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The real problem is this: When I was a volunteer firefighter back in the 70's a new engine was about 50-70 thousand dollars.

Now they're 350 thousand and up to a million. This is not including ladder trucks, emergency hazmat, Sky-lift trucks, which are even MORE. it also doesn't cover the standard and specialized equipment carried on the trucks which are not part of the original price, which only covers Basic body, motor, frame, and tires. So you can see the fire engine manufacturing business far exceeds the normal rate of inflation to the point of GREED.

What most people seem to forget is the fire department/police department is not a self supporting enterprise, and God help us if they were! For one thing the civil forfeiture program of those southern sheriff types is a disaster. The inherent corruption in that program is shocking! People going to Florida loosing their entire vacation funds having to turn around and go back because some Buford T. Justice stole all their money on suspicion of running drugs? But I digress.

How would a fire department make money? Fill the boot....or Else? No, the only way is either a special fire tax program, or an increase in the general tax rate.

Then the problem becomes the voter. The voter wants to pay the same tax he paid back in 1970 when he bought his house in Norwood for $20,000 dollars, and thinks anything more than $100.00 a year is corruption at work. Then there are would-be politicians who's battle cry is LOWER TAXES! and I'm in complete agreement, BUT with all the current and future commitments and responsibilities- HOW do we do it? You need a comprehensive logical path to Financial accountability.

Finally, Weekly trips to the market are not unreasonable as a truck that stands idle is almost as bad as a truck that has been run to death. Studies have shown that a truck that is gently run periodically will have a longer life than a truck that is barely run at all. In addition a fire truck is a diesel motor that is run in the worst way possible. Unlike a tractor trailer which is started and run till it is warmed up to operating temperature. the diesel in a fire truck is started and at full load in seconds! This is absolutely horrible on the engine and transmission. A fire truck with 100,000 miles on it is more like a tractor trailer with 300,000 miles if driven by a responsible owner. A fire truck that apparently does less work? Needs more maintenance and service repair. Don't kid yourself. Just because the bunk rooms and offices in the station are heated? The garage bay in most stations is only heated if the temperature goes below freezing. You've got a diesel sitting in the cold that goes from "off" to full bast in 5 seconds? Worst possible scenario for a diesel powered truck giving it Maximum wear and tear. Even if it HAS an engine heater.

Today we're expecting our departments to buy the most inexpensive fire trucks available. Well guess what? You GET what you pay for. If the town is buying the fire truck equivalent of a Yugo? That's what the city will get in quality and durability a few years down the line. At 20 years down the line? You might as well call the salvage yard because it'll be out of service as much as it's in.

So the fire department is facing a 5 fold problem. Issues of lifespan with the equipment, Ridiculous rising costs of the replacement trucks, Politicians afraid to face the taxpayer with reality for fear of not being re-elected, and The taxpayer with a 40 year old mindset who thinks they should not have to replace fire equipment for 50 years and when they do it's going to be about the same money as the last one!

Sure, there are other problems and perhaps abuses in the department but I doubt they're no worse than most other cities and municipalities in New England, but trying to blame everyone else is not the least bit helpful and is destructive overall.

The truth is no one is at fault individually, but Everyone is at fault collectively.