Excerpts from the journal-topics.com:
When the Park Ridge Fire Department’s tower ladder was irreparably damaged during this summer’s fire at the Marathon gas station, Fire Chief Jeff Sorensen asked to fast-track ordering of a replacement truck, which was scheduled to happen in the next fiscal year anyway.
It takes a year to get a fire truck built, and Sorensen’s efforts to order in 2019 were blocked by the Finance Committee from choosing a sole source provider.
He and the finance department are now seeking approval, officially, to have the city join the Houston-Galveston Area Council, a Texas-based buying cooperative which specializes in detailed analysis of fire department trucks. The request, for joining to get access to detailed specifications from various companies, was approved unanimously by the six council members attending Monday, Dec. 2.
Pingback: Park Ridge Fire Department news (more) « chicagoareafire.com
#1 by Bill Post on December 9, 2019 - 4:14 PM
Old Timer thanks for the tip. I have been on that site. According to what I read, Austin still has several Pierce engines coming on their last contract. When those are delivered, they will be looking at other manufacturers unless you have more recent information. I also read that they ordered two mid-mounted Ascendents however they were cancelled.
While I don’t know how much you follow the Austin Fire Department, did you know that they have plans to add up to five more stations over the next several years?
#2 by Old Timer on December 8, 2019 - 8:39 PM
Bill
Look at Siddons Martin Website the Pierce Dealer for Texas for deliveries and orders
Austin
I was not promoting or degrading an apparatus. As Bill pointed out there have been issues good and bad with all apparatus manufacturers.
We are seeing more Seagraves and Sutphens in this area along with E One REV group and Pierce and Alexis
#3 by Austin on December 8, 2019 - 6:54 PM
Old Timer, for every department you can name that is going with Pierce, one could name the same amount going to a different manufacture. Like Honolulu ditching Pierce for KME, NYC going more for Ferrara and KME instead of Seagrave, DC getting away from the E-ONEs they had and buying a mix of Pierce and Seagrave. Departments switch all the time. Pierce sells the most, but the ERV Group is a close second. Like everyone has said, every manufacture has issues.
#4 by Bill Post on December 8, 2019 - 6:16 PM
Old Timer, can you give me more information on Austin. Less than a year ago they purchased a Spartan/Smeal aerial ladder and cancelled two ladder truck orders from Pierce. They were talking of possibly ordering from Ferrara and KME in addition to Spartan ERV.
#5 by Old Timer on December 8, 2019 - 6:04 PM
Texas
Austin went back to Pierce Killeen is going Pierce Dallas is switching to Pierce
#6 by Crabbymilton on December 8, 2019 - 7:31 AM
It’s called competition. Depts. can buy whatever they want unless a contract is involved. Yes no builder is perfect and one may get put off by a builder while the other can’t say enough good things about it.
#7 by Bill Post on December 7, 2019 - 10:38 PM
Thanks Tarik. Ron I don’t consider myself a Pierce hater and I just asked the question as it just seems that E-One has been falling back in favor in the Chicago area. To my understanding the outriggers on E-One aerials don’t need as wide of a spread so it would make them easier to set up in narrow spaces. If I am wrong about that you can correct me.
I know that quite a few major departments are Pierce customers and several more have started buying Pierce in recent years. Pierce does still make a good product however I also have heard of some problems with Pierce. All of the manufacturers have their share of problems.
Chicago is going back to E-One after purchasing Crimson/Luverne pumpers over the last 27 years. Dallas, Texas which was an exclusive Crimson/Quality customer is now buying Pierce. San Antonio also become an exclusive Pierce customer and Phoenix, Arizona which had purchased E-One and American La France has gone back to Pierce. But on the other hand I heard that Austin Texas, which has been exclusively Pierce for the past 10 years, may be going to another manufacturer. Pierce still seems to be scoring more gains than losses.
#8 by Ron Wolkoff on December 7, 2019 - 10:06 PM
What is with you Pierce hatters. They are the largest manufacturer in the US and most departments continue to purchase more then once. Yes they have had issues but all manufacturers do. Wilmette which has several e1s and have a used pierce ladder and an new pierce eng
#9 by harry on December 7, 2019 - 9:54 PM
well judgeing by the the fact that they had 2 1995-96 pierce engines then they bought the 2001 eone tower and rescue then an eone engine 3 or 4 years later and based on the mechanics at public works they have told me that some of the ff like the eons while others like the pierce and the fact that if they stick with one brand pierce or eone it would be easier on fleet services and right now they have 2 pierces and 3 eones
#10 by Mabas Guy on December 7, 2019 - 9:38 PM
Pierce Ascendant Tower Ladder
#11 by Tarik Cimpo on December 7, 2019 - 9:35 PM
They are still using the tower ladder as a service truck they just can’t operate the aerial.
#12 by Bill Post on December 7, 2019 - 9:13 PM
Harry why do you think Park Ridge will be getting a Pierce as opposed to an E-One? Weren’t they happy with the rig that was damaged? If I am correct weren’t they just running the tower ladder out of Station 36 as a quint plus Ambulance 36 and a light duty squad when the manpower was available? The only manned engine in town is at Station 35 while Engine 36 is a reserve rig. So what are they running in place of the tower, the reserve engine?
#13 by harry on December 7, 2019 - 8:43 PM
I hope they go back to eone but I think it will likely be a pierce but it will be interesting to see what they get
#14 by Chuck on December 7, 2019 - 7:47 PM
Can’t believe some manufacturer didn’t have any demos in stock that would have met the specifications of what they were looking for. Sounds like wasting time and money was a better alternative.