From left: Deputy Fire Chief Todd Strickland, MHA Andrew Parsons (Burgeo-LaPoile), Fire Chief Jerry Musseau, Town Manager Leon MacIsaac, Mayor John Spencer.
PORT AUX BASQUES – The Channel-Port aux Basques Volunteer Fire Department received a major upgrade last week. A brand new 2020 Freightliner pumper truck was finally delivered to the department’s fire hall, and Fire Chief Jerry Musseau couldn’t be happier.
“It’s something we have been after for eight or nine years here, because our oldest fire truck here is now thirty years old, and parts are hard to find,” said Musseau.
Funding for the new truck was approved in April 2019, with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador paying seventy percent of the bill, and the Town of Channel-Port aux Basques paying the remaining thirty percent.
According to Mayor John Spencer, the price of the new pumper ended up costing the Town somewhere around $113,000.
“Of course a special thanks goes to our MHA Andrew Parsons for all the work he put into this, and it’s a great investment for the long term future of protection and fire services of our community,” said Spencer.
Musseau says the new truck was scheduled to arrive in August, but due to unavoidable delays because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it took until the end of November to arrive.
“But (it) was well worth the wait,” said Musseau.
The new pumper had to be disinfected inside and out by Fire and Emergency Services before it could even be touched by the department’s crew, as it was delivered from out of province. Following the disinfection, a full inspection was conducted to ensure that everything was in perfect working order.
The new truck has a foam system, a built-in generator, a five man crew cab, roll up side panels, and a drop down tire chain system to assist with traction should the need arrive.
Musseau says he is very pleased with the high tech vehicle, adding, “We aren’t looking forward to emergencies, but we know that someday, we are gonna need it.”
The Chief also advised that the older truck being replaced has already been moved up to the Grand Bay Substation until it can be determined as to whether or not that truck can be given to another fire department, given its age.
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