Ladder truck costs thousands to repair

IMLAY CITY — The old adage, if it’s red, it’s expensive, is also true in the fire business when your fire trucks are a bright lime green, like Imlay City’s.

Repairs to firefighting equipment, especially apparatus, is always expensive. Even more so for those rigs that have been part of the fleet for many years.

The Imlay City 75’ aerial truck was in need of repairs and at a meeting earlier this year, the city commission took action to pay for the repairs. The alternatives were not good.

The city could have declined the repairs and sold the truck. However, the specialty truck has been used not only in Imlay City, but in neighboring communities with mutual aid.

It is a vital part of fire fighting efforts, especially when it comes to battling hard to reach commercial or residential structure fires.

Although the department had been given a quote of $41,000 for repairs, the commission approved up to $50,000 for a variety of repairs.

However, when certified technicians began their work, additional needed repairs were discovered.

“The more they fixed, the more they found wrong” with the truck, according to Chief Keith Klobucar in reporting to the commission in early August.

“While making the original repairs, the technicians discovered additional work that needed to be done to be able to certify the truck and get it back in service,” Chief Klobucar stated.

The additional work pushed the price tag to $59,368 and as the Chief told the commission, pretty much had to be done, if the truck was going to continue to be used. The commission agreed and approved the additional funding.

Unfortunately, when doing the final test drive prior to returning the truck to Imlay City, technicians found yet further work that needed to be addressed.

The truck’s fuel system had issues, there were air leaks, corrosion and the brakes on the truck would not hold when applied, the Chief reported.

Another $16,000 was needed to complete the major repairs on the truck. The total in repairs amounted to around $76,000 when all was said and done. The truck is now back at the fire hall, fully certified and ready for service.

“While they had it, it was pump tested and the pump seals were all checked. It’s ready to go,” Chief Klobucar told the commission.

All of the department trucks and much of the equipment including hoses, are required to be certified and pump tested on a regular basis.

The Chief reminded the commission the fire hall is already five years old and is approaching the need for maintenance.

“We need to get some general maintenance done and inspections need to be done throughout the hall,” he said. “It’s starting to cost money for upkeep.”

The commission received some good news along with the report on the ladder truck repairs when Chief Klobucar gave an update on the fair.

“We had a really good fair time,” he said. We were busy with helping at the grandstand events and we also had a booth where we were able to have a “Fill the Boot” fundraiser and did real well.”

Chief Klobucar stated thanks to the generosity of visitors to their booth the department took in over $4,200 the first night and finished the week with around $6,000.

Imlay City Fire Department now has 19 members. Based on run volume for this year, Chief Klobucar says the department is on pace for over 200 calls. They currently (as of August 5) have responded to 111 alarms, up 30 calls from a year ago.

The department is expecting to take delivery of a new fire engine in July of 2026. The unit is being built in Appleton, Wisconsin. Members of the department will travel to the manufacturer to go over final specifications of the truck.