CANFIELD — The Cardinal Joint Fire District Board of Directors unanimously approved a $1.4 million loan to be used for equipment.

The loan, approved Monday, would cover the cost of a new ladder truck, four heart monitors, and a new medical cart for use at events and the Canfield Fair.

CJFD Chief Don Hutchison said the heart monitors cost $55,000 each and would be placed in each of the district’s four ambulances.

“We are looking to purchase four,” he said. “We are also looking into a mass purchase with other fire departments joining in to get a lower price.”

The bulk of the loan — $1.1 million — would be for the department’s new ladder truck. The truck is expected to be delivered early in 2025 and will carry the same equipment a rescue squad has, including a jaws of life.

The loan for the new truck and equipment would be through Farmers National Bank.

According to Denise Harlan, CJFD vice chair, the loan would be for seven years at 5% interest, but the payback would be lower if it were paid back monthly.

In many government loans, the payback is made on an annual basis or once a year.

Harlan said by paying monthly, the balance comes down every month and the district would be saving money that could amount to $40,000.

Hutchison said the loan payments would be made from the equipment fund.

“It brings in around $600,000 a year,” he said. “The fund is for equipment with a life of more than five years, which the ladder truck, heart monitors and the emergency cart all fill that requirement.”

CJFD chairman Richard Russo said if the district has the funds, the loan would likely be paid off early.

The board voted unanimously to approve the loan and for the loan paperwork to be assembled by attorneys at a cost not to exceed $2,250.

Hutchison brought up another issue regarding Station 1 at 104 Lisbon St.

He said the exhaust system at that station is 20 years old and is no longer functioning properly. The system is designed to have a pop-off hose connected to the fire truck exhaust pipe.

When a call goes out and the fire truck is started, the exhaust fumes go into the hose and is safely pumped out of the building. As the fire truck pulls out of the station, the hose pops off, and the pump continues to run until the fumes are gone.

The old system at Station 1 no longer shuts off, but continues to run all the time. It has to be physically shut off, and it doesn’t handle all the vehicles at the station.

“We are hoping to find a grant to upgrade Station 1,” Hutchison said. “I met with (State Sen.) Al Cutrona and the only grants out there right now are Appalachian grants.”

He said Station 1 also needs an upgrade to be able to house more personnel.

In other business, Hutchison gave the monthly calls report. For October, 215 calls were run with a zero fire loss. Of that number, 105 were ambulance calls and the district responded to 11 mutual aid calls and received assistance on five.