Tinton Falls approves up to $3 million for a tower ladder firetruck

Voters approved up to $3 million in a referendum for a custom 100-foot Pierce Ascendant tower ladder, and RWJBarnabas Health is contributing $750,000 toward the purchase.

Tinton Falls voters approved spending up to $3 million in a referendum to allow Fire District No. 2 to purchase a tower ladder fire truck. The vote was 173 in favor and 73 opposed. Officials said the model will be a custom Pierce Ascendant 100-foot aerial tower ladder and that the purchase will not raise taxes. The decision is driven by new development in town, including a seven-story RWJBarnabas Health hospital and other multi-story buildings on the former Fort Monmouth site. Key facts: - The referendum authorized spending of up to $3 million for a tower ladder truck, with the final price to be determined as the vehicle is completed. - The specific model is a Pierce Ascendant 100-foot aerial tower ladder that will be custom made for the borough. - RWJBarnabas Health is contributing $750,000 toward this truck and is providing a total of $1.5 million to the borough for firefighting equipment as it completes its medical campus. - The remaining funds will come from existing district capital reserve funds and trade-ins of existing apparatus, and the district intends to finance the apparatus over a 10-year period. - The borough currently has no tower ladder; its two existing ladder trucks lack a bucket or platform and are stationed at the northern and southern firehouses, which increases response times to the central part of town. - Officials noted a tower ladder’s rescue platform or bucket supports high-angle rescues and master stream operations and offers increased protection for firefighters compared with traditional ladders. Summary: The purchase is intended to improve response capability for new multi-story buildings and to enhance firefighter safety. Officials plan to finalize the vehicle specifications and finance the apparatus over a 10-year period; the final cost will be set as the truck is completed.