Foxborough Fire Opening Fire Truck, Equipment Repair Business

FOXBOROUGH, MA — The Foxborough Fire Department announced plans to open an in-house business repairing vehicles and other specialized equipment for neighboring fire departments.

Selectmen on Tuesday approved the idea, voting for an inter-municipal agreement with Norfolk that allows Foxborough fire employees to provide maintenance and repair services out of the town's public safety building on Chestnut Street for Norfolk.

Fire Chief Michael Keller characterized the plan as a win-win for the town and said the Norfolk Board of Selectmen already approved the partnership. Kelleher said the three-year agreement would generate additional income for the department and would essentially subsidize the cost of maintaining the fire department's vehicles.

According to Kelleher, Norfolk doesn't have a firefighter mechanic or the space needed to make major repairs. Norfolk has to either send their vehicles to the town's highway department for repairs or pay for them at a commercial shop.

Kelleher estimated Foxborough could charge up to 30 percent less than commercial shops and complete repairs faster while still making a profit. The program would be run by Eion Bohnert, a Foxborough firefighter who is also a certified diesel mechanic.

"The going rate for a mechanic right now at a commercial shop is anywhere between $145 and $160 an hour," Kelleher said. "We would pay him $45, which is roughly his overtime rate, and we would charge a rate of about $95 an hour, so the town would make $50 for every hour he worked on someone's truck."

The inter-municipal agreement the selectmen approved was limited to Norfolk, but Kellher said Wrentham fire officials also expressed interest in Foxborough's services. Kelleher said this should be feasible because both Norfolk and Wrentham have small fire departments.