Anyone know what's going on with the new KME rigs. I see them at the repair facility...looks like they are ready to go. (It's been months since they arrived)
Especially since they are running out of Ready Reserve rigs (Heard that yesterday when Engine-17 went out of service mechanical). And curiously, they replaced the 1990 Pierce at station 34 with one of the older 1985 E-1s. And when that one went down, they moved the OES engine from 18s over!
It just seems that just as we are supposed to be getting deliveries of shiny new engines, more & more of the front line fleet are relics.
SDFD Rigs
The KMEs are in various stages of outfitting. In a cost saving measure, all outfitting is now done by the factory instead of by firefighters locally. That means that the first rig comes in and is outfitted, then has to go back to the factory shops in Ontario for all the others to match. Also, the rigs need radios, MDCs, etc. It takes a while. And yes, the reserve rig situation is pathetic.
SDFD KME's
Eng 1, 201, 15 and 38 have their KME's, finally. Although E38's mobile radio is not working properly. I didn't know that E45 was in line for a KME. I know there is a KME for E39 at the Repair Facility and I think I have a picture of E27's KME, too!thefish wrote:The KMEs are in various stages of outfitting. In a cost saving measure, all outfitting is now done by the factory instead of by firefighters locally. That means that the first rig comes in and is outfitted, then has to go back to the factory shops in Ontario for all the others to match. Also, the rigs need radios, MDCs, etc. It takes a while. And yes, the reserve rig situation is pathetic.
In case you are wondering, the Crimson Tiller truck is still being outfitted and who knows when it will go in service. The best part though...when T1 goes in service, all front line apparatus at FS1 will have mechanical sirens...OOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHH YEAH!
Re: SDFD KME's
As does E4, R4, and E3 ... We're on the 18th floor downtown and those sirens resonate well through the areaN6766J wrote:The best part though...when T1 goes in service, all front line apparatus at FS1 will have mechanical sirens...OOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHH YEAH!
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif)
The city of San Diego has made great strides in the last couple of years to address the years of neglect of under funding San Diego Fire-Rescue for apparatus and equipment. It can’t be done overnight. But there certainly have been problems. As far as the kme’s are concerned, it is absolutely absurd that it takes nearly two years to order and put into service the first 8 engines. These first 8 engines were ordered in August 2005. Prior to this order of KME’s, it was always 9 months from order to delivery and probably 2 months for outfitting. The next 9 MKE’s are to be delivered in November of this year; those were ordered August 2006. Hopefully in this area things will change with the new 08’ budget starting July 1st. For the first time in the history of the San Diego Fire Dept, Engines and trucks will now be ordered on the regular basis through Fleet Services. The repair facility and the facility personnel will now be transferred to Fleet services. So from now on engine and truck orders will no longer be a part of the fire dept budget. An exception to that are specialty apparatus. For example the 08’ budget for the fire dept includes 2 water tenders, 1 foam apparatus, 15 staff vehicles, 2 Battalion Chief vehicles, 1 repair vehicle, 3 support function pickup trucks and 5 midsize sedans. I am also assuming that an additional 8 kme’s will be ordered. This will be the third order of kme’s. It is difficult to tell because the fleet services budget does not break it out on what is being ordered. One last note on the kme’s, the second order will be 9. Originally it was 8; however a local citizen has donated funds for a 9th engine. As far as the trucks are concerned, there will be 4 aerials coming in. That does not include Truck 1, which has already been delivered. So with truck 1 a total of 5 new trucks. I believe the aerials are all Pierces. Three of those aerials are being paid for by the city of San Diego. Developer impact fees are paying for the 4th aerial. Those developer impact fees are paying for 2 apparatus for the new station 47. However when the station opens in November only 1 crew and apparatus will be stationed there and, that will be an engine. The truck will be replacing one of the front line trucks already in existence. This is just like station 46. Developer impact fees also paid for station 46’s apparatus. In Station 46’s case, they received a pierce engine and a kme quint. Station 46 has only 1 crew and they have the quint. The engine went to station 4. So overall in the next few months there should not be a problem with reserve aerials. There is certainly not a problem with reserve engines.