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Got dirty today


1958 F.W.D.

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Thanks Fellas, but I wouldnt be the half of a mechanic that I am without my father (who was there today to bust my balls errr ahhhh I mean supervise me and also the 2-3 years I spent as an apprentice mechanic at Jevic Transportation's Willingboro NJ Fleet Maintenance Shop. My Dad has been the chief wrench turner for the fire company for 30+ years (he has over 50 years active except for 4 years in the Navy) but he's getting up there in age, so I do a lot of the heavy wrenching now while he sits in the chair and busts my balls errrrrr ahhhhhh supervises me.

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TWO STROKES ARE FOR GARDEN TOOLS

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Yes the FWD made a guest appearance twice this year- on July 4th, the company requested that I bring her down for the annual parade and community day- all the old timers and older members of the community love to see the truck. At first I was like errrr ahhhh guys, thats a 40-mile ride one-way for me, at 3.5MPG......with gas at 3.50+ per gallon its an $100.00 day.....Then they said "keep all receipts and submit for 100% remibursement. DONE.

Then in October, a member asked that I bring it for his wedding for photos with the wedding party. Paid me a VERY nice sum of cash. Stored the truck at the station overnight before and after the wedding.

By the way, the truck pictured here is third generation. First the FWD, then a 1978 Hahn replaced the FWD, and this truck replaced the 1978 Hahn.

TWO STROKES ARE FOR GARDEN TOOLS

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When I see new fire equipment with enormous cabs it seems so different than 25-30 years ago.

Now with everybody being inside, air bags and modern seats with SCOTs built into the seats, etc.

Pretty amazing and expensive!

Jim

It doesn't cost anything to pay attention.

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When I started my full time career as a firefighter in the early 1970s, I don't think that my department's 10 Macks cost $430,000 total.

bulldogboy

. Must have seen a lot being in the fire service in the seventies! What dept. Did you work for?
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F.W.D. you guys do your own servicing in house?. That's cool. You don't see that anymore. Cheers, Rob

Yes, we are a volunteer fire department with a limited budget, so we try to do as much in-house as we can with our space-limited shop. We will not do major stuff like brakes and things like that. We think we may have a siezed fan clutch, we may farm that one out to the Cat House, not sure yet. We're not hurting for money, but we dont have a money tree for maintenance, either. We do a lot of pump work in-house (rebuilding valves, etc.) We also do a lot of metal work/fabricating in house too.

TWO STROKES ARE FOR GARDEN TOOLS

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We have pretty Peirces! But taking delivery of a brand new HME tanker/pump on Friday. I have training on it Tues and Wed. Can't wait to see how it performs.

Town meeting day tomorrow here in Vermont and my town will be voting for or against having a FD. I hope we get it and the two trucks they want. We could use some good guys around here.

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F.W.D I think that's great you guys do a lot of work in house. I think you guys take more pride in the equipment. I love fire trucks, all of my family and friends are firemen hell I'm even in a firefighter bagpipe band but I hate the petty polictical bull shit with so many of these fire companies, I can walk to my firehouse but they are just a bunch of drunks unfortunately. I think the upstate and rural fire companies take better care of their equipment and are usually guys that are familiar with trucks and equipment. Sorry off my rant about fire departments.

Cheers, Rob

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F.W.D I think that's great you guys do a lot of work in house. I think you guys take more pride in the equipment. I love fire trucks, all of my family and friends are firemen hell I'm even in a firefighter bagpipe band but I hate the petty polictical bull shit with so many of these fire companies, I can walk to my firehouse but they are just a bunch of drunks unfortunately. I think the upstate and rural fire companies take better care of their equipment and are usually guys that are familiar with trucks and equipment. Sorry off my rant about fire departments.

Cheers, Rob

No alcohol allowed on the property; best thing we ever did. We're in the suburbs of Philly, we do close to 2000 runs a year, we dont have time for drunks or a bar in the firehouse. Most of the Departments around here have gotten rid of the firehouse bars and the ones that still have them are pretty strict about members being in them, much less responding after consuming alcohol. If you have one SIP of beer, you turn your pager off for 8 hours, its as simple as that. No iffs, ands or buts about it- no negotiations and no "get out of jail free" cards.

TWO STROKES ARE FOR GARDEN TOOLS

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Town meeting day tomorrow here in Vermont and my town will be voting for or against having a FD. I hope we get it and the two trucks they want. We could use some good guys around here.

Tim:

I know that in 2001, Westmore, VT, up in your neck of the woods, started a fire department. They might be

a resource for you if you start a department. What kind of trucks does Coventry have in mind?

bulldogboy

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That's good FWD less accidents with the trucks when there is a call on a Sunday with everybody in the bar. Hillburn bought a Pierce combination pumper rescue in fact they had to shorten it 12 inches or it had to be a tandem. Anyway very expensive rig at $800.000.00 and in two years they have had three accidents with it. I have enough stress at work.

Cheers, Rob

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my company allows beer at a meeting ,but if you drink you don't get on the truck period ... we merged 3fire co;s and 2 rescue squads into 1 company and a new 4M building in 2006 . Before the 2 other co's had bars,not the best thing for the town or the people we protect,just my 2 cents....

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We have pretty Peirces! But taking delivery of a brand new HME tanker/pump on Friday. I have training on it Tues and Wed. Can't wait to see how it performs.

I remember when Milford was a Mack town with 3 "CFs" and before that an American LaFrance town. Good luck with your HME.

bulldogboy

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