No one doubts the fire apparatus of today is safer, more reliable and more comfortable to ride in than the rigs of even fifteen or twenty years ago. Certainly it is more complex to operate, electronics play a greater role; some would say far too much of a role. But in the end we are using apparatus that is by far safer than what our predecessors used.

Recently in my job we were forced to use a spare piece for a couple of weeks as our primary piece was out for repairs. As our department only has two spare rigs we drew short straw to get the least desirable of the spares. In many departments these spares would likely be coveted as a front line piece but as we all know we tend to get very comfortable with what we use regularly. I remember driving this rig when it was first commissioned 16 years ago and it was the pride of the fleet. I loved the chance to be detailed across the floor to drive this rig and took great pride in being able to maneuver it around the tight streets of our territory.

Fast forward sixteen years and I am grousing with the rest of the crew about the wreck this piece is, how should we be expected to ride in this wreck, how ineffective it is to be using a full-size Quint to replace an engine company and any other number of complaints that firefighters are able to muster in a group setting. Occasionally a taste of nostalgia would recur and we would remember the great old days of how lucky we were to be assigned to this piece.

There are a number of reasons for the increase in safety and comfort. A major one is a greater role of the end users in the needs assessment, the specification, development and final acceptance of the apparatus. Gone in most places at least are the days of a chief in charge looking at a picture in a magazine showing the sales rep he wants one of those. Today, committees are formed and play an active role in the complete procurement process from start to finish. There is a greater involvement by firefighters in many of the National Fire Protection Association standards that affect the equipment and apparatus we use. And although we may rue the thought we mustn't forget the role of the lawyers and civil liability judgments that make it nearly impossible for substandard apparatus to be built and sold in this country.

By now you must be asking what the point of this article is. There are three points actually. One is that as I have described, apparatus of today is definitely more comfortable and safer. The other is that we tend to overlook the leaps of progress that we make in safety and comfort in the job. ...Continued Below...