New fire truck to go into service next month

Jun 27, 2023

Aug 16, 2023

EAST PALESTINE — East Palestine Fire Chief Keith Drabick told village council on Monday that the new ladder truck will go into service once the department finishes training, which is expected to be completed by the close of August.

“The ladder truck is in. The factory representative should be here by the end of month to give us the final training on it,” Drabick said. “We are doing in-house training and then we do training with them. We have a very vigorous training process to get signed off on it. Right now, there are five of us that can operate it, but we are not ready to put it fully in service yet.”

The new fire truck is a Pierce Enforcer 100 Ascendant Aerial Tower with state-of-the-art equipment and up-to-the-minute technology. The newest member of East Palestine’s fleet boasts a 2,000-gallon pump, 300-gallon capacity and 100-foot ladder that is mid-mounted and a Stokes Rescue Basket — a rescue stretcher used to both immobilize as well as transport a victim over terrain. According to the truck’s manufacturer, Pierce Manufacturing, the design of East Palestine’s new truck “allows room for fluidity and growth of their department” and the mid-mount platform “best suits the needs of the East Palestine Department.” The truck cost $2.1 million and was paid for by Norfolk Southern.

In other matters, council reported that construction of a 101- by 42-foot structure to house the village’s water-filtration system is underway and is expected to last five months. The carbon-filter project is a precautionary protection for the municipal water supply in the wake of February’s Norfolk Southern train derailment. Council first announced plans to install the carbon-filtration system during a March 27 meeting. The village received $425,000 from Norfolk Southern to obtain the filters. The carbon filters, manufactured by Calgon, will be installed at the water treatment plant to combat any future contamination. Construction costs are also being covered by the railroad.

No contamination has been detected in the water supply and, when the project was first announced, Water Superintendent Scott Wolfe said that carbon filters were the direction the village was headed before the derailment. The filters comply with the new federal per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) guidelines. No interruption of water services is anticipated through the construction or installation process.

Council also reported that the Park Drive Bridge project is ongoing and projected to take three months. Residents are asked to follow detour signs for the temporary park entrance until the projection is completed.

In other matters, council discussed tentative plans for the village’s Halloween festivities in the park. A trunk-and-treat event along with a costume contest, hayrides, free hotdogs and a bonfire are planned for the fall festival which is set for 4-10 p.m. on Oct. 28.

Council also approved legislation to change the current bond policy of village officials.

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