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Citywide: Aging fire engines auctioned for $6,800
June 3rd, 2009, 1:10 pm · 43 Comments · posted by EUGENE W. FIELDS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Orange city officials auctioned off a pair of aging fire engines for $6,800 that were originally tabbed to be donated.
Councilman Jon Dumitru said this week that the two, 20-year-old Beck fire engines sold for $5,000 and for $1,800.
In December, the City Council decided not to donate the 20-year-old fire engines to its sister city of Santiago de Queratro, Mexico to decide what value, if any, the engines could get at auction. 
At the time, Orange was facing a $10.9-million budget deficit for 2009-10. The city has since bridged the deficit, but Dumitu said the city needed to show fiscal responsibility and look at selling the engines before donating them.
” I was told that we would be lucky to receive any money at all, and would probably go to scrap for about 400 to 500 dollars,” Dumitru said in an e-mail.
So the city sold the engines last month.
(To go to the Register’s home page, click here.)
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Bravo!!! Good to see them sold for any amount of cash rather than giving them to a Mexican city. Now put the $6,800 to good use.
How about posting some details about what would be a good use of $6800 from the sell? Otherwise your statement is just empty rhetoric.
Okay, education, street repairs, the deficit…need more?
That’s all? Hell, I would have bought one then.
And just where would you have parked it? In your Turtle Rock neighborhood? I don’t think the association would let you do that…
Well, it could be retrofitted for a kids climbing fire truck for the Great Park.
Never mind. Taxpayers would end up paying for refurbishing and upkeep.
It dosn’t say what city?
Sold for $6800? Sounds like an insider sale. Sell it to a friend, they sell it for alot more, then split the profits with whoever set them up.
Seriously! I would have bought one! You can’t convince me the various parts aren’t worth much more or even as scrap! I’d like to know who bought them, their relationship with the city and how much they “resold” for!!
me too!
Good job. Donating to Mexico (ie the Meth Cartel) is wrong.
As is the Irvine “sister city” scam. (Howz about Beth Krom
giving Taiwan to China?)
As the Empire collapses, folks will have to protect themselves.
The police etc are not obligated to protect you.
Buy guns.
I’d guess your IQ is in he low 70s and you still receive government help for your developmental delay.
I’d like to see more stuff like this. Our economy is in shambles, the national debt is the highest its ever been, and we just can’t afford to be the whole world’s “sugar daddy” anymore.
We shouldn’t spend another dime on foreign aid of any kind until we’re able to pay for our own infrastructure, schools and social services.
Taking care of ourselves is a real good idea but did you know that we the US spend provide less aide to other countries compare to other nations? The whole idea that we “give” more to other countries is a myth.
Justice,
You talk a lot, but you don’t say anything.
Justice just keep preaching your propaganda.
Charitable giving in the US accounts for 1.67% of GDP. The second most charitable country, the UK, gives .73% of GDP. The US gives more than double the second most charitable country as a percentage of GDP, and in real dollars.
Source(s):
http://www.cafonline.org/pdf/Internation...
We could have saved more if we would have stuffed them full of illegals.
Great, another idiot who finds the source and solution to problems in undocumented people. No wonder our state politicians cater to this simplistic thinking and continue to make decisions that cater to the lowest common denominator which serves no one in the end.
Ditto Justice! …I’m so tired of ignorant biggots. I’d like to see THEM (or their spoiled kids) breaking their backs all day working in fields or in jobs they wouldn’t be able to STOMACH for a minute, all for less than minimum wage.
This “auction” does look like a setup though. They should have donated them for a good cause.
It never seizes to amaze me how racist and intolerant some postings on this forum are. Angry old white guys venting by posting the most simplistic explanations to complex problems.
Justice,
Your wrong! The United States helps other countries more than all other countries combined. I was just watching a documentary on TV the other day, people from about 100 other countries would stave to death if not for U.S. aid!
Hmm. Never thought I’d be able to say that I could buy a fire engine for less than my taxes went up last month…
If the city would of placed them on ebay, the enclosed cab for example, would of sold for over $60K. alone!! Cities are now selling more on ebay!!
$6,800 to waste OR
donating to a poor town in Mexico enabling safety workers there to respond to emergencies to save lives.
