The Big Lake Fire Department has been replacing its old outdated trucks over the past few years, thanks to taxpayer funding through the city and township of Big Lake. The next vehicle on the docket to be replaced is their ladder truck. 

The current truck is 21 years old and it no longer meets the standards of the National Fire Protection Association, which advises that vehicles should not be over 15 years old. 

The new ladder truck is set to be delivered in February 2025. Its ladder will be another 25 feet taller, allowing the department to complete potential rescue missions on some of the new apartment buildings off of Station Street, which are the first four-story buildings to come to Big Lake. 

The truck was ordered about two years ago. The waiting period has become much longer than it used to be, according to BLFD Fire Chief Seth Hansen. Hansen speculated that the increased wait time is due to a couple of factors: one being the COVID-19 pandemic pushing out delivery times, and the other being the fact that statewide emissions regulations for the trucks will be changing in the near future, and many departments, including the BLFD, were hoping to get their new trucks ordered before those changes are put in place. This way they are grandfathered in under the old regulations when they do change, and they don’t have to pay for a much more expensive vehicle. Doing so saved the taxpayers about $250,000. 

Hansen said the firefighters are all excited to have the new truck delivered and start training on the new machine with updated controls. A lot has changed over the past 20-some years as far as safety features go, and there will be a lot to learn. 

The department has gotten a couple of other new trucks in recent years. They got their bush truck in 2021, and got a new engine last year. Some of the big differences between the newer trucks and the old truck include buttons controlling truck functions instead of outdated levers, and all the equipment is stored inside the truck now, rather than things like ladders and hoses being hung on the outside of the truck. These trucks will be available for kids to ride in at the upcoming annual Big Lake Fire Department Open House, which is always a popular and well-attended event. 

The next trucks on the docket to be replaced are the grass rig and the water tender trucks. 

So far, the city and township have been successful in budgeting their levy for the trucks, rather than needing to bond for the trucks (take out a loan). Paying cash allows Big Lake to save on the purchases over the long run.