Always New Chiefs Cars?

[Guest]

How often do you guys get new chiefs vehicles?!?!? It seems there's always a new chief vehicle? I am only raising this question because it seems like more money is spent on cheif cars then on apparatus!

[FirNaTine 370]

How often do you guys get new chiefs vehicles?!?!? It seems  there's always a new chief vehicle? I am only raising this question because it seems like more money is spent on cheif cars then on apparatus!

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Not only apparatus, but how about life saving equipment like portable radios and thermal imaging cameras just to name a couple!

[RDUNC67 1]

How often do you guys get new chiefs vehicles?!?!? It seems  there's always a new chief vehicle? I am only raising this question because it seems like more money is spent on cheif cars then on apparatus!

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My department has a total of 2 Chiefs cars, a new one is purchased every 4 years, the Chief usually gets the new one and the 4yr old car is passed down to next in command, now, i am not sure the last time you priced out apparatus, but you can probably replace at least a half of dozen Chiefs cars for the price of one Custom pumper.

[MPACE2-299 0]

Our department has 3 cheif's cars and the plan wass to replace them after 6 years, each car purchased 2 years apart. But 3 years ago 2 surburbans were purchased at the same time. We got some "deal" to get 2 and them painted red. Now one will be replaced after 6 and the other after 8. Hopefull then going back into the 6 year cycle.

[res6cue 67]

We have three, and since the 80s, they have all been SUVs of some type. The truck stays with the same Chief throughout his tenure, which is three terms of two years each for six total years per vehicle. In the last few months of their term as Captain, the procurement process is started. Generally the vehicle is purchased and equipped and ready to go within the month the new 2nd Assistant Chief takes their office. When the six years are up and they leave office, they have the option of purchasing their vehicle from the district at fair market value using the Kelly Blue Book.

The idea of having a semi-permanent vehicle or fleet just didn't make sound financial sense. It's actually cheaper to buy new every two years rather than have to constantly maintain older vehicles, especially for warranty issues. Going the six year cycle route, you can keep most vehicles within their factory warranty period, which is obviously beneficial.

[Guest]

Ah, I understand. Thank guys for the info!!!

[ONLOCATION 24]

Kinda varies to each department. My Departments procedure is usually new one every two years, goes to the head chief and they are passed down by rank (Chief to 1st. Asst. to 2nd......) After the 6 years as a Chiefs Vehicle its become the "Spare" or a "Utility" Vehicle....Then from there Back to the Village for whatever they wish. Last one (1997 Expedition) went to the Water Department as a Confined Space Operations Unit. Get ur Moneys Worth out of them. The Trend thats seems to be happening is the Get new when u go in and keep it till u go out.

[RES20CUE 40]

Somers purchases a new Command Vehicle every 2 years, when the Chief goes out. The new car is given to the new 2nd Asst, and that Chief keeps the car for 6 years.

In relation to replacements cycles and $$- We also purchase a new Ambulance every 2 years, and a new pumper every 2 years, thus the oldest Ambulance is 6 years old at time of disposal and the oldest "front line" pumper is 8 years old, with the Reserve pumper being 10 years old.

By the way- for some of you, Chief is spelled CHIEF!

[COMMANDCHIEF 4]

When you think about it. It's not a bad idea to replace the command vehicles on a regular rotation. It costs a fraction of what it would cost to replace apparatus. So that comparison dosn't really work. But if you look at the use diffrence, it makes sense. The Chiefs (sic) vehicle will have much higher mileage and engine hours. It will also have less of a sheltered life. Most chiefs don't have the ability to house their assigned vehicles in a garage and protect is from the elements.

As rescue 20 stated. The sale of a vehicle after some six years of service will allow the department to get some money back while the vehicle has some resale value left. That in turn can be put toward the purchase of a new vehicle. If you look at the alternative: One could run the vehicles into the ground and have pretty much no resale value to it. I think you will find. Keeping the vehicle till the end of it's life will eventually cost more than the replacement program. I know this to be TRUE at least in one case. We has a real.... Shi*box of a Chiefs (sic) car that the district refused to replace. In all, the car cost well beyond what it would have to replace the thing in the first place. Enough said.

