At the Ready: Why maintenance is a “must”

Maintenance is the most lackluster part of the Fire Service, but outside of training, it may be the most important.

“In the case of the firefighter, proper maintenance can be the difference between life and death,” said Bob Norton, 2nd Assistant Chief of the Haddam Volunteer Fire Co. “Tools are only good if they perform when you need them.”

That goes for everything from the gas in a generator to the brakes on a truck.

In 1990, a poorly maintained pumper truck led to the deaths of two Connecticut firefighters. On route to a call, the truck ran off the road and hit a large tree when the driver lost control on a steep downgrade. The fire engine carried five firefighters: two were fatally injured, one sustained moderate injuries and the driver and remaining firefighters walked away with only minor injuries. A special investigation found the cause of the wreck to be under-inflated tires, excessively worn steering components and brakes that were out of adjustment.

Keeping equipment in game shape condition ensures it will respond when it counts. At the end of each month, the HFVC conducts “truck checks.” Every truck, at all 3 stations, is looked over to make sure all the equipment is where it’s supposed to be, in proper working order. This includes the department’s all-terrain Gator and Marine-13 rescue boat.

Members first pull Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus off the trucks and put them through a comprehensive service test. Once that’s done, they open compartments and inventory the equipment against a checklist. Small power tools like saws are taken out, run and fluids are checked.

During September’s truck checks, something else was done that hadn’t been in awhile – members filled seats on every truck at Station #1 and #2, and put a minimum of 15 to 20 minutes of driving time on them.

“If it’s not a particularly busy month, some of the trucks can sit for weeks,” Norton said. “Most of them have diesel engines that run better when used more regularly.”

In addition to truck checks, each year the department’s large apparatus are sent out to a facility in Cromwell where they receive a detailed mechanical inspection and DOT inspection. Not all departments do that.

This kind of regular maintenance is important because fire trucks are often driven fast, with lots of hard braking. That’s hard on a vehicle. If that wear and tear culminates in a fire apparatus that won’t start, breaks down heading to a call or, in the worst case, fails at the scene of a fire, the consequences can be catastrophic.

How the trucks are driven also depends on the department. More rural departments may seldom move a vehicle, where big cities literally “run the wheels off of them.” That makes it vital to tailor a maintenance program to a department’s specific needs.

“Apparatus is called out when a significant event is happening," said HVFC Fire Chief Gary Klare. “We have to make sure that when we take our trucks on a public road, they perform like they’re supposed to.”

The HVFC is fortunate to have mechanics in-house that can perform much of the routine maintenance and repairs that other departments outsource to third-party fire mechanics.

Dave Jones is the Elected Company Mechanical Engineer who coordinates repairs on apparatus and small equipment. Dave has two appointed assistants: Firefighters Bob Gardener and Nate Meyer. Meyer is leaving shortly for a five-year stint in the U.S. Navy.

It comes down to treating the trucks like they’re coming to save your wife, mother or child – even yourself. I know if my life were on the line, I’d expect firefighters to reach me, do their job and get me on my way to the hospital. Fortunately for Haddam residents they will, thanks to unsung heroes like Dave Jones.



More information on the activities of the Haddam Volunteer Fire Co. and ways you can get involved can be found on our website – www.HaddamFire.com.