Apparatus Air Conditioning

[L 147]

Just wondering how many of FDNY's apparatus have working AC. I know of two that don't. OSHA say they have to have it but do they have to keep in working order. Back in the day we didn't have AC but we weren't wearing bunker gear. This is the time of year when open rigs were in their glory.

 

[svd385]

Besides not having the bunker gear it was always cooler riding of the backstep 

 

[AuxWarYearsCapt]

In the past we had our A/C go out. The mechanic was at quarters the  same day it was reported and repaired. We are using a spare at the present time and had a problem with the a  c  last week. The mechanic was in quarters within 2 hours.  He had to get a part and returned the next day to fix it. I think that its very smart for the job to have it repaired immediately. What good are the members if they have heat exhaustion before they even arrive to the box ...The only person that may not benifit is a tillerman.....

 

[L 147]

the tillerman can open the two doors. not ac but cross venting

 

[AuxWarYearsCapt]

At the temp at 100 degrees and 85 percent humidity,  the cross winds are still hot.....

 

[L 147]

no doubt. I've been there

 

[nfd2004]

And a lot of rigs such as the early Mack CFs and American LaFrance pumpers and Ladders had enclosed cabs with No A/C. As a buff I rode with Eng 41, Eng 92, Eng 232 (RIP), Ladder 176 and inside that cab was like sitting next to a hot furnace on a hot day. And I had no gear on. Man, it was hot. In fact, in an effort to beat the heat, that's when the FDNY first decided to go to painting the roof of the cabs white. Hoping that the white color would reflect the heat from the cab.

  Of course the heat didn't seem to bother me. I was smiles from ear to ear to be able to ride with these guys.

  And I can relate to the tiller with opening the doors. We had a tiller (Tractor Drawn Aerial Ladder is what they are called today. I was corrected by a one year rookie on the job that I was using the Wrong Terminology) and opening the doors on both sides worked out great as far as I was concerned. I loved doing that job. And by the way, the views from up above were great too. Like when we stopped for a traffic light and a young lady was stopped next us. "H & L 147" probadly knows exactly what I'm talking about.

 

[AuxWarYearsCapt]

nfd2004      you are so correct......Being up there in the tiller seat always gave him a great visible aspect of what is happening all around or below.....LOL

 

[SoHoTruckin20]

E298's wasnt working last night. to the point the windows fogged up and the chauff could barely see out

 

[mercurygrandmarquis1]

I know on the EMS side if the AC is out in the back it has to go OOS. And i know in the NYPD if the AC is out on an RMP it will stay in service. Correct me if im wrong but weren't the first rigs with AC the 1992 Seagraves?

 

[AuxWarYearsCapt]

I believe you are correct mercury....... The OSHA rules required the A\C  starting in 1992.....

 

[Len90]

I believe you are correct mercury....... The OSHA rules required the A\C  starting in 1992.....

AND I believe the AC has to pass a certain test before the department can accept the truck. I forget the specifics but someone at Seagrave told me years ago that it has to cool the truck down in a certain timeframe.

As for not working, I think TL87 may have had a broken unit as I saw them responding to a call Wednesday or Thursday with full bunker gear on and windows wide open. Outside temp was in the mid 90s.

 

[4 truck]

Ours is broken for the second time. The mechanic aready replace the a/c lines in march

 

[memory master]

As for EMS, NYS DOH states that the patient compartment must have working A/C. This means that the front cab doesn't have to have it. It shows what is thought of EMS personnel. Most times they are able to switch into a spare vehicle but that is not always the case. The EMS unions are right on top of this with the City and FD attempting to have repairs made ASAP.