Harmony presented $1.2 million to cover cost of 2 new trucks
ZELIENOPLE — U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-16th, said he was pleased to be able to return $1.2 million in taxpayer dollars to the community Monday, March 30, to help Harmony Fire District buy two new fire trucks.
Kelly presented a check to Kevin Behun, fire district president, and Chief Rob Reeb at the fire station.
Taxpayers are the source of the money and should be thanked, Kelly said. He said every representative and senator in Congress competes for federal grant funds for local projects through the appropriations process.
“These are the ones that the rest of Congress looks at and says, ‘You know what, this is money well spent.’ This is taxpayer money going back to the taxpayer,” Kelly said. “This is the way government is supposed to work.”
Behun said the district sold a 10-year-old tanker truck last year because it was no longer needed due to an increase in the number of fire hydrants, replaced it with a long-term reserve engine and banked $300,000 from the sale.
Two new trucks costing $2.1 million have been ordered. One of them, an engine truck, is coming this summer and will replace the Engine 22 truck. Next spring, the district will take delivery of a truck that will be used as either a rescue engine or squad truck. It will replace the existing Engine 22-3 and Rescue 22 trucks, Behun said.
Proceeds from the sale of the three trucks and the $1.2 million in federal funds will be used to pay for the new trucks, he said.
“A new truck is always exciting for everybody,” Reeb said.
He said the old trucks are mechanically sound, but the cost to maintain them is increasing. Having new trucks will allow the district to spend that money in other ways.
Behun said new trucks also will help the district recruit new firefighters. The district currently has 50 active volunteer firefighters, he added.
He said the cost of fire trucks is increasing. A truck the district ordered three years ago for $950,000 would cost at least $1.2 million today, he said.
