Seagrave Fire Apparatus received a five-year contract from the City of Portland (ME) Fire Department, Maine, for new fire apparatus requirements. The contract is renewable for an additional five years.
Chairman & CEO A. Joseph Neiner said, “We are particularly gratified with the City of Portland Fire Department’s decision to select Seagrave as their long term partner in view of the extensive amount of time and effort expended evaluating alternative apparatus manufacturers.”
The estimated delivery date for the city’s first new Seagraves will be early 2011. The priority order for the City’s needs are to take delivery of a pumper first, which is already funded. The next apparatus would likely be an aerial and then possibly another pumper.
After a tour of the Seagrave factory and various discussions during the evaluation process, the Committee learned that everyone at Seagrave shared the same commitment to safety and long term value. Chief Fred LaMontagne reiterated that by saying, “The Seagrave line has the time tested value we (Portland) were seeking in the apparatus. That, and a clear understanding of our focus on fire fighter safety and practicality, made Seagrave our first choice.”
Portland is Maine’s largest city with a population of approximately 65,000. Portland is situated on a peninsula and overlooks Casco Bay. It is a major Seaport and has an International Jetport. The city is home to large industrial companies and a large area of residential multi-unit dwellings three to five stories tall in addition to single-family homes.
Portland’s first motorized apparatus was a 1917 Seagrave and the city continued to buy Seagrave into the 1960’s. Factors such as safety, durability, all-stainless steel construction and Seagrave’s assurance to deliver on commitments attracted them back to Seagrave. Fleetmasters, Inc. is the Seagrave Dealership for the area and Sales Representative Charlie Nigzus stated, “The contract was awarded to Seagrave based on the Company’s commitment to quality, innovation and long-term reliability.”
Neiner concluded, “We welcome back the City of Portland and are looking forward to providing the City with the safest and best lifetime value fire apparatus available in the industry. Seagrave has a proud 125+ year heritage of dedication to unmatched safety and long term customer value. This passion for safety and long term reliability has been and will continue to be the foundation of the value proposition that Seagrave offers its customers.”
