LIVERMORE — When the call came in Thursday night about a car fire on Crash Road, near the Jay town line, the town’s new fire truck motored into action for the first time. It worked just as fire officials hoped it would.
“It performed beautifully,” Fire Chief Donald Castonguay said.
“We got the truck last Tuesday at 11 a.m.,” Select Board member and fire captain Scott Richmond noted. “After training Wednesday it was put into service Thursday.”
The Select Board talked about the arrival of the new truck during its meeting Tuesday evening.
Fire Chief Donald Castonguay praised the truck and the new equipment it came with, and offered gratitude to the town.
“I would like to thank the townspeople for buying us this truck and allowing us to have the opportunity to have this piece of equipment to do our job,” Castonguay said.
Several items from the rescue truck were put on the new truck so only one is needed to respond to calls.
“The vehicle extrication equipment is now all on one truck,” Richmond stated. “For car accidents it’s huge.”
Livermore Fire and Rescue’s new 2023 Pierce Saber firetruck is parked Tuesday at the fire station at 10 Crash Road in Livermore. The truck was delivered Oct. 17 and used for the first time Oct. 19 at the scene of a car fire. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser
Pierce, the Florida company the truck was ordered from, is already booking into 2026, Richmond said. Livermore Fire Rescue worked with Allegiance Fire and Rescue out of Auburn to purchase the truck, he added.
“We are thankful for the Pierce Company,” Castonguay noted. “We have had good relations with them and they have been real helpful so far.” Allegiance Fire and Rescue will come to Livermore for minor repairs, he stated.
Livermore Fire Rescue has the coldest water in Androscoggin County, Castonguay said.
“We are probably the only fire department in the state that has a built in refrigerator in the firetruck,” Richmond noted.
“It’s for our drinking water,” Castonguay explained.
“It it’s warm, you don’t drink it,” he said. “I would rather see people drink it. That is the main thing.”
There was a refrigerator put in the old truck by the department, this truck it was factory included, Richmond said.
“It really helped us out because where it sits there is a compartment right on top,” Castonguay added. “It gives us space for all our radios, flashlights and the thermal imaging camera. It is a four-man cab, has three seats with self-contained breathing apparatus built in. It has all LED lighting, is really bright.
“This truck is different from our other one. It has a trash line in the front for car fires, things like that, so we don’t have to pull out as much hose. Less labor is needed.”
Castonguay told selectpersons in January 2022 that ongoing electrical issues with Engine I had sped up plans to purchase a new truck.
Voters had approved $100,000 at the annual Town Meeting in 2021, the second installment of a three-year plan toward the purchase of a new truck.
In April 2022, voters approved buying a firetruck and financing up to $382,373 for it. Selectpersons then approved a four-year lease/purchase agreement with Androscoggin Bank. Annual installments of $101,111 would be due July 7. At the end of the agreement the town can buy the truck for $1.
Voters then approved the final installment during the Town Meeting on April 26, 2022.
Castonguay told selectpersons the final papers for the truck were to be signed in November 2022. He expected construction would start in April with delivery in July.
In September, Richmond told the board he and Assistant Fire Chief Andrew Berry would be flying to Florida Sept. 26 to complete the final inspection on the new firetruck, which was expected to be delivered mid-October.
The new firetruck will be on display 1-4 p.m. Saturday at Wayside Baptist Church, 1724 Federal Road, during the Trunk or Treat.
It will also be at Vortex Service, 521 Federal Road, from 5-7 p.m. Halloween night.
Livermore Fire Rescue will be holding an open house in the spring for people to see the new truck and enjoy hamburgers, hot dogs, etc., Castonguay said.
“We had hoped to do one earlier,” Richmond noted. “It’s hunting season, the weather is not very predictable.”
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