Fire district will receive bids for aerial apparatus
BY DAVE BENJAMIN
Staff Writer

JACKSON - The Jackson Fire Dis-trict No. 3 Board of Fire Commissioners will receive sealed bids Aug. 28 at 3 p.m. for the manufacture and delivery of a custom built aerial platform fire apparatus.

"There was an intense study for years surrounding what kind of apparatus is needed within the district," said attorney Joseph D. Youssouf, who represents Fire District No. 3. "People are sometimes confused about the idea of why you need an aerial apparatus, since we have no buildings over six stories high in this district."

Fire District No. 3 is served by the Jackson Volun-teer Fire Company No. 1, headquartered at North New Prospect Road at Larsen Road. There is a second station at Kierych Memorial Drive.

Youssouf said most of the taller buildings in the fire district are about three stories high.

"The reason that the aerial apparatus is chosen as a preferred method of fighting fires is due to the layout of buildings in modern developments," he explained. "Because of the street [building] setbacks and the fact that everybody has lawns and sprinklers and all sorts of shrubs and things, getting next to a building that is on fire is very difficult for a fire department in suburbia."

Youssouf said there is a preferred technique that has been developed and recommended by professional firefighters throughout New Jersey and the nation.

"You locate this heavy apparatus, [which has] outriggers to stabilize the platform, in a parking lot or in the street or at the curbside," he said. "Then you reach horizontally to the roof levels, like a big arm, so that you can get above the fire."

Youssouf said the best way to fight a fire is to ventilate through the roof and go in with a down spray, and the apparatus that the District 3 commissioners are planning to purchase handles that kind of assignment very well. It is equipped with rescue equipment, tools and devices that are necessary to gain entry to automobiles and houses.

The attorney said there was a debate within the fire district among the firefighters - the professionals and the volunteers - as to what kind of apparatus to obtain.

Reviewing the background that led to this point, Youssouf said that a few years ago a proposal was put forward to authorize the acquisition of the truck to replace older apparatus which comes off line after 20 years of service. There was also the expectation to build a new firehouse. The plan for a new firehouse was defeated by voters.

After some discussion, it was determined to purchase an aerial apparatus.

"It was a studied and analyzed approach to firefighting needs in the district," Youssouf said. "We are required to develop technical specifications which are put together by the truck committee of the volunteer fire company, the paid professional firefighters and the Board of Fire Commissioners, which oversees the entire process.

"Once the technical specifications, overall design of the truck and pump capacity are all put together, we advertise for the receipt of bids, which is required by law," the attorney said.

He said about seven sets of specifications have been sent to truck manufacturers around the country. When the bids are received, they will be opened and read aloud and made available for public inspection.

"There is an apparent low bidder," Youssouf said, "but before the award of a contract, the statute provides a period of 60 days for the public agency to review and analyze the bid and [determine if it] meets or exceeds the specifications" for the desired apparatus.

A decision on whether to award the contract is made at the end of the 60-day window. Youssouf said it is estimated to take between 285 and 340 days for the truck to be manufactured. He said all fire trucks are custom built.

"They are tailored to the individual needs of the community, unless you're New York City where they buy 50 of them at the same time," he said.

"The voters authorized us to buy a truck and they authorized us to issue bonds to finance the purchase," he said. "Most of the bids should be close, but we are always ready for surprises."

He said if bids for the truck come in too high, the commissioners will address that situation at the time the bids are opened.