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You now have my curiosity piqued, I'm emailing a few of the guys (old timers now) that I used to run with and see how many names we can come up with for the bar. I'll get back at ya.... Stay safe brother

NO

not since i was a probie...i'm the one in the helmet

speaking of doing old stuff...anybody remember the jet axe?

i still got that turnout coat and helmet

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The trash men still get to ride the tailboard every day.

Not around here anymore.  They have been replaced with a robotic arm operated by the driver that reaches out, picks up the can, dumps it in the overhead hopper and then automatically returns it to the curb.

 

Staffing cuts brought on by automation...we are not alone in losing people.

Thanks Don.

Now, how about we bury the hatchet and continue to have calm discussions based on considerations and continue to avoid inserting assumed motivations or anything personal?  I'm up for it if you are.

 

This is an example of how I'd like to see all future exchanges between us.

Mike, that is not necessarily the case.  I've ridden tailboard in two different states including on Interstate Highways in serious traffic.

 

It wasn't really acceptable then, but back then we pretty much practiced institutional stupidity as SOP.    

Here, too.  Good point.

I've seen those in suburbs but it's still not practical in large cities since there are a TON of public trash cans all over the place that require someone to open them up and pull out the bucket.  The trash trucks have 3-4 guys per truck with up to 3 riding the tailboard.  They actually always look like they are having a great time.

That's no fun.  To keep it going.... I was out for a beer with Don the other day and you should have heard what he said about your mama.   :)

Ah capcityff, always the pot stirrer.

Hell, I got told over at FH.com that my comments were dripping with sarcasm and I said "only dripping?  I must be slacking off!"

Back when we did ride the step I heard the stories of members falling off. A friend of mine was on the step by himself and the engine hit a big puddle hole on a long driveway. My friend bounced off and landed in the puddle. He was found sitting in the puddle by the next unit in.                                                                              I was on the backstep with another member on the way to a apartment fire and had just turned on to the street leading in when I heard the other member yell and they were sliding off the step on to the street. I hit the backstep warning button so the engine came to a stop. The member got up and ran to get back on. He was wearing his gear so is guess it gave him enough protection the way he slid off.

On a house fire a member of our dept had gotten out of the cab and laid out the supply line and jump on the step to rid up to the building. Then slipped and fell on to the step and cut their face on the back of the pumper.  

There have been stories of riding riding the back which would put chills up your back. Some drivers we had would never slow down for anything. We had a highway intersection that would be level for the north bound lane and then dip for the south bound lane. Engine came down the hill to cross the intersection. The driver was full out and the man on the back put a death grip on the bar because he knew what was coming. The engine dropped and he was hanging on above the bar and then down back on the step.

I took a driver course for safe driving and one thing the county would do is show accidents involving units in the county. One involved two engines from the same dept on a call. The first engine stopped and the rider on the back step  seen the other engine coming and climbed the back of the engine before the other engine crashed into the back of the other.  

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