On May 29, 1953, Sir Edmond Hillary climbed Mount Everest, and when he stood at the top by himself, we all thought, “Wow! He is amazing!” But, what we didn’t see or hear was that he thanked the people who made his weatherproof boots that kept his feet from frostbite.

He thanked those who made his ropes that he hung his life on to get to the top. He thanked the people who carried all his gear and food to the final ascent.

Behind everything you do or use, there are people who should never be forgotten. They should never be disrespected, disregarded, or disassociated from the job we do, because if it wasn’t for them, you would not accomplish your job. They are truly your “guardians.”

In the fire service, we place our trust and confidence in the rigs we drive every time we hit the streets. We count on them to perform when we turn them on. We take for granted how this happens. Behind the scenes, there is always someone or a team who cares enough about our safety and the quality of our rigs to make sure they start, run, pump, and get us back to the station 24/7. We don’t send thank-you cards, though, do we? They don’t expect them either. They do it for the same reason you do your job-because they have pride in the work they do for you.

So, who are these dedicated individuals or “guardians of your fleet”? The days of the dreaded brake fade are gone. The new recruits may never experience the dreaded brake fade that happened with old drum brakes that put your heart in your throat when you hit the pedal and a red light was just ahead. Brake fade is almost obsolete these days.

How about pump packing failures, split-shift rear ends grinding, and fuses blowing that would all be remedied by a small adjustment or by a piece of cigarette pack tin foil and off we go again? We did it because we took a personal interest in our rigs. We did it so no one else had to bear the work load. We did it so we did not have to do without our rig for a minute or have to do a changeover to a less desirable rig. Our motto was, “Drive it like you own it, not like you rented it.”

How about if the rig ran rough? We would look at filing and resetting the points in the distributor and pull the spark plugs and run them over a wire wheel to give them another few months of life. A little file job and regap of the electrode and back in service it went. We shared in the ownership of our rigs that the mechanics tried to keep 100 percent fit.

I think we were all mechanics to some degree back then. Why? Because we grew up the same way. It was a different time. We never had the expectation that someone else would fix it. Nothing was thrown away. It was fixed.

Take a moment and reflect on the past. Imagine if you owned numerous cars and tried to keep all of them on the road running problem-free. Good luck.

Where have we evolved to in the 21st century? New cab safety and comfort have changed. Rig size has increased. Speeds have increased. Stopping distances have decreased with four-wheel disc brakes. We have air ride suspensions, air ride cabs. complete cab air bag systems, roll-over protection, LED lighting, touch pad pump panels, multiplex systems, electronic governors, and very large aerial devices.

We need to seek a balance in the fire service between what manufacturers can supply and what training our mechanics receive to repair these technological changes. Is your department taking proper steps to have your fleet guardians trained to diagnose and repair these rigs we use to carry out our mission? The equation is the sum of all the parts.

TERRY STEWART has been an active member of the fire

On May 29, 1953, Sir Edmond Hillary climbed Mount Everest, and when he stood at the top by himself, we all thought, “Wow! He is amazing!” But, what we didn’t see or hear was that he thanked the people who made his weatherproof boots that kept his feet from frostbite.

He thanked those who made his ropes that he hung his life on to get to the top. He thanked the people who carried all his gear and food to the final ascent.

Behind everything you do or use, there are people who should never be forgotten. They should never be disrespected, disregarded, or disassociated from the job we do, because if it wasn’t for them, you would not accomplish your job. They are truly your “guardians.”

In the fire service, we place our trust and confidence in the rigs we drive every time we hit the streets. We count on them to perform when we turn them on. We take for granted how this happens. Behind the scenes, there is always someone or a team who cares enough about our safety and the quality of our rigs to make sure they start, run, pump, and get us back to the station 24/7. We don’t send thank-you cards, though, do we? They don’t expect them either. They do it for the same reason you do your job-because they have pride in the work they do for you.

So, who are these dedicated individuals or “guardians of your fleet”? The days of the dreaded brake fade are gone. The new recruits may never experience the dreaded brake fade that happened with old drum brakes that put your heart in your throat when you hit the pedal and a red light was just ahead. Brake fade is almost obsolete these days.

How about pump packing failures, split-shift rear ends grinding, and fuses blowing that would all be remedied by a small adjustment or by a piece of cigarette pack tin foil and off we go again? We did it because we took a personal interest in our rigs. We did it so no one else had to bear the work load. We did it so we did not have to do without our rig for a minute or have to do a changeover to a less desirable rig. Our motto was, “Drive it like you own it, not like you rented it.”

How about if the rig ran rough? We would look at filing and resetting the points in the distributor and pull the spark plugs and run them over a wire wheel to give them another few months of life. A little file job and regap of the electrode and back in service it went. We shared in the ownership of our rigs that the mechanics tried to keep 100 percent fit.

I think we were all mechanics to some degree back then. Why? Because we grew up the same way. It was a different time. We never had the expectation that someone else would fix it. Nothing was thrown away. It was fixed.

Take a moment and reflect on the past. Imagine if you owned numerous cars and tried to keep all of them on the road running problem-free. Good luck.

Where have we evolved to in the 21st century? New cab safety and comfort have changed. Rig size has increased. Speeds have increased. Stopping distances have decreased with four-wheel disc brakes. We have air ride suspensions, air ride cabs. complete cab air bag systems, roll-over protection, LED lighting, touch pad pump panels, multiplex systems, electronic governors, and very large aerial devices.

