It’s the Season to Take a Look At What New Year May Bring
From the Publishers Desk
It’s the season to be jolly and it’s also the season to wonder what’s ahead as the new year makes its debut as 1982.
The general state of the economy and the termination of revenue sharing by the federal government will affect the decisions of fire chiefs. The concerns of chiefs in these areas will be shared by the man ufacturers of tire service equipment. In the nearly 30 states that administer Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations, budgets will be strained to buy personal protective equipment mandated for all fire departments in those states.
Municipalities no longer will l>e able to buy apparatus with revenue sharing funds a process that has made such purchases seem almost painless to budget preparers in the past. Therefore, a shrinkage of apparatus orders from municipalities can be expected as cities and towns prune capital expenditures to keep tax rates in familiar territory.
On the other hand, volunteer fire departments that raise all or most of their operating funds will continue to buy apparatus. If a greater effort is needed to raise funds, the volunteer fire fighters will make that effort.
Resumption of production at two fire apparatus plants in 1981 is an indication of confidence in the future of the fire apparatus industry. Both the Seagrave Fire Apparatus and Maxim Motor Company plants that were closed for brief intervals after they got into financial difficulties have been reopened by new investors.
Apparatus prices will be affected not only by the inflation rate in 1982, but also by the prime rate. Working capital is limited in the fire apparatus industry, which depends extensively on borrowing to purchase apparatus components. In some cases, manufacturers are offering a financial incentive for purchasers to supply up-front money with additional payments in the late stages of production and after delivery.
The personal equipment market, which includes self-contained breathing apparatus, turnout coats, bunker pants, helmets, boots and gloves, will benefit from increased purchasing mandated by OSHA regulations. In those states which do not enforce OSHA regulations, the federal OSHA people have no authority to apply their regulations to municipal employees which includes paid and volunteer tire fighters. Industrial fire brigades have been subject to OSHA regulations since December 1980.
