Keeping the Wheels Turning

Meet the team making sure Marysville's firefighters are always there when you need them.

Running nearly 300 emergency calls per month, Marysville Fire District’s Aid 62 is one of the busiest ambulances in all of Snohomish County. On a cloudy July morning, Aid 62 is getting a little TLC in the form of a brake job. It’s a problem her caretakers caught early – an absolute must in a field where even the simplest of mechanical failures could make the ultimate difference.

“If a fire apparatus breaks down on a call, it could cost someone their life,” said Marysville Fire District Mechanic Daniel Kindig.
Kindig is part of the two-person team that keeps the wheels turning on Aid 62 and all 40 vehicles in the Marysville Fire District’s fleet.  He and Fleet/Facilities Lead Josh Farnes spend hours each day trying to prevent any mechanical catastrophe during an emergency call.

That task is becoming increasingly challenging. In the midst of a population boom, Marysville Fire District’s call volume has increased 59 percent since 2011*, meaning emergency vehicles are putting on a lot more miles, a lot faster than in the past. Three of the district’s in-service ambulances have more than 200,000 miles, including Aid 62, which is also 12 years old. One reserve ambulance has more than 325,000 miles.
The only way to keep up is to constantly assess for problems. Every 5,000 miles, every vehicle in the fleet receives a checkup.

“We check everything from the front bumper to the rear bumper," Kindig said. "Every system on the vehicle must be operated and checked for deficiencies. This ensures when the vehicle is needed to save a life, it will perform flawlessly.”

Kindig and Farnes know exactly what to look for. They are two of only 68 Master Certified Fire Emergency Vehicle Technicians in Washington State. It’s a status that requires passing eight different tests on fire vehicle performance, design and maintenance. Technicians must recertify every five years.

For both Kindig and Farnes, a love of mechanics sprouted early. Farnes grew up learning how to make repairs on farm equipment, while Kindig honed his skills out of adolescent necessity.
“When I was a teen, I was too broke to have anyone fix my car," Kindig said. "So I had to learn how or I wasn’t driving.”

These days, the stakes are much higher.

“I try to double check everything I do on these vehicles, making sure every nut and bolt are tight, fluid levels are perfect,” Kindig said. “It takes a lot more time to do it this way, but I feel it is the only way to work on a fire apparatus because I know someone’s life is depending on it.”

While the responsibility is heightened, the problems are familiar. Ambulances tend to have more issues than the fire engines because they are used the most – 88 percent of the District’s calls are medical-related. The most common diagnosis is a coolant leak.

“[There are] also random electrical issues on just about any vehicle in the fleet,” Kindig said.

But no two days are the same for this crew, which is also responsible for maintaining all fire district facilities.

“That can include anything that opens or closes or moves,” Farnes said with a laugh. “One day it might be a leaky faucet. Another day it might be overseeing roof repairs.”

Farnes also recently managed the ordering of the district’s two new fire engines. Writing the 180-page engine spec sheet took Farnes about 80 hours to complete. His favorite addition to the $545,000 vehicles – powerful retractable light towers that can essentially turn night into day for first responders.
Though Farnes and Kindig may not be on the front lines with those responders, they understand their own mission is critical.
“Without the equipment, [the firefighters] can’t do their jobs,” Farnes said.