Two firefighter/paramedic from Amherst got jolted Tuesday returning from the hospital when the rear wheels sheared off their ambulance.

No patient was in the vehicle at the time of the accident and the crew was not injured. But firefighters suggest the failure is a sign of city’s need to invest more in its equiment.

“For the past eight years we have been requesting to shift the replacement cycle of our ambulances from 10 years to 7-8 years, allowing us to replace them before catastrophic failure occurs. Our ambulances are running more calls every year, in all weather, on New England roads and these are hard miles on the vehicles,” the union said in a statement about the incident.

Experience has taught the firefighters that a catastrophic failure is likely before an ambulance reaches 10 years of age, the union said. The city has not so far agreed to speed up purchasing replacement vehicles.

Some firefighters in Miami recently have been raising funds in an attempt to restore a 1949 Seagrave pumper. The 1949 Seagraves were equipped with 600-gallons-per-minute, front-mounted pumps and a 250- to 1,000-gallon water tank.

It’s been estimated the total restoration project will take around $15,000 to complete.

The ’49 model was bought new by the city. After life on the front line as well as a reserve, the pumper was sold at auction. It landed in Adair and was eventually sold back to Miami for the low price of $1 around 2014/2015.

Read more about the fundraising and the vintage apparatus.

(MIAMI,OK) It’s hard to say how many lives were saved by firefighters who manned Miami’s 1949 Seagrave Pumper No. 6 Fire Truck. Now Miami Firefighters and friends are working to save the 73-year-old antique firetruck and restore it for use by the department for parades and other events.

A big Smoked Chicken/Pulled Pork Lunch ‘Save the Seagrave’ fundraiser is scheduled for April 20 from 11.am to 1 p.m. at the Miami Civic Center at 129 5th Avenue NW in Miami. Tickets are $10 a plate for a delicious lunch of smoked chicken or pulled pork, with two choice sides of coleslaw, baked beans, or potato salad a drink and dessert.

Tickets are available at the door or for purchase now at the North Miami Fire Station located at 103 Goodrich Blvd. or the City of Miami Utility Customers Service windows at City Hall in Miami. Delivery orders must be placed by April 18 and can be made by calling Amy Bass at 918-541-2291.

The fundraiser is truly a community effort. Miami Firefighters will be smoking and c