Officials Dedicate New $1.2 Million Ladder Truck
By Editor at December 11, 2023 | 8:15 am | Print
Mayor Erin E. Stewart, Fire Chief Thomas Ronalter, Rep. Elizabeth Esty, and other officials dedicated the city’s newest fire truck on Monday, Dec. 7th during a dedication ceremony at the Fire Department’s Headquarters on Beaver Street.
The $1.2 million fire truck will phase out a reserve ladder truck that dates to 1981 and move a fire truck from 1991 to a reserve status—meaning it will be used if the main apparatus is out of service for repairs. The new Ladder 1 responds to emergencies in all areas of the city as needed.
The last time the city purchased a fire truck was in 2008. “In New Britain, we are extremely fortunate to have such a dedicated group of firefighters who have taken the
oath to enter harm’s way in order to keep our City safe,” said Mayor Erin E. Stewart. “It is only deserving then that these brave men and women have access to the safest, most reliable, and most advanced firefighting equipment that’s available. When an emergency strikes, it is essential that our firefighters can act with precision and this state of the art ladder truck is a tool to help with doing just that.”
The fire truck cost $1.2 million, with 80 percent funding ($965,000) coming from the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency, while the remaining portion ($241,000) came from the city.
The grant process was extremely competitive as more than 4,000 requests were submitted for fire equipment and only several hundred ultimately received funding. The city of New Britain was one of the largest federal grant recipients in New England at nearly $1 million.
“Our New Britain firefighters do an excellent job in fighting fires and protecting our citizens,” said Chief Thomas Ronalter. “This new ladder truck will help them do that. However, the best way to avoid a fire is prevention.”
The Fire Department wants to once again remind residents to be vigilant this winter season—a time that
traditionally sees a spike in fires. The top three causes are:
• Improperly discarded cigarettes
• Unattended candles
• Cooking accidents
