Average Vehicle Age-worthwhile to take a shot?

[JD1234]

As I understand it, command vehicles (Chief's SUV) count towards the average age of the vehicle fleet. We have a small fleet, but 2 newer chief's vehicles that are bringing up the average age of our fleet. Will that screw us in the computer scoring?


Our department has two separate companies, covers 5.2 square miles in suburban NJ, with a population of about 7,000, and 350 runs per year. No critical infrastructure in our town. We are writing an application for a new pumper and right now our pumpers are 3, 7 and 27 years old, for an average age of 12 years old. The 27 year old pumper is in our station and the newer pumpers are in the other station.

Is our case hopeless, and should we bother?

I guess it will help if we say the 27 year old vehicle is the only pumper in our station and is sorely in need of replacement. Any other advice?

Still looking for a narrative, and would appreciate anything. Thanks.

[kuntrykid]

......................

[islandfire03]

JD: I have to go along with kuntry"s line of thinking.If you have a 3 & 7 yo engine then why are they not split between the stations with the 27 yo as a 3rd out /reserve truck? Also why did you purchase 2 new chiefs taxi's if you really needed to replace an engine? let the chief ride on an engine. According to the PG you would be a low priority to get an engine with that fleet age as folks with 25 -30 year fleet avg are not being funded.
Priorities are most important when asking for funding on apparatus.

look at your request through the eyes of a reviewer!
When you state that your dept. has 2 companies are they separate 501c3 entities or just assigned as different engine companies due to separate station assignments?

[JD1234]

The two companies are separate 501c3 entities. Should have explained better. Company#1 with the 2 newer engines has those and an old utility vehicle. Our company is a ladder company, with a 1999 ladder (stick), a newer rescue with extrication equipment and our 1981 Engine. Swapping the old engine in our house with a newer one in company #1 would never happen. I agree the 2 new chief's vehicles don't look good, but the newer chief vehicle was a donation. I'll throw up an application and see if it sticks, but I figured we would be SOL out of the gate.

[islandfire03]

that does paint a different picture JD. The age of the other "companies trucks doesn't count in your situation as they are owned and operated by a separate entity.
What you have is a 99 ladder truck , A newer rescue truck and an older pumper plus your chiefs buggys for a fleet avg age of ???? Better than your first scenario , but how much?
You Can't win if you don't play!

[BB3939]

WOW...I just want to know how you got the chief's buggy donated? Care to share that?

[Andy2802]

Our department has a similar question...
We are trying to replace our brush truck.
We have a 16 year old Pumper, and a 28 year old Brush Truck that was converted from a Military 2 1/2 ton truck. That's an average age of 22 years old.
But we had a corporate benefactor donate a 2 year old Pickup Truck, which brings our average age down to 15 years.

Is that still competative enough to make it through computer screening?
I think we make a compelling case in the narrative, but I'm not sure if we will get that far.
Any thoughts?

[JD1234]

that does paint a different picture JD. The age of the other "companies trucks doesn't count in your situation as they are owned and operated by a separate entity.
What you have is a 99 ladder truck , A newer rescue truck and an older pumper plus your chiefs buggys for a fleet avg age of ???? Better than your first scenario , but how much?
You Can't win if you don't play!

I was told in this thread:

http://forums.firehouse.com/showthread.php?t=98859

that we are one entity.

To be clear, the town sets our equipment budget for the Department (comprised of 2 companies), and the chief buys equipment for both companies. Our firehouse budgets (utilities, house maintenance, etc) are separate and we split letter drive fundraising down the middle between both companies (but we each do our own extra fundraising). We are separate tax exempt organizations. Both companies are dispatched to all calls due to manpower shortages. In the past, the town was split for ringing alarms and CO calls, but both companies have always been dispatched for working fires and smoke conditions.

Last year the Department (both companies) applied for and was awarded a grant for new SCBAs. The average age works out to be the same either way. I was just hoping we could make a strong case for a pumper for our company.

I'm confused.

[kd7fds]

If you have one chief and the community treats you as one department, I would bet that DHS would treat you as one department. Your operations and capital budget is set by the community, you are one department.

I imagine there is some tradition with both Companies having their own 501c3 for fund raising, but for purposes of the AFG grants, your companies aren't eligible to apply for a grant seperate from the department.

[JD1234]

Thanks.

Chief's "buggy" was donated by some well-to-do guy who I think we saved his house years ago. Don't know the whole story there.

[sportbikeryder]

Wow...we have a 1974 brush truck (worn out), 1979 air truck (kind of worn out), a 1985 pumper, a 1986 utility (chevy syburban), and a 1996 pumper. 24 years average...

John

[sbkaiser]

Wow,
We have a 1952 tanker, a 1954 2 1/2 ton wild land truck, a 1971 brush truck, a 1972 structure pumper, and a 1983 rescue truck! Do any of you guys wanna swap for your "older" equipment?