Big Problems With FDNY Firetrucks

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Big Problems With NYC Firetrucks

Some are calling it a crisis in public safety

Marcia Kramer

CBS New NY Reporting

(CBS) NEW YORK Some are calling it a crisis in public safety. New York City firetrucks, even brand new ones, are breaking down and the company that makes them is falling way behind in repairs.

The repair yard at the East Brunswick, New Jersey headquarters of Seagrave Sales and Service looks like a graveyard for FDNY fire trucks.

But one big problem is that three of the trucks, Engine 305, Ladder 147 and Ladder 175 are brand new. They’ve been sitting there for as long as three months. They are not in service on the streets of New York because the FDNY has a beef with the company over repair issues and the quality of the rigs.

“This fire commissioner has purchased nothing but Seagrave rigs, they’re inferior, they’re not working they cant be repaired the company seems to be in disarray and its compromising the safety of the public,” says Steven Cassidy.

The fire department freely admits it has a problem getting Seagrave to fix its trucks. But the unions say that’s an understatement.

· Engine 293 for example, has been out of service for 9 months

· Ladder 37 has been out of service for 8 months

· Ladder 14, 6 months

· Engine 83, 5 months

· Ladder 168, 6 months

The company agrees it had had a problem repairing trucks under warranty.

“I will readily admit not getting repairs done as expeditiously as we would like but we’re in the process of recruiting qualified technicians so we can get on a level footing,” says Seagrave General Manager Creighton Pritzlaff.

But union officials say that’s only part of the problem. They say the repairs are so slow that most of the spare rigs, some as old as 18 years are being used to fill in for the new trucks. That could potentially result in a new crisis if another 9-11 or other disaster hit the city.

“We’re driving around with 15 or 20-year-old apparatus but even more importantly there are no spare rigs available or very few in case of a major disaster and firefighters are recalled like on 9/11,” says Cassidy.

The problem is so intense that last week the fire department decided to re-bid a $10 million contract awarded to Seagrave for 12 tower ladders.

"Seagrave needs to get its act together. If they don’t improve, we’ll buy other trucks, ” says Fire Department Spokesman Frank Gribbon.

Video/Photos:

http://wcbstv.com/seenat11/local_story_263084345.html

(© MMV, CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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The problem is so intense that last week the fire department decided to re-bid a $10 million contract awarded to Seagrave for 12 tower ladders.

"Seagrave needs to get its act together. If they don’t improve, we’ll buy other trucks, ” says Fire Department Spokesman Frank Gribbon. 

I've been hearing rumors swirling about this for months now, but I guess it's really heating up.

If you watch the video, there is an interesting aerial shot of a ton of FDNY rigs, a ton of them newer looking, sitting in the yard at the dealer.

It's also interesting to hear the union president call Seagrave "Inferior".

Should be quite interesting to see what happens with this!!

Maybe this is all just a ploy to get Seagrave to straighten up their act?

It would be very sad to see Seagrave leave NYC.

[Guest]

Wow that is unbelievable Seagrave taking so long to fix Fire Trucks for one of the busiest City's in the World!

[Guest x2371]

The Ferrara's are coming, the Ferrara's are coming. A rumor I hear that Ferrara is looking into making a solid boom tower ladder

[Guest E53LT]

I'll bet there's a suicide watch in effect for all the FDNY "Spankers" who think that just because Seagrave builds rigs for the City that they must be indestructable, flawlessly crafted and impervious to mechanical failures. Should be interesting to see who picks up the contract for the tower ladders though, but my guess is that it will be another manufacturer based in Wisconsin......

[JAD622 40]

Don't bet on it.

[Guest]

Does Seagrave own the Aerialsope brand or could builder use them?

[JAD622 40]

Yes, Seagrave does own Aerialscope for the time being. There's been rumor that they may sell it off. It doesn't make sense, but that's what's going around.

[JBE 328]

The Ferrara's are coming, the Ferrara's are coming.  A rumor I hear that Ferrara is looking into making a solid boom tower ladder

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I found it kind of funny when LAFD's Engine 209 caught fire not too long ago. It's well known amongst the members of FDNY that the Seagrave rigs are far from perfect and indestructible.

[tbendick 27]

These Seagraves keep falling apart and little things that should hold up are not.. As far as getting anything fixed it's a joke.. Anything thats under warranty doesn't get fixed. Only the stuff our guys do in house..

[Guest]

the following companies that respond into my neighborhood.

engine 75 is running a spare now for about 5 months.

battalion19 is running a spare for a few days know

division 7 is running a spare

ladder 37 has been running a spare now for like a year

engine 79 is running a spare

ladder 46 was running a spare untill recently

so all in all at one point last month it was the early 1990's

[SKE#2HAHN 18]

Our 75' Aerialscope has been out of service at Seagrave in East Brunswick for a month now. This news doesn't look promising for our situation either. They have been stroking us "waiting for a part" but they say it will be ready next week...oh but they said that last week too. We only have 1 Aerialscope compared to FDNY...makes me wonder now where we are on their priority list. There is NO TRUCK LIKE AN AERIALSCOPE!!!

:angry:

[JAD622 40]

The News gets even worse! Stay tuned for yet another major development between NYC and Seagrave.

[EJS1810 7]

Stop Teasing! If you have info Share

[Guest]

Wow thats bad I hope that they get that fixed right away, SRY TO HEAR THAT

[Guest E53LT]

So who wants to take bets on which manufacturer is going to pick up that tower ladder order? Like I posted earlier, I'm betting that the new tower ladders will be coming from another part of Wisconsin....

