Lewiston FD down to one ladder truck, likely for months

Union officials in Maine's second largest city say there is a design flaw with their million dollar truck

Union officials in Maine's second largest city say there is a design flaw with their million dollar truck

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Union officials in Maine's second largest city say there is a design flaw with their million dollar truck

Firefighters in Lewiston are expressing frustration as they continue to operate without one of their ladder trucks.

A Facebook post made Tuesday by Lewiston Firefighters IAFF Local 785 union said the Lewiston Fire Department is on day 49 without the use of engine 3, which they say reduces the department's aerial ladder capabilities by 50% by leaving them with just one ladder truck.

The union says the truck, which costs just under $1 million, has just 91 hours of aerial use but design flaws have rendered the aerial portion of the truck essentially useless. Union officials say one of the ladder extension rams bent due to an overpressure engineering flaw.

"Day 49 and Engine 3 STILL cannot operate its $974,988 2019 aerial ladder, reducing the departments aerial capabilities by 50% and jeopardizing citizens, firefighters and property," the post reads.

The union says Pierce Manufacturing of Wisconsin and Allegiance Fire and Rescue of Massachusetts are unable to provide a definitive timetable when the truck will be returned to service and will not permit an outside vendor to make the repairs without voiding the warranty.

The union says it was told that a part to repair the ladder would take two months to find.

Lewiston Fire Chief Mark Caron and Assistant Fire Chief Mark Anderson pushed back on the union's claims, saying that the engine is in service with only the aerial ladder component offline, and that repairs should be completed by next week with parts in transit from Wisconsin to Maine.

"I am unaware of any design flaw and have no idea why the association has made that statement or any other statements regarding the status of this vehicle," Caron said in a statement to Maine's Total Coverage.