Coaldale fire company welcomes new firetruck

Coaldale Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 celebrated the arrival of its latest firetruck this week.

The 2002 Spartan Aerialscope, a ladder truck, was delivered Monday night.

It replaces a 30-plus year old firetruck, and is more compliant with regulations set by the National Fire Protection Association, according to fire Chief Steven Polischak.

“It’s more compliant and it’s more safe for all the firefighters to respond, due to it all being enclosed and also the compliance of the hydraulics,” Polischak said.

The company purchased it from a fire company located in South Hill, Virginia, which is located between Richmond and Raleigh, North Carolina.

The total cost of the truck is $150,000. Polischak said the cost of a new unit could be more than $1 million.

They found a listing for the truck in August. Since then, they secured financing through the state’s loan program for fire companies.

Polischak said it will be paid for through fundraising and private donations. The fire company has also asked the borough to consider a tax to help it maintain all its equipment.

“It’s being financed for the next 10 years. We have secured funds to make payments over those 10 years,” he said.

As of now, there are no plans to repaint the truck orange and black, like some of Coaldale’s other fire apparatus.

The company has 25 active members and more than 100 total members. In addition to the borough of Coaldale, they automatically respond to calls in Lansford and Summit Hill, and also provide mutual aid for Tamaqua, Nesquehoning, Schuylkill Township and McAdoo.