Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Fire Department Equipment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Crowley fire chief flags cosmetic and fit issues on new fire trucks after factory inspection
Summary
Fire Chief Lewis Romero and department captains inspected newly built trucks at the manufacturer and found paint, fit and missing-component issues; trucks will return to the manufacturer for corrections before final delivery.
Crowley Fire Chief Lewis Romero reported Jan. 14 that final inspection of two new fire trucks at the manufacturer found multiple cosmetic and fit issues that the department expects the builder to correct before final delivery.
Romero said inspectors found paint defects — including an “orange peel” texture across a side panel — ill-fitting cab veils that must be re-mounted and other finish problems. “We pay for perfection. You know? A lot of paint issues… we pay for showroom finish, we deserve showroom finish,” Romero said after describing what he and captains documented during a two-day inspection and pump testing.
Why it matters: The city purchased the apparatus as frontline units; the department tested pumps, drivetrains and equipment and found the defects were largely cosmetic rather than mechanical, Romero said. The trucks will be returned to the manufacturer/dealership pipeline (the manufacturer site to the dealership) for the contractor to address the punch-list items, a process he said could take several weeks.
Operational notes: Romero said two new firefighters began academy training and several local station renovations and readiness measures are ongoing. The department also reviewed maintenance-agreement options to reduce travel and hourly costs for out-of-town service visits and reported projected truck turnaround at roughly six to eight weeks for required fixes and shipment.
No committee action was required; the department said it will continue the inspection, punch-list and delivery coordination process.
