"When I had the privilege of being appointed fire chief of my community nearly 12 years ago, I was faced with a significant challenge right from the start. Our fire department had a fleet of fire pumpers and ladder trucks from six different manufacturers.
"Just before my appointment, my fire department, like many others, was challenged with the impacts of a national recession, during which time we made purchases on an as-needed basis, primarily based on cost or urgent need without much concern as to the challenges of maintaining and operating a mixed fleet. . . .
"Perhaps more so today than at any point in the history of the fire service, fire chiefs are being tasked with developing a comprehensive fleet replacement plan. This responsibility can be a challenging one as many fire departments across North America are challenged with increasing demands for service, tightening budgets, and the challenges that come from the extreme apparatus build times we are now experiencing. As part of developing a comprehensive fleet replacement plan, it is important for fire chiefs to determine if their long-term intentions are to use a standardized or mixed apparatus fleet in terms of manufacturers. As every fire chief who has been involved in at least one apparatus purchase knows, the choice of manufacturer for even one piece of apparatus often includes a robust and often passionate debate among the department’s apparatus committee members. Anticipating sticking with a single manufacturer as part of a long-term replacement plan obviously can add an additional dimension to those discussions. It is important that fire chiefs have a good understanding of both the positives and negatives of maintaining a standardized fleet when discussing it with their committees."
A recent Fire Apparatus and Emergency Equipment article explored some of factors to consider when deciding whether or not to standardize a fleet with one manufacturer.
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