Editorial: Back in the Seat

I recently returned to duty after suffering an injury earlier last year. I will remain assistant chief in my fire department through 2008. It didn't take long for me to get my first run — a drunken partygoer at a wedding yanked the manual pull station in the lobby of a hotel at 2 A.M. Since that first call, I have made many responses.

During my few months' absence, I forgot about the many courteous drivers we encounter on the road in front of us while we're responding to calls. For the others, it's always an adventure, whether the person in front of us doesn't pull over to the right, but just stops suddenly when they see our warning lights, or worse are not even aware of our presence — with today's quiet cars, drivers listening to radios or talking on cell phones and not hearing the siren or air horn until we are very close right behind them. The worst-case scenario just happened recently in Baltimore. A ladder company enroute to an alarm collided with a passenger vehicle, killing all three occupants and injuring four firefighters. The details had not been released at presstime, but we must find out what happened. In the meantime, caution and reducing speed are the keywords to reducing apparatus accidents. This can only help the rest of us responding. (I've also been to about a dozen calls for smoke from cooking in the past few weeks — in my absence, I guess I also forgot about all the gourmet chefs in my response area.)

Speaking of apparatus, we present the latest and greatest new and diversified emergency vehicles in our annual "Road Warriors" feature, beginning on page 72. In our "Apparatus Manufacturers Roundtable" beginning on page 102, participants answer questions regarding the addition of safety components on apparatus, locations of SCBA stored on apparatus, and the use of reflective striping and color schemes on apparatus. Many manufacturers note that the return to red apparatus is the current trend in many departments that had tried many other colors of the spectrum. They also are seeing an increased use of reflective striping on the rear of new apparatus. Read what the apparatus manufacturers have to say in this special 2008 apparatus design roundup.

In the latest installment of "The Apparatus Architect," Mike Wilbur and Tom Shand focus on the cost of replacing a fleet today. With fuel and maintenance costs rising through the roof and eating quite a chunk of municipal budgets, many apparatus because of increased responses are receiving more wear and tear. Budget dollars are always tight and within the last few years these fuel costs continue to rise, reducing the ability of fire departments to make their everyday purchases more wisely. Purchasing used and rebuilding current apparatus may be options for some financially strapped departments. Well-developed plans for apparatus acquisitions must allow sufficient time for departments to have units built and placed into service. Financial planners and maintenance personnel must maintain the current apparatus to respond in sufficient numbers to answer everyday calls. If purchases are put off or delayed, massive orders costing big bucks are made at one time, not over time to spread out the cost. This replacement process and the finances to pay for them is a very difficult situation for fire departments, municipal leaders, maintenance personnel and manufacturers as well. See page 90 for the complete story.

You undoubtedly noticed two changes in this issue. For the first time, we include our sister publication Advanced Rescue Technology. You also will see that we've converted our binding to what is known in the publishing world as a "perfect bound" style, replacing our former "saddle stitching." This allows us to achieve more flexibility in the production of the magazine. Let us know how you like the change.

To submit your comments and ideas, please contact us at [email protected]. Thank you.