Ladysmith firetrucks back in service by end of the month
A Caroline County volunteer fire department plans to have the second of three trucks that were recently out of service back in use today.
Ladysmith Volunteer Company Chief Bo Norton said yesterday that two trucks have been out of service after damages from a storm and an accident that occurred during training.
He said a squad truck used for pumping water and hauling tools has been out for three months. A ladder truck has been out for a month.
Norton said he took an engine out of service twice last week for maintenance but put it back in service shortly after.
Last week, a Ladysmith resident contacted The Free Lance-Star to raise concerns about response times due to the disabled trucks.
Norton said the ladder truck damaged during training is expected to be back in use today. A squad truck was damaged when it hit a downed tree after recent severe weather. It will be back by the end of the month.
Norton said the company has four other vehicles, including a 2,000-gallon tanker truck that could have responded to an emergency.
He said other volunteer departments assist with calls, and a temporary squad truck was placed at the station.
"There's no time that I felt that [residents] were unsafe," Norton said.
Fire services in the county are provided by six volunteer stations; the county provides more than half the funding for Ladysmith. Norton said his station receives 900 to 1,200 calls each year.
--Corey Byers