[Sloty 7]

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Edited July 1, 2006 by Sloty

[JeffSlots 1]

I gotta start bitc****portable radios DONT save lives what saves lives is knowledgable people on scene that do good work fast. We got a problem in our county that everyone is fast to talk on the radio and not get what needs to be done, done. Chiefs cars provide people on scene quickly Furthermore ALL the departments that i know of, the chiefs are at the majority of calls, and when not on a run handle operations at the firehouse. As a chief they are dedicating there lives to making sure the firehouse runs smoothely so whats the problem with providing them nice and new cars to do there jobs.

[HFD750 6]

I gotta start bitc****portable radios DONT save lives what saves lives is knowledgable people on scene that do good work fast. We got a problem in our county that everyone is fast to talk on the radio and not get what needs to be done, done. Chiefs cars provide people on scene quickly Furthermore ALL the departments that i know of, the chiefs are at the majority of calls, and when not on a run handle operations at the firehouse. As a chief they are dedicating there lives to making sure the firehouse runs smoothely so whats the problem with providing them nice and new cars to do there jobs.

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I couldn't agree more...Well said.

[HFD750 6]

I forgot to say our department get's new chiefs trucks every 2 years. The local police dept buy's our old trucks and adds them to there fleet,they use them in the winter time or during big storms.Plus we always keep a spare car which is used for many different things.So we really only have 3 chiefs trucks. The pick up truck that I drive was going to be a utility truck but we put in service last year as a chiefs truck instead.

[spin_the_wheel 460]

It 's even cheaper if a few Dept.s get together and order on state bid...

[TRUCK6018 50]

It 's even cheaper if a few Dept.s get together and order on state bid...

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You don't need multiple departments to get together to order on a state bid. All the state bidding process allows you to do is not go through a time consuming bid process. Any department can go right to a listed vendor and get the bid price.

[IzzyEng4 427]

We only run one Chief's car. The Assistants run their own car and the department chief (Chief 21) gets the car. If he is away for vacation or a long time, then the car goes to the next highest ranked assistant chief.

We currently run a 1998 (?) Ford Expedition. We usually replace them every 10 to 15 years depending on miles and engine hours. There has been rumors that our department might be looking into a duty chief's truck for the assistants when they are on-call.

[CAM502 6]

A vehicle is a vehicle as long as it suits the needs of your Dept and get you where you need to go.

Now about that rant saying that portables don't save lives. Every member that is gonna go into a working fire should have a portable. I'm not saying they need to be calling dispatch every minute, but they should have the Fireground Freqs. Have you never heard someone calling for help?

Edited July 1, 2006 by CAM502

[Remember585 815]

Only an IC should talk with dispatch....PERIOD!

Purchasing Chief's Cars can't exactly fall under a specific replacement plan overall. They have to be Department dependent.

For example, I highly doubt that a Chief's car in Croton needs to be replaced as often as the Deputy Chief's car in say, New Rochelle.

What each department does when it comes to replacing vehicles in it's fleet is their business - who are we to judge?

[FirNaTine 370]

A vehicle is a vehicle as long as it suits the needs of your Dept and get you where you need to go.

Now about that rant saying that portables don't save lives.  Every member that is gonna go into a working fire should have a portable.  I'm not saying they need to be calling dispatch every minute, but they should have the Fireground Freqs.  Have you never heard someone calling for help?

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Couldn't agree with you more CAM! I guess these guys figure once they find the downed firefighter who couldn't call a MayDay over an assigned portable radio they'll be able to get them to the Emergency Room alot quicker in their brand new shiney Chief's car with all it's new lights and sirens? I just hope those who can't see our rational CAM, aren't in a position of leadarship, such as a Chief within the fire service! God help those Departments, with that negative thinking!