Many Greenawalds volunteer firefighters turned out at the Oct. 16 South Whitehall commissioners meeting to support acquisition of a new truck to replace their 1988 Pierce engine pumper.

Board President Christina "Tori" Morgan said the Greenawalds truck was up for consideration in 2012 on the South Whitehall fire apparatus replacement list.

Township staff have been looking at NFPA and insurance standards to determine the best type of truck to meet the needs of the Greenawalds area.

Commissioner David Bond said South Whitehall has only one aerial truck and this is stationed in Cetronia.

He said staff are examining the situation to see whether an aerial truck should be purchased for the northern section of the township and stationed in Greenawalds.

Morgan said township Manager Jon Hammer is working on finding a consultant to provide advice on what equipment will best meet the requirements of South Whitehall.

Mark Kopunek, sales manager for KME, Nesquehoning, presented three options for a Greenawalds fire truck.

He said he has been working for more than a year developing specifications and pricing.

The first choice is a $466,666 pumper; the second is a $460,036 pumper.

The third option is an aerial model with a price of $760,752. The proposal includes a choice of ladder heights, with the 109-foot model recommended by Kopunek.

He said growth is projected north of Walbert Avenue with single family homes on large lots, requiring a longer ladder reach and sturdy jacks for the truck.

Kopunek said his company's prices are good for 90 days and will increase 3 percent to 4 percent each year.

"We'll take this information and be ready to roll when the time is good," Morgan said.

"It's a lot of money for everybody. You don't want to make the wrong decision," Bond added.