Holmen getting new fire truck, just in time

Holmen is getting a new fire truck, after a a 4-2 vote Thursday night.

It will cost $861,000 but could have been more, according to Holmen Area Fire Board president Steve Johnston.

“With the steel tariffs that are being be applied,”Johnston said, “we are getting one of the last vehicles out the door before those tariffs are applied, which would be, for a vehcile like this, $30,000. So we are saving the taxpayers a tremendous amount of money.”

Despite that, Johnston said it was simply time to upgrade. The current truck is 30 years old with a ladder system that was unreliable.

“We had a couple of rough fires back in January, and it was at that time we recognized that vehicle was compromised,” Johnston said.

The price will be split between the Village of Holmen, Town of Holland and Town of Onalaska.

Johnston had previously said a new truck could cost $1.2 million but the department is purchasing a ‘demo’ truck.