Moscow Fire eyes a new ladder truck
Agency looks to replace 20-year-old vehicle; police to put grant money toward traffic enforcement, vests
The Moscow Volunteer Fire Department wants to get in line for a new $1.5 million ladder truck to replace its existing vehicle.
During Monday’s Moscow Public Works and Finance Committee meeting, City Supervisor Bill Belknap said Moscow’s existing ladder truck is reaching the end of its 20-year service life.
The University of Idaho has agreed to pay half of the cost for the ladder truck, which would be purchased from Hughes Fire Equipment. Belknap said the university’s interest in a ladder truck stems from the need for firefighters to respond to emergencies in tall buildings on campus such as the Theophilus Tower.
Belknap said the department is seeking to place an order for the truck now before the price goes up and because it could take as long as 47 months for the truck to be delivered to Moscow.
The cost must be paid by October 2024.
Moscow’s other first responders were also a topic of conversation during Monday’s meeting.
The Moscow Police Department was awarded grant dollars totaling $125,000 from several agencies.
Part of that money will purchase custom bulletproof vests from the Department of Justice for its new staff. Some of those dollars, which come from the Idaho Traffic Safety Commission and the Idaho Transportation Department, will go toward traffic enforcement programs focused on deterring problems like lack of seatbelt compliance, impaired driving and distracted driving.
Alisa Anderson, Moscow grants manager, shared some statistics related to traffic stops and car crashes from fiscal year 2023.
Police made 84 DUI arrests during that time, which is 56 more than the previous year. It also issued 131 speeding tickets. Twenty underage alcohol violations were issued and 10 felony arrests resulted from traffic stops.
Police seized 283 grams of marijuana and 13 pieces of drug paraphernalia.
From October 2022 to September 2023, police responded to 26 collisions with injuries, which is nine less than the previous year.
Kuipers can be reached at akuipers@dnews.com.
