Fire department garners new truck
New vehicle cost $226,782
By Katie Pizza
Argus Observer
Wednesday, March 4, 2009 11:17 AM PST
Ontario — Ontario Fire & Rescue added a new tool to help with medical emergencies last month.
The vehicle, dubbed “Rescue One,” cost $226,782 and was purchased last month with money set aside in the 2007 to 2009 Ontario budget.
The heavy-rescue vehicle contains extraction devices, also known as the “jaws of life,” wooden devices to help stuck vehicles gain traction, hydraulic lift tools to move vehicles, a wench, two fire suits, a “sit-down” gurney to help move injured people down stairs, hoses, capacity for 512 gallons of water and other equipment to help with emergency medical needs.
Pierce, the company who built the rig, painted most of it with the “Maltese cross,” but the Ontario Fire & Rescue emblem was painted locally.
At the Ontario City Council meeting Monday night, Ontario Mayor Joe Dominick spoke highly of the paint job, adding the reflective portions on the back of the vehicle were hard to miss.
Ontario Fire & Rescue’s Lt. Kevin Smith , who helped drive the rig from Appleton, Wis., where the vehicle was purchased, said the addition helps the department a great deal.
“This does 90 percent of the calls,” he said.
Ontario Fire & Rescue firefighter/EMT Todd Higinbotham said the old vehicle had mechanical issues.
“It left a pile of oil this big everyday,” he said, positioning his arms in a circle.
Ontario Fire & Rescue Chief Allan Higinbotham said it becomes harder to find parts for older rescue vehicles because they are specialized and are periodically upgraded to newer models.
“We were looking at a lot of money for the repair,” he said.
Todd Higinbotham said the older truck was “ran hard.”
“You start off cold, and by the time it warms up, you’re done,” he said.
Also helping with the deterioration of a vehicle is the fact that the vehicle is left running if it is responding to an incident. This helps to keep the water inside the 6-gallon pumps from freezing.
However, the newer vehicle hit the ground running.
Allan Higinbotham said the city had the option to have the vehicle driven to Ontario for $4,500.
However, the city employees opted to pick up the vehicle themselves. In his report to the council Monday, Higinbotham explained the choice to have OF&R move the vehicle.
“The break-in mileage for a new vehicle is usually considered to be around 10,000 miles. It would take several years of fire department use to come anywhere near this break-in period,” he said.
He also expressed support for the trek because it allowed Todd Higinbotham and Smith the ability to see any potential problems which usually occur in the first 10,000 miles. Allan Higinbotham said the city was also able to save money because the two stayed with Smith’s sister for one night during the trip, which cut down on food and lodging costs. The grand total, Allan Higinbotham said, was $2.141.86, saving the city $2,358.14.
The trek began Feb. 12 and ended Feb. 15. On Feb. 20, Allan Higinbotham said, crews put in a new radio and moved equipment from the older heavy rescue vehicle to the new one. He said radios begin to fail within five years. That is about as long as the city has needed a new vehicle, Todd Higinbotham said.
cry babies wrote on Mar 18, 2009 11:09 PM: