By Ricky Riley

In Part 1 (February 2016), I covered the untimely demise of a rescue-engine that was operated by the Kentland (MD) Volunteer Fire Department in Prince George’s County.

I went through the first steps in the rig’s replacement, starting with the insurance claim through a funding crisis caused by the need to replace an underinsured rig with a replacement unit that met current operational standards. The department went through a diligent process to secure funding, applied for grants, and was fortunate to secure the required amount needed to start building the new rescue-engine. Next, the department went through a series of submitted bids from various manufacturers. After careful review, Pierce Manufacturing, in Appleton, Wisconsin, was selected to construct the new rig. With the builder selected and a contract signed, you would think the heavy lifting would be over. But, the hard work was just beginning.

Getting Into the System

Once the contract was signed by fire department President Donald Aker, Randy Swartz, salesman from Atlantic Emergency Solutions, submitted the order to Pierce, and the order review process began. First, the administrative staff reviewed the packet and entered the truck into the construction schedule. This is when the order is issued a job number that will be referenced throughout production. The job number lives with the rig for its life and is referenced for anything from engineering designs to ordering parts after delivery. Pierce keeps an electronic file for the apparatus related to all construction, parts, and warranty work under each job number. The order review process varies in length and can take one to three weeks from when the order is received to when the job number is released to the salesperson and the customer. Once the manufacturer issues the job number, the builder sets a tentative delivery date.

With the order entered, the next step is for the order to be translated from the specifications to a comprehensive component list and engineering drawings for the contract administrator, the salesperson, and the customer. This process normally takes 60 to 90 days to complete. In this case, the process was a little shorter because of a request we put into the specifications to include a set of basic engineering prints at bid opening. With these included, the department could see the conception of the apparatus derived from our specifications.

1 The Kentland (MD) Volunteer Fire Department visited Pierce to sit down with the salesperson to start the engineering conference. Chief Tony Kelleher thought it was important to have younger members of the department make the trip so they could gain valuable experience understanding the process and building their knowledge in this area of the fire service. (Photos by author.)

The engineering prints had all the compartment sizes, vehicle dimensions, lighting placement, and a host of other options and components. This really helped to visualize the rig, and the department could quickly start the process of marking up the prints and working on any changes, corrections, or additions necessary.

The department then scheduled time to go to Pierce and sit down with the sales

By Ricky Riley

In Part 1 (February 2016), I covered the untimely demise of a rescue-engine that was operated by the Kentland (MD) Volunteer Fire Department in Prince George’s County.

I went through the first steps in the rig’s replacement, starting with the insurance claim through a funding crisis caused by the need to replace an underinsured rig with a replacement unit that met current operational standards. The department went through a diligent process to secure funding, applied for grants, and was fortunate to secure the required amount needed to start building the new rescue-engine. Next, the department went through a series of submitted bids from various manufacturers. After careful review, Pierce Manufacturing, in Appleton, Wisconsin, was selected to construct the new rig. With the builder selected and a contract signed, you would think the heavy lifting would be over. But, the hard work was just beginning.

Getting Into the System

Once the contract was signed by fire department President Donald Aker, Randy Swartz, salesman from Atlantic Emergency Solutions, submitted the order to Pierce, and the order review process began. First, the administrative staff reviewed the packet and entered the truck into the construction schedule. This is when the order is issued a job number that will be referenced throughout production. The job number lives with the rig for its life and is referenced for anything from engineering designs to ordering parts after delivery. Pierce keeps an electronic file for the apparatus related to all construction, parts, and warranty work under each job number. The order review process varies in length and can take one to three weeks from when the order is received to when the job number is released to the salesperson and the customer. Once the manufacturer issues the job number, the builder sets a tentative delivery date.

With the order entered, the next step is for the order to be translated from the specifications to a comprehensive component list and engineering drawings for the contract administrator, the salesperson, and the customer. This process normally takes 60 to 90 days to complete. In this case, the process was a little shorter because of a request we put into the specifications to include a set of basic engineering prints at bid opening. With these included, the department could see the conception of the apparatus derived from our specifications.

