Are you rural guys getting new trucks?

[IESI]

Hello all I have a question for all the rural depts. Are you guys getting newer brush trucks? The reason I ask is because I've been looking at a website and the guy collects and sells alot of military vehicles,I've noticed alot of them are red and have the dept name,lightbar,and some of the tanks. he has

Kaiser M715s
Kaiser deauce's (love those things!)
dodge power wagons
and some other stuff.

Most have the Oklahoma rural fire coordinator sticker on the side. So are you guys getting new trucks? I'd love to hear some responses and stories.

thanks

[tree68]

A small FD I know of that started in OK not so many years ago started out with all their equipment provided (one way or another) by the state forestry/natural resources/whatever agency.

From what I've seen, it's a pretty common phenomenon in many parts of the country.

We're looking at a new brush truck, but it'll be new, albeit a pretty plain vanilla type 6.

[LVFD301]

Oklahoma did get a lot of their departments, but not all.

Both of my brush trucks here in Missouri are surplus, one is M series, the other is commercial - a 3/4 ton flatbed that only saw flightline duty in the Air Force.

I am about to the point where I won't take an M series truck anymore.

[volfireman034]

My part of Arkansas most departments have military surplus deuces or military surplus dodge or chevy 1 tons. There free from Arkansas Forestry and work well. However I am seeing a move in which rural fire departments are buying there own ford, chevy dodge 1 tons brand new with flat beds. I personaly think its a waste of money! Why spend $30,000 on a new 1 ton thats going to get tore up and scratched running through fields and woods. They may look pretty but you also have higher insurance cost.

[IESI]

Oklahoma provided funds to all (I think all) departments there for a flatbed 1-ton truck a couple years ago. I believe they had to furnish the firefighting equipment themselves; somebody from amongst the tumbleweed & tornadoes can correct me on that.

I rember seeing on tv them talking about how to state bought 246 new trucks. But I see it as why trade off your apparatus instead of adding on?

[IESI]

My part of Arkansas most departments have military surplus deuces or military surplus dodge or chevy 1 tons. There free from Arkansas Forestry and work well. However I am seeing a move in which rural fire departments are buying there own ford, chevy dodge 1 tons brand new with flat beds. I personaly think its a waste of money! Why spend $30,000 on a new 1 ton thats going to get tore up and scratched running through fields and woods. They may look pretty but you also have higher insurance cost.

What part or Arkansas are you from? We go ride four wheelers up in polk county around Mena. Great weater and landscape. Also can you tell me,when you guys retire a piece of apparatus the the forestry commision gave you. Do you return it or sell it? I'd love to buy one.

[LVFD301]

My part of Arkansas most departments have military surplus deuces or military surplus dodge or chevy 1 tons. There free from Arkansas Forestry and work well. However I am seeing a move in which rural fire departments are buying there own ford, chevy dodge 1 tons brand new with flat beds. I personaly think its a waste of money! Why spend $30,000 on a new 1 ton thats going to get tore up and scratched running through fields and woods. They may look pretty but you also have higher insurance cost.

In my case, I am worried about reliability. That new 1 ton is going to be a LOT more reliable than an old CUCV from surplus, and a lot easier to upfit.

My last big woods fire, 900+ acres (around here that is a BIG fire, but nothing compared to other areas) ended up with one 5/4 ton CUCV 1008 broke down deep in the woods, and one with no transmission.

Now, a specially built truck is different such as a deuce, but the pickups are nothing more than a mildly modified commercial pickup with the heavy duty options that are available in the civilian world. A deuce makes a dandy brush truck for field fires, and areas where it can be driven.

Pickups are made to be scratched and dented.

Now to get writing the grant to get me a new brush truck - real iffy going for a third AFG vehicle!

[pasobuff]

Pickups are made to be scratched and dented.

Can someone PLEASE tell my husband this? He compains about every little scratch/blemish on my truck!

[LVFD301]

Also can you tell me,when you guys retire a piece of apparatus the the forestry commision gave you. Do you return it or sell it? I'd love to buy one.

In most states, the forestry folks participate in the FEPP (federal excess personal property) program, where the vehicle is loaned to the state, then sub-loaned to the local agency. That equipment is returned to the state for disposition in accordance with the DOD guidelines.

Some states also take part in the FFP program, (firefighter property) which provides ownership of the vehicle after a certain period of time of use.

So the answer to your question is Yes. Depending on the program the property was obtained through, it is either returned or becomes property of the FD and they can sell.

[tree68]

Can someone PLEASE tell my husband this? He compains about every little scratch/blemish on my truck!

The first thing you do when you get a pickup is get a ball peen hammer and rap it somewhere, to get the first dent out of the way...

[GhostRider73]

Oklahoma did give out a bunch of one tons about a year ago. They were a regular cab and chassis. In the past six months or so, the forestry dept here has started giving departments the titles to the surplus trucks . Dept x picks up the truck, and once they have it fitted for duty, the titles in the mail. The department is now free to do what they want when they're through with it.

[LVFD301]

Oklahoma did give out a bunch of one tons about a year ago. They were a regular cab and chassis. In the past six months or so, the forestry dept here has started giving departments the titles to the surplus trucks . Dept x picks up the truck, and once they have it fitted for duty, the titles in the mail. The department is now free to do what they want when they're through with it.

Thats the FFP program I talked about.

[FIRE117]

In some states when a no longer needed FEPP vehicle is turned back into the DNR/Forest Service, it is loaned to another FD or sold.

These excess FEPP vehicles are sold to the general public by the government at www.gsaauctions.gov.

If you have a FEPP vehicle that is military (M1008, etc.), do not overlook the expertise of any member of your department, that served in the military. This includes current or former Army National Guard and Army Reserve members. If they served in a maintenance Military Occupational Specialty (MOS), that is a plus.

A small city in my state was loaned a FEPP vehicle that was from the military. The fellow from that city that maintained it, was a retired Army National Guard Mechanic. He kept it humming. Even if there are former or retired military mechanics in your community who are not a member of your FD, they may have the expertise to help you.

[LVFD301]

In some states when a no longer needed FEPP vehicle is turned back into the DNR/Forest Service, it is loaned to another FD or sold.

These excess FEPP vehicles are sold to the general public by the government at www.gsaauctions.gov.

.

They are also sold at onsite auctions, normally at the FEPP office.

[[email protected]]

My department just turned a 5-ton with air brakes and power steering back in to the FEPP. We just purchased a 2010 International Tanker with funds from the AFG.