Des Plaines balks at fire truck purchase

The Des Plaines City Council recently tabled a decision on spending $250,000 to purchase a fire truck.

Fire Chief Alan Wax presented a proposal at a recent city council meeting to apply for a roughly $1 million Federal Emergency Management Agency grant to purchase an aerial ladder truck. The grant would require the city to provide 20 percent matching funds, or an estimated $250,000.

City aldermen balked at the suggestion given the tough economic times, and directed the fire chief to apply for the grant without the promise of future city funding, Des Plaines Mayor Marty Moylan said.

“We’re not going to guarantee (spending) $250,000,” Moylan said. “We will see if, at the time, we will provide the funds.”

The city currently has two ladder trucks, located at Fire Stations No. 1 and 3. Ladder trucks usually have a life expectancy of 15 years, officials said, but one of the city’s has been in service 21 years. It is at the point where it needs frequent repairs and should be replaced, Wax said.