Gilman (IL) Fire Protection District, AutoCAFS “Wasp” quick-attack unit. Ford F-550 cab and chassis.

The effect of the falling Canada dollar is also being felt at the municipal and taxpayer level, with Markham paying close to $600,000 extra for several pieces of fire fighting equipment paid for in U.S. dollars.

The city has a U.S. account that is used to fund fire trucks and truck equipment, theatre acts, library books and IT services purchased in U.S. dollars.

"We're not the only ones facing this," said the city's treasurer, Joel Lustig. "There is plenty of economic uncertainty out there. Do we lock in today or wait and let the Canadian dollar improve?"

But purchasing U.S. funds on an ad-hoc basis is a dangerous precedent, Councillor Don Hamilton argued during this week's general committee meeting.

"This is gambling," he said. "This isn't the first time the Canadian dollar has fallen."

Instead, the city should have a policy that allows for purchases made in U.S. funds to be postponed, Hamilton said.

He also questioned if it was better to purchase U.S. funds in bulk instead of buying on an as-needed basis – whether gaining zero interest is better than paying a high exchange rate.

In June 2014, council approved the purchase of several pieces of firefighting equipment, including a new truck, pumper and ladder.

At the time of ordering, the exchange rate was about 91.2-cents, bringing the total up to $2.06 million Canadian from $1.89 million U.S.

Final payment is due about six months after delivery of the entire truck, equipment and all, which brings us to December.

By that time, the exchange rate had dropped to 71.2 cents, inflating the original price by more than $377,000 Canadian.

Had the city waited and paid the bill at the general committee meeting, Jan. 18, when the loonie plunged to about 68.9-cents the price would have jumped from $2.06 million to more than $2.74 million.

The Canadian dollar has been on an 11-day downward spiral, which is unprecedented, Lustig said.

For more information, view www.yorkregion.com

A custom 1500 GPM 1000 Gallon Pumper arrived on Jan. 8 and was immediately put into service the next day at the annual Old Newbury Christmas Tree Bonfire hosted by the Protection #2 Fire Company, Historic New England and Tendercrop Farm.

Fire Chief Nathan Walker says his crew is "extremely happy with the function and quality" of the new engine and want to thank town leaders and taxpayers for their support in its purchase. 

The new engine, which cost $449,7754, replaces the 25-year-old FMC Engine 10. The town has a lease/purchase contract for the vehicle with annual payments of $52,350.69 over 10 years. 

The Finance Committee is considering paying if off with available funds in order to save approximately $60,000 in interest costs. If selectmen approve this recommendation, it would appear as an article at the spring Town Meeting. A previous override request to avoid interest costs by paying off the vehicle failed at the polls.

Traditionally, Newbury's approach to fire services has been unique among towns in Massachusetts. Although fire protection is provided by the Newbury Municipal Fire Department and both its full-time and call firefighters are considered town employees, the town's two fire companies, independent 501c3 organizations, are in charge of its fire stations and apparatus, all of which it leases to the town, at least until the purchase of this new pumper truck. Last March Walker was hired as the town's first paid fire chief with a starting salary of $60,000.

"This engine is a testament of support and commitment from the town to the evolution of our fire service in Newbury," said Walker. He called the new truck "proof positive" of the commitment of town officials and townspeople to a municipal system that will provide safe, state-of-the-art fire services to protect life and property in Newbury.

For more information, view www.newburyportnews.com

A truck that belonged to City of Palm Coast (FL) was on the verge of being scrapped for about $1,500 until the former chief of the city's fire department, Howard Peiffer, found a better destination for the truck than a scrapyard.

Palm Coast leaders agreed to donate the fire engine. Peiffer used his own money to transport it nearly 700 miles to Lower Clover Fork Fire Department in Verda, Ky.

"Because people need to have something to protect their community and it's the right thing to do," Peiffer said. "It's humanitarian. It's the right thing to do."

Peiffer is president of the Florida Antique Bucket Brigade, a chapter of Society for the Preservation and Appreciation of Antique Motor Fire Apparatus in America (SPAAMFAA).

The addition to Lower Clover Fork's fleet means the station now has a fully-functioning fire engine.

Recent budget cutbacks have prevented the department's firefighters from repairing older trucks.

"It doesn't matter where you go in the United States, firefighters are a brotherhood," said Jonathan Jones, the fire chief of Lower Clover Fork Fire Dept. "No matter where you go, everybody knows the situation and how hard it would be in our situation. So everybody is willing to help the best they can. We're a tight brotherhood in the fire service."

Members of nearby fire departments helped firefighters at Lower Clover Fork christen the new truck Wednesday, including the placement of a Bible in the cab and "wetting down" the engine as a sort of initiation.

"It's going to help Harlan County tremendously," Harlan County Emergency Management Director David McGill said. "The fire departments had a rough way to go the last little bit and this is going to help them tremendously with their community."

For more information, view www.wymt.com