Boston Fire Department

[KDWMAEMT]

Absolutely. And you have to change to find out it doesn't work. E\-One aerials, as Skip will tell you, work well and had for years in Boston. The underslug jacks on the E\-One's are a perfect design for Boston's tight neighborhoods. And now being able to get back to a single rear axle truck, its a perfect fit. The Pierce Ascendant is about the only other rig I can think of that can come close. E\-One's build quality went WAY down a number of years ago and maybe that had something to do with the initial change. But in the last few years, being out from under the Federal Signal blanket has, according to multiple reports, done wonders for E\-One and their quality. And to have the top brass of BFD demo and commit to buying the initial 4 Metro's , says something about the product. Not to mention if they are indeed buying 4 more (at the expense of half an academy class), they must be at least fairly impressed with what they saw and speed up the turnover.

[SOlsonBFDL14]

The KME's spend more time in the shop than they do in the field, at least that's the feeling, not completely unfounded. I have a friend that is a Captain of a company that has a KME & he stated that without question it is the worst piece he's ever worked on (for the record he's worked on Seagraves, E\-One's, Pierces & KME's). The previous administration tried to fit a square peg into a round hole, plain & simple. E\-One aerials have worked out great for us since we purchased our first one in 1984 (over the years we've purchased at least 45 of them) and we never should've gone away from them. Their jacking system seems like it was made specifically for us, as does the new Metro. We'll see how it works out, but the guys I've spoken to are happy to be going back to E-Ones.

[SOlsonBFDL14]

Boston's situation is unprecedented, sort of, it seems. They must be taking a loss with the KME's with depreciation and not trying to get the entire life span out of them, so there has to be serious issues. Beyond mechanical and other similar issues, are there operation issues as well, such as operation of the aerial, jacks, pumps, etc?

 

Also, was it a different administration that bought the Pierces and KME's? And what was the reasoning behind straying from E-One at the time?

As far as I know, it's completely mechanical issues. Things are breaking that should NOT be breaking. It was under two different Commissioners that we got away from E\-One. The first one smartened up after the 4 Pierce aerials, the second one was gone before he smartened up. :-)

[SOlsonBFDL14]

So what are they going to do with the KME ladders??

The plan is to attempt to liquidate the fleet of KME's as soon as feasible. It won't happen overnight, looking at a few years, but it will happen.

[recoveringspark]

You can't mention the KME issues without mentioning the Maxxforce motors. The majority of problems with these pieces are related to the power plant. It would have been interesting to see how the KME performed with a suitable motor. I hope the metro 100 perform well but only time will tell. The diet they put the metro 100 on to get it back on a single rear axle screams light duty to me.

[KDWMAEMT]

I'm curious as to how they did it too. The website actually suggests that the Metro is stronger than the 110 ever was. 110 is 300lbs across the board while the Metro is 300-825lbs depending on aerial position. I know they redesigned the structure of the aerial into their stronger "Toughtruss" design but by looks alone, it seems like it'd be weaker

[edburke]

(for the record he's worked on Seagraves, E-One's, Pierces & KME's). 

 

No Maxims?

[hp1530]

The plan is to attempt to liquidate the fleet of KME's as soon as feasible. It won't happen overnight, looking at a few years, but it will happen.

 

That is surprising as the KME engines are between 3-6 years old and the trucks are about 2-3 years old (excluding the tower). Still that must be quite a loss BFD is taking.

 

Also how is tower ladder 10 holding up?

 

You can't mention the KME issues without mentioning the Maxxforce motors. The majority of problems with these pieces are related to the power plant. It would have been interesting to see how the KME performed with a suitable motor. I hope the metro 100 perform well but only time will tell. The diet they put the metro 100 on to get it back on a single rear axle screams light duty to me.

 

I've heard the same thing about the Maxxforce engines, they have issues. Another issue is parts availability. Always thought that International diesel engines were very reliable powerplants.

[cml0774]

So it sounds like a motor problem; why did they go with the maxxforce engine? The past couple of years our KMEs have come with Cummins engines and we havent had any major issues.

What apparatus builder doesnt have its problems; especially with all the new EPA regs put on the motors.

Eone metro looks like it doesnt hold much(equipment space and ground ladders)

[SOlsonBFDL14]

You can't mention the KME issues without mentioning the Maxxforce motors. The majority of problems with these pieces are related to the power plant. It would have been interesting to see how the KME performed with a suitable motor. I hope the metro 100 perform well but only time will tell. The diet they put the metro 100 on to get it back on a single rear axle screams light duty to me.

We've had a KME pump with less than 24 months street time have half of the suspension fall out of it. The day after it got a MA Inspection sticker.

[SOlsonBFDL14]

 

No Maxims?

He's not that old.........and he may have worked elsewhere prior to coming back home. ;-)

[edburke]

He's not that old.........and he may have worked elsewhere prior to coming back home. ;-)

 

 

 

Ahhh....now the Seagrave reference without Maxim makes sense.  I remember a fun night on the town with him when he was "elsewhere"

[KDWMAEMT]

As far as I know and have seen, the bodies on these new Metros will be similar if not exactly the same as the bodies on the old single axle rearmount's. Boston never carried much "extra" equipment on the ladder trucks. Lots of ground ladders though, which these will have. I'm sure there will be things that the Metro wont be able to carry that the KME's and even the dual axle E\-One's could. But it looks like its just simple, practical truck company operations, the way it was done for years

[Chasselber1]

What is the staffing level on your truck companies and do you have any tiller trucks?

[edburke]

What is the staffing level on your truck companies and do you have any tiller trucks?

 

1 & 3 and no

[SOlsonBFDL14]

 

1 & 3 and no

 

Minimum staffing on ALL apparatus, save for specialty units, is contractually guaranteed to be no less than 1 & 3. If possible the Deputy Chief's in the field try, without hiring OT, to staff both Rescues & both Towers 1 & 4. And we haven't had any tillers in service in at least 20 years.

[Dickey]

Just so I understand correctly, 1 & 4 means 1 officer and 4 firefighters correct?

[SOlsonBFDL14]

Just so I understand correctly, 1 & 4 means 1 officer and 4 firefighters correct?

 

Correct. Either a Lieutenant or a Captain & either 3 or 4 firefighters.

[Dickey]

Swell, thanks man!!

[KDWMAEMT]

I'm hearing that the "no tillers in 20 years" may once again change. May have to see if it actually comes true this time