The city has been planning to replace the fire truck for about seven years, said Fairfield Fire Chief Don Bennett. So with or without the 2.5-mill fire/EMS levy voters will consider for the Nov. 8 ballot, the purchase was always anticipated to be made, he said.

"The parts to repair that engine are no longer available," Bennett said. "We've been very fortunate that we didn't have any major mechanical issues because there are no parts left for that whole generation of engine," which is a 6v92 engine.

And the chief said they know of only one mechanic in the region that has the knowledge to make repairs on that type of engine.

"That is an enormous amount of money," Bennett said of the purchase price.

For the first time in 15 years, voters are being asked to approve a fire levy that will help with the operation of the fire department. The levy is needed to help improve coverage for the city, by increasing the number of on-duty firefighters from 13 to 17.

State Farm is seeking a judgment in the amount of $4,356.49, the cost of the repairs and rental reimbursement paid to Northrup and Carole Fowler, of Edgecomb, owners of the 2009 Subaru Outback damaged in the accident.

Wiscasset, represented by Kasia Park, of DrummondWoodsum, has denied the claims of negligence.

During a driver training exercise on June 10, 2015, the lugs sheared off the rear passenger-side wheel of Ladder 1, causing the wheel to separate from the vehicle as it traveled south on Gardiner Road.

The wheel bounced off a utility pole, which knocked out power for a portion of town, and rolled across the roof of the Fowlers’ vehicle before coming to a rest, The Lincoln County News reported at the time. The wheel hit the left rear roof of the Subaru, causing the roof to cave in and the back window to blow out.

The old truck will be on display, along with the department's newest trucks - a 2016 1,500 gallon-per-minute E-One Pumper and a 2017 Kenworth E-One 3,000 gallon tanker/pumper - during the department's annual fire prevention open house from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

The event will also feature a live fire extinguisher demonstration, during which people can practice their fire extinguisher skills, and firefighter self-rescue "Bail Out" rappelling demonstrations.

He said being able to replace 20-year-old equipment that may be called out several times a day, serves a critical safety need for both the department and the public.

"You can do the math on 20 years of wear and tear and firefighting and the huge financial expense it is to maintain these so they're safe for our firefighters to operate as well as the safety and efficiency when they get to the scene to make sure they operate properly and safely," Johnson said.

The city is in no position to afford a half million dollars out of the city budget, to grant money, secured by Assemblyman Frank Skartados, will cover the purchase of a replacement engine.