Roger Lackore, senior director, product development, REV Fire Group, opened the 2023 Spartan Fire Truck Training Conference (FTTC) Awards Dinner by apologizing to all the EVTs in the room on behalf of all the engineers who have made fire apparatus difficult to work on. “I’m an engineer by training,” he said. “To be honest with you, technicians are kind of scary for an engineer. Because you guys figure out all the things we do wrong. So, I want to take this opportunity to publicly apologize.” Lackore then listed many of the things he apologized for:
- Lack of shut-off valves under the truck.
- Buried parts.
- Nearly impossible repairs.
- Inadequate access.
- When it fits on paper but not in the real world.
- Saying, “It just needs a little adjustment.”
- Sheetmetal screws.
- Lack of documentation.
- Every goofy design technicians have to fix.
Lackore went on to thank the technicians gathered for being at the FTTC. “Thanks for being here because the fact that you are here means that you care about the industry, you care about your career, you care about fire trucks, and without you we wouldn’t keep them on the road.”
Following Lackore’s opening was the award presentation. The award honors the person who has shown the need, the desire to advance fire truck technical training. This years awardee is Chief Steve Lohr of the Hagerstown (MD) Fire Department. On receiving the award, Lohr said, “I remember the first time I met Bill Foster, I recognized immediately that I was in the presence of a very meek and honorable human being and a consummate professional. Our friendship started with a handshake, and it has lasted 25 years. I can’t believe that my name is on anything his name is on. That’s how much admiration I have for him and what he’s done for the people in this room and in this industry.
