Another new fire truck for Depew

[WNYresident]

I can't believe I'm saying this (j/k), but 4248 is correct. DFD had 2 very close calls - life or death situations - during structure fires. Mechanical failure could have cost one fire chief his life at a working fire - his bunker gear protected him from catastrophic injury, but the gear was melted and burned beyond repair (no exaggeration).

As for the purchase of used trucks, Rick is right - unknown issues. Lancaster Village had this problem with a used truck they purchased (I think it was the ladder truck). They poured a lot of money into the the apparatus for maintenance, if I remember correctly. You do what you have to to hold costs down, but at some point you have to weigh preservation of life (both residents and firefighters) over cost.

Can you really compared a Buffalo fire truck to a truck used lets say in Cheektowaga or Depew? I am assuming there are many more calls per truck in Buffalo compared to Depew or Cheektowaga.

How many structural fires does this group have per year?

[4248]

Don't get me wrong - I have no way of knowing all the considerations involved here !

But consider this,

If you have a plan in place (which most Departments don't) - to replace needed equipment on a reasonable schedule. You can plan to set aside funds in your budget. This avoids sudden unplanned budget hits and levels the tax burden .

Most Volunteers Departments depend on the "Political Needs" of that areas Politicians
- when they need the votes - you get to much
- when they don't need your vote - you get ignored and the Politicians brag about cutting costs.

Preventative maintenance costs is another killer - some times just from sitting seals go , thing degrade > That's part of the reason people see FF's cleaning and "Playing" with the equipment on a regular basis.

"Playing" serves multiple purposes, familiarization for new people, vehicle inspection and equipment maintenance and so on. But what we see is minor compared to what has to be done and paid for.

If we (average residents) store a vehicle for a prolonged time or even days or weeks:
If it doesn't start, we just charge the battery or whatever and come back later.
If we have a flat - no big change the tire - or call the mechanic
I think you see where I am going here !

Now if the alarm rings and the fire truck doesn't start - most volunteer houses don't have a certified mechanic on duty - so if its beyond the norm (someone forgot to plug in the charger) that vehicle is "Out of service"

- if your traveling to a call, the engine stalls out - the driver turns the key and it wont restart - that vehicle is "Out of service"

- now remember all the equipment used to carry and pump water - what if a tank seal leaks - what if the pump hydraulics wont engage and so on - that vehicle is "Out of service"

- the house is burning - law suits will follow !

Now here's one car guys can equate to, how many times do you walk up on a vehicle and from 10 feet away it looks amazing - great lines - plenty of chrome -

Now you open the hood and there's been no maintenance
- you look underneath and you see dripping oil, radiator fluid
- rusty dented frame
- now ad water leaking.

Besides that you have electrolysis - electricity running trough dissimilar metals at many points - they corrode just from touching each other.

If a vehicle is older - look at it this way - like electronics today - manufactures change designs and functions constantly. What you had may not be cost affective to update or upgrade. Besides what do you use when its in the shop - most times in a different City ?

Just Askin ?