LISBON — Lisbon’s search for a new fire truck may be nearing its conclusion. Fire Chief Mark Hall and Councilman Jerry Cox have been leading the effort and recently identified a 2023 Smeal Spartan Custom Rescue Pumper as a potential replacement for the department’s current Engine 151, a 2006 model.

Last month, the village council passed a motion expressing formal interest in the truck so it can be brought to Lisbon for inspection and test driving. Those plans are still being worked out but the potential purchase is moving forward, Hall reported at Tuesday’s council meeting.

The truck is a cab-over design, standing 9 feet,10 inches tall when unloaded, making it compatible with the station’s 9-foot, 11-inch garage doors — a long-standing challenge for the department. Most trucks are too tall, and some can only fit through the doors when empty due to how weight compresses the height.

Cox said the truck is currently located in Indiana and is owned by Brindlee Mountain of Huntsville, Alabama. The Indiana station sold it because it was too small for their needs and is now purchasing a ladder truck. Brindlee Mountain is prepared to transport the truck to Lisbon for testing, including filling the pumper and moving it in and out of the station. The dealer also offered to send a service representative to review the truck and provide training, as well as supply new 35-foot, 14-foot, and 10-foot ladders and a pump warranty.

The truck is lightly used, with just 2,488 miles, 191 engine hours, and 17.1 generator hours. Hall noted that the current Engine 151 has nearly 1,300 pump hours and almost 18,000 miles, making the new truck a substantial upgrade in longevity and performance.

The truck is priced at $500,000, reduced from $595,000, through a gentlemen’s agreement with Brindlee Mountain representatives over the phone.

“On the first round of the [fire] levy, we currently have approximately $248,000 set aside. With the levy just now getting renewed, we are going to generate enough money to purchase this truck, but obviously we can’t $500,000 up front because we don’t have $500,000,” Cox said. “We ran calculations on us giving $200,000 down and making three one-year payments of $114,587.12 and we would make three of those and the truck would be paid.”

Cox added that the village also has a five-year option with annual payments of $71,645.69, totaling $358,228.45. The three-year program would cost $343,761.36, a savings of $14,467.09. Funds from selling Engine 151 could also be applied toward the purchase.

Hall said new custom cab-over trucks typically cost between $700,000 and $900,000 when unequipped, and fully equipped models can exceed $1.1 million.

“So $500,000 is a lot of money, but the last time Lisbon got a custom cab-over was in 1984 and it was $460,000,” Hall said. “The one we have now was over $600,000. I would love to have a new truck, but with this truck, there are some adjustments that need to be done, but it’s minor stuff.” Adjustments include items like a hose adapter to fit Lisbon’s new hoses.

Cox and Hall emphasized that the height of the truck relative to the station doors remains the biggest concern. Snow or ice buildup could reduce clearance, potentially limiting access, and raising the door header is not feasible.

“We looked at that a couple years ago, but we don’t have the room,” Cox said. “But that’s a big issue in the Northeast. There are a lot of historical buildings and they just don’t change them or can’t change them.”

Hall highlighted the financial and operational benefits of the truck, noting that it would be the second vehicle purchased from the recent levy, complementing a mini-pumper already in service. Its length, the same as the department’s current truck, will allow for navigation through alleys, addressing one of the key operational challenges the department faces.

The council approved the motion to bring the truck to Lisbon for inspection. If it meets specifications and fits within the station, the village may proceed with the purchase, ensuring the fire department is equipped to meet the community’s needs for years to come.

“This levy was to buy a truck and we’ve been working on it and working on it and working on it and now it’s here,” Cox said. “This is only my second firetruck I have ever purchased, so I am new to this game, but I feel and the chief feels this is definitely worth our attention, 110% percent of our attention given what it will give us versus what other trucks we have found in the last year searching for trucks.”

Hall agreed. “This is what the citizens of the town voted for us to do,” he said.