The minutes of the June meeting were approved. Paid invoices of $18,551.12 were approved and the board voted to pay August invoices of $8,155.66. Bills include: $675.27 for a new tire for the tanker, including installation; $300 to Bucks County Community College for EVOC class; $6,213 to Gannon Associates for insurance premium; $5,763.45 to Campbell Supply for repairs to the air tank and the monitor system on the ladder truck and leaking fill valves on the tanker; $1,665 to Campbell Supply for repairing the foam unit on Engine 1; plus the usual monthly truck loan payments of $991.83 to C & N Bank for the ladder truck; $1,984.95 to C & N for the ladder truck; and $965.26 to the Commonwealth of PA for the 2% loan on the Engine 1.
The monitor repair was $4,766.20, which is less than half the estimated cost of $10,000 for a new unit. Instead of replacing the unit, the damaged one was repaired. Because the cost was so much less, the directors voted to pay this rather than putting in an insurance claim for the damage.
These balances were reported: Checking, $28,567.43; Savings, $58,484.31.
On returning from a call one of the trucks struck a deer, which damaged a fiberglass fender. There is some minor damage that does not affect operations so it will not be repaired unless the crack widens.
Under the Chief’s report, Chief May said that July was busy and “kept us hopping.”
The vehicles all are in good shape.
Under a new law, personnel who may have unsupervised contact with youth will be required to have background checks, as will all new firefighters upon joining. Current firefighters must pass the background check by July 2016.
The Relief Association has purchased two ground monitors at a cost of $1,500 each. This will provide one unit for each pumper.
No final decision has been made on replacing the Hurst (jaws of life) tool. The department has been reviewing apparatus from several manufacturers, and a battery-powered unit was demonstrated and showed surprising power. The factory no longer will repair a unit as old as the department’s Hurst, but it will be taken to Parker Machine to see if they can fix it. If so, it would be a substantial savings in cost.
The Relief Association also is buying forty pairs of new gloves at $62 per pair. New PennDOT-approved vests also have been acquired.
The fire members who have been taking EMT classes all have passed their practical testing and are working on their National Registry. Jeremy Seeley already has met that standard.
Chief Oil & Gas has indicated that a 2007 Ford Expedition is available for purchase by the fire company. The vehicle has 76,000 miles and is in great shape. Chief May said, “It runs like a dream. If Chief agrees to the department’s offer, money from the Equipment Fund will be used. The Expedition would replace the