Manchester, NH - Aerial Issues

[Firefighter807]

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[ChiefSquirrel]

Did I miss something?

What are you referring to?

[GFD940]

I can see it coming...They should have bought Pierce!

[dano8696]

From the looks of it Manchester uses several manufacturers of aerials

[Ledebuhr1]

Do they have a Bronto also?

[UFDFF15]

Do they have a Bronto also?

They have 2.
Here are all of their aerials

truck-1 2002 E-One/Bronto 91' Skylift
Truck 2- 1986 Spartan/LTI 106' TDA
Truck 3- 2006 E-One 114' Bronto SkyLift
Truck 3- 1985 E-One 1500 GPM/95' Tower (spare?)
Engine/Truck 4- 1990 Seagrave 1500/300/110' Quint
Truck 5- 1996 Spartan/Nova Quintech/Aerial Innovations 105' RMA
Truck 6- 1996 Spartan/Nova Quintech 100' tower
Truck 7- 1988 Spartan/LTI 106' TDA

I'm with ChiefSquirrel what did we miss?

[npfd801]

I think I read somewhere that all but two of their aerials are out of service due to failing their annual cert. I'll investigate further to confirm. Essentially, two truck companies are covering the entire city.

Confirmation from another internet posting on another board:

"As of Monday April 7, 2008 Truck Companies 2,5,6 and 7 are being placed out of service. This is due to these companies’ not passing UL inspection. We are in the process of getting them repaired. This is only temporary move.

In the mean time trucks 1 and 3 will become 4 man companies and run city wide."

This was quoted from the Firepics.net site.

[chiefengineer11]

Here's what I got from a friend of mine, a retired-on-disability Phila. Lieut. who spends a good part of his days following FD related news. I believe that this comes from a TV station in Manchester.

Manchester Fire Ladder Trucks Pulled After Inspection
Trucks Could Be Out Of Service For Weeks

POSTED: 4:59 pm EDT April 3, 2008

MANCHESTER, N.H. -- The Manchester Fire Department will be without several pieces of key equipment after learning that they failed an annual safety inspection.

Four of the city's six big ladder trucks have been taken out of service for critical maintenance. One of the problems found was in an aerial-ladder truck, which had rust eating away the hydraulic lifts that stabilize the vehicle.

"In what we call the torque box, there's a significant rust issue," Chief James Burkush said.

The trucks will be pulled out of service for three to eight weeks, and the city has approved $55,000 to remove the rust. Burkush said he added staff to the remaining ladder trucks and worked out a backup plan with neighboring towns.

"We do have an existing mutual aid agreement and gave notice to towns that we may require their assistance," Mayor Frank Guinta said.

"I've spoken with local chiefs," Burkush said. "If we have a big event, we'll get two ladder trucks immediately."

The city was notified that the four trucks failed the same day as a large apartment fire on Pearl Street this week. One of the trucks pulled from service worked that fire, but Burkush said that 13 years at such events has taken its toll. He said the department can't afford to cut corners on equipment when lives are at stake.

"If you have confidence in your equipment, it's one less thing to overcome in a tense situation," he said.

The city of Manchester has a rust account to handle such problems as they come up, but because of recent economic conditions, the account has sat empty for the past couple of years.

Guinta said that although money is tight, police and fire budgets are getting spending hikes in his latest budget.

Copyright 2008 by WMUR. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[FD1976]

The city of Manchester has a rust account to handle such problems as they come up, but because of recent economic conditions, the account has sat empty for the past couple of years.

a RUST account?????

[Firefighter807]

Content deleted by author.

[DeputyChiefGonzo]

With E-Ones - why do they need a rust account?

If you knew anything about fire apparatus.. the chassis frame rails and torque boxes are made of steel... but then, you do drink the Kool-aid on a regular basis...

[Command6]

Good reply Gonz.

I was wondering how long it would take before someone posted a comment connecting E-One and the rust, which is irrelevant in this case.

Have you heard? They use a special kind of steel up in Grand Chute. Metallurgists have developed a secret formula impervious to environmental factors and heat. It's so strong, it can't even be recycled because you can't melt it back down.

It has been determined through industrial espionage that chemists have been observed applying a red-colored liquid coating with a fruity aroma.

Here is an exclusive spy shot of a chemists.



Sorry I couldn't resist.

[Ledebuhr1]

Why dont they use galvanized metal?

[Tower47]

I think I read somewhere that all but two of their aerials are out of service due to failing their annual cert. I'll investigate further to confirm. Essentially, two truck companies are covering the entire city.

Confirmation from another internet posting on another board:

"As of Monday April 7, 2008 Truck Companies 2,5,6 and 7 are being placed out of service. This is due to these companies’ not passing UL inspection. We are in the process of getting them repaired. This is only temporary move.

In the mean time trucks 1 and 3 will become 4 man companies and run city wide."

This was quoted from the Firepics.net site.

This was not an over night issue. The photos that I have seen these trucks have been neglected for a very long time. It doesn't matter who's truck you buy when you do little to no maintenance.

It is incredible how much damage can be avoid with just a hose and water, never mind a little soap.

[Command6]

This may sound like over kill, but in addition to the normal weekly washings, we steam clean the undercarriage on all our apparatus every spring to remove all of the winter road salt.

Granted, we're not in the Northeast but we consider a part of our preventative maintenance program.

[dano8696]

Here's a link to a Manchester, NH news page check out the video it shows some pics of the problems...

http://www.wmur.com/news/15786384/detail.html

[Command6]

Why dont they use galvanized metal?

The do have galvanized boat trailers don't they?

You'd need a pretty big vat to dip a chassis and torque box. Didn't we have a similar discussion a while back about galvanized aerials?

[dday05]

Maybe to fix the problem, get some Pierce logos and put on the trucks then life will be good...

I feel someone should be accountable for the conditions of the trucks. I hope that everything works out ok for them.

[npfd801]

The do have galvanized boat trailers don't they?

You'd need a pretty big vat to dip a chassis and torque box. Didn't we have a similar discussion a while back about galvanized aerials?

RK will hot dip the aerial sections, the torque box and outriggers. I also believe some others will hot dip at least the outriggers, not sure of the torque box. I believe you get a 25 year warranty against corrosion with this option.

[chiefengineer11]

I feel someone should be accountable for the conditions of the trucks. I hope that everything works out ok for them.

I don't know what New Hampshire uses to treat their roads for snow and ice so I can't say if this is the problem or not. But there are some hints in what's been said here that makes me quite suspicious of it.

Anyone who follows the truck or trucking industry trade press has surely read about "rust jacking" which is a result of some of the more exotic chemicals that are being used these days. They aggressively attack steel. Brake shoes, truck and trailer frames, spring hangers and the like, anything that is exposed to the chemicals are being destroyed in only a few years. State highway officials will not admit to it being a problem because they do not want to give up using them. The chemicals (magnesium chloride, for one) are cheap and very effective at maintaining clear roads. But the reality is that rust jacking is a very real, very major problem.

The fact that the city has a "rust account" as a budget item (unfunded) clearly indicates that rust and corrosion are an anticipated, ongoing problem for them.

Only now are coatings being developed to prevent rust jacking. The most recent article I read suggested that stainless steel (but not all versions of stainless) was the best defense. But I don't know that stainless would be a suitable material for a torque box.

This situation is going to be worth following because it's bound to crop up in other places. Actually, I'm surprised that it hasn't already. Anyone with real knowledge of metallurgy and chemistry out there with some comments?

Stay safe out there, everyone goes home!