OBSERVER File Photo The Cassadaga Fire Department is seeking a replacement for its current ambulance.

CASSADAGA — The Cassadaga Fire Department did its due diligence and came close to submitting a proposal for a new fire truck, but then, a more pressing need jumped to the front of the line.

The department is “in dire need” of a new ambulance. Tim Cobb informed the Village Board of the situation at a recent meeting.

Cobb and other members of the department recently traveled to Michigan in hopes of securing a refurbished fire truck, but shortly after they returned home, they were forced to “switch gears.”

Cobb said, “Instead of looking at a tanker right now, we need to look for an ambulance.”

The department’s ambulance has failed multiple times over the past few weeks. The ambulance was out of commission for eight days, and during that timeframe, the department received 20 calls.

During the month of July, the Cassadaga Fire Department responded to 21 calls, with 15 of those calls being Emergency Medical Service calls.

Cobb said he has looked into having the current ambulance reset on a new chassis. He claimed that Forestville is having their ambulance remounted at a cost of around $280,000. With the exact issue with the current model unclear after visiting multiple repair shops, it is unclear if the issue would be resolved by stripping the system and remounting it.

However, for only about $35,000 more than the cost of remounting the current ambulance, Cobb believes the department could purchase a new ambulance. The department could then trade in its current ambulance.

Cobb said Sinclairville ordered a new ambulance roughly a year ago, and it could be another 1-2 years before it is received. To avoid that dilemma, Cobb is looking into purchasing a demo-unit. One company he received a quote from stated a price of just over $300,000, with availability this coming March.

The department has contacted Congressman Nick Langworthy’s office for assistance. Trustee Danna DuBois stated that grant funding is very challenging to acquire for the purpose of vehicle purchases.

Cobb will come before the Board again at a future meeting with an update.

On a more positive note, the department recently added two new members, both of whom are 23 years old.

Also of note, Cassadaga Lakes Association has yet to receive approval from the Department of Environmental Conservation regarding the removal of beaver dams surrounding the village’s lakes. Water levels were abnormally high this past year, and removal of beavers and the dams they formed was targeted as a way to lower the water levels.

“That’s really quite disappointing,” said Nancy Wickmark of the Cassadaga Lakes Association. “The DEC was a part of the whole plan to begin with, so we expected that they would be well-educated in what we were attempting and agreed with what we were going forward with, but we still don’t have the permits.”

The Village Board is also targeting a review of the village’s Comprehensive Plan in the coming months. An updated Comprehensive Plan is targeted for completion by January.

Matt Zarbo, of Square Engineering, is expected to provide an update regarding the Village’s water project at an upcoming meeting, as well.