The Chairman's Corner
GARRY ARANDA
SWAC Fire
We are already into the second quarter and things are just buzzing along, your e-
Board members are busy making changes to the academy class schedule, finalizing
contracts with instructors and preparing to present your twentieth annual Fire Mechanics
Academy.
Several special events are planned to make this year one of the best academies presented,
so don’t forget to get your application filled out or better yet jump over to the
website and fill out the application there.
If you haven’t turned in you membership, make sure and complete it so you can receive
some of the benefits of being an association member.
If you didn’t make the last quarterly association and training meeting you missed out
some excellent information presented by our own Bill McCartney, a presentation was
given on the new NFPA 1901 changes and discussion regarding requirements for apparatus
maintenance and inspections under NFPA 1911.
Thanks to the membership for requesting information about these topics, this is what
the association is about. This months training is based on your members input, we
will have a class on the emission requirements on fire apparatus presented by Spartan
motors. In addition we have planned a presentation on NFPA 1911, and a representative
from TCI tire will be there as well.
Hope to see you there!
RAMBLER
.…..Garry Aranda
Vice Chairman's Corner
Jay Powell
Vice Chairman
Contact the Association
www.co-fma.com
COLORADO FIRE MECHANIC'S ASSOCIATION
P.O. BOX 17961 DENVER, COLORADO
80217
Chairman: Garry Aranda, 303-429-3597,garanda@co-fma.com
Vice Chairman: Jay Powell, 303-972-0734, jpowell@co-fma.com
Treasurer: Chris Nelson, 970-389-8659, cnelson@co-fma.com
Secretary: Ken Roland,720-322-7570, kroland@co-fma.com
Academy Coordinator: Larry Thompson,lthompson@co-fma.com
THE 2010 FIRE MECHANIC DUES ARE DUE IN JANUARY. IF YOU HAVEN'T SENT IN YOUR RENEWAL FEE, PLEASE DO SO NOW.
THE RAMBLER
News from the Secretary
We had a big turnout at the last meeting
@ North Metro in January. Congratulations
and thanks for all that
attended as well as Bill McCartney
and North Metro Fire for being gracious
hosts. Hopefully this starts a
good trend.
A few discussions surfaced such as
who is or isn’t experiencing problems
with Ford equipment. Another subject
was rollover testing and some of
the things are involved in it.
Secretary Report
RAMBLER
PAGE 2
The upcoming meeting is going to be
packed full information as well. We’re
looking at getting some tire information,
a couple of mfgs would like to go over
some things and some upcoming
changes for 2010 will be discussed. So
come prepared to have some input and
gain a little something from it.
Be sure to visit the website, www.cofma.
com to sign up for the Academy in
Greeley, July 27th - 31st. I understand
that some have been scared away due to
a pricing error but corrections have been
made so be sure to sign up!
Be sure to join us @ Westminster Fire
Station 2 on April 29th
Ken Roland
Fellas, a genuine concern has been brought to light about the lack of attendance at the meetings
other than same core. These meetings are important to all of us and it’s up to you to see
the benefits. For instance, Hill Bros provided information on biodiesel fuel that really shouldn’t
have been missed. I mean things like how one of the fuels can be and is used for a top notch
cleaner. Personal experiences were discussed and even though there’s still much debate on
whether it’s the fuel or the equipment that’s the problem, the point is that there’s something that
you could’ve taken back to your various departments and service centers to avoid future problems
or correct current ones.
Yes, we realize budget issues for those who would have to travel a considerable distance to attend.
Those of us here on the Front Range are not opposed to come across the hills to have
meetings on the Western Slope. When we say we want your input and participation, we mean
it! All it takes is for someone to step up and say they would like to host a meeting, for starters.
Another way is to put out in the open what topics are a concern to you. I hate sounding like I’m
trying to start a pep rally, but people this is that important!
Remember, that just like the vehicles we drive or the tools in our boxes, they’re good only if you
use them!
Thanks,
Ken Roland
Association Secretary
Meeting Notes:
Meeting Agenda
20th Academy
Next CFMA Meeting—
Ken Roland
News From the Academy Coordinator
Bill McCartney
Scuttlebutt
Lessons from Boston
By ,Janet Willmoth
The report “Maintenance Practices Assessment for the Boston Fire Department” should be mandatory reading for
every fire chief, city manager and fleet supervisor across North America. As EVTs have told me, Boston’s haphazard
approach to vehicle maintenance is what happens when chiefs and city managers fail to accept responsibility for
emergency vehicle safety.
“The report speaks for itself and it’s not very good,” said Paul Lauria, president of Mercury Associates, the fleetmanagement
consulting firm that produced the report. “They did a few things right, but there are a lot of things
that need to be improved in the management and in the maintenance, vehicle specification and driver training.”
