[quote name='Dave Ehrman' timestamp='1354378897' post='504495']
Philadelphia has had many trials and tribulations with KME apparatus (and ALF as well just to be fair). This would include shoddy craftsmanship on the mid-90's orders - the story I remember in particular was the tailboards literally falling off of a couple of them early on; to the complete rejection of a ladder tower at one point. The first four of the new ones have been better received, hence the order for 19 more of them; however, Philly buys low bid right now - period end of story. They had tons of problems with ALF units, and yet have ordered four tillers from them that are in build process now as far as I know. Why would they buy them again, you say? Yep - LOW BID.
[/quote]
Although it should be noted that FDNY does its own thing for the most part. Someone in NYC seems to think that KME is meeting the spec - and in fact, they might be. However, what we won't see directly is how hard of a hit KME takes on the warranty work they will be responsible for over the first 5 years of the service life of the apparatus. They have the most comprehensive, cut-your-nuts-off warranty in the apparatus industry. There are manufacturers (Pierce) that don't bother with them - the warranty being one of the main reasons. KME (and Ferrara for that matter) is going to find out what their products are really made of. These kinds of deals can make or break even the largest apparatus builder.
Philadelphia has had many trials and tribulations with KME apparatus (and ALF as well just to be fair). This would include shoddy craftsmanship on the mid-90's orders - the story I remember in particular was the tailboards literally falling off of a couple of them early on; to the complete rejection of a ladder tower at one point. The first four of the new ones have been better received, hence the order for 19 more of them; however, Philly buys low bid right now - period end of story. They had tons of problems with ALF units, and yet have ordered four tillers from them that are in build process now as far as I know. Why would they buy them again, you say? Yep - LOW BID.
[/quote]
Although it should be noted that FDNY does its own thing for the most part. Someone in NYC seems to think that KME is meeting the spec - and in fact, they might be. However, what we won't see directly is how hard of a hit KME takes on the warranty work they will be responsible for over the first 5 years of the service life of the apparatus. They have the most comprehensive, cut-your-nuts-off warranty in the apparatus industry. There are manufacturers (Pierce) that don't bother with them - the warranty being one of the main reasons. KME (and Ferrara for that matter) is going to find out what their products are really made of. These kinds of deals can make or break even the largest apparatus builder.
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