Orange County NC Website
7 <br /> 1 Brandon Mullen (representing Chief Jeff Borland) said Cedar Grove has 32 volunteers, 5 <br /> 2 part-time firefighters, and one full-time Chief. <br /> 3 <br /> 4 Slide #11 <br /> Caldwell Fire <br /> Department <br /> Fire Chief: Brad Allison <br /> Insurance District(ISO Rating): Caldwell (4) <br /> Accomplishments <br /> • Increase in volunteer members <br /> • Ordered new brush truck <br /> • Completed station renovations at Caldwell Station 1 <br /> • Purchased additional rope rescue equipment <br /> • Two members graduated from the ACC Fire Academy/EMT Class <br /> • Maintained insurance rating for the Caldwell fire district <br /> • Received grant to replace tires on Tankers 733 &743 <br /> 11 <br /> 5 <br /> 6 Chief Brad Allison reported 42 volunteers with no paid staff currently, though he foresees <br /> 7 adding part-time staff next year. <br /> 8 Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked how a brush truck is different from the new engine <br /> 9 Cedar Grove purchased. She also asked why it takes so long to get a truck. <br /> 10 Chief Potter said there is no exact answer at this time for why there are such drastic delays <br /> 11 and price increases. He said the state and federal government are looking into that. He shared <br /> 12 that an engine contract signed in 2021 for about $600,000 would cost over $1 million to replace <br /> 13 today. He deferred the Chief Allison about the brush truck. <br /> 14 Chief Allison explained that brush trucks are smaller units for wood, fuel, and grass fires, <br /> 15 holding 200-300 gallons of water with smaller pumps, carrying chainsaws, backpack blowers, and <br /> 16 rakes. They cost about $70,000 compared to over $1 million for engines. He described losing a <br /> 17 brush truck during Chantal when it dropped off a road in heavy rain, with water rising to the <br /> 18 windows, forcing both firefighters to climb onto the truck's top. He said the replacement should <br /> 19 arrive by the month's end. He explained that engines respond to structure fires and vehicle fires, <br /> 20 and current wait times are three to five years for delivery of those vehicles. <br /> 21 <br /> 22 <br />