Artie,

I just have to correct you a bit; the current tower ladder in use by Lancaster City is a 1990 Federal/E-One, not LTI. Lancaster City has in fact owned two LTI aerial devices through the years. "Ladder A" at one point in time was a 1986 106' aerial ladder. The current "Truck 1" is a 1997 75' LTI aerial ladder which is still in service.

You are correct; LTI was the pioneer of the elevating platform in the fire service going back to the Grove days in the 1970's. Grove in turn became LTI which based manufacturing of its aerial devices in Lancaster County. It was always interesting to see tractor-drawn ladders scooting down 222 with "Los Angeles City Fire Department" on the side.

That is embarrassing. Thank you very much for the correction.

Absolutely!

When you are a "distressed" company, as American LaFrance was and is, and you are purchased by a company like the CEO-led Lynn Tilton's $6 billion private equity firm, Patriarch Partners, LLC, which specializes in buying, reorganiziing and dismantling, "distressed" firms, you're shouldn't be surprised about much of anything.

Companies owned by Patriarch aren't likely to win "Best Places to Work" awards. For anyone transferring to or working at the LaFrance company in South Carolina, lots of luck