumper truck, which requires a water source.