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In the wake of massive crippling snowfalls a number of communities are retrofitting fire engines with snow plows. The move comes after some cities found they were not prepared for snow falls and could not get emergency crews to some calls.
Chief Oaken tells us that he had a crew respond to a medical emergency and needed to walk the last block. “The plows were clearing major roads but none of the side streets or residential streets. They were afraid the engine would get stuck so they parked it and walked to the house. The driver kept calling on the radio for a plow to come their way. The plow showed up just in time to get the ambulance in by the house.”
The next day the Chief went to the city garage to talk with the public works director. The two men decided to try an experiment. The blade from an out of service plow would be mounted on an engine.
When the next snow fall came a few days later the fire department was able to clear the way for themselves to all their calls.
“It was like this eureka moment! I started emailing photos to friends at other departments. Soon they said they were ‘MacGyvering’ engine and truck plows also. Then I got calls from Pierce and E-One asking to come visit our department.
Company representatives from all the major fire apparatus manufactures were unwilling to comment about plows becoming a factory option. More than one source has said people will be amazed to see what we have on display at FDIC in April.
