By Conrad Dudderar
Staff Writer
Yukon’s newest front-line fire apparatus – which won’t arrive for 2-1/2-3 years – will be just shy of $1 million.
Yukon Fire Chief Shawn Vogt has been authorized to finalize an order with Pierce Manufacturing to purchase a fire engine “at a cost not to exceed $998,842.”
The Yukon City Council voted unanimously to approve this action during its July 18th meeting.
“Like with everything else, the price has increased quite a bit,” Chief Vogt told city council members. “The current engine and power plant that we have in these trucks, they’ve been upgraded. That’s a big part of the price increase.”
August 2025 had been the anticipated delivery from the Appleton, Wisc. fire truck manufacturer.
But that recently changed.
“I just learned today that it’s 30 to 36 months out,” Vogt said at Tuesday night’s council meeting. “By ordering it, you at least ‘lock in’ your price because they’ve been having price increases about once a quarter.”
This order is being finalized now because the fire apparatus will soon cost even more.
“By ordering the new engine before the end of July, we will be able to avoid the 1.75% price increase which takes effect on August 1,” Vogt wrote in a July 13th memo to Yukon City Manager Tammy Kretchmar.
No payments will be due until the truck has been delivered, subject to financing approval.
This new fire engine will be built just like the one it will eventually succeed in the Yukon Fire Department’s fleet.
“It will replace our current engine two, which is a 2019 that has about 38,000 miles on it,” Chief Vogt said. “That truck runs a lot, because it’s the only truck that runs out of station #2.”
Engine two will then be transferred to fire station #1, where it will replace engine one – a 2013 model with 44,000 miles.
YFD’s current engine one will “make a great reserve engine and last us for years,” Vogt noted.
The National Fire Protection Association recommends that fire departments move their front-line fire apparatus to “reserve” status after 15 years.
Once Yukon’s new fire engine arrives in 30-36 months, Chief Vogt said “we should be in good shape for a while.”
NEW SEMI-TRUCK
Meanwhile, another City of Yukon department will receive a new, large vehicle.
The Yukon City Council on July 18 approved spending $226,057.22 for a 2024 sanitation transfer semi-truck.
Yukon Public Works Director Arnold Adams recommended the purchase, which is being made off state contract.
“I will need to place the order as soon as possible due to availability and the economy’s volatility,” Adams wrote in a July 10th memo to council members.
The price tag includes $216,142 for the Peterbilt 389 (chassis) from Rush Truck Center and $9,915.22 for a hydraulic pump (wet line) kit from J&R Equipment.
Capital budget funds will be used to pay for Yukon’s new transfer truck.
