Lacombe County council approved an estimated $312,500 in Community Services capital equipment purchases at its Oct. 22 meeting, including replacement pickup trucks, rescue tools and equipment intended to reduce firefighter injury risks.

The purchases will be funded through the county’s Fleet and Equipment Reserve. Council also authorized the county manager to proceed with tendering and awarding the purchases, along with disposing of or transferring used equipment.

Fire and Emergency Services accounts for $245,000 of the planned spending, while a replacement agricultural services pickup carries an estimated cost of $67,500.

The agricultural services truck will replace a 2012 Dodge Ram 1500 with more than 400,000 kilometres. Its estimated trade-in value is $1,000, bringing the projected net withdrawal from the reserve to $311,500.

The fire services purchases include $95,000 to replace hydraulic rescue tools used by the Eckville District Fire Department. According to the agenda report, the existing tools have reached the end of their service life.

Another $40,000 will purchase two powered lifting systems for folding water tanks, with one installed on a water tender in Alix and the other in Bentley. Each system is estimated to cost $20,000.

The report identified loading and unloading the tanks as a significant safety hazard and potential source of injury.

Council also approved an estimated $85,000 replacement for the county fire chief’s 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The existing truck will be transferred to the Clive district for use as a utility vehicle.

A further $25,000 will fund a retrofit of the pump skid system on Clive’s brush truck. Crews reported that the current system has been problematic and frequently requires repairs.

Administration requested approval ahead of 2027 so replacement equipment could be ordered and delivered in time for operational use.

Community Services uses a three-year projected operating budget and a 25-year capital replacement schedule to plan equipment replacements costing more than $5,000.