Editorial: VBT Fire Dept. gives chilling report to township board

The Van Buren Township Fire Department’s 30-year-old ladder truck has been decertified by the state and if there is a fire at either senior high rise in the city of Belleville, VBT would not have a ladder truck to respond. Adjoining fire departments could send ladder trucks, but that would take 20 minutes to respond.
This is part of the report VBT Fire Chief Amy Brow and Lt. Curt Lunsford gave to the board at Monday’s work/study session. This means VBT can’t live up to mutual aid agreements with adjoining departments or tend to the four-story buildings at Grace Lake. Lt. Lunsford suggested selling Rescue 1 and Engine 4, which would bring a total of $200,000. He said with that and the $120,000 the department had set aside for the FEMA grant (they just found out they didn’t get) they could buy a brand-new aerial trunk which currently is being built. That cost would be $346,000. This is just a “stick” truck, which means it is only a ladder with no water. That would have to be provided by other trucks, the way the current VBT truck operated. The $1 million truck with a bucket that we rode on during a demonstration a few years back is not even being considered.
VBT Supervisor McNamara stressed that the citizenry is safe with the trucks being used. Well, sort of. If you live in a high rise in Belleville, this news is a bit disconcerting. VBT budget sessions are coming up. Hope for the best.