We need to seek a balance in the fire service between what manufacturers can supply and what training our mechanics receive to repair these technological changes. Is your department taking proper steps to have your fleet guardians trained to diagnose and repair these rigs we use to carry out our mission? The equation is the sum of all the parts.

TERRY STEWART has been an active member of the fire

On May 29, 1953, Sir Edmond Hillary climbed Mount Everest, and when he stood at the top by himself, we all thought, “Wow! He is amazing!” But, what we didn’t see or hear was that he thanked the people who made his weatherproof boots that kept his feet from frostbite.

He thanked those who made his ropes that he hung his life on to get to the top. He thanked the people who carried all his gear and food to the final ascent.

Behind everything you do or use, there are people who should never be forgotten. They should never be disrespected, disregarded, or disassociated from the job we do, because if it wasn’t for them, you would not accomplish your job. They are truly your “guardians.”

In the fire service, we place our trust and confidence in the rigs we drive every time we hit the streets. We count on them to perform when we turn them on. We take for granted how this happens. Behind the scenes, there is always someone or a team who cares enough about our safety and the quality of our rigs to make sure they start, run, pump, and get us back to the station 24/7. We don’t send thank-you cards, though, do we? They don’t expect them either. They do it for the same reason you do your job-because they have pride in the work they do for you.

So, who are these dedicated individuals or “guardians of your fleet”? The days of the dreaded brake fade are gone. The new recruits may never experience the dreaded brake fade that happened with old drum brakes that put your heart in your throat when you hit the pedal and a red light was just ahead. Brake fade is almost obsolete these days.

How about pump packing failures, split-shift rear ends grinding, and fuses blowing that would all be remedied by a small adjustment or by a piece of cigarette pack tin foil and off we go again? We did it because we took a personal interest in our rigs. We did it so no one else had to bear the work load. We did it so we did not have to do without our rig for a minute or have to do a changeover to a less desirable rig. Our motto was, “Drive it like you own it, not like you rented it.”

How about if the rig ran rough? We would look at filing and resetting the points in the distributor and pull the spark plugs and run them over a wire wheel to give them another few months of life. A little file job and regap of the electrode and back in service it went. We shared in the ownership of our rigs that the mechanics tried to keep 100 percent fit.

I think we were all mechanics to some degree back then. Why? Because we grew up the same way. It was a different time. We never had the expectation that someone else would fix it. Nothing was thrown away. It was fixed.

Take a moment and reflect on the past. Imagine if you owned numerous cars and tried to keep all of them on the road running problem-free. Good luck.

Where have we evolved to in the 21st century? New cab safety and comfort have changed. Rig size has increased. Speeds have increased. Stopping distances have decreased with four-wheel disc brakes. We have air ride suspensions, air ride cabs. complete cab air bag systems, roll-over protection, LED lighting, touch pad pump panels, multiplex systems, electronic governors, and very large aerial devices.

We need to seek a balance in the fire service between what manufacturers can supply and what training our mechanics receive to repair these technological changes. Is your department taking proper steps to have your fleet guardians trained to diagnose and repair these rigs we use to carry out our mission? The equation is the sum of all the parts.

TERRY STEWART has been an active member of the fire

By Alan M. Petrillo

At one time, the front bumpers on fire apparatus served the time-honored purpose of being only a bumper. But in today’s fire world, fire departments are choosing front bumpers that range from slim to wide-from carrying a minimal amount of equipment to bumpers that function as additional compartmentation and equipment housing.

Tim Smits, national sales manager for Pierce Manufacturing Inc., says that manufacturers “are pretty much unlimited in what you can do in a front bumper extension. From extrication equipment and hydraulic reels to a booster reel, winches, and trays for preconnects and crosslays, you can put it up there,” he says.

1 The Community (TX) Fire Department had Pierce Manufacturing build a sink into the front bumper of its rehab unit so firefighters could clean up before heading inside the walk-in unit to pick up food or rehydrating liquids. [Photo courtesy of Community (TX) Fire Department.]

Dave Rider, director of global product management for Smeal Fire Apparatus, says that because front bumpers lead the way, they are the most customized part of a fire truck and a good use of space. But, bumpers with a lot of equipment in them can be a double-edged sword, Rider notes, especially with the potential for damage if the vehicle is involved in a front-end crash. “Also, the wider you go on a front bumper, the worse the angle of approach gets,” Rider observes. “Thirty inches is probably the widest we can go and still be National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) compliant.” Rider says that the most common element on front bumpers is a two-inch discharge with 1½-inch threads, followed by a front suction along with a trash line. “Rescue bumpers are the third most common type we do, typically with two hydraulic hose reels, a spreader and cutter, or a combi tool.”

Tyler Meekins, sales assistant for 4 Guys Fire Trucks, says 4 Guys has been “seeing a little bit of everything lately in front bumpers. We just had a pumper and a rescue leave with six-inch front bumpers and then built a rescue-pumper for the Portland (CT) Fire Department with two hydraulic reels, a spreader, and cutter set in the width of the 24-inch front bumper, all covered with a diamond plate lid.”

2 Fort Garry Fire Trucks built this extended front bumper on a chassis carrying an electric cord reel, a hydraulic rescue tool reel, and dual recessed Federal Q2B mechanical sirens. Note the vertical rods at the edges of the bumper that give the driver an idea of where the bumper is when in tight spaces. (Photo courtesy of Fort Garry Fire Trucks.)

Mike Watts, national sales manager for Toyne, says that on a commercial pumper, it’s not unusual to use the provided bumper in its original configuration. “The same can be true of a custom ch