IT FITS
As the Division Chief of Operations for the Springfield Fire Department, I worked closely with the apparatus committee and oversaw the project to purchase new equipment, including the firetruck that is supposedly too tall to fit under the viaduct near the main fire station (“A controversial purchase,” May 18).
There are always two sides to a story – keep in mind there is a new union president with an agenda. His comment, “In the past when rigs have been designed, it’s been a collaborative process. But this time it was the previous chief and administrative chief who designed them on their own,” is an outright lie. The Springfield Fire Department has a longstanding apparatus committee, comprised of members of Local 37, who had input, but there is a loud minority who didn’t get everything they wanted on the rig designs.
Is the rig height accurate? Yes. Was the bridge height considered? That’s where you need the whole story. This rig was not originally designed to go to Station 1. It was meant to replace a truck company on the west side of the city (Station 12) that failed its ladder test in May 2020. During the design process the initial rig was going to be a straight stick truck, then it morphed into a mid-mount platform, then it morphed into the rear-mount platform. During all this, an internal apparatus study showed major concerns with the age of the SFD fleet and the city council approved a historic purchase of seven additional new apparatus for the city, in addition to the two already ordered.
That’s when it was decided this truck would go to the downtown station, but the rig had already been ordered and no one caught the height issue in regards to the bridge. Is it a mistake, yes – and one I will own – but the labor union airing their grievances outside the department is unprofessional.
By the way, the rig does clear the underpass. At the worst measurement we have four-inch clearance, but the department has elected to put out an order to avoid that bridge, in addition to the three other bridges that create problems citywide for SFD truck companies.
We have discussed options to help lower the rig, and lower-profile tires save an inch-and-a-half. Changing the cradle pad will also get us around three-quarters of an inch. I agree with comments about milling the road, that would help.
There were hundreds of things that were looked into with these rigs, including numerous road trips made to other departments and manufacturers to determine what would work best for our organization. These were attended by Local 37 apparatus committee members and the committee chairperson was kept in the loop when meetings were held between the salespeople and staff.
As far as the comment from the union president about the vehicle being too short on the inside, I am 6 feet, 5 inches tall and do not bump my head in the cab of this rig. The ceiling height is 38 inches and compliant with national standards. There are four other rigs in the SFD fleet with that exact measurement, and no one in those four engine companies has complained in the 20 years or more the rigs have been in service.
Mike Abbott
Division Chief of Operations, SFD
IT’S A WIN
Southern Illinois University is planning to expand its pilot training program to Springfield’s Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport (“Pilot training program coming to Springfield,” May 18).
• No additional tax dollars would be used
• It’s an opportunity for adults to learn a skill to satisfy a national shortage
• It utilizes an underutilized resource
• It increases revenue due to fuel usage by the school as well as the general expenditures of up to 100 new people at the facility
• It’s an opportunity for new high school graduates uncertain about college or a trade
I’m a fan! Good job to Mike Murphy with the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce and Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
Jim Weddigen
Via Facebook/illinoistimes
This article appears in The Pet Issue 2023.
