Previous trucks in the department had a life span of about 15 years, said firefighter Brian Nelles, but this newer model should be in service for two decades.

The $300,000 vehicle can be utilized at the scene of serious incidents and is equipped with an awning, as well as all of the latest safety features, including newly upgraded seat belts.

At the City Council’s meeting Tuesday night, a majority voted to accept a bid of $746,398 for a 109-foot aerial truck from a Louisville vendor of Rosenbauer, a South Dakota company.

The truck, currently in production, will be equipped with a pump and water tank so that it can also be used as a pumper.

“It’s what we call a multifunctional piece of equipment,” City Fire Chief Randy Walker said. When firefighters go out on a call, he said, “they’ll have every tool they’ll need at their disposal on that one truck.”

Walker said equipment from the 1988 ladder truck currently in use will be transferred to the new truck, and the old truck will be sold because the city has no place to store it.

The fire station behind City Hall only has two bays that are of sufficient height and length to accommodate the ladder trucks.

Councilman Francis Lydian, who had wanted the city to buy a used truck, had several questions about the apparatus, including why the city needs a 109-foot ladder when it has no buildings that tall.

Lydian moved to table the decision because he had just received the bid proposal and had no time to study it, he said. That motion failed 3-2 with one abstention.

Councilman Fred Hagan then made a motion to approve the purchase. He reminded the other members that the council put the money in the budget last year to buy a fire truck, and the purchase has been planned since before 2015.

The situation led to Wailupe emergency responders operating out of an SUV and partnering with a private ambulance operated by American Medical Response on every emergency call Tuesday.

Officials with Honolulu’s Emergency Medical Services tell us it’s the first time they’ve been in this situation.

With EMS getting an average of 220 911 calls a day, is the department still capable of responding to emergencies?

A spokesperson says yes.