[Guest]

I'm willing to bet that when push comes to shove, FDNY will work something out with Seagrave and they will get that order in the end. Its cheaper for them to keep the fleet the same rather than start mixing it up.....

.....but who knows?

And isn't Pierce the only other Wisc. builder, or is ALF there as well?

[Guest]

Your on the outside looking in now. Just remember there are three sides to every story. NYFD, Seagrave and the truth. Dont count out Seagrave.

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What does that mean.......?

[tbendick 27]

Don't think anyone has a clue on what might happen.. I know Ferrara would love to move in with as much as they can.. They are the only other rig in front line service with the High-Pressure Engines and now the Satelites.

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If Seagrave loses FDNY, I wonder if that would be the end of the long financial problem-plagued Seagrave???

[BIGRED1 71]

i wonder how all the departments that just bought Seagraves are taking this. I know Pelham just bought a new ladder and it is being made now to be delivered soon sometime.

good thing we have the old 73 Mack CF tower ladder and the 76 Mack engine. all these guys complaining about there reserve engines being 10-15 years old, well ours are older them ME! but we still use them and they get the job done. I know Pelham Manor aint FDNY but still that macks run and i have never seen either of them out of service for more then a week for anything.

[Mike M 0]

Saw Ladder 31 last week and Ladder 45 a couple weeks agao using rearmounts fpr spares

[Guest Truckie93]

I've been out to Wisconsin lately and I can tell you that there is alot of steel sitting outside the seagrave plant that was supposed to be used for a big addition. It's been sitting there for some time and rumor has it that they don't have the resources to build trucks right now let alone a new building. I think the curse that plauged Mack in FDNY is catching up to Seagrave. I hope the next manufacturer in the city knows it's history so they don't make the same mistakes that have happened and are happening again.

[msm232 69]

What does that mean.......?     

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You want to know what that means???? It means that there is lot more to the story and it usually involves politics, propaganda and $$$$!!!!! How many pieces does Seagrave have in the FDNY fleet??? and what percentage are they having problems with??? Even with the new math, it is a small percentage. I remember going to Fleet Services in LIC. Uh! Oh! I mean Red Square.....Why do you think they called it Red Square??????There was fire apparatus parked for repair everywhere!!! This situation is far from what it use to be like and by the way....All manufacturers have monday/Friday Rigs!

You won't see another TL in NYC......Aerialscope is a way of life. The R&D process and in-service training alone on a new style of TL would take years. Ask anyone who deals with FDNY.

That is all that I have to say about that.

Stay safe.

[Guest]

You'll note that in a previos post I already said that I figured Seagrave would hold on to that contract. WHY? Money, ease of fleet maint. and familiarity with equiptment. However, nothings gonna make a difference if Seagrave can't stay outta bankrupcy.

[msm232 69]

Posted Sept. 23, 2005

Seagrave aims to patch things up with NYC

By Pete Bach

Post-Crescent staff writer

CLINTONVILLE — Seagrave Fire Apparatus, the exclusive supplier of fire trucks to New York City, scrambled this week to repair its reputation with its leading customer.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg launched a public attack earlier in the week against the Clintonville fire apparatus maker amid charges from the fire department that six new ladder trucks were out of service as much as nine months to await repairs covered by a warranty.

Scott Mintier, Seagrave’s chief executive officer, denied that. Mintier, who met with department officials this week, said five trucks underwent routine maintenance, three of which are back in service. Another is re-entering service this week, and the last truck will go back in service in about a week.

Seagrave, which employs about 350 at its Clintonville plant, is North America’s oldest continuous manufacturer of fire apparatus. The company drew national attention after Sept. 11, 2001, as it rushed to build new trucks for the department, which lost 54 trucks in the attacks.

In addition to the slow repairs, the department is concerned that 12 trucks on order have yet to be built, said Jim Long, a spokesman for the department.

“They’re started. We just got the last change order on the things on Sept. 7,” Mintier said.

The first trucks are scheduled for shipment in January, Mintier said.

Clintonville Mayor Richard Beggs spoke with Mintier about the conflict.

“I told him to tell us what the issues are and what he thinks they can do about them,” he said. “As happens with all companies, they have ups and downs, good days and bad days.”

Pete Bach can be reached at 920-993-1000, ext. 430, or by e-mail at pbach@postcrescent.com

[tbendick 27]

Word is that they have the contract back....

[Guest]

I personally would love to see a Peirce MidMount running around the city. The kind that Boston has taken delivery of.

[SKE#2HAHN 18]

Our 75' Aerialscope has been out of service at Seagrave in East Brunswick for a month now.  This news doesn't look promising for our situation either.  They have been stroking us "waiting for a part" but they say it will be ready next week...oh but they said that last week too.  We only have 1 Aerialscope compared to FDNY...makes me wonder now where we are on their priority list.  There is NO TRUCK LIKE AN AERIALSCOPE!!!

    :angry:

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After only 8-Weeks, our Aerialscope is finally fixed! We are picking it up on Monday Oct 17. After some phone tag with top administrators at Seagrave, they have admitted some difficulties at their E.Brunswick shop and they are making good on it with us.

I have heard rumors that Pierce may be acquiring Seagrave for the Aerialscope division...time will tell.