Image

New fire truck on order in Oil Springs

May 6, 2021

Alex Kurial/Local Jounalism Initiative

For the first time in 20 years, there’s a new pumper truck on order for the Enniskillen/Oil Springs Fire Department.

But it will still be awhile before it puts out any blazes.

Fire Chief Al Charlton says he and other firefighters in the department have been researching which pumper truck to get for several months. Charlton also consulted with other fire departments from St. Clair to Brooke-Alvinston.

The final selection was a Rosenbauer pumper truck purchased through the ResQTech fire equipment company in Woodstock. The purchase was approved after presentations to Oil Springs and Enniskillen councils and the fire board.

The total cost of the truck stands at $565,000.

“Oil Springs, we’re not all about flash. We don’t need chrome bumpers for a picture. We need a functional truck,” says Charlton. “The truck is actually build above and beyond safety standards, it’s the highest rated truck in terms of cab safety.”

Charlton says issues like a short wheel base for rural communities were factored in. He says the truck is also ergonomically improved, the equipment is lower and more accessible and the shelving is better. The truck is able to pump 1,050 gallons of water per minute.

“We got basically the standard, not much custom hot-rodding on this truck. We need a short truck that fits in farm properties,” says Charlton. “We’ve got a quality truck coming our way.”

The move was brought on by rules rather than necessity.

Charlton says while their pumper truck is still in good condition, guidelines mandate trucks must be replaced every few decades. The current truck has been in use for 20 years.

While the order for the truck went in this week, Charlton says the most recent estimate for delivery is still 400 days away.

COVID has slowed down production and a freak winter weather storm in Texas earlier this year delayed manufacturing work at the frame and cab factory. He’s hoping the truck arrives before the end of summer 2022.

In the meantime, Charlton has every confidence in their veteran pumper. “We’re always doing our truck checks, they have to go through their safety programs,” he says. “We don’t let that thing get out of shape on us. We just can’t. At the end of the day we’re an emergency service.”

“There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the truck. It seems a shame that it’s got to go,” says Charlton.

The truck’s fate will be up to the fire board and Oil Springs and Enniskillen councils as they look for a buyer. Charlton says older trucks are sometimes refurbished to serve as backup trucks for departments, but with the type of calls the area gets a second pumper truck is rarely if ever needed.

Other possible destinations include Northern Ontario, Central or South America, or even purchase by a local farmer interested in acquiring the pump.

Enniskillen will pay 78 per cent of the truck’s cost, around $440,700. They’ll pay their share through the township’s fire levy. The levy, which covers fire costs in the Petrolia and Oil Springs departments, was raised by $50,000 this year in anticipation of the new pumper purchase.

Oil Springs will cover the other $124,300 through its reserves.

The Local Journalism Initiative supports the creation of original civic journalism that covers the diverse needs of underserved communities across Canada.

Share This

Image
Front Page

Conservation foundation closes Greenhill Garden

June 18, 2025

Heather Wright/The Independent Overwhelmed by expenses, lack of workers, theft of equipment and homelessness encampments, the St. Clair Region Conservation Foundation has closed a Wilkesport landmark. Greenhill Gardens – a once privately-owned oasis in rural St. Clair Township – closed Monday. The gardens were cultivated by Joy Robson for years. She and her husband, Bill, allowed people to come and

Read More

Image
Front Page

St. Clair gas power plant plans major expansion

June 17, 2025

Heather Wright/The Independent Invenergy wants to power up the St. Clair Energy Centre across from NOVA Chemicals on Petrolia Line. Officials say they’re planning to build a new turbine at the site, increasing the power generation by about 50 per cent. The provincial government says Ontario will need about 75 per cent more power by 2050 so it’s encouraging more

Read More

Image
Front Page

Waterville contract talks continuing after contract rejection

June 17, 2025

Heather Wright/The Independent Officials with TG Waterville in Petrolia say negotiations are continuing after members of UAW Local 251 turned down the company’s latest contract offer. Bill Pollock, National Representative for the union would say little about the ongoing labour talks but confirmed 85 per cent of the auto parts workers who voted rejected an offer from the company June

Read More

Image
Front Page

OPP Cruiser damaged in Dawn-Euphemia crash: one arrested

June 17, 2025

The Independent A Lambton OPP cruiser has “significant damage” after being rammed while officers tried to stop a driver. Early Tuesday morning, police tried to stop a vehicle on Bentpath Road west of Annett Road in Dawn-Euphemia. The driver crashed into the cruiser and kept right on going. Police have arrested a 33-year-old man of no fixed address. He faces

Read More