PLEASE READ

* Sample picture. NOT actual truck reported about in article.


I am posting an article below which was posted on  http://firefightingnews.com/  with the site linked by http://engine52.blogspot.com/ . 
 Please let the companies mentioned below know of your displeasure with their ill treatment of  our firefighters.  By refusing to pay for the necessary and legitimate equipment and repairs on  defective aerial trucks  ( ladder trucks with extending ladders for firemen to work from ) which were purchased from them, the truck.s  manufacturer is showing a total disregard for our fire fighters, and all  those they serve.  That is, by having essential equipment out of service for  an extended period of time our firefighters and all they serve are endangered.  Without aerials for use on taller buildings,  and this means many homes, townhouses and apartment complexes which are multilevel not just office buildings and industrial area structures,  the potential for loss of life is increased.  In many cases being above a the burning structure is essential to ' knocking it down' and gaining control in the safest and quickest fashion, thus saving lives and property.  By not covering it's obligations to the departments  which have  purchased these VERY expensive trucks  a  large burden is placed upon the department's  budget.  In many cases a fire district's budget is not adequate and the real possibility of  the city or town's department  being denied money  for 'extra' materials until the new budget year or money can be "found" is most likely.

At any rate, as you can tell I am passionate about our firefighting men and women and would like for all who
 read this post to write or email Pierce Manufacturing and  Oshkosh  to let them know we are aware of this situation.  Please pass this information on to everyone you can.  I am sure these companies can afford to replace and or repair these fire department's equipment.   I believe ,  especially in this case ,  it is a moral obligation and the current owner of the manufacturing company should pay for these recalled truck repairs.  As for their discounted price on materials.... is that ten cents or ten dollars ?   Maybe it is a different amount to different departments or quite low.  Daggett would have given the discounted amount up front and publicly if it was 'right and fair' and especially if generous. You and I can be pretty sure Daggett , when speaking for Pierce Manufacturing , knew the discount to be offered ,  he just would not quote it.  And, there should be no labor costs passed on. 

*You have my permission to use the above written post, in part or in toto, as your letter to either Pierce and/or Oshkosh if you so wish.
NB:
Highlighted area in the news article is my emphasis

http://piercemfg.com/    Pierce Manufacturing is out of  Appleton, WI
http://oshkoshcorporation.com/

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Methuen Must Pay For Ladder Truck Repair

United States (Massachusetts) - The city will have to pay for repairs to a Fire Department ladder truck. One of the four outriggers used to stabilize the 1996 Nova Quintech ladder truck collapsed during the Christmas Day fire at Shadi's Restaurant and Lounge while two firefighters were in the bucket attached to the ladder. The collapse dropped the two onto the the roof of the burning restaurant, but they escaped without injury.

The city took the truck out of service that day.



Pierce Manufacturing, which owns the rights to the truck, issued a "product safety bulletin" saying an engineering analysis had concluded that a structural weakness was inherent in the Nova Quintech stabilizer beam design.



The Eagle-Tribune reported on Monday that Pierce will manufacture new stabilizer beam assemblies, and they will be available and installed after May 2 at no cost to the owners.



However, Fire Chief Steven Boote said yesterday that's not true for most of the departments that own the truck.



"Pierce Manufacturing will manufacture new stabilizer beam assemblies and install them at no cost only for the trucks that were manufactured after Pierce took over the Nova Quintech corporation," Buote said. "This accounts for only five trucks."



"Unfortunately, there are another 17 aerials throughout the U.S. and Canada who's communities have to pay for their own repairs. Methuen is one of those communities who are being forced to fund their own repairs," the chief said.



Quote said he has not yet been informed of what the full cost will be, "but I have been informed that the cost for the replacement parts alone will be approximately $30,000."



"This, of course, does not include the labor cost. I do not yet have a cost estimate for labor," he said.



Quote said he's not happy about the treatment he is receiving.



Pierce Manufacturing is a subsidiary of Oshkosh Corporation.



"We came in at the request of our dealership to look at it (the ladder truck), to investigate it," said John Daggett, vice president of communications for Oshkosh. "As soon as we saw that there was some type of weakness, we stepped right up to the plate."



Pierce issued product safety bulletins about the trucks. Daggett said the company will replace the parts for a discounted price, although he didn't know what that price is.



Daggett said the Methuen incident was the first time one of those outriggers failed, and Pierce has improved the design of that piece.



Written by The Eagle-Tribune



See another article on Methuen Fire Department in ref. to subject of decommissioned fire truck  on March 21, 2011 on http://www.http//eagletribune.com