Massachusetts Fire Apparatus

[DCpsychwardFD]

[quote name='JStrunk866' date='19 June 2010 - 11:10 AM' timestamp='1276959043' post='388019']

No one is shutting down, there is just a lot less staffing and a lot of what levels have been maintained are with one time stimulus money. Wait until that runs out. Believe me my department would not have hired except for two things, the Feds told them they have to maintain certain levels or pay back the grant money and we had a lot of retirements, so the new hires are relatively cheaper than the guys that went out the door. Here's my take on why there is new apparatus.



1. I think most apparatus are bought with municipal bond money, financing spread out over long periods, instead of one lump sum (or with stimulus/grant funding). At least that's how my department and a few others have done it. There is a set amount of how much is available for capital expeditures and debt service in the budgets every year. Since the government can't just go ahead and refuse to pay its bills to the investors, it cuts personnel.



2. Politicians still think apparatus put out fires, not firefighters. They don't have as much of an issue buying apparatus because they can show the public no expense is spared buying new equipment. We all know it's usully the low bid, but everyone else just sees shiny and new. So we have new apparatus.... but no one to man them. Plus with no maintenance budget they go to hell pretty fast. The exhaust pipe on my engine is currently held up with a coat hanger wire because we can't pay for the new parts until July 1st. Last year the dept. fuel tanks ran dry a week before the fiscal year ended and we couldn't pay for more. We only fueled up if absolutely necessary at the water dept. pumps. I love hearing people ask why so many trucks were called to put out the fire when they all seemed to just be parked there. Yeah its because there aren't many guys working on them. Some places on a fire response its one guy, one truck. We're "fortunate" that we won't run with less than 3, but its a trade off with brownouts.



We have two new Pierce engines on the way this week and a similar ladder to Winchester's that is less than 6 months old, but when we close three companies a tour because there aren't enough bodies and almost no money for OT what good are they? The funny thing is we are starting to see an increase in fires because of the bad economy. I don't know how Lawrence is going to survive with what they have next year. We just got lucky with a save being made in a house fire where the first due engine was closed two blocks away. Not a mention in the paper and the person wasn't doing well last I heard.



And I will now get off my soapbox and show you sneak peeks at two of our new engines.

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Thanks Lt. Hopefully by the time the funding runs out there will have been some miracle in Mass. I had no idea Lowell was doing rolling brown outs. A city that actually see's some fire rolling the dice. Lowell is mirroring Baltimore, who just burnt one of thier guys up a month or so ago (luckily last I heard he was out of critical condition but needs extensive rehab). Stay safe up there.