IC Fire Department ladder truck damaged

Over $60,000 in damage to truck at Goodland inferno

IMLAY CITY — Anyone in the fire business can tell you, when it comes to firefighting apparatus and equipment, if it’s red (or green) it’s expensive.

Such is the case for Imlay City Fire Department’s ladder truck, even at more than 30 years old.

Chief Keith Klobucar attended the city commission meeting last week and gave commission members an update on the aging ladder truck.

The rig was one of several ICFD trucks to respond to the recent historic pallet fire in Goodland Twp. that brought 27 fire departments to the scene.

The truck was set up at the scene in what turned out to be too close to the inferno that was putting out heat hotter than many veteran firefighters had ever experienced.

Chief Klobucar said he recently received an estimate from the city’s insurance carrier for damage to the ladder truck totaling $63,000.        

All but a small deductible will be covered by the insurance company, according to City Manager Craig Horton.

“The truck is over 30 years old and we just spent money on it, before the fire,” Klobucar explained. “At the fire, it was tremendously hot where we set up the truck and it sustained some damage to the windshield and other parts of the truck.”

He added, “we had the ladder itself checked out and the repair company said it was still operational and that we are able to still have it certified.”

However, the chief said he has taken the truck out of service until all repairs can be made.

The city had approved thousands of dollars worth of repairs to the truck earlier.

“The truck itself is still in decent shape (or was until the Goodland fire) and it is certainly worth fixing as opposed to getting rid of it,” Klobucar told Commissioner Stu Davis who is a former firefighter himself.

“Especially seeing how this is not going to cost the city much money at all to get repaired. We will go through certifications again and make sure everything is good to go before we put it back on the road.”

Chief Klobucar also gave the commission on an update on the new truck that has been on order for several months.

“We expect to get it at the station sometime in August, maybe September,” the chief said. “We are going to make sure that everyone on the department is comfortable with operating and driving it before we put it in service. It could be as late as October before it is responding to calls.”

The department has been unusually busy this year, according to the chief, with an increase in number of calls both within the city and in Imlay Township.

“We are going to have to sit  down with  the township and discuss this. They (board) are aware the numbers are quite a bit higher than what was planned.”

The township pays for contracted services from the fire department, based on an average number of calls in the township annually.