The fire department commissioned Maryland-based Mercury Associates after the January accident in which Lt.
Kevin Kelley after the brakes on a ladder truck reportedly failed. Mercury Associates is an employee-owned firm
that advises fleet owners — from Fortune 500 companies to public safety and municipal agencies — on ways to
improve the management and operation of their fleets. Lauria conducted the assessment over a two-day period
and delivered the report.
“I have been a consultant for 25 years, and for a city its size and stature, it was pretty amazing,” said Lauria. “It’s
hard to fathom that when you ask what the oil change intervals are and they have no idea.”
The introduction of the report focuses on the negative versus positives because consultants were tasked with identifying
“… the department’s primary goal in commissioning our review was to identify weaknesses that it needs to
overcome.…
“No amount of attention, expertise or money can eliminate bad habits overnight that have developed over many
years…”
The report cited the department’s lack of a professional fleet manager or professional apparatus maintenance technicians,
formally defined preventive maintenance program for fire apparatus, documentation for annual inspections
or oil changes reportedly performed, and inadequate driver training “other than what they receive at the fire academy,
firefighters receive on the job training.”
“Their Local 718 has been relatively quiet,” Lauria said. “It’s hard to imagine that they are the ones that got firefighters
exempt from getting CDLs.”
The report also includes specific recommendations for the department to make within the next three to 18 months.
Lauria and his staff frequently serve as expert witnesses, and he said that if a private citizen had been killed instead
of a firefighter, the Boston Fire Department potentially would have been liable for millions of dollars. “A plaintiff
would have them dead to rights,” he said
Whether a citizen or a firefighter, no one should die because of a faulty or poorly maintained emergency vehicle.
Apparatus AdviceApparatus Advice
Janet Wilmoth January 14th, 2009
Apparatus manufacturers saw a big surge in apparatus sales late in 2008, as fire departments rushed to purchase fire trucks before the new version of NFPA 1901 went into effect and $8,000 to $10,000 to the cost of a new rig. And apparatus builders anticipate another surge late this year, before new engine emission regulations take effect on Jan. 1, 2010, and add another $10,000 to $15,000 to the price tag.
This year will be tough on fire department budgets, but apparatus manufacturers agree that 2009 is a good year to buy a new fire truck and save significant money before 2010.
“We’ve had departments buy trucks and specify delivery in 2010,” said Harold Boer, president of Rosenbauer
and CEO of Central States. “We’ll have the chassis in ’09, but they won’t take delivery until 2010.”
One way to save dollars is to look closely at needs versus wants and value versus function. “The number of discharges American departments put on fire trucks is eight to 10, and it’s rare that a fire department uses all
of them because they don’t have enough manpower,” said Boer. “I’m not saying departments don’t need them, but most departments don’t. We’ve done trucks with six crosslays. Assess what your needs are and you can take a lot of the cost out.” It’s also important to shop around for the best value, not necessarily the lowest price.
“It is important that fire departments view apparatus purchases as capital expenditures and amortize the cost of the vehicle over its useful life, usually 20 years or so,” said Paul Darley, president of W.S. Darley & Co..
Of course, a big area of concern is new engine and emissions requirements.
“I’ve read some engine manufacturers are going to require an additional tank to hold urea, while others are trying to not install that type of technology, said Joe Messmer, president of Summit Fire Apparatus. “Regardless, the engines are going to cost more. The overall chassis is likewise taking an increase for the additional engineering to alleviate the additional heat generatedby these new engines.”
Messmer also encouraged fire chiefs to consider smaller builders for value and accountability.
“When chiefs look at a smaller builder they find more ingenuity, a better response to their needs and generally better pricing,”
he said. “Smaller builders also must take care of warranty issues — their future depends on it. I’ve seen larger builders turn a
deaf ear to issues that smaller builders respond to.”
And when you don’t know, ask.
“Ask [manufacturers] how their unit can be more efficient, at less cost and still meet the mission intended for the truck,” Messmer
said. If they are worth their salt they can show you things you were not aware of.”
Wilson Jones, president of Pierce Manufacturing, said financing is readily available and with good options. “It’s been interesting
to see how creative fire departments have been and particularly taking advantage of pre-payment. [Financing] rates have never
been this low for financing trucks. Instead of looking at the top of the line, some fire departments are considering a mediumblock
engine versus a big-block and some of the content.”
Darley agreed with Jones. “Despite what you read in the newspaper, financing is available and it’s currently at historically low
levels,”
While the NFPA standards and emission regulations were created for better health and safety, fire chiefs are cognizant budget
restrictions are not going to change overnight or over the next couple years. Are you buying new this year?
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