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9 Comments

• #1 by Cmk420 on December 25, 2021 - 7:34 PM

  

  I was out that way, just a few weeks ago, and I saw that the old West Chicago engine was still running as Engine 31. Glad to see that engine is still serving them well during this period.

• #2 by Mike on December 25, 2021 - 12:32 PM

  

  The windfeild engine was nothing but problems since they got it. I’m surprised that there aren’t more lawsuits against pierce due to short life expectancy on these rigs. A piece of equipment should not be total scrap after 10 years. There are a lot of pierces in the area that don’t make 20 years due to frames, torque boxes and main ladders rusting out.

• #3 by Mike C on December 25, 2021 - 8:44 AM

  

  Tim – I’m not necessarily an E-One lover. I just think Pierce is the most overrated apparatus builder in the world! Obviously, I know they produce far more trucks than all the other builders but I also have a lot of hands on experience with Pierce amongst many other brands. One of the biggest problems we have with today’s apparatus is departments, dealers, or manufacturers spacing their rigs with insufficient options. In addition, it’s all to often that maintenance and firefighters are touching things on the apparatus when they have limited knowledge to what they’re doing. Palatine has a newer Pierce without TAK-4 and no multiplex. This is probably a pretty decent rig considering these 2 features Pierce offer is nothing but inferior. I think Pierce is working on resolving their corrosion issues which I’m glad to see. Unfortunately, there are thousands of Pierce’s still out there that will eventually biodegrade due to low quality steel frame rails, and aluminum bodies. Pierce has focused on new innovations which is great BUT unfortunately, some of these innovations have led to major problems. Look at the Pierce Ascendant class of aerials. These things are selling like crazy, meanwhile, it’s probably the worst aerial in the American fire apparatus market. In closing, spec your apparatus right, maintain them well by QUALIFIED people, and they will probably treat you well!

  Merry Christmas!

• #4 by Evan Davis on December 25, 2021 - 8:11 AM

  

  Congrats to Winfield! I believe I read in previous board minutes they’re looking at getting a new ambulance too?

• #5 by Tim on December 24, 2021 - 7:15 PM

  

  Harry, unless you have intimate knowledge of apparatus, either from riding it or working on it, you really can’t say anything about any of it. I don’t care if Bingbong New Jersey has a great track record with apparatus X, if you don’t know what works well or what doesn’t, I’m not sure you can comment on it.

  As much as Mike C is always a complete Pierce basher and an E-1 lover, I don’t necessarily disagree with him. The Tak-4 sucks, the rusty frame rail problem sucks (all Pierce). But I was assigned to an E-1 that caught fire in the barn (sucks). I was assigned to other E-1s that may not start from run to run (sucks). I have a cousin on LAcoFD…all KME, they hate them (sucks). You can never speculate who is going to go with what because it all comes down to $$$$.
  Unless you have intimate knowledge of a dept. of fire districts finances you never know who’s going to buy what. And in the grand scheme of things does it really matter? I’m not sure it does. Think about the fire service lately (locally). Too many guys getting hurt or killed. That’s the shit that’s important. None of these injuries/LODDs seem to be rig related.
  Now retired and 35 years in the fire service, it seems we, as a people in general, lose sight of what’s important, especially lately.

• #6 by harry on December 24, 2021 - 4:37 PM

  

  mike c depts like skokie have had no issues with the newer pierces in terms of rust i believe e18 old pierce was rehabbed and the 1995 pierce tower is gone from skokie and now skokies reserve truck is the reserve 1997 pierce ladder from northbrook

• #7 by harry on December 24, 2021 - 4:33 PM

  

  i had a feeling they would go sutphen thats awesome they had the 90 pierce a few years ago it was at a training at carol stream fpd they have had 2 engines in 20 years the alf and the pierce

• #8 by Mike C on December 24, 2021 - 4:07 PM

  

  Michael – Perhaps they’ve been saving for a few years on a new rig? Maybe they financed or leased it? Perhaps a corporation or organization made a donation? Regardless, the best thing about this is they didn’t buy another Pierce. The 2008 Pierce has been nothing but problems. Sutphen is far superior than the P brand.

• #9 by Michael m on December 24, 2021 - 3:46 PM

  

  Nice, this will be the third Sutphen in DuPage County. Bloomingdale Argonne and now Winfield. I guess after all the issues with the 08 Pierce PUC they decided to go with a different manufacturer.
  Hopefully, they will now have a decent reserve engine/Engine 32. The 1990 Pierce Engine 32 stopped working years ago. When Engine 31 was OOS earlier this year they borrowed a 94 Pierce from West Chicago. I am guessing the 1990 Pierce will be scrapped once this engine arrives. I wonder how they found the money to make this purchase since their referendums have failed. Anyway at least they are getting a new engine, Grant it they more than likely cannot afford it. It has been almost 12 years since they have gotten a new piece of apparatus.

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