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The Finest Supporting the Bravest!

The purpose of the Fire Mechanics Section is to promote standardization of fire apparatus and equipment preventative maintenance, improve safety standards and practices, promote workshops, conferences, and seminars related to the purposes of this Section, and to promote cost savings through standardization of building and equipment purchasing and maintenance.

RECENT FIRE MECHANIC NEWS

Posted: Dec 30, 2021

Palmer (PA) Tiller Damaged in Crash While Responding

A tiller aerial, in service with the Palmer (PA) Municipal Fire Department crashed on the way to the scene of a fire in Easton earlier this week, according to a report published by WFMZ 69 News.

According to the television station, the aerial collided with a small sedan at an intersection while it responded to the double-home fire that displaced seven people. The driver of the sedan sustained minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment. The report said no firefighters were injured in the crash.

The sedan sustained significant damage to the front of the vehicle, while the fire truck had moderate damage, the report said. Photos of the crash scene appear to show damage to the driver’s side tractor portion of the tiller, including a flat tire.

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Posted: Dec 30, 2021

Rurally Speaking: Where the Rural Apparatus Tire Meets the Road

Carl J. Haddon

Just the other day, I read about the line of duty death of a young firefighter who was tragically killed accidentally while doing “routine tire maintenance” on a piece of apparatus. Insomuch as I recall writing an article in one of my columns about fire apparatus and emergency vehicle tires some years ago, covering this subject again seems like a good way to honor our young brother.

How Much Do We Know About Our Apparatus’ Tires?

First and foremost, do you know how old your apparatus’ tires are? Did you know that all tires have a manufacture and an expiration date? Every tire has a manufacture date stamped on the tire, and every tire has an expiration date that vehicle manufacturers recommend is six years after the manufacture date. Some tire manufacturers recommend replacement at 10 years OR “follow the vehicle manufacturer’s guidelines.” The manufacture date on the tire is the last four numbers of the D.O.T. number, indicating the manufacture week and year. For example, if the number is 1617, it was made in the 16th week of 2017.

Most tires also have a speed and weight rating stamped on them. The weight rating is indicated by the number of plys used in the construction of the tire. The speed rating is indicated by the letter that follows the size and diameter number. This letter (usually H-Z) indicates the softness or hardness of the rubber compound used in the tire. An “H” rated tire will have a harder compound, and therefore a lower speed rating of 60-75 mph. A “Y” or a “Z” rated tire will have a much softer compound and will also have a much higher speed rating.

Our Rig Tires Look Great; Why Does Any of This Matter?

This was always one of the biggest bones of contention between my former fire chief and myself. He’d say “Carl, those tires look perfect. We don’t even put 200 miles a year on them, and we can’t afford to be buying new tires every 5 or 6 years.”

In the same way that a number of other PPEs (like Ice suits and drysuits) and equipment deteriorate over time, tires are no exception. Rubber is a natural compound that actually breaks down faster from lack of use than it does from having regular daily use. “Dry rot” is a real thing, and we don’t always see it happening right away. Biased ply tires also develop “flat spots” from sitting too long in one place. Flat spots do soften up once out on the road, but over time and seasons, they also help to break down a rig’s tires.

With regard to the importance of a tire’s speed rating, this applies to those ambulance, Quick Response rigs, and light-duty rescue trucks whose drivers fancy themselves Indy Car drivers. This is a simple concept; if the tires on the rig you’re doing 95 mph in on the way to a call, are only rated for 75 mph, you are a wreck that is simply waiting to happen.

As I travel to and from rural fire departments across the country, I regularly see great-looking apparatus tires that are better than 20 years old. I also regularly see grossly overloaded wildland/initial fire attack rigs (Type 5-7 ) that are rolling nightmares, simply based on the fact that their tires and suspensions just aren’t rated for what they are tasked with. I don’t offer this information to be judgmental in any way. I understand better than most about budget constraints, and dangerous is dangerous.

Routine Tire Maintenance: Risk vs. Benefit

Without knowing what “routine tire maintenance” means to you and your department, or who in your department might be tasked with doing routine tire maintenance, I ask you to keep what I offered above in mind. Using a tire gauge to check tire pressures and adding a bit of air from time to time seems like a no brainer, and usually it really is just that. However, if your

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Posted: Dec 29, 2021

Photo of the Day: December 29, 2021

SVI Trucks—Houston (TX) Fire Department 26-foot walk-in heavy rescue. Spartan Gladiator cab and chassis; Cummins X15 505-hp engine; cab/body walk-through connection; crew area interior desk and storage cabinets; custom boat/motor storage system; OnScene Solutions heavy-duty aluminum cargo slides; Warn portable winch. Dealer: Brian Russell, Metro Fire Apparatus Specialists, Houston, TX.

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Posted: Dec 28, 2021

Photo of the Day: December 28, 2021

Ferrara—Silver Lake Fire District, Middletown, NY, walk-in heavy rescue. Inferno cab and chassis; Cummins X15 605-hp engine; 20-foot walk-in rescue body; Onan 15RBAB-2010 15-kW generator; Will-Burt Profiler NS2.3-450 with three Whelen PFP2ASF 120v LED lights light tower; Vanair 200 UDSM 200- cfm compressor. Dealer: Nick Uzzolino, Ferrara Fire Apparatus, Holden, LA.

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Fire Mechanics Section Board

Chair

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Chair

Elliot Courage
North Whatcom Fire & Rescue
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Vice Chair

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Vice Chair

Mike Smith 
Pierce County Fire District #5
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Secretary

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Secretary

Greg Bach
South Snohomish County Fire & Rescue
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Director #1

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #1

Doug Jones
South Kitsap Fire & Rescue
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Director #2

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #2

Paul Spencer 
Fire Fleet Maintenance LLC
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Director #3

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #3

Jim Morris
Mountain View Fire Department
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Director #4

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #4

Arnie Kuchta

Clark County Fire District 6

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Director #6

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #6

Brett Annear
Kitsap County Fire District 18
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Director #5

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #5

Jay Jacks
Camano Island Fire & Rescue
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Legislative Representative

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Legislative Representative

TBD
TBD
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Immediate Past Chair

Posted: Oct 20, 2015

Immediate Past Chair

Brian Fortner
Graham Fire & Rescue

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