By Rob Tucker
The News Tribune (Tacoma, Washington)
Copyright 2006 The News Tribune
All Rights Reserved
It broke down in Nebraska, then Centralia and finally on its way to Tacoma this week.
Sumner’s new $468,000 fire engine has broken down too many times to be of service and could be parked until officals can determine what to do.
Sumner Mayor Dave Enslow said the city eventually might return the pumper truck to the manufacturer and get a more reliable rig.
“We’re skeptical of its condition,” he said Tuesday. “Should we keep it? Frankly, that’s not a very attractive option. We need it running on eight calls a day. That’s the kind of service you need.”
For now, the expensive red engine — which was celebrated at a ceremony with cake and put on public display June 19 across from City Hall — is in the shop for the third time. Firefighters have yet to use the engine to respond to an emergency call.
The manufacturer, American LaFrance in Charleston, S.C., declined to comment Tuesday.
The Sumner Fire Department is still using its 1991-model engine, along with other trucks, to answer emergency calls.
Fire Chief Dan Packer said the department hasn’t officially accepted the new model because of its electrical and engine problems. Packer said his plan was to replace the old engine with the new pumper rig and then refurbish the old one as a backup. That’s still the plan, but it will take longer to implement.
“My concern is that the community must buy a viable piece of equipment that will serve 15 to 20 years,” he said. “It may be this one, if it can be fixed, or it may not.”
The city and Sumner Fire District 1 so far have paid half of the new engine’s cost, or $234,000. Packer said the department expects to get the money back if the fire engine fails to perform.
The Sumner Fire Department responds to emergency fire and medical calls in the district, mostly south of the city, as well as in Sumner itself.
The Sumner City Council last April awarded the contract to American LaFrance for the new pumper. The city agreed to split the costs with the Fire District.
The engine was built in South Carolina and was on its cross-country journey to Portland for final equipping when it broke down in Nebraska. It was taken to Portland and repaired.
Two months ago, it was driven to Sumner for public viewing and a ceremony. Then it was returned to Portland for final fitting.
After crews finished, it broke down in Centralia on its way back to Sumner. It was taken to Portland for more repairs.
The engine was driven to Sumner again Friday. Firefighters were driving it to Tacoma for radio installation Monday when it broke down again. It was taken to a diesel repair shop in Kent.
An outside evaluator will be brought in to examine the city’s contract and its obligations to the manufacturer, said City Administrator John Doan.
American LaFrance is owned by Freightliner LLC, a subsidiary of DaimlerChrysler.