Editor’s note: Roundtable is moving to the Web! Starting in March, the question will be posted exclusively on emberly.fireengineering.com, and you will be able to post your reply immediately for all to read and learn from. See you there in March!
Question: What affect has the economy had on your department’s apparatus purchase and maintenance programs?
We all know the costs associated with buying and maintaining apparatus. Still, I was a little surprised by the response to this month’s question. Of the 11 responses, three said so far so good and that there appeared to be no affect on the purchase or maintenance programs for their fleet. Another three have completely stopped purchases altogether. Two respondents have gone to purchasing used/demo or stock apparatus as a cost-saving measure, and one department has simply reconditioned the chassis of an older engine. Including Toledo, only one other department mentioned lease programs.
Some of the responses follow.
Bob Metzger, chief, Golden Gate (FL) Fire District: We recognized early on the impact that a faltering economy would have on our district. Being almost exclusively funded by ad valorem revenue (property taxes), we created a campaign in support of a referendum initiative requesting approval of an increase in our millage cap. The campaign started about a year ago and was passed by the voters in May 2009. This increase allows the district to maintain the employment of its members for the foreseeable future. The campaign results do not allow us to purchase apparatus—the sputtering economy still has not rebounded sufficiently for that.
Elby Bushong III, deputy chief, Phoenix (AZ) Fire Department: The bad economic times are making it difficult for us. We have had to find ways to use funds efficiently to be able to purchase as well as maintain the current fleet. At this time, we have not had to cancel any planned apparatus purchases.
Rick Lasky, chief, Lewisville (TX) Fire Department: As for the economy’s effect on our apparatus purchases and maintenance programs, we run our own shops and are blessed with one of the best fire apparatus mechanics in the country and his partner working for us. We also have an “internal lease” program, which was funded years ago. The amount that would have been needed each year to make a “leasing” payment on an apparatus was set aside in each year’s budget.
Christopher J. Weir, division chief, Port Orange (FL) Department of Fire & Rescue: Since most of our responses are EMS related, we looked at the purchase of an EMS transport vehicle equipped with SCBAs, tools, CAFS capability, heavy extrication equipment, and the capacity for carrying three to four personnel per response. The objective was not to replace all front-line engines with this style of vehicle but to use this vehicle on our center city EMS-related responses when in quarters. Using this vehicle would curtail maintenance costs and excessive wear and tear that would occur if the front-line engine were used for EMS calls. In case of structural or vehicular fire responses, the CAFS and preconnected 1¾-inch hoseline on the transport could be used as a stopgap measure to contain the fire until the second-due engine arrives for additional resource allocation.
Jeffrey Schwering, captain, Crestwood (MO) Department of Fire Services: Our maintenance programs are holding up well, thanks to members of the department who are assisting our maintenance officer with many in-house repairs. Our proactive maintenance program saves the city hundreds of dollars annually. We are in the middle of budgets now; until that is finished, our status for 2010 is unknown.As far as apparatus purchase is concerned, nothing has been mentioned to indicate a new engine in the near future.
Jeff Abbott, deputy chief, Decatur (IL) Fire Department: Fortunately, we were able to purchase two pumpers last year before the economy tanked. Unfortunately, we have a $900,000 aerial platform that needs to be replaced, and now there is no money to replace it.
John Staley, chief, Thornton (CO) Fire/EMS: The most important impact the economy has had on our purchases has been for us to consider stock equipment and demos.
Mark Greatorex, chief, Hamilton Township (OH) Fire Rescue: Our department has established a replacement schedule for our apparatus. We put money aside each year for apparatus replacements or upgrades. We need to replace our 1985 open jumpseat apparatus, but the economy has slowed this down for us. We have looked at remounting the body from our 1996 pumper onto a new chassis, which is estimated to cost between $250,000 and $300,000. But, is this a sound alternative?
Julian Rapps, firefighter, Langford (British Columbia, Canada) Fire Rescue: We have bought secondhand equipment from the United States—a 2000 aerial from Denver in 2007, a 2000 rescue from Alabama in 2008, and a new pumper in 2009.
Charlie Cahill, assistant chief, Westmere (NY) Fire Department: We have been fortunate that we have in our yearly budget a line for placing monies for future apparatus purchases. We are able to pay cash for our apparatus when the time comes for replacement.
John “Skip” Coleman retired as assistant chief from the Toledo (OH) Department of Fire and Rescue. He is a technical editor of Fire Engineering ; a member of the FDIC Educational Advisory Board; and author of Incident Management for the Street-Smart Fire Officer (Fire Engineering, 1997), Managing Major Fires (Fire Engineering, 2000), and Incident Management for the Street-Smart Fire Officer, Second Edition (Fire Engineering, 2008).
