Editor’s Opinion | Chris Mc Loone
This month is FDIC International, an extraordinary opportunity for those responsible for influencing or approving purchasing decisions to see the newest fire apparatus designs in the country as well as the newest versions of myriad fire apparatus components and the tools, equipment, and personal protective equipment we use for every response.
I can’t wait to walk the floor to see what it has in store.
As great as all the apparatus designs are, the highly customized rigs we often see at FDIC are not always within reach of all fire departments or fire companies— even less so these days because of fire apparatus costs.
What we have heard most about in recent years are reports on lead times and costs, but what we don’t always hear about are solutions fire apparatus manufacturers do offer to assist fire companies in getting the rigs they need in shorter time frames and at lower costs. One of these solutions is the topic of this month’s cover story.
Stock rigs—they are nothing new to the fire service. Long an option for those departments choosing not to purchase custom fire apparatus, these fire apparatus have now become even more viable options given the current apparatus purchasing climate.
There are various types of stock fire apparatus programs depending on where you “go shopping.” Some are as simple as choosing from “Rig A,” “Rig B,” or “Rig C.” Some have a little more variety and options that can be added or deleted. If you decide to go with a stock fire truck, depending on where the truck you pick is in the manufacturing process, you might have even more flexibility to add or delete from the truck. A good rule of thumb is the farther along in the process it is, the less you’re going to be able to do. But that being said, once it arrives at the dealer, there may be some upfitting possibilities. The bottom line is: Do your homework.
There’s nothing simple about fire apparatus design and manufacturing. You must do your research, and today it is easier than ever to almost know what you want to buy before you invite the dealer to the firehouse to start spec’ing your next rig. Even more important, though, is taking care of what you have after you have it, and there’s a lot that goes into that.
I’m going to start harping on data again, but you must maintain data on your out-of-service times, common repairs, parts costs, etc. The last thing you want is to go into a budget meeting unprepared and walk out without a maintenance budget that fits your fleet. We’ve seen pictures of the shop yards with rigs out of service. But, that situation could hit any fire department at any time. At any given time, a department could be down to its last reserve rig while the maintenance division waits for parts or waits for money to be allocated for the repairs to the other out-of-service fire apparatus.
These are indeed tough times for fire apparatus purchasers. And, the mainstream media is starting to take a look at the current situation and is trying to connect dots that aren’t really there—trying to connect a catastrophic fire to rigs being out of service, a problem that any fire department could encounter on any given day, even with the best maintenance plan and unlimited funds.
So, if you’re in need of a new fire apparatus or multiple new apparatus and you are at FDIC and you see a stock rig, take a look. Don’t write it off as automatically not fitting your first due. Talk to the representatives at the booth about the rig, what you would like to see changed for your response area, and what is doable. You might be surprised at how well a stock rig could fit your department, your operations, and your personnel.
As always, I’ll be doing about Mach 90 across the show floor on most days, but if you see me, stop me to say hell