Houston Fire Department Apparatus

[Ladder 68]

The program uses run volume as the single criteria for determining if/when a company gets a new rig. For example E68 has a 2007 model year pumper. The company must keep the rig for 3 years after its original year; 2007 in service and eligible for replacement in 2010 is the rough math with same applying for truck company apparatus.



Like everything however there are exceptions...specific grant funding (CDBG for instance) which requires resources bought with these funds to be used in a specific area by extension certain stations. The original 11 Ferrara pumpers purchased were purchased using the same, or similar, funding mechanism and it resulted in all being assigned (generally speaking) on the eastern side of the city. These have all since been replaced with newer Ferrara apparatus and reassigned. Also Special Ops has their own criteria that I really don't follow but uses a significant amount of grant funding as I understand it (e.g. Heavy Rescue 11, the tractor trailer rig, was grant funded). At this time a large tandem axle rescue by SVI on a tandem axle Spartan chassis for assignment to Rescue Co. 42 on the east side/ship channel area of the city is being built. Did I say it was big? It is huge by the drawings. This is in addition to new Command Van 08 which is also a large tandem axle apparatus built by SVI on a Spartan chassis (White with black and red stripes) with 4-slide out sections that should either be delivered or about to be.



All in all, the replacement program for the suppression companies emphasizes replacement of rigs before they are worn out by extending their service life. When rotated out of the busier companies they are then refurbed in-house and re-assigned. While this process works remarkably well for 28's, 46's, 51's, 68's, 73's and other busy stations other stations are not too happy with the criteria...but as they say you can always transfer.