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)\ Metropolitan Cities That Do Not Operate a Fire Department Shop. The following question was asked of each nrunicipality that is covered by t hio survey. "As the Chief of your department, would you give your candid opinion as to which method is more efficient?" Cincinnati, Ohio Chief B. A. Lugannani Comment: There are good arguments pro and con on both methods of maintaining equipment. However , all factors being equal, I t h ink there can be little question th at when the repair shop is, part_ _ _ of the Fire Department, the quality and quantity of the work are far superior to that obtained from an agency responsible for the maintenance of a wide variety of automotive equipment. A comparison of Fire Department maintenance shops in Cincinna~i and Columbus, Ohio readily demonstrates this. The Columbus s .t.ops are well maintained, with mechanics trained in the servicing of fir~ ~quipment only, who devot e their entire time to meeting the needs of the Fire Service and who are subject to Fire Department discipline. In Cincinnat i the area designated as the Fire Division shop is shared with street s weeper s, a tire shop and a wash rack. · The general appearance is more that of a truck junkyard than of an efficient, well maintained repair shop. Although me chani cs are supposed to be assigned to Fire apparatus, there is frequent transferring of personnel so that s ome men whose major me chanical experience is that gained in the lawn mower and small car shop are assigned as Fire equipment me ch ani cs under supervisors with little more experience. Over the years, the Fire Division has lost pra ctically all effective control over this agency. The situation in general is far from satisfactory. There is an area, however, which a Fire Chie f cannot ignore in evaluating a centrali zed maintenance sh op. This is the area of economy to the municipal operation. Unquestionably the maintenance of separate repair agencies--pers onnel, equipment , buildings, etce--for each City department cannot help but be more costly than when they are centralized, taking advantage of the e conomies that are achieved through the consolidation of personnel, equipment and buildings. Although the centraliz ' d agency will probably never serve an individual deµ3.rtment or division as e ~e ~~v~:J ~s o~ · ~ · t~se tto

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·, ~ r~believe it can be operated with a degree of effic: would be acceptable, if a City Administration establishes controls that restrict the maintenance facility to a service organization and insure the operating agencies of supervisory contro.l over the i r own work and full control over selection and approval of thei. r equipment For a Fire Department that for years has maintained a high level of efficiency and discipline, and recently at tained a Class One A.I.Aerating, our present maintenance facility is an eyesore and a disgrace. City Administration is becoming aware of this, and it is anticipated that some corrective action will be forthcoming. -1- �