December 7, 2021
Wyoming, MI – HME Ahrens-Fox (HMEAF or the Company) acknowledged the leadership of both the Monroe County Fire Apparatus Committee and the Emergency Services Department in conceptualizing, and subsequently delivering, a new deployment model that equalizes incident service levels across the disparate needs of the county, reduces operating expenses within their combination department, and improves firefighter safety.
Monroe County, which is also home of the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth, GA, spans 398 square miles and has a population of over 26,000 citizens. The legacy equipment previously in place across the county is varied and did not allow for:
• Standardized firefighter training
• Standardized apparatus testing and maintenance
• A single point of contact for field service needs, parts sourcing, or warranty claims
“As we implement the new deployment model and standardize our apparatus, Monroe County will be able to send any firefighter (full time or volunteer) to any of our firehouses and know they will be more efficient, provide the same level of incidence response and be safer. We will achieve this more balanced service model at a lower total cost to the citizens of the county,” said Matt Jackson, Fire Chief, Monroe County Emergency Services.
Six of the 12 HME Ahrens-Fox apparatuses were inspected by the customer on December 6th and are in transit to Monroe County (GA) Emergency Services to be placed into service.
“There are so many instances – many of them unheard – of fire department leaders like Monroe County shedding muscle memory, legacy practices and costs by taking a more innovative and customer-centric approach to the planning and management of their operations. We are certainly pleased that HMEAF was afforded the opportunity to help enable the department’s vision by building trucks that will perform,” said Todd Grasman, President, HME Ahrens-Fox.
The apparatus purchased by Monroe County are the focal point of the standardization model and are equipped with:
• HME Ahrens-Fox SF22 custom pumper
• 1871-W MFDxl 100” wide cab with 12” raised roof
• Cummins L9 engine (450 HP)
• 1000 Gallon tank
• 1500 GPM Hale Qmax pump
• 222.5 cu. ft. compartment space
“While there is a great history of tradition in the fire service, the industry has been rapidly evolving in recent years, as have our practices. The customer engagement approach utilized by Tripp Daugherty at Brackett’s Fire Equipment – the authorized HME Ahrens-Fox dealer – certainly played a key role in helping Chief Jackson realize his new deployment model. Brackett engaged the customer way up-stream and brought more than fire apparatus and firefighting expertise to the planning process. One small example is the presentation of Municipal Lease Purchasing options which in this case worked well for Monroe County,” said Bill Doebler, Vice President, Sales and Marketing.
About HME Ahrens-Fox
HME Ahrens-Fox (HMEAF) is a leading specialty vehicle manufacturer that has been supporting the needs of customers for over 100 years. Headquartered in Wyoming, Michigan, the company provides solutions to firefighting and emergency response organizations of all sizes and types throughout North America. HME designs, engineers, manufactures and supports mission-critical equipment for the fire service which helps them protect the diverse communities they serve. HME participates in the largest segments of the fire apparatus market including pumper, rescue, tanker, aerial, urban interface and wildland. As a manufacturer of both custom bodies and chassis, the company participates in the key elements of the value-chain. HME is owned by The Atonne Group, LLC, a private company with holdings across a variety of industries including, but not limited to, heavy truck components, metal fabrication, aircraft re-manufacturing, energy, specialty materials, real estate development and retail. The diversified holdings, and private ownership, enable HMEAF/Atonne to avoid decisions driven by quarterly earnings, or other public company measures, in favor of those which better support the needs of its customer and employees.
