New FDNY Squad and Engine Bids

[southendexpress 11]

if thats the case. i wish the best of luck to the fdny. our new kme has given us nothing but problems.

[mfc2257 464]

Every rig has its critics. The crew in the city complains about the new Seagraves along with the Ferraras. In the end NYC doesn't care. As long as the rigs meet the bid requirements and are cheap it's a done deal. KME severe service rigs have been fine in LA for years I'm sure they'll be adequate in NYC.

(*)

[Pagers 197]

All apparatus are the same in regards to their critics...

[mfc2257 464]

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Edited April 23, 2012 by mfc2257

[pump305 53]

The KME's for LACOFD has been a very long road. Many issues with electrical, pumps, overheating and so on. Even the 2011 have rearend problems buy riding to the left. But overall a better rig with KME working close with county.

[osufire90 18]

Didnt Boston just get a new KME engine?

[Pagers 197]

Idk, I do know Philadelphia has new KMEs.

[firedude 985]

Didnt Boston just get a new KME engine?

Yes.

[firedude 985]

Boston's KMEs:

Photo From: KME

[peterose313 345]

Ossining has both an engine and ladder by KME as well. Engine 99 is a KME Predator and Ladder 41 is a KME AerialCat. There's a few KME's in Westchester. I believe Millwood has one too.

[FF398 45]

Montrose purchased an '09 KME predator rescue pumper not too long ago. I've had the opportunity to drive the rig on a few calls and the overall handling is pretty good. We're pretty pleased with this rig so far. It would be interesting to see if in fact, the FDNY awarded the bid to KME and how the rigs would hold up in the city.

http://www.montrosef.../engine_121.php

Edited April 23, 2012 by FF398

[Pagers 197]

[Guest FF/EMT 1]

First of all Seagrave is the best of the best. Ferrara is mediocre and KME well have to admit from companies where i serve say that they suck. Nothing but problems with KME since day 1 of being in service. Don't really think FDNY is gonna want a company who mind you always comes in the lowest cause their product sucks and they are looking for business instead of building top quality such as Seagrave or Pierce. I think that the city will choose the best of the best over the competitors cause they use top quality apparatus

Edited April 24, 2012 by FF/EMT 1

[M' Ave 1,466]

First of all Seagrave is the best of the best. Ferrara is mediocre and KME well have to admit from companies where i serve say that they suck. Nothing but problems with KME since day 1 of being in service. Don't really think FDNY is gonna want a company who mind you always comes in the lowest cause their product sucks and they are looking for business instead of building top quality such as Seagrave or Pierce. I think that the city will choose the best of the best over the competitors cause they use top quality apparatus

For better or worse, the city will choose the least costly option, as long as it meets the spec. There is no "choosing quality". It doesn't work that way. As for who's the "best of the best", well, I really don't think the maker matters. In my house we have a Seagrave engine and a new Ferrara ladder. The build quality on the Ferrara is fantastic. Heavy welds, heave materials and the fit and finish seems to be quite good. It's laid out well and the ride is smooth like a Cadilac. Time will tell. The Seagrave is a rough riding rust bucket that has it's share of problems. Many of the recent Seagrave apparatus have spent plenty of time O.O.S. Some of the 2006-2007 tower ladders have more time in the shops that on the road, so lets take it easy on lavishing praise on Seagrave.

I can say this until I'm blue in the face; the builder matters very little compared to the spec. My experiences have shown me that when building a large apparatus order to a particular city spec, the builder matters less and less.

[Union241 3]

I have operated KMEs almost exclusively for almost 8 years now, and whatever problems that we have had with them not only have been problems from suppliers (i.e. Hale, Allison, Detroit Diesel), but the representatives have been extremely quick to address them and work with us to correct the problems.

Any new rig, regardless of the build plate, will have its growing pains, and if you look from brand to brand, you will see commonalities with the problems because it is the same parts on rigs of different builders failing. Pumps, motors, transmissions, et cetera are not built by Seagrave, E-One, KME, Pierce or any other apparatus manufacturer, but they are the first to get blamed by the masses when something fails.

What we as a whole need to remember is that it is that they are complicated tools that we work hard (1,000 times harder in a place like NYC) and they, like it or not, fail at some point. What matters in the end is the service that backs up the sale.