North End Firehouse (Not) Feeling the Heat

The squirt 69 pumper is one of Pottstown's primary responders in case of a fire. It could be damaged if the boiler at the North End firehouse is not repaired quickly.

Wednesday night's borough council meeting covered a number of interesting topics, from a tax delinquent landlord, to domestic violence to street sweeping.

But the matter of the most urgency is the fact that the heater at the North End Firehouse has given up the ghost.

North End's Assistant Chief Dave Saylor came before council last night to report that the boiler at the firehouse, now more than 30 years old, is "leaking all over the place."

Early cost estimates to replace it and the non-functioning air handler in the bay are expected to come in between $30,000 and $40,000 -- money the fire company does not have in its maintenance budget.

Recognizing that failure of the heating system could not only damage the firehouse itself, but the valuable pumper that resides in the bay, council opted to act fast and to help the fire company with the money.

"If this were in the summer, it would not be an immediate problem," said Council President Dan Weand. "We need to act quickly."

The details of that help will be worked out in the next few days between staff and the fire company

No doubt, extra contributions from anyone able to do so would be particularly welcome in this crisis.

In the meantime, here are the Tweets from the fest of the meeting.