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Williamsport is looking at using some of its $25.5 million American Rescue Plan allotment on purchasing two fire engines and a ladder truck — a wise investment.

City Fire Chief Mark Killian said in a Monday Sun-Gazette article that the Bureau of Fire is using a data-driven approach to prioritizing its vehicular and equipment needs.

“The goals are to maintain a modern, safe and reliable fleet of apparatus that meets the current and future needs of the department,” Killian said, before detailing the deficiencies with some of the bureau’s current trucks.

Protection from fires is one of the most clear-cut responsibilities of our city government. The safety of Williamsport residents from disasters such as fires, as well as the other services the first responders provide to Williamsport residents in distress, are paramount.

Also, our city’s firefighters have been at the forefront of a concept that in other instances, rarely moves beyond being a buzzword — regionalization.

While a lot of officials across Lycoming County and across the state talk about regionalization, the Williamsport Bureau of Fire has had a formal alliance with neighboring Old Lycoming Township, the third-most populous municipality in Lycoming County. The Bureau of Fire and Old Lycoming Township Fire Department buttress each other effectively and have for years, providing a model that officials could use elsewhere to successfully make regionalization more than a buzzword.

In the interests of both public safety and of furthering the cause of regionalization, the city would be more than justified in purchasing the new fire trucks.

Source: https://www.sungazette.com/opinion/editorials/2021/12/purchase-of-2-engines-ladder-truck-warranted/