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Roanoke Rapids Fire Chief Jason Patrick said he hopes by next week to get paperwork signed and get a contract prepared for the department’s new engine — a 2024 E-One Typhoon pumper.

City council approved the purchase at its meeting Wednesday night and appropriated $581,000 to the purchase.

City Manager Kelly Traynham said funding for the truck is available from the reimbursement of American Rescue Plan Act money.

According to a copy of the proposal from the Rocky Mount-based Fire Connections the total for the engine is $580,725. That includes a pre-pay discount of $24,100 off the original quote of $608,509. The proposal also includes a $2,316 performance bond charge.

“It’s much needed,” Patrick said of the engine. “We’ve been short a reserve engine for about eight to 10 years. The purchase of this truck will take some of the workload off Engine 142 which is 31-years-old.”

The fire chief said, “Even though we’re getting a new engine, we won’t have to take this (Engine 142) out of service … It won’t have to run as near as much.”

The fire department has studied the equipment needs of the new truck in detail, Patrick said, with Assistant Chief Richard Cook leading the committee.

The equipment for the truck is estimated to cost between $125,000 to $150,000.

“They went through and studied what we’re using on calls and compared it to the cost,” Patrick said of the committee.

For instance, the committee decided to shorten the cab and body, decided to take off a light tower and decided to go with a slide-in ladder compartment instead of a mechanical system. “That protects the ladders and saves money up front,” Patrick said.

Overall, Patrick said of the committee, “They did a tremendous job to really look and sit down with a couple of representatives and kept in mind our budget.”

From the point the fire department is at now it will be a 19-month process before the engine is delivered, Patrick said. “We hope to get the paperwork signed next week and get the contract together. With the supply chain being the way it is now I hope they hold it at the 19-month mark.”