KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany - During Installation Management Command-Europe Region's Fire Safety Campaign now through October, U.S. Army Garrison Kaiserslautern's fire safety program received an upgrade April 29 when two revamped fire trucks were delivered as part of the IMCOM-Europe's standardized refurbishing program.
Col. Robert Ulses, U.S. Army Garrison Baden WAfA1/4rttemberg commander, presented the fire truck "keys" to Lt. Col. Mechelle Hale, USAG Kaiserslautern commander, during a ceremony at the Miesau Army Depot Fire Station, which serves the USAG Kaiserslautern community.
"The refurbished trucks provide up-to-date technology with significant cost-saving factor versus new trucks," said Ulses. "These refurbished trucks with new equipment and upgraded technology reflect change in mission requirements since they were first fielded back in the 80s with much less specialized equipment and overall capabilities."
Upgrades include more equipment space and improved hazmat, rescue and firefighting equipment, such as thermal imaging.
The vehicles are part of a standardized European refurbishment program, which extends the life cycle of 1980s Amertek fire trucks, according to Sigurd Mack, IMCOM-Europe fire protection specialist. The refurbishment essentially includes retaining the engine and transmission - which are usually still in a very good condition - and installing them into a new chassis with body.
Mack said that by consolidating IMCOM-Europe and U.S. Army Europe refurbishment requirements into one contract, the U.S. military realized significant cost reduction.
"Requirements from different USAGs and USAREUR were consolidated into one centralized contract with vehicles meeting both U.S. performance requirements and special challenges of operating in an OCONUS environment," said Mack. "Currently, a total of 11 vehicles are in production, with an estimated saving of $50,000 per vehicle thanks to the consolidated contracting effort."
Other fire stations scheduled to receive revamped vehicles in the next few month as part of IMCOM-Europe's standardized refurbishing program are located in Katterbach, Heidelberg, Baumholder, Illesheim and USAREUR Joint Task Force East in Romania.
Training on operations of the trucks will be provided at each fire station before putting the trucks into service, said Mack.
Also attending the delivery ceremony were Lt. Col. Anita Greenlee, USAG BW director of Emergency Services (DES) and provost marshal; Melvin Wilson, USAG Kaiserslautern DES; JAfA1/4rgen Stegner, USAG Kaiserslautern fire chief; Axel Pollmann, USAG Kaiserslautern deputy fire chief; Mike Eberlein, USAG BW fire protection specialist; and officials from the neighboring host nation fire departments, as well as the 435th Civil Engineer Squadron's Air Force fire department at Ramstein Air Base. The ceremony included Ulses and Hale cutting a ceremonial cake sponsored by AAFES.
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