1 The Kentland (MD) Volunteer Fire Department visited Pierce to sit down with the salesperson to start the engineering conference. Chief Tony Kelleher thought it was important to have younger members of the department make the trip so they could gain valuable experience understanding the process and building their knowledge in this area of the fire service. (Photos by author.)

The engineering prints had all the compartment sizes, vehicle dimensions, lighting placement, and a host of other options and components. This really helped to visualize the rig, and the department could quickly start the process of marking up the prints and working on any changes, corrections, or additions necessary.

The department then scheduled time to go to Pierce and sit down with the sales

By Ricky Riley

In Part 1 (February 2016), I covered the untimely demise of a rescue-engine that was operated by the Kentland (MD) Volunteer Fire Department in Prince George’s County.

I went through the first steps in the rig’s replacement, starting with the insurance claim through a funding crisis caused by the need to replace an underinsured rig with a replacement unit that met current operational standards. The department went through a diligent process to secure funding, applied for grants, and was fortunate to secure the required amount needed to start building the new rescue-engine. Next, the department went through a series of submitted bids from various manufacturers. After careful review, Pierce Manufacturing, in Appleton, Wisconsin, was selected to construct the new rig. With the builder selected and a contract signed, you would think the heavy lifting would be over. But, the hard work was just beginning.

Getting Into the System

Once the contract was signed by fire department President Donald Aker, Randy Swartz, salesman from Atlantic Emergency Solutions, submitted the order to Pierce, and the order review process began. First, the administrative staff reviewed the packet and entered the truck into the construction schedule. This is when the order is issued a job number that will be referenced throughout production. The job number lives with the rig for its life and is referenced for anything from engineering designs to ordering parts after delivery. Pierce keeps an electronic file for the apparatus related to all construction, parts, and warranty work under each job number. The order review process varies in length and can take one to three weeks from when the order is received to when the job number is released to the salesperson and the customer. Once the manufacturer issues the job number, the builder sets a tentative delivery date.

With the order entered, the next step is for the order to be translated from the specifications to a comprehensive component list and engineering drawings for the contract administrator, the salesperson, and the customer. This process normally takes 60 to 90 days to complete. In this case, the process was a little shorter because of a request we put into the specifications to include a set of basic engineering prints at bid opening. With these included, the department could see the conception of the apparatus derived from our specifications.

1 The Kentland (MD) Volunteer Fire Department visited Pierce to sit down with the salesperson to start the engineering conference. Chief Tony Kelleher thought it was important to have younger members of the department make the trip so they could gain valuable experience understanding the process and building their knowledge in this area of the fire service. (Photos by author.)

The engineering prints had all the compartment sizes, vehicle dimensions, lighting placement, and a host of other options and components. This really helped to visualize the rig, and the department could quickly start the process of marking up the prints and working on any changes, corrections, or additions necessary.

The department then scheduled time to go to Pierce and sit down with the sales

In this series, Fire Engineering Senior Editor Mary Jane Dittmar looks at the things that motivated and inspired instructors to present on their topics at FDIC International 2016. Segments will be posted on a regular basis up to and through the conference, April 18-23.

Deputy Chief (Ret.)

1st Platoon Regional Tour Commander

North Hudson (NJ) Regional Fire & Rescue

Fireground Strategies: from the Textbook to the Street

Monday, April 18, 1:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m.

My motivation is to cover a plethora of case studies of fires to which I have responded throughout my career, focusing on mistakes made and lessons learned. I have commanded nearly 100 multiple-alarm fires in my career in North Hudson. I highlight some of the more challenging fires and the reasons they went well or failed. Each lesson learned is reinforced with ways to better handle a situation. Fires in multiple-occupancy dwellings, high-rises, warehouses, townhouses, and closely spaced buildings are among the examples.

Over the years, I have had an abundance of feedback. Some firefighters related that what they learned in my classes helped them succeed in their promotional exams; officers also used some of the fireground and leadership philosophies with success. Some students reported that they were able to help move their department or company forward by embracing one of the safety-related programs covered in the class as well as what they learned in fireground organization, command and control, and accountability—the backbones of the programs I taught.

Most of all, I am particularly gratified by stories I hear about how properly wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) kept a member from injury; unfortunately, I have also heard stories about how failure to properly wear the PPE had contributed to an injury.