As many as a dozen fire trucks damaged during the Thanksgiving flood in Cape Breton are now being assessed for repairs or replacement.
Out of service signs are plastered all over response vehicles at the Glace Bay Volunteer Fire Department. In Sydney, a HAZMAT truck is also out of commission.
"Probably six to eight cars and trucks, they sustained serious damage. Probably not going to be reusable," said Deputy Chief Chris March of the Cape Breton Regional Fire Department.
Several people were saved from their homes on Thanksgiving. All of the rescues are taking a toll on equipment.
"We had one engine in Sydney, as a result of responding that night, sustain serious damage,” said March. “The manufacturer actually recommended that truck be written off, and that's a half-million dollar truck that's only two years old."
Firefighters are training on a new aerial truck on loan from the Halifax Fire Service until damaged equipment can be replaced. More disaster response training is also under discussion.
Local president Rick Foote of the union representing the Cape Breton Regional Municipality firefighters says he also has concerns and has requested a meeting with management to do what he calls a “post-incident critique” of the disaster response.
March didn't want to speculate about repair costs, but says they could total $1 million.
"Seventeen people were pulled to safety that night, so as far as we're concerned, the damage is well-spent."
There is no clear timeline yet on equipment repairs. The city says it is focusing first on the people affected by the flooding.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Ryan MacDonald.
