NATICK -- The firefighters' union is trying to keep the department's largest truck off the road and has asked the town to turn over the truck's repair records and warranties.
"We want to get information because the membership is not convinced this vehicle is safe to drive," said union lawyer Dennis Brown.
The 35-ton quint truck was returned to the downtown fire station this month after a February accident sent it to a Walpole repair shop.
Fire Chief James Brien said he intends to return the quint to duty after every firefighter completes an additional training session on how to run the truck.
Danny Hartwell, president of the union, said the February accident -- where the truck's rear axles, which can be steered separately, turned on their own while the rig was moving -- proves the truck is a danger to firefighters and the public.
The truck's manufacturer, Pierce Manufacturing of Appleton, Wis., examined an onboard computer and determined the accident was not caused by mechanical error. That analysis, however, also showed human error was not a factor.
Pierce covered the cost of repairs, which included replacing an onboard computer, Brien said.
The company has agreed to send an employee to Natick for four days, so every firefighter can learn more about the rear-steer function.
"They had nothing to prove it's driver error, but obviously something happened somewhere," the chief said.
Brien said he was comfortable putting the truck back on the road after the training sessions. Union representatives disagree.
A letter delivered to town officials from union lawyer Dennis Brown asks for copies of all communications between the town and Pierce, as well as correspondence with Minuteman Fire and Rescue Apparatus in Walpole. The letter also asks for copies of all documents pertaining to the quint's repair history and warranties.
Brown said the town must provide the information under state bargaining laws which require an employer to share material on bargaining issues, including safety, to unions.
The union letter also demands the town "delay returning the quint to service until Local 1707 can...intelligently assess and determine whether the quint presents an unreasonable risk or hazard to members of the Natick Fire Department."
"It's a question of safety," Brown said.
According to the manufacturer's Web site, Natick's truck -- the Pierce Quantum -- is a top-of-the-line model. The All-Steer option, which the town added, promises better maneuverability and "fail-safe operation."
Hartwell said the February incident marked the quint truck's third unexplained malfunction, but Brien said earlier minor accidents were the result of the truck's newness.
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