Excerpts from the DailyHerald.com:

In February 2019, the Libertyville fire chief reported to the village board that the tower ladder was nearing 20 years old and scheduled to be replaced. A new one was $1.3 million, but a report from Pierce showed the truck could be refurbished. That was determined to be a good option, and the village board agreed to waive competitive bidding for a frame-off restoration. Work included new paint, hydraulics, tires, interior, radiator, hoses, cables, emergency lighting, and lettering. The fire pump was rebuilt, the 100-foot ladder disassembled and repainted, electronics upgraded, and other parts repaired or replaced. The original mileage was 35,119, but the odometer was reset after the work and now stands at 210 miles. The cost was $647,000.

Originally, the work was to have taken about six or seven months, but it needed unanticipated replacement of the frame rails, plus the coronavirus pandemic slowed the process.

The truck is shared with the Mundelein Fire Department through an agreement struck in late 2017. Officials in both communities determined it was a common-sense way to improve efficiency and lower costs. At the time, it was estimated Libertyville’s truck and personnel would be needed in Mundelein about five times a year.

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