Whats with all the NFPA BS? I assist with several volunteer fire departments in my area and we love seeing the old MV's in action. They will drive circles around any non MV vehicle, and they will keep the firemen just as safe, if not safer than any NFPA approved stuff.
What's with all the NFPA BS? Gee I dunno, maybe all the
NIOSH LODD (Line Of Duty Death) reports about firefighters getting
KILLED in surplus MV's.
Yes, as cool as they look and as fun as they are to drive, THEY ABSOLUTELY CAN AND WILL KILL YOU IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR LIMITATIONS ARE!!
People think that because they are built for the military, they are indestructable. That is absolutely untrue. Furthermore, they are generally not padded at all and the trucks don't have ROPS protection. They are often overloaded, and coupled with barely adequate brakes, they are often beyond the driving skills of the often novice drivers behind the wheels.
You are obviously a young firefighter to think that these trucks are safer than a purpose built firetruck. Have you ever had an emergency vehicle operators' course? We do one every year. We demand that everyone that drives a truck have an extensive knowlege of that truck and time behind the wheel before they are ever allowed to drive it on an emergency run.
While MV's
can be useful and do a good job for FD's that can't afford new equipment, they REQUIRE extra training and diligence for the operator. You would be wise to start looiking up some of the NIOSH reports for LODD's concerning these trucks, as well as other ways you can get killed doing this job. I've been doing it since '83, and I can tell you I still haven't learned everything yet. The day you stop learning is the day you need to quit.