By Bill Adams

After scrimping and saving for 20 years, a small volunteer fire company in northern Aroostook County, Maine, purchased a new rig from the low bidder—Flibynite Fire Truck Company—located outside of Bellingham, Washington.

Ten months after delivery, several welds cracked, and the paint started peeling off the apparatus body in sheets. Flibynite’s warranty department said, “No problem. Bring it back, and we’ll fix it at no charge.” The fine print in the new rig’s warranty stated it was Flibynite’s option to have the rig repaired locally or have it returned to its facility. Flibynite chose to have it returned. It was a 3,300-mile trip each way.

Although the preceding scenario is fictitious, it does reflect what could be a confusing, complicated, and possibly contentious world of fire apparatus warranties. Purchasers seldom question the particulars of a warranty until a problem occurs that is not being resolved amicably. Purchasers should realize the consequences of not specifying detailed warranty requirements in their specifications. Some apparatus purchasing specifications devote literally hundreds of words describing a light bar, yet warranty requirements receive no more attention than a sentence or two. Three examples of warranty verbiage from purchasers’ published specifications found online follow.

Specification 1: “Warranties to be provided for the completed apparatus—one (1) year parts and labor; ten (10) year structural on body; and ten (10) year paint, finish, and corrosion.”

Specification 2: “One year material and workmanship—Each new piece of apparatus shall be provided with a minimum one (1) year basic apparatus material and workmanship limited warranty. The warranty shall cover such portions of the apparatus built by the manufacturer as being free from defects in material and workmanship that would arise under normal use and service.”

Specification 3: “The apparatus shall be warranted to be free from mechanical defects in workmanship for a period of one (1) year. The apparatus shall be covered for parts and labor costs associated with repairs for a period of one (1) year. Seven (7) year warranty on paint. Ten (10) year body structural warranty.”

1 Fabricators and manufacturers of fire truck component parts have their own warranties. Using “paint” as an example, some purchaser’s specifications may only require a “10-year paint, finish, and corrosion warranty.” Rescue 1, which built this rig, has a paint warranty that is more than one thousand words long. Because paint can be a major warranty claim, the photos that follow depict some problem areas. (Photo courtesy of Rescue 1.)

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