ANNOUNCEMENTS

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9/6/2012 FOR SALE: 2012 Medtec Ford F450 4x2 M150 Type 1

      

      

7/27/2012 Medtec Ambulances

Friends,

As of July 26, 2012, Oshkosh Corporation has discontinued the design, manufacture and sale of Medtec Ambulances and will be shutting down the Medtec operations in Bradenton Florida. All current orders will be processed and production will continue until the current backlog is completed.

The Pierce fire truck manufacturing process in Bradenton Florida will be unaffected by this decision and any reported layoffs are occurring within the Medtec group.

Although this announcement was a surprise to us, rest assured we are working diligently to support our customers who currently have Medtec units on order, in addition to those who are already serving their community with Medtec ambulances.   Manufacturing warranties will still be honored by Medtec, through Glick Fire Equipment, along with the accessibility of replacement parts.

Glick Fire will continue to support the Pennsylvania fire & emergency organizations with the utmost integrity and we are committed to providing quality apparatus and superior service to you.  Thank you for standing by us as we move forward and continue to strengthen our relationship with Demers Ambulances.

6/27/2012 CANONSBURG FIRE DEPARTMENT

CANONSBURG FIRE DEPARTMENT TAKES ADVANTAGE OF OPPORTUNITY TO UPGRADE FLEET

Fire Chief Tim Solobay is a busy man. He splits his time between responsibilities for the Canonsburg Volunteer Fire Department in Canonsburg, Penn., and as a state senator and chair of both the emergency preparedness and veterans' issues committees in the state capital of Harrisburg. "I spend about a forty percent of my time in Harrisburg with senate duties, and the rest of my time back in the district," explains Chief Solobay. The Chief has a long history with the Canonsburg department. "I've been with the department for 34 years," he states. "I was the first assistant for sixteen years, and the fire chief for the past four years. We have 28 active volunteers – plus 14 who we consider life active members, meaning those who have served for 20 years and have opted to no longer answer fire calls. But they remain lifelong members of our department."

Canonsburg's protection district includes close to 9,000 citizens in an area with many small manufacturing facilities. "There's a major interstate that runs through our area, so there's always the danger of hazardous materials. And we are in the center of the hydraulic fracturing in the Marcellus Shale region of Pennsylvania. It's handled the same way as any other natural gas emergency – except it means greater gas pressure that can cover a larger area – so there are some response tactics we've had to adjust."

The Department has become a region resource, in part, to its trained volunteers and specialized apparatus. "Our heavy rescue unit has a large air system on it, and, therefore, we get calls to major emergency scenes and training exercises," says Chief Solobay. "Plus, large business parks in the communities surrounding Canonsburg depend on us. There's a rich history of mutual aid in our region, and we help each other."

The department has come a long way from the hand-drawn hose carts it employed back in 1902. Its newest apparatus, a state-of-the-art, 100-foot aerial platform, is built on a Pierce Arrow XT custom chassis. The decision to choose Pierce involved many factors, but none was more important to the department than having a sole source supplier. "Our one big consideration is that we wanted to deal with a company who built the entire truck from the ground up, and was responsible for the entire vehicle," said Chief Solobay. "We didn't want any split responsibilities, because a lot of other companies are out there saying, 'Somebody did the ladder, somebody different did the chassis, and somebody else did the pump.' And, when you have a problem, everyone starts pointing the finger at someone else."

The timing on the purchase was driven by a unique, but fortuitous, set of circumstances. "We were running a 1995 Pierce aerial platform; it was an excellent vehicle that we thought would serve our community for thirty years," says Chief Solobay. "Out of the blue, a fire department, who had just had a couple of fire trucks sold out from underneath them, asked if we were interested in selling it to them."

"There was no thought on our part to do anything like that, but this fire company offered us, after fifteen years of service, over ninety percent of the original purchase price on our 1995 Pierce," recounts Chief Solobay. "In my mind, it was because of the condition it was in – and the workmanship and quality of the vehicle. It was in tip-top shape."

The fire department had to evaluate the proposal and act quickly. "We called a special emergency meeting to make a move on the opportunity, and the decision to sell was unanimous," says Chief Solobay. "We immediately started working on the new truck."

Consistent support from the borough was the main reason Canonsburg was able to take advantage of this opportunity to upgrade its fleet. "Years ago, our borough fathers saw fit to enact a dedicated fire tax," said Chief Solobay. "Their support provides us a regular flow of capital each year for our fire operations. The borough even supplies us with a daytime driver Monday through Friday," states Chief Solobay. "That's extremely helpful, because most of our volunteers work outside the community and don't have the flexibility to leave work."

The department had a good handle on the desired features for the new truck. "We knew just about what we wanted," Chief Solobay recalls. "It started with newer technologies, a larger aerial basket, and an upgraded chassis. The way vehicles have advanced," he continues "we get more compartment space and more safety features than on the previous truck. But if you were to look at pictures side by side, you can see the family resemblance."

Cabs, too, have significantly changed over the years. "The Arrow XT cab gives us a great deal of openness," states the chief. "The sound insulation in the cab is excellent – to the point where you can have a normal conversation with crew members in the back without needing to raise your voice."

Once the vehicle was placed into service, the department realized the degree to which Pierce vehicles have been engineered to simplify firefighter operations. "As a volunteer company, you don't look at your fire trucks every day, as perhaps a career department would," adds Chief Solobay. "To be away from an apparatus for a number of days, or even weeks, and still be able to be functional on it in an emergency is absolutely critical," states Chief Solobay. "Firefighters have a lot of things they're trying to do at one time. The simpler the operation and the fewer steps you need to take the better. You can deploy this aerial and have it operational in a matter of a few minutes."

The three-section, steel aerial device features blue LED lighting along its 100-foot length, with a 100-foot waterway and twin electric monitors. The apparatus is easily set up with two sets of stabilizers, and the platform features LED lighting, basket heat shields, and an easy-to-use Lyfe accessories system. "The Lyfe ladder system is important in that it enables us to easily get onto the building roof at one of our industrial parks," states Chief Solobay. "Plus, we have air plumbed up to the top, so our firefighters can operate without having to carry SCBA.

The same theme of performance and simplicity carries over to the foam system. "The Husky system is very simple to operate – and the steps required have been streamlined," states Chief Solobay. "The pump panel is simplified to the point that it saves time and eases anxiety for an operator who may not have been on the truck for weeks."

A local dealer who can handle service and support is also a major benefit for Canonsburg. "We've got a great team on our side at Glick Fire, and they handle scheduled maintenance, including fluid checks, as well as more major items like annual aerial testing. They have mobile service trucks that are a tremendous benefit to us, especially as a volunteer department. About all we really need to do is put in fuel!"

What's the bottom line for Canonsburg when it comes to their new Pierce aerial platform? "I believe this truck has made our operations more effective – because of its reliability, ease of operation, and ease of training," states Chief Solobay.

6/11/2012 Service Technician Position Available!

Service technician for Bird In Hand facility

We are currently accepting applications for a service technician in the eastern PA (Lancaster County), Bird In Hand, service facility. A minimum of two years of heavy truck & diesel experience is required, with pump experience being a plus.  Applicant must hold a valid PA State Inspection License, plus CDL with air brake and tanker endorsements. 

Glick Fire Equipment provides all employees with an excellent benefits package and a great working environment. Our employees maintain exceptional values and believe integrity, teamwork, customer service are essential. Contact us in person at either facility or send a letter & resume to Amy Sweitzer, 350 Millcreek Rd., Bird In Hand PA 17505

5/23/2012 Come See Us At The Pierce Road Rally!