Special Election – December 13, 2022

Gloucester Township Fire District #2 is holding a Special Election on Tuesday, December 13, 2022 from 2pm to 9pm to request voter approval for the purchase of a new tower ladder at a cost not to exceed 2.2 million dollars. The fire district has been planning for this purchase for a number of years, and has saved over $700,000 for a down payment. Unfortunately supply chain issues and cost increases have resulted in a significantly higher than anticipated cost for the truck. The Fire District is working with an apparatus manufacturer to purchase a stock truck, as opposed to one that’s custom made for our department.  This will hopefully save the taxpayers $200,000 to $300,000, reduce the purchase cost to approximately 1.8 million dollars, and reduce the delivery time from 40 months to less than 12 months. Our current tower ladder is 24 years old, and has been out of service for extended periods of time over the last couple of years due to difficulty in obtaining parts for relatively minor issues. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends that ladder trucks be removed from service after 20 years of service. This truck is a vital component of our fire protection fleet, as it provides the ability to remove trapped persons from upper floors, ventilate roofs, and provide an elevated water stream, which is sometimes the only effective means to prevent the spread of a fire which has reached the upper floors of a structure. State purchasing laws require fire districts to obtain voter approval in the year prior to expending any funds for a purchase, so approval is needed this year for us to purchase a truck in 2023.  Any delays in the purchase will only add to the apparatus cost and extend the delivery time. The fire district appreciates the support we have received from our residents over the years, and we respectfully ask for your continued support by voting YES to authorize this vital purchase.

Anyone with questions or concerns is encouraged to contact Fire District Administrator William Robb at 856-282-3370 Ext. 125.  Thank you