The Princeton Fire Department expects a delivery of a new tower fire truck to replace an aging fire truck in the spring, according to Princeton officials.
The Princeton Council approved the purchase of a 95-foot tower fire truck for $2.1 million in November 2023. It will replace a 20-year-old tower truck, which is at the end of its useful life, said Princeton Administrator Bernard Hvozdovic.
Hvozdovic said it would have taken about three years between the time an order for the truck was placed and the time that it would have been delivered. The town had already put aside $2.7 million for a new tower fire truck.
“We looked into alternatives to that, and we were able to locate a truck that is being built for another town who decided it was too expensive for their budget,” Hvozdovic said.
“We were able to get it, and I think we are going to take delivery in April. We will not have to wait for three years. We get it faster and we get it cheaper,” he said.
The tower truck is essential because there are tall buildings in town, Princeton Councilwoman Michelle Pirone Lambros said.
“Many of the newly approved apartment buildings are four stories tall, and the new tower truck will be able to reach them,” she said.
The Princeton Fire Department fleet has four fire trucks – a tower truck, a ladder truck, a rescue truck and pumper truck.
The tower truck, which is now scheduled to be replaced, was built in 2001. It can reach 100 feet and has a basket or platform at the top.
The ladder truck was built in 2016 and can reach 75 feet. A firefighter would have to climb the elevated ladder for firefighting purposes. It does not have a basket or platform at the top.
The rescue truck has extrication equipment for crashes that was built in 2016.
The pumper truck was built in 1996.
