Voters in Norwich on Tuesday approved a $3.2 million referendum question to purchase five new fire trucks and equipment for four of the city’s volunteer fire departments.
The referendum passed with a vote of 3,116 to 1,808.
Several of the trucks are more than 30 years old and the city asked voters to purchase five new fire vehicles, replacing six old ones. Assuming the 20-year bond would have an interest rate of 4 percent, the average household will pay an extra $17 in the first two years, $16 the following two years and by the fiscal year 2023, they will pay $15.
The vehicles range from Yantic Fire Engine Company No. 1’s 1979 pumper to Taftville Volunteer Fire Department’s 2000 squad.
At Yantic Fire Engine Company No. 1, that 38-year-old pumper truck leans to the left, has rot on its exterior and the safety belts are only lap belts.
"Mechanically this truck has been plagued with problems," Yantic Fire Chief Frank Blanchard said.
The cost to keep it on the road over the past nine years has exceeded $25,000, Blanchard said, adding it’s been in the garage 33 days out of the year.
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The pumper once broke down on the scene of a tractor-trailer rollover, Blanchard said.
"The mounting brackets and hardware that hold the power takeoff unit, which runs the pump and the entire truck when it’s on the scene, rotted off and it fell onto the ground," according to Blanchard.
Taftville Volunteer Fire Department Chief Tim Jencks also had dated fire trucks. He’s even consolidating three trucks into two to save money.
"This is the man-saver bar to keep (firefighters) from falling out, but as you can see there is a large hole here," Jencks said, pointing out an exposed seating area for his firefighters that he said raises a flag for safety.
The referendum would also fund additional public safety equipment, including communication equipment.
"Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. You know what I mean," voter William O’Brien said.
"Thirty years old, I guess it’s time to change. I know I’ve been in Norwich for so long, I’ve been paying a lot of taxes," resident Teresa Villanueva said.
Taxes were a concern of a handful of Norwich residents who voted "no" to the ballot question, those residents told NBC Connecticut.
