[quote name='res133cue' post='301685' date='Apr 30 2009, 21:46 ']Does CFD have any plans to replace the squad companies yet? they have to be getting worn out.[/quote]
Yes they are supposedly working on the specs this year to replace the 3 City Proper located Squads. There is only one problem however and that is the American La France company which now owns the right to build the "Snorkel" has stopped building new Snorkels and from what I understand will only remount and rehab old Snorkels on new chassis. I really don't know what the Department of Fleet management intends to do about that. Chicago is currently running with 3 identical 2 piece Squad/Snorkel companies that are made up of an HME/Central States Rescue Squad (walk in box style van) and an HME/Central States/ 55ft Snorkel apparatus which were all put in service in mid 2000 which will make them 10 years old in a little more then a year from now and hopefully they will have new rigs by then.
The Chicago Fire Department does have 2 1987 Spartan/E One/55 foot Snorkel Squad rigs that are used as spare Snorkels. The way I see it perhaps the Chicago Fire Department could have the Snorkels from with our current 3, 55 foot Snorkel/Squads or from our 2 spare Snorkel/Squads remounted on new chassis and that can solve the problem of American La France refusing to build or to market new Snorkels.
The American La France company purchased the "Snorkel" name and rights from the old "Snorkel" ex Pitman corporation sometime in the 90's ,but they have been holding the Snorkel hostage for several years now.
The ALF company has an unfair monopoly on the Snorkel and by refusing to build it ,they are depriving the fire service of a proven and useful piece of fire apparatus.
I believe that they should either sell the rights to build the "Snorkel" to another manufacturer that will build them or they should be the subject of a Class Action suit or some other relevant suit for jeopardizing public safety by refusing to build new Snorkels for Fire Departments that want and have used them in the present and the past.
Yes they are supposedly working on the specs this year to replace the 3 City Proper located Squads. There is only one problem however and that is the American La France company which now owns the right to build the "Snorkel" has stopped building new Snorkels and from what I understand will only remount and rehab old Snorkels on new chassis. I really don't know what the Department of Fleet management intends to do about that. Chicago is currently running with 3 identical 2 piece Squad/Snorkel companies that are made up of an HME/Central States Rescue Squad (walk in box style van) and an HME/Central States/ 55ft Snorkel apparatus which were all put in service in mid 2000 which will make them 10 years old in a little more then a year from now and hopefully they will have new rigs by then.
The Chicago Fire Department does have 2 1987 Spartan/E One/55 foot Snorkel Squad rigs that are used as spare Snorkels. The way I see it perhaps the Chicago Fire Department could have the Snorkels from with our current 3, 55 foot Snorkel/Squads or from our 2 spare Snorkel/Squads remounted on new chassis and that can solve the problem of American La France refusing to build or to market new Snorkels.
The American La France company purchased the "Snorkel" name and rights from the old "Snorkel" ex Pitman corporation sometime in the 90's ,but they have been holding the Snorkel hostage for several years now.
The ALF company has an unfair monopoly on the Snorkel and by refusing to build it ,they are depriving the fire service of a proven and useful piece of fire apparatus.
I believe that they should either sell the rights to build the "Snorkel" to another manufacturer that will build them or they should be the subject of a Class Action suit or some other relevant suit for jeopardizing public safety by refusing to build new Snorkels for Fire Departments that want and have used them in the present and the past.
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