Apparently wanting to hedge their bets to make sure fire safety is not compromised in Mount Airy, city officials will fund repairs for an ailing ladder truck while hoping Uncle Sam supplies a new one.

Though the municipality has unsuccessfully sought a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant for an aerial firetruck before, the board of commissioners gave the nod at a meeting Thursday night to try again.

“We submitted it this past year,” Interim City Manager Barbara Jones said of an application to FEMA for funding, “and were denied. So we’re hoping to learn from that.”

FEMA would supply 95 percent of the new vehicle's cost.

The situation surrounding the Mount Airy Fire Department’s lone aerial truck, which is equipped with a ladder and bucket to help firemen battle blazes at taller buildings, has been a contentious issue in recent years. Officials have debated the need for a new truck with a price tag put at $800,000 while also trying to avoid major expenditures in a tough economy.

At the same time, there are fears about not having operable equipment if it’s needed.

“The aerial is currently out of service again,” Jones told board members Thursday night. “The captains (of the fire department) have talked to me about their concerns with the truck.”

Hydraulic and other problems have been linked to the ladder truck, which have caused the bucket not to level properly once it was lifted into the air. The commissioners were told by a fire department representative at Thursday night’s meeting that pumping and water shaft issues are the main concerns, with the repair costs put at about $18,000.

Even if the FEMA grant for a new aerial truck comes through, it could be about two years before the vehicle is put on line, due to the timetable for the grant application and other factors, the commissioners were told. The fire department only recently learned that its application from last year was turned down, although department leaders believe they came close to receiving funding.

The commissioners elected Thursday night to proceed with the repairs to ensure the city will have aerial-truck capabilities, even if the federal agency doesn’t approve the grant application.

Commissioner Jon Cawley said that with Mount Airy struggling to avoid major capital expenditures from the city budget, the repairs “make sense.”

Assistance to Firefighters Grants offered through FEMA, which is part of the Department of Homeland Security, are awarded for a variety of firefighting needs, including emergency vehicles, equipment, protective gear and training.

Congress appropriated $390 million for grants in the 2010 fiscal year.

Contact Tom Joyce at tjoyce@mtairynews.com or at 719-1924.