Donations, grants, enable major purchases for Lutsen Fire Department

Lutsen EMS Chief Fred Schmidt happily announced that the township had received its new AED. Schmidt explained that the new AED does the things that the First Responders and EMTs used to need two machines for. He gave a brief explanation of what the AED can do, noting that it is compatible with the ambulance. It includes a tape which gives a reading on the patient that can be handed off to the ambulance.

Schmidt said the cost of the AED was $9,077. Much of the money came from donations in memory of the late John Lyght, former Cook County sheriff. “We’re really happy to have it,” said Schmidt.

The Lutsen Fire Department is also looking forward to getting its new tanker truck. Using creative financing, the fire department was able to not only save on the tanker truck, but obtain some additional accessories. Treasurer John Groth told the town board that the fire department can use 25% of its Assistance to Firefighters grant as a down payment to the builder of the truck. In the contract with Rosenbauer Manufacturing, there is an opportunity to pay earlier in the process to receive a deduction of $3,176 on the truck chassis. The price of the chassis is $82,596. Groth said 25% of the grant is approximately $38,000. The firefighters asked for authorization to pay the rest of the down payment now out of the fire truck fund, noting that the truck fund earns approximately $23 per month in interest. The money saved by taking the discount on the chassis far exceeds the loss of interest.

The fire department said there were four items that the Lutsen Fire Truck Committee wanted to add that had not been included in the bid specifications, but are needed. Groth said the truck also needs mud flaps, front and rear; a 2 ½” rear direct tank fill; a pump compartment heat package; and a butterfly valve in the pump compartment with hand control.

Even with the additional items, Groth said the price of the tanker truck would still be reduced to $174,498. The board unanimously authorized the fire department to proceed with the down payment as described.