Select Board Chair John Goerlach and Town Administrator Joshua Lang briefly visited the fire station on Monday to accept the ATV on behalf of the town.
New Lanesborough Fire ATV Paid for With Donated Cans
The new ATV, a Can-Am Outlander Max XT, will replace the department's current one, a civilian model Polaris ATV which has been in service for about two decades.
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — To pay for its new emergency response all-terrain vehicle, the Fire Department sorted and recycled about 217,000 cans donated by community members.
The Lanesborough Fireman's Association bought the $15,000 vehicle, a Can-Am Outlander Max XT, entirely with money from its Cans for Lives program, which helps fund the purchase of emergency equipment and vehicles. After sorting, members bring the cans to a facility in Vermont, getting 7 cents for each one.
"We've been able to, essentially, partner with the citizens of the town to help bring this to life for us," said Glen Storie, president of the Lanesborough Fireman's Association. "Their effort to bring the cans here that they collect all year long, and then the effort the membership here puts in to collecting them, sorting them."
The ATV is not the first purchase the volunteer Fire Department has made with funds from Cans for Lives, which has been an ongoing program since the 1990s. Funds from the program have gone toward purchases of other expensive equipment, such as rescue jacks.
"We've actually had to add time to our Wednesday nights so instead of a two-hour meeting, we're a three-hour meeting, because cans take so much time to sort," said Fire Chief Jeffrey DeChaine. "But we're happy to have them because we get this."
The ATV will replace the department's current one, a civilian model Polaris ATV, which has been in service for about two decades. The difference between the new model, tailored for emergency response services, and the old one is night and day, according to Storie.
"That machine wasn't really built for what we do with it, and you can tell. When you have four people, two on there and two on the rescue sled, it really struggles," Storie said, noting the department was getting enough cans to recycle as often as twice a month at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. " ... It's a lot of work, but when you see something like this, or some of the other stuff we have bought, it's a great feeling to give back to the community,"
The vehicle will go into service as soon as it is registered on the town's insurance plan, which DeChaine expects will be later this week. The old ATV, DeChaine said, will still be used by the department for other purposes for as long as it can last.
Select Board Chair John Goerlach and Town Administrator Joshua Lang briefly visited the fire station on Monday to accept the ATV on behalf of the town. Both thanked the department and the fireman's association for its efforts to get the vehicle without affecting the town budget.
"It should be able to do a number of important jobs and things of that sort, so we really appreciate it," Lang said.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
Your Comments
iBerkshires.com welcomes critical, respectful dialogue. Name-calling, personal attacks, libel, slander or foul language is not allowed. All comments are reviewed before posting and will be deleted or edited as necessary.
No Comments
Berkshire United Way to Massachusetts: Early-Learning Educators Need Better Wages
By Katherine von Haefen Guest Column
As reported in iBerkshires, state education officials met with Western Massachusetts childcare and early education advocates at Berkshire Community College recently. I had the opportunity to share the following testimony on behalf of Berkshire United Way and our community partners.
Early childhood education provides tremendous benefits to our region. High-quality child care dramatically influences brain development and the future health and success for children in school and life, as well as provides a safe and secure space for our youngest community members so their parents or caregivers can work and provide for their families.
Berkshire United Way has invested in improving early childhood development opportunities in the Berkshires for decades. We fund high-quality nonprofit child-care centers that provide slots for income-constrained families. We also support the sector by co-hosting monthly child-care director meetings to work on shared challenges and collectively propose solutions. We advocate for early childhood education and have a great partner in this work, state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier.
Staffing is a key component of high-quality care. The research shows that skilled and consistent educators in a classroom create long-lasting change for children. However, wages are stagnant and frequently do not provide educators with basic financial stability. We often hear that educators have left the field because they are unable to make their finances work. Wages need to improve to better reflect the expertise and indelible impact teachers have in the field.
When we look specifically at our region, our data is concerning.
As Berkshire County emerges from the pandemic, we are struggling with transportation, affordable housing and lack of mental health resources, much like the rest of the state. We are also seeing a rise in economically challenged households.
After nearly 10 years of decline, Berkshire County has experienced a significant jump in income inequality, now exceeding the state and national trends and far above comparable counties, according to the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission. Over half of our population are "economically challenged," meaning they are working but struggling to make ends meet. A single parent with a school-aged child needs between $70,000 and $80,000 in income and public benefits just to meet their basic needs.
A large limb from a 32-foot sugar maple in the park fell next to the fountain area over the weekend. Caution tape and traffic barrels now surround the aftermath.
click for more
The last estimate for construction was overly optimistic because, at the time, it was unclear how long obtaining the two easements would take, Town Manager Thomas Hutcheson said.
click for more
Full cost estimates have not been completed but based on recent repairs made to the Clapp Park splash pad, it is estimated to cost between $350,000 and $450,000.
click for more
King Kone had a soft opening at the end of the week, offering the frozen treats on a "pay what you will" basis while employees perfected the craft.
click for more