Out of sight out of mind I guess.
See you in church.
The ONLY voice of reason here! Thanks, Sad. I’m with you. Had they donated these 20-year old engines, they could have helped to protect our neighbors - PEOPLE. $6,800 isn’t going to make a dent in a city’s budget (especially with a $10+ Million deficit - which has since been “bridged”… read “deferred”). The tax break alone could have saved the city the $6,800. I think this is irresponsible and selfish.
How old were these engines? What was the original price paid? There must be a bluebook for such vehicles. What were they? Hard to believe that such large specialty vehicles would sell only for $1500 and $6800. There couldn’t have been many miles on them. They don’t drive them to Atlantic City and back, right? All they do is respond to emergencys with them, eh? More funny business here? Small american towns with local fire departments would have probably paid much more. Who were allowed to bid at the auctions? How many bidders were there? We need more information. The Orange citizens should ask for an investigation.
5000 for one and 1500 for the other totaling 6800.
Yes, this does seem a bit low. Googling for fire engines for sale, seems like this might have sold for $30K
http://www.fentonfire.com/engines_and_pumpers/
Whatchoo tawkin about ocobserver? 20 year old fire trucks are tough maintence. As for miles, they go out quite frequently on routine fire drills. We’re talking mega miles. For Orange to decide on selling them, they need the money, leave em alone. Government isn’t a church where everything is donated. I am jealous though. I’d love parking a fire truck in my drive way every night.
Reviewing the previous article (regarding the original decision to sell), mentions a 20-year lifespan, and looking at the for sale prices, there does seem to be a drop-off at the 20-year mark. So, the low price may be due to the poor condition of the trucks.
Yup. Sounds fishy.
It would be interesting and helpful to know who purchased these fire engines, and what their intentions were. Where are the fire engines now? How was the auction publicized, and could the public bid?
what has mexico ever donated to us us besides increasing our welfare rolls.
sta 18
obviously you weren’t paying attention during Katrina about the aid and personnel sent from Mexico.
during WWII, Mexico sent it’s 201st Squadron aka the Aztec Eagles to the Pacific.
that’s just off the top of my head. I’m sure i can think of or find more.
Justice has a problem.
To make myself clear The problem is that Justice forgot about a few important facts.
1. CA spends a fortune on health care and schooling for undocumented immigrants otherwise known in less PC circles as Ilegal Aliens.
2. We are in an economic crisis and the only thing that smells is the price they got.
3. Justice for who? The ACLU is what Justice loves and they stink.
“Stuff them full of illegals”?? “Buy more guns”?? WOW!! I’m normally not surprised by the racist protectionist attitude of OC peeople, but commnets like these really make me take pause. Especially with all the “Christian” churches and moral high ground you claim to hold. I spent 2 years in Iraq and Afghanistan defending the freedom of narrow minded idiots like these. I wish I had been there to witness the day you folks fell out of the sky and landed in the United States!!
Have you ever looked at one of these auctioned engines? Theyre basically sold for scrap. The cost to outfit one, replace the engine, trans. and fire pump if needed would be astronomical. You’d be lucky if these are even drivable anymore. They have typically been stripped for parts. My point, they’d never be returned to service if donated.
These vehicles are maintained in excellent condition throughout their life. The city just sold 2 pristine 20yr old fire trucks for what? Somebody knows somebody that’s all I can say. I’ll bet there is a city in the US that could have used them. Idiots!
With a fire engine it is the pump miles that count, not the road miles. A 20-year old engine with have a lot of pump miles on from required training alone. Unfortunately, fire engines are not mass produced, so obtaining parts for a 20-year old rig can become nearly impossible.
I still think this was an “inside” sales job. Was there an auction? How many bids? Sounds more like a sale to a friend, the friend sells it and they split the profits.
OCR can you find out more details on the sale?
These sadly aren’t worth much. Beck has been out of business for many years and parts are impossible to find. The only other city that I think even has any on the road around here is Garden Grove and I’m sure they want to dispose of them soon, budget permitting or not.
-SD
Hermosillo, Mexico
29 children die in Mexican daycare fire today
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/06/06/29-children-die-in-Mexican-daycare-fire/UPI-59331244263957/