Established in June of 2005 in the United States as a broker of used fire
apparatus, Fire Line Equipment, LLC solely brokered used fire trucks and
firefighting equipment for fire departments and new fire apparatus dealers in
the US and Canada. Our primary goal at that time had been to provide used fire
truck advertising to sellers and an inventory of quality used fire trucks to
buyers. With the internet becoming flooded with used fire truck brokers that
would advertise just about anything, Fire Line Equipment decided to take a
different approach. We limited the amount of firefighting trucks we advertised,
only offering for sale a small quantity of quality fire trucks owned by fire
departments in the US and Canada. This kept the inventory manageable and allowed
for personal service to both the seller and buyer.
American
Owned and Operated
Keeping It Simple, Fair and Honest
Anyone can create a website; scan the internet for used fire trucks that are
for sale and post them to their web site only hoping to get in the middle of the
sale. We did not want to be known for the site with several hundred
advertisements that are hard to read, much less find the used fire truck that a
buyer may be looking for among hundreds of other advertised firetrucks for sale.
Breaking the industry mold, we kept it simple, fair and honest. We did not mask
our location like some brokers from other countries; we made it known that we
are Fire Line Equipment from
Lititz,
Pennsylvania.
2009 - 2010
In mid 2009 Tim Ashworth and Ron Fink partnered with the intent of taking
Fire Line Equipment to the next level. Plans were under way to grow the existing
fire apparatus business. Up until now, Tim Ashworth had operated Fire Line
Equipment from an office in Lititz, PA and had found buyers for several hundred
used fire trucks. The apparatus were purchased by fire departments from all over
the world.
First
service job through the new shop!
Concordville Fire Company LTI
Tower
Ron and Tim made the decision to expand upon the current business of used
apparatus broker to a full apparatus service facility located in Central
Pennsylvania. After a long search; a site in
East
Earl, Pa with a 5000 sq/ft repair shop become available that
featured excellent customer access, ninety foot drive through bays and all
within close proximity to needed sub contractors for diesel fuel and other truck
related services. Move in day was set and the doors officially opened in July
2009 with our first service repair customer from the
Concordville Fire
Company coming in for aerial maintenance on their LTI ladder
tower.
Ron and Tim both spent 25+ years at Ladder Towers, Inc (LTI) prior to coming
together at Fire Line Equipment. Experience with the LTI aerial product,
technical aspects, support, mobile service, ladder truck replacement parts,
refurbishment and customer base were second nature. The immediate focus become
aerial maintenance, repair and service but this quickly evolved to service and
repair work on fire department owned pumpers, rescues, tankers and
chassis's.
Our first employee (Kory Hertzog) was hired in late 2009 to assist with the
demand for replacement parts. Kory had spent the last 22 years in the fire truck
manufacturing and service industry fulfilling apparatus replacement part orders.
With the increase of maintenance and repair work going through the service shop,
a knowledgeable fire truck "parts guru" was desperately needed to not only
assist with the parts needs for the shop but to also fulfill customer orders
that would be shipped out. Kory stepped right in and remains with the company
today. UPS and Fed Ex are his best friends!
In addition to staffing our parts department, our first mobile "Road
Technician" was hired. We selected Shawn Smith who brought 18 years of fire
truck experience to the plate. Shawn had traveled the country for an apparatus
manufacturer performing maintenance and repairs on customer owned fire trucks
that the builder had sold. Later in his career with the builder, Shawn was part
of a technical support team that assisted customers and dealers from all over
the world that were in need of hydraulic and electrical trouble shooting
expertise.
Shawn's first "Mobile Service Truck" was a 2008 Ford E-250 Van that Tim and
Ron purchased used from a pre-owned dealer. It was in great condition and had
very low mileage. The new mobile service truck was lettered and striped,
outfitted with tool box, tools and parts and sent on its way.
First field
service van
2008 E250 Ford Van
Shawn has traveled as far south as Alabama and north to New Hampshire
servicing and repairing all makes and models of fire trucks, aerials and fire
pumps. Still in service today, our first mobile repair truck continues to serve
us well.
Shawn is still with Fire Line Equipment and now serves as our Service Manager
coordinating the shop schedule and communicating the operations with both our
customers and shop technicians. Shawn is a Certified Emergency Vehicle
Technician (EVT) and a volunteer firefighter for over 17 years with the
Fire Department Mt. Joy in Mount Joy,
Pennsylvania.
2010 - 2011
By the end of 2010, Fire Line Equipment had added two additional service
technicians. Steve Boley with 29 years of fire truck maintenance and repair
experience and Tim Sweigart with 22 years of fire apparatus build and repair
experience. Both Steve and Tim are Certified Emergency Vehicle Technicians (EVT)
with expertise in steel and aluminum welding, hydraulics, electrical, fire pumps
and component trouble shooting. Both Steve and Tim remain with the company
contributing daily to the overall success of Fire Line Equipment.
2010 also brought the launch of a second web site:
www.fleservice.com
that caters to our service and parts customers. The new web site grew quickly
and the decision was made to add an on-line store for fire truck parts.
Apparatus parts and accessories can be purchased on our secure site via credit
card through PayPal processing.
2011 - 2012
The company continued to grow in 2011 and additional shop and parts storage
space would be needed. The decision was made to lease additional space within
the current building, essentially doubling our current square footage. The new
addition would house our parts warehouse, shipping and receiving; and provide
additional shop area for the service shop with a second ninety foot drive
through bay.
Cleaning up the
new addition!
All of the growth bought the need for a team player to head up our accounting
side. Up until now most of the accounting functions were handled off site with
the exception of the repair and sales invoicing. With the ever increasing amount
used fire trucks, repair quotes, service work and fire truck part sales; it
became very obvious that this addition to the staff needed to happen ASAP.
Kathy Brandt took over our accounting operations handling our A/P, A/R and
payroll. She came to Fire Line Equipment knowing that not all fire trucks are
red. Kathy spent 23 years processing the A/R, A/P and payroll at a factory that
produced fire trucks for customers worldwide. Kathy also handles the majority of
uploads and maintenance to both company websites:
www.fleservice.com
and
www.firelineequipment.com.
By the middle of 2011 we were in conversation with several manufacturers
regarding carrying their product line.
E-ONE, Seagrave, Ferrara, Smeal, American LaFrance
all came to plate with an offering. In the end we decided to align with
E-ONE out of Ocala, Florida due their solid financial
standing, vast product offering, excellent product design, expert product
support and available territory. Although we had not signed the deal yet, E-ONE
and Fire Line Equipment announced our intentions at the 2011 Harrisburg Fire
Expo.
Authorized Central
Pennsylvania E-ONE Dealer
An additional Service Technician was hired to assist with the new E-ONE
product offering. Randy Fisher came on board and brought his 23 years of fire
truck repair and manufacturing experience to Fire Line Equipment. Randy would be
doing a split duty of apparatus repairs in the shop and fire truck maintenance
in the field. He is a licensed PA State Inspection Mechanic and holds his Class
"A" CDL drivers license. While employed at a major fire truck manufacturer he
performed various hydraulic and electrical assembly and repairs. Randy spent
some of career traveling the country performing preventive maintenance and
delivery training on aerial devices.
A second mobile service truck was purchased with our one and only mobile
service van traveling up and down the east coast performing routine maintenance
and repair work. A new 2011 Ford F450 with a Reading service body was located,
purchased, sent out for lettering, outfitted with tools and made available for
local routine and emergency service needs. In addition to the truck and
equipment we purchased a mobile lube skid unit the can be used both at customer
fire stations and in the service shop for lube services.
Mobile Service
Truck 2
2011 Ford F450 with Lube Skid
The self contained unit carries motor oil, transmission fluids, antifreeze,
hydraulic fluid and 80/90w fluid. A seventy gallon waste oil tank on the skid
allows fluids to be recovered and transported back to Fire Line Equipment for
proper disposal.
2012
2012 has brought more expansion with two additional employees, new office
construction, new customers, more challenges, and a whole lot of excitement!
Mike Jamison and Barry Charles were hired early in 2012. Both have extensive
knowledge of the fire industry and are an excellent addition to our already
seasoned professional staff.
Mike joined our team in January as the Apparatus Sales Manager for the new
E-ONE product line. In addition, Mike will be out and about within our territory
promoting our service, parts and used truck sales efforts. He began his career
1985 at a fire truck manufacturing assembly and refurb plant in Ephrata
Pennsylvania. Throughout his employment Mike worked in several different areas
of the company gaining product knowledge and valuable hands on sales and
management experience. As a Regional Sales Manager, Mike was responsible for
several sales dealers and service centers on the east coast of the United
States. Mike has also given back to the community as a volunteer firefighter for
Lafayette Fire Company in
Lancaster County for 14 years.
2012 E-ONE HP100'
Demo For Sale
Barry Charles started with us in May as a Service Technician after spending
21 years in the fire truck manufacturing, repair and training business. He has
worked in positions that have required extensive hydraulic and electrical
trouble shooting abilities in order to diagnose problems related to a truck's
chassis, body, pump and aerial.
With Mike and Barry coming on board, Fire Line Equipment now has a staff of
ten with employees and owners.
Our Services & Products
E-ONE factory authorized sales and service dealer for the following Central
Pennsylvania counties: Adams, Blair, Bedford, Centre, Clinton, Cumberland,
Dauphin, Franklin, Fulton, Huntington, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lycoming,
Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Snyder, Union and York
E-ONE Product Line:
Custom, Commercial, Quick Attack, Wildland, Pumper, Rescue Pumper, Light
Rescue, Heavy Rescue, Tanker, Water Tender, Vacuum Tanker, Ladder, Aerial,
Platform, Command, Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Stock, Demo, Used
Services
We service all makes and models of fire apparatus and emergency equipment
Full Service Lube Shop
State Inspection
Chassis Service & Repair
Pump Service & Repair
Aerial Service & Repair
General Repair
& Maintenance
Collision Repair
Paint, Lettering &
Striping
Fire Truck Service & Repair
Warning Light Installation &
LED Upgrades
Equipment and Tool Mounting
Generator Sales &
Service
Refurb – Chassis, Body & Aerial
Pump Testing
Ladder
Testing
Mobile Fire Truck Repair
Fire Truck Replacement Parts
We have handpicked several hundred top suppliers to the fire service
maintenance and repair industry. With several hundred thousand dollars of
inventory in our warehouse, your replacement part needs can be fulfilled with no
to limited down time.
Used Fire Trucks
Fire Line Equipment offers something that very few; if any other new fire
truck dealers can say they do (or want to do). If you have a trade we can assist
you in two different ways:
1. Sell it to Fire Line Equipment
We buy quality used fire trucks and pre-owned fire apparatus not only from PA
Fire Departments but from fire companies from all across the US. New fire
apparatus dealers are welcome to send us their trade information for an
evaluation and offer to purchase.
2. Receive full retail value for your used fire truck
We advertise and sell used fire apparatus for fire departments and dealers
from all over North & South America. Our website receives several hundred
visitors everyday looking for their next used fire truck to buy. Let us find you
the right buyer that is looking for the right truck!
IMMEDIATE OFFERS! - Buying late model pumper, engines, rescue pumper, mini
pumper, light rescue, heavy rescue, squad, tanker, tender, command, chief
vehicle, air, light, aerial, quint, ladder, platform, tower, ARFF trucks
Manufactured by: Aerialscope, ALF, American LaFrance, Baker, Crimson, Duplex,
Ferrara, Freightliner, HME, International, KME, Kovatch, Ladder Towers, LTI,
Marion, Pierce, Rosenbauer, Seagrave, Smeal, Spartan, Squrt, TeleSqurt,
4-Guys
