Upper VFD adds to fleet: Department buys fire truck from Ironton

Published 10:47 am Monday, January 12, 2015

It’s reciprocity in every sense of the word.

When the city of Ironton’s new fire truck arrived late last year, officials began looking into what to do with the 1994 International pumper it replaced.

“The truck’s trade-in value was $6,000,” Rich Blankenship, Ironton mayor, said. “It’s in very good shape and we knew it still had a lot of life left in it.”

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Upper Township Fire Department Chief J.D. Pancake must have agreed with Blankenship because his department agreed to purchase the truck for $10,000. One of the Upper Township Fire Department’s trucks was then sold to Elizabeth Township for $3,000.

“We got a really good deal on what is now our second truck,” Pancake said. “It’s really not like they got rid of it because when they call and need our assistance we will definitely take it to Ironton.”

The same is true for his department’s truck that was sold to Elizabeth Township.

“It may not be in our station,” he said. “But we will still get use of it and we will all benefit from it.”

Blankenship said the city’s truck being sold to Upper Township is win-win.

“Not only are they a neighboring entity,” he said, “we are also accessible to them if they have any questions about the truck or need to know anything about it.”