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| Council green-lights ladder truck |
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| Written by John Saiz / Patterson Irrigator / | |
| Wednesday, 28 November 2007 | |
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The latest piece of equipment approved for the Patterson Fire Department will take the department to new heights — literally. The Patterson City Council on Nov. 20 authorized bidding on a new ladder truck, which would allow the department to extend a ladder nearly 100 feet into the air. The council anticipates spending about $400,000 on the vehicle.  HOOK UP THE LADDER:The Patterson Fire Department hopes to soon own a 100-foot ladder truck, which would look similar to the truck shown above. A proposed hotel in the developing community of Diablo Grande southwest of Patterson spurred the need for the truck, said Dick Gaiser, West Patterson Fire Protection District’s special projects liaison. As part of the Diablo Grande developer agreement with Stanislaus County, a ladder truck must be in the district before the hotel is in place. Though fire officials are uncertain when or if that hotel will be built, other buildings erected in Patterson over the past few years also would benefit from the ladder truck, Gaiser said. Those include the Best Western Villa Del Lago Inn off Rogers Road and the Kohl’s and Long’s distribution centers in Patterson’s Keystone Pacific Business Park. The height of Patterson’s distribution centers would not demand a ladder truck, but their width could pose a problem if they were to catch fire, Gaiser said. The areas covered by West Stanislaus Fire Protection District also have use for the ladder, even if the Diablo Grande hotel is not built. Gaiser said West Side warehouses would be better protected by the new truck. The last time Gaiser recalled another jurisdiction’s ladder truck being called to fight a Patterson blaze was when the Del Puerto Hotel, which stood at 1 Plaza where Patterson City Hall is today, was ruined by fire. These days, another ladder truck in Turlock could be called to the West Side. A local ladder truck could mean a better fire insurance rating in the area and cheaper insurance for local property owners. Still, it could be a while before the truck pulls into the station. The council’s action Tuesday authorized the department to seek bids from companies that might supply the truck. After a bid is awarded, which could happen as early as January, the winning company will begin building the truck. Depending what equipment the company already has on hand, it could take 2½ months to a year to complete that task. When the new truck arrives, it will join an expanding local fire department, which welcomed a water tender just a few weeks ago. The department also plans to open a station in west Patterson in the coming months. To reach John Saiz at the Irrigator, call 892-6187 or e-mail him at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
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