NORWICH – Citing deteriorating conditions of service vehicles at the Norwich Fire Department and mounting pressure to maintain emergency services for city residents and contracting townships, the Norwich Common Council on Tuesday approved purchase of two used ambulances and one used fire truck to add to the NFD fleet.

The City council voted unanimously to purchase the three vehicles at a cost totaling $109,000 ($37,000 for an ambulance from the Eaton, NY Fire Department; $23,500 for an ambulance from the Mattituck, NY Fire Department; and $48,500 for a fire truck from the Huntington Fire Department in Phillipsburg, NJ). According to Norwich Fire Chief Tracy Chawgo, purchasing the vehicles is the most cost-effective way to keep NFD's fleet up to par.

The Common Council proposed money for both ambulances be drawn from the city's ambulance equipment reserve fund, which currently stands at $89,800. The new fire truck – a pumper engine – will be purchased via funds from the city's general budget with additional money raised by selling the department's current pumper engine as surplus.