2 trucks down, Trail fire department left scrambling 5 months after acid spill
The department is waiting on district approval to replace vehicles damaged in the spill
The fire department in Trail, B.C., is down two vehicles, including its newest and largest fire engine, and it's affecting how fires are being fought in the West Kootenay town.
A wildfire broke out near the city's hospital and high school last week, the same day calls came in for a river rescue, highlighting the urgency to find replacement vehicles.
"We have six halls so we do have some other vehicles we were able to pull in," said Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Chief Dan Derby.
"It didn't affect the result [putting out the fires] but it means we have to reorient our fleet across the six stations."
Trail lost its year-old fire truck and and a fire command vehicle, worth a combined $1 million, after the trucks were driven through two acid spills this spring when two transport trucks leaving the Teck lead smelter leaked sulphuric acid onto the main highway.
Five months later, the fire department is still in limbo and awaiting replacements.
Water pump requirements
It's not just fire fighting strength that's diminished fleet impacts.
Fire insurance underwriters set an insurance grade for the community based on pump capacity, and the missing fire truck is jeopardizing that.
"It is a problem now in regards to maintaining our pump capacity that's required," Derby said.
"We're below our rated pump capacity, and we need to address that as soon as possible."
ICBC was in contact with the fire department late last week about an insurance payout, but it won't cover the full replacement costs, Derby said.
"Just like any vehicle, there is some depreciated value," he told Chris Walker, the host of CBC's Daybreak South.
Right now, the department is focused on getting financial approval from the regional district to purchase a replacement truck — which could take between 12 to 18 months to build — and on plans to rent some vehicles in the meantime.
"We're moving forward to get that replacement happening as soon as possible," Derby said.
"We may have to move trucks from our other stations more often than we normally would have to during this interim period, but it will not affect the fire protection in the community."
With files from Daybreak South.