Lehi Fire Department purchases used fire truck after being down one for about a year
Sep 11, 2023, 6:46 PM | Updated: 7:05 pm
LEHI, Utah — The Lehi Fire Department is getting a new truck, a welcome addition, nearly a year in the making.
But it’s not like picking up a new car at the dealership. With so few trucks on the market, the department opted for a used one.
“It’s worse than the car market right now,” said Chief Jeremy Craft for the Lehi Fire Department. “Most major fire apparatus manufacturers, from the day you order, are seen for years to delivery.”
This comes after the department was involved in a crash that killed one woman in October 2022. The Utah Highway Patrol confirmed with KSL that the crash is still under investigation.
The accident that decommissioned the old fire truck. (Utah Highway Patrol)
For about a year, the department has been using a backup truck that is typically used when their other trucks go out for maintenance. The problem is the motor of one out of their two backup trucks went out, and the truck is getting too old and too costly to fix, upwards of $20,000 to $30,000.
“So, we knew that we needed something to bridge that gap,” Craft said. “It’s actually really difficult to find a good used apparatus. So, when we found one, we had to act quickly because they sell so quickly.
Lehi City Council voted unanimously to allow the department to purchase a used one during an emergency meeting on August 31. The five-year used truck is coming from New York and will cost about $400,000.
It’s still unclear where the funds will come to pay for the used truck. A spokesperson said the city has the funds for capital projects or could borrow and make payments over the next five years.
Craft said it’s been looked at and driven to make sure it’s ready to go. He’s hopeful it will last them about 8 to 10 years.
“It really just depends on call volume and what it’s doing. Is it moving up in the hills of Traverse Mountain? Or is it in the flats down here in Old Town Lehi? All those things, determine its life,” he said.
But it’s all to serve the community the best they can.
“And this apparatus fits into that and will allow us to continue to serve at a super high capacity,” Craft said.
