Should all fire apparatus tires be changed every 7 years?
NFPA 1911, Standard for the Inspection, Maintenance, Testing and Retirement of In-Service Automotive Fire Apparatus, states that fire apparatus tires must be replaced every seven years. With the upcoming edition of the standard now in cycle, the NFPA 1911 Technical Committee is recommending that this requirement remain unchanged.
Not everyone agrees.
Some factions have noted that fire departments use their apparatus to different degrees, and that the level of wear on tear on tires varies based on the type of community a fire department serves. For example, an urban fire department may use its fire apparatus every day, while a rural department may only use its apparatus a handful of times within a year, making the requirement excessive for some fire departments, and adequate or possibly even too lax for others.
The NFPA 1911 Technical Committee published its First Draft Report on Monday, September 7, and will be accepting Public Comments through November 7.
What are your thoughts? Do you think NFPA 1911 should continue to require that fire apparatus tires should be replaced every 7 years? If so, why? If you think the requirement should be modified, what changes would you recommend? What are your reasons for making such changes?
As part of our ongoing Standards in Action campaign, we encourage firefighters to weigh in on issues like this that directly impact you and your department. Providing your perspectives and input through our technical process can directly influence NFPA's standards. So provide your Public Comments on NFPA 1911 today - Your Voice Matters!
