Feature Article July 29, 2004
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Kaladar/Barrie gets new pumperThis week, the 29-year-old pumper owned by the Kaladar/Barrie Fire Department was replaced by a brand new pumper purchased jointly by the Addington Highlands and North Frontenac Councils. The steel tank had rusted out of the old vehicle and it was going to cost the Townships a good deal of money to 
refurbish to ULC standards.
According to Fire Chief Casey Cuddy, insurance rates would have increased substantially for a number of residents if councils did not act quickly in replacing the old Pumper. The insurance industry doesn't tend to recognize pumpers once they are 30 years old and therefore the area would have been classified as not having a fire department. According to my insurance company, I could have been paying as much as $500 more a year in premiums if we received an unprotected rating from the insurance industry. As the fire chief and as a taxpayer, I commend the township councilors of Addington Highlands & North Frontenac for their wise decision," wrote Cuddy in a press release.
Four fire fighters did a part day of training on the new Pumper before it was delivered, and they have since trained several more fire fighters on the department.
The new Pumper was built in Florida and purchased from a dealer in Quebec, who installed extra safety features for the KBFD. The trucks body is constructed mostly out of aluminum to keep its weight down, and this allows the fire department to haul more water. One of the options that was installed is a built in foam unit. During a training session on Monday night, the firefighters were able to put out a car fire in 43 seconds flat!
AH Reeve Hook and several North Frontenac councillors attended the installation of the pumper on Tuesday morning, Casey Cuddy joked afterwards that Reeve Hook was going to back the truck into the fire station. Hook declined, saying, Wed really need a new fire door then.
