The Cambridge Volunteer Fire Department made the following post on its Facebook page:
At this time, our only water tender, Tender 6, is out of service indefinitely, as it failed to pass its Department of Transportation inspection. The failure was due to the frame having considerable corrosion to the point of it being unsafe to be roadworthy. This 3,650-gallon tender was built in the year 2000, and has served us well over these 24 years. Tender 6 was scheduled for replacement in 2026 and has been showing its age with various parts needing replacement as well as electrical problems that are difficult to diagnose and fix due to the age of the vehicle.
The CVFD is taking steps to mitigate this problem, which includes adjusting our response plans and MABAS cards to ensure appropriate resources from other communities are being sent simultaneously when we are alerted to incidents. We are also looking into leasing or borrowing a tender from another department.
Long term, the CVFD is looking to purchase a new chassis to mount the current water tank and body onto, costing roughly $250,000. This includes a new pump, refurbishment of the body and paint, and upgrade of the lighting system. We feel this is the best option, as it would essentially reset the lifespan of the truck (25-30 years) and would save considerable money over the purchase of an all-new tender, roughly $400,000 or more.
The last option would be to replace the frame rails and retain the rest of the truck. We feel this is a poor option, as the truck is at the end of its lifespan as well as the issues already plaguing the truck means money spent on this is money wasted.
To move forward with any plans, our Cambridge Community Fire and EMS Commission must hold a meeting for us to present the problem and get the ball rolling on a solution.
