September 05, 2024 / By mobanmarket
HINSDALE, IL – A couple of years ago, Clarendon Hills considered not replacing its old ladder fire truck.
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But residents and firefighters argued against such a move, with signs popping up around town. They said a ladder truck was important for public safety.
The village decided to buy a truck.
Hinsdale, however, is going in a different direction.
At Tuesday’s Village Board meeting, trustees generally agreed with the fire chief’s plan to do away with the ladder truck and replace it with a more maneuverable truck known as a “snorkel.”
Chief Jeffrey Pindelski was asked why other departments were getting ladder trucks, rather than snorkels.
“Over the years, the glitz and glamour of having a 100-foot-plus ladder truck has taken over some decision-making in the fire service,” said Pindelski, who took the helm in May.
Village President Tom Cauley agreed.
“I think it’s a nice-to-have. It looks nice in parades,” Cauley said. “But this (snorkel) truck gives you a lot more versatility.”
If Hinsdale ever needed a ladder truck, it could ask for help from neighboring towns, officials said.
If the village puts the order in soon, it will get the snorkel truck in 2026, Pindelski said. It would mean one fewer fire vehicle in the village’s fleet, bringing the total to four. That would mean millions in savings over the years, officials said.
The village needs to order the $1.7 million snorkel truck soon to save money before new EPA mandates are issued, Cauley said.
Hinsdale’s discussion took about 10 minutes. By contrast, Clarendon Hills officials mulled their options for months.
At the end of Tuesday’s discussion, Cauley said no money would need to be spent until 2026. He was ready to go forward with ordering the snorkel.
“Everyone on board with that?” he asked.
A couple of seconds later, Cauley told the chief, “Great, go ahead with it.”
As he moved on to the next item of business, Trustee Neale Byrnes said the board hadn’t discussed the issue before.
“It sounds good to me, but this is kind of quick,” he said
Cauley said the village could put the issue on the board’s agenda for Sept. 17.
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