Members of the Butler City Fire Department recently drafted and sent a letter to city council requesting a decision about its damaged ladder truck.

The letter, which was signed by fire captains Kevin McAfee, Ted Codispot, Jim Kaufman and Tom Fair, requested a “hastened decision” and called the apparatus “crucial” for the department and the safety of city residents.

“This apparatus has had numerous breakdowns, and down time costing thousands to repair and requiring the Bureau of Fire to rely on aerial coverage from the neighboring volunteer departments,” the letter stated.

The ladder truck has been out of service since late March, following a fire on Center Avenue. There are multiple bends in the 105-foot extendible ladder, which were found during a mandatory inspection earlier this year.

The department's letter noted that the city has several high-rise apartment complexes, office buildings, churches and medical buildings that would “require instantaneous response of an aerial device.”The letter also stated the department was in contact with the chief of a neighboring volunteer department, who the letter stated expressed concern in being able to consistently respond to city fires with its ladder truck.

A full report appears in the Butler Eagle.

Here is a Butler Eagle video about the ladder truck from May:

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