By Stephanie Froese

A pricey future for Prince Albert’s Fire Department

Oct 1, 2010 | 2:01 PM

PA Now Staff

The Prince Albert Fire Department wants to replace one of its trucks and it won’t be cheap.

The department is looking to buy a new ladder truck by 2012. The vehicle is used to quickly reach the higher buildings in the city.

“To replace it in 2012 we have to budget for over a million dollars,” said Dan Heyne, deputy chief of training.

Even when the truck has been purchased there are still more costs to consider.

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“It takes 20 pails of foam (to fill the truck) that we buy at $285 a pail,” he said.

Unlike other services, like the police, which can issue tickets and fines, the fire department relies heavily on taxpayer dollars — putting even more pressure on the fire department to budget wisely.

Adding to future costs is the possibility of a sub-station being built in the city — a project that is estimated to cost about $5.5 million.

“The process is there. We’re looking at a request for proposal right now on the station and once we take that to city council, we'll start to lay the groundwork for a timeline,” said Les Karpluk, fire chief.

As Prince Albert's population grows Karpluk says it's becoming difficult to quickly reach distant areas of the city.

sfroese@rawlco.com