By Laurel J. Sweet
The Boston Herald
AP Photo/John Cetrino
Firefighters from his squad carry the body of Lt. Kevin Kelley Friday. |
AP Photo/John Cetrino |
BOSTON — Doomed Ladder 26 was "fit for service" as late as last month, said the man whose North Attleboro company sold the E-One rescue truck to the Boston Fire Department in 1995 and has helped keep it on the road for 14 years.
In fact, said Timothy O'Neill, president of Greenwood Emergency Vehicles, Fire Commissioner Roderick Fraser "has tasked us with performing much-needed repairs and maintenance on vehicles in the fleet that have been long overdue."
Officials suspect brake failure sent the truck careering down a hill into a Mission Hill apartment complex Friday, killing Lt. Kevin M. Kelley, 52.
Greenwood does not handle BFD's brake repairs, O'Neill said, but since Ladder 26's annual inspection in September, technicians replaced a worn air-brake line and repaired a faulty electrical connection on the aerial ladder system.
"We did not observe or were made aware of anything" necessitating Ladder 26 be taken out of service, he said. "We found it to be fit for service."
Still, he said, September's laundry list of mechanics that needed to be tended to on Ladder 26 "was larger than usual," and the repair bill exceeded $20,000.
"They're very complex," O'Neill said of the trucks. "There's hydraulic systems, pumping systems, electronic systems."
Boston jakes aren't answering alarms in "parade pieces," O'Neill acknowledged. "It's obvious Boston gets their money's worth out of their trucks."
The aging of fire department fleets is something Harold Schaitberger, general president of the International Association of Fire Fighters, "has very strong views on," but said now is the time to pay respects to (Fire Lt. Kevin M.) Kelley's family.
"There'll be plenty of time to address this very troubling situation," Schaitberger said.
State Sen. Stephen M. Brewer (D-Barre), vice chairman of the Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security, said fatal crashes involving fire apparatus "are very, very rare, but we need to be mindful of aging apparatus."
Brewer believes the state and city should be partners in preventing a repeat of Friday's accident, but stressed, "Until we are certain what was the nature of this catastrophic tragedy," there should not be a rush to judgment.
"Only when (firefighters) die in the line of duty is it brought home what they do for us every day," he said.
In an ironic twist of fate, Boston firefighters chose Ladder 26 for the cover of their Local 718 Christmas digest, extending "best wishes for a safe and healthy 2009."
Copyright 2009, Boston Herald
