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Detroit Fire Department to finally receive new apparatus
#1
http://www.detroitmi.gov/News/tabid/3196...fault.aspx


Talk about badly needed, it's finally happening. I read that Pierce was in town several months ago with demos, so I really wouldn't be surprised if they go that route.


Trav!
Travis- Mill Twp. Fire Dept. Marion, IN.
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#2
Trav,

 

I worked a little on this with the rapid response units.  Expect them to come out much like LA County Squads. 

 

As for who will get the bid, I will just say it should be interesting and I wouldn't rest all my chickens with the Big Bad P! 

Although I certainly wouldn't bet against them.  It's going to be interesting to see how this bid stands up to smell test

with past bids. 

 

Bids for other departments thru this bankruptcy have been for the most part be given much more scrutiny and the days

of we want this because we said so are for the most part over.  I know of a few bids that were written by and around brand

A's product be awarded to brand D because it was a better value.

 

The thing I still have not seen is an official bid document from the city. 

 

The bigger question is who will get the ambulance contract if it goes to Horton I would say things have not changed.  If it

goes back to Wheeled Coach same comment but I'm not sure who I think deserves the contract seems service and honoring

a contract are no longer important to anyone. 

 

Kris

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#3
Kris, thank you for the insight. I suspected Pierce, although I really have no idea, that was only based off of hearing they were in town a couple of months ago. Whoever it is, better be able to stand up to work, that can't be argued. The ambulances are going to Horton, on F-550 chassis.


Trav!
Travis- Mill Twp. Fire Dept. Marion, IN.
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#4
Trav,

 

Interesting like I said I would not say it's not Pierce, things are changing so alot of the good old network has dissipated.

 

I can't believe with all this issues with Horton they went back to them, but nothing really surprises me anymore.  The first time

that I have to send two people and two vehicles 100+ miles because my drug box is stuck in a truck is the last time. 

 

But I've been at this long enough to know that no one ever learns and things seldom change.

 

Kris

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#5
Kris, I was wrong, it's AEV. The new ambulances are all Red, with a Black stripe, and Gold lettering.


Trav!
Travis- Mill Twp. Fire Dept. Marion, IN.
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#6
A big birdy has told me they'll be getting 12 engines from someone other than Brand P....

Taylor Goodman
Captain - Henrico County (VA) Division of Fire
Fire Chief - Huguenot VFD, Powhatan, VA
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#7
Quote:A big birdy has told me they'll be getting 12 engines from someone other than Brand P....
 

I've also heard the same thing.  I however can't confirm who though as my source knows who I am on here.  Smile
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#8
Interesting!! Can't wait to hear you it is. We are looking at several units and are pleased with our Pierce but the pricing is a bit high and quality is down. We started looking at other manufacturers and we will see what happens.

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#9
Just because the local Smeal dealer posted on FB that they got the Detroit contract, it is not official from what I know. The Detroit city council has not voted on it and no purchase order has been issued. Of the three manufacturers who submitted bids, the Smeal proposal least met the Detroit spec. One of the issues is the cab, the Detroit spec called for a one manufacturer for cab and hose body. The Smeal's would be built with a Spartan cab and chassis. 

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#10
Seems to be happening more and more in big city or multiple unit bids.  Locally, XXX manufacturer submitted the lowest bid over XXXXXXXX by $75,000 combined on 2 pumpers.  However, the specs were nowhere close.  I'm guessing XXX hoped that the price difference would be too much to ignore and the city bean counters would force the department to take low bid, regardless of how off-spec they were.  The department was able to justify awarding the contract to XXXXXXXX.  However, one of these days...and in this economy...that tactic will actually work. 

 

Kent Parrish

Louisville, KY
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#11
Quote:Seems to be happening more and more in big city or multiple unit bids.  Locally, XXX manufacturer submitted the lowest bid over XXXXXXXX by $75,000 combined on 2 pumpers.  However, the specs were nowhere close.  I'm guessing XXX hoped that the price difference would be too much to ignore and the city bean counters would force the department to take low bid, regardless of how off-spec they were.  The department was able to justify awarding the contract to XXXXXXXX.  However, one of these days...and in this economy...that tactic will actually work. 

 

Kent Parrish

Louisville, KY
Then what's the point of writing specs.  I have seen this happen many times and the Firefighters who get stuck with the low-bid rig are most often the ones to suffer for it.  If the only thing that matters is the price, then maybe we should start buying apparatus at Wal-Mart!
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#12
I agree.  They were able to justify to the city why they should buy the manufacturer (highest bidder) that met their specs, which are extremely tight for multiple reasons.  But, a different day and different administration...who knows. 

 

Kent Parrish

Louisville, KY
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#13
Who submitted bids for the Engines and the Squads? I really hope Rosenbauer had nothing to do with it, but Smeal, I don't see Smeal holding up in Detroit. I've never operated off of one, but I have NEVER heard anyone compliment one.


Trav!
Travis- Mill Twp. Fire Dept. Marion, IN.
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#14
Smeal routinely sells to some big city, high call volume departments. Detroit obviously brings a new set of challenges. My guess is among the biggest is a lack of maintenance of rigs after they're delivered. Any manufacturer will have things fall apart if you don't properly maintain them.
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#15
Yeah Charlotte NC, Cleveland OH. or Ft Worth TX are neither big or busy cities.......

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#16
Smeal, Pierce , KME

 

I've heard nothing on squads. 

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#17
If Smeal gets it, doesn't this mean they're going to have those hideous looking cabs on them that Ferrara is making, thus the "single source manufacturer"?

Travis- Mill Twp. Fire Dept. Marion, IN.
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#18
And Smeal takes it...

 

http://www.firehouse.com/press_release/1...om-pumpers

Travis- Mill Twp. Fire Dept. Marion, IN.
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#19
Quote:If Smeal gets it, doesn't this mean they're going to have those hideous looking cabs on them that Ferrara is making, thus the "single source manufacturer"?
 

 

Based on the press release they will be on Spartan MetroStar chassis.
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#20
Yeah I saw that in the article, it wasn't published at the time of my question.

 

Thanks,

Trav!

Travis- Mill Twp. Fire Dept. Marion, IN.
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