Helping the Pride Ride
The tones go off. You pull on your gear, hop in the truck and buckle your seatbelt. And then nothing happens. The fire truck won’t start. Now what?
Firefighters don’t think about apparatus maintenance and emergency vehicle technicians when they turn the key or back a rig into the bay. But when something doesn’t work, suddenly the people in the shops become important.
Since 1993, FIRE CHIEF has worked to educate chiefs and officers about the importance of training and certification of emergency vehicle technicians, the need for preventive maintenance, and the legal liabilities of unsafe apparatus. Working with the IAFC’s Apparatus Maintenance Section, we created the Emergency Vehicle Technician of the Year Award to recognize the integral role EVTs play in the fire and emergency services.
The first EVT of the Year named was Jimmy Hydas, an independent contractor in Ooltewah, Tenn. One of the first members of the IAFC’s Apparatus Maintenance Section, Hydas was a soft-spoken technician with years of experience fixing fire trucks who was dedicated to sharing his knowledge and learning about evolutions in apparatus.
In 2005, the award went to Robert F. Heraver, Gurnee (Ill.) Fire Department’s head of apparatus maintenance. He was nominated by Chief Fred Friedl, who wrote, “Bob strives to encourage safety and education; assuring that each vehicle technician maintains standards for certification. He is well respected by his peers and often sought after for advice by other local departments.”
2007 EVT of the Year Mike Stankus, King County, Wash., encouraged other technicians to get as much schooling as they can and teaches apparatus drivers how to keep the vehicles in better working order. “Drive at a safer speed and not do hard breaking,” he said. “Don’t go in [to an intersection] at the last minute and dynamite the brakes.”
Last year’s recipient, Don Dominick of the Stillwater (Okla.) Fire Department, has his master certifications for fire apparatus, ambulances, automotives and trucks. “Job experience is good, but any education people can get is tremendous,” he said.
Two companies with a history of training and supporting technicians, Spartan Chassis and Allison Transmissions, are co-sponsors of the 2009 EVT of the Year Award, which will be presented at the IAFC’s Apparatus Maintenance Section Workshop, Aug. 26–27 in Dallas.
Did your apparatus or ambulance start last night? Did you respond and return safely this morning? Take a few minutes to recognize the efforts of the technicians who maintain your vehicles. Nominate your mechanic or technician for the 2009 EVT of the Year award.
As one of my favorite EVTs used to remind me, “Without us, the pride don’t ride.”
May 29th, 2009 at 3:58 am
The machinery field always has it ups and downs and is always changing but progress will never stop. Even in a questionable economy there is always room for growth and expansion. The will and strength of the people is what makes us all able to move forward and accomplish great feats together and construction has always been the backbone of this country no matter the economic status.
May 29th, 2009 at 3:59 am
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September 30th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
Firefighters are heros!! Great site! Thanks for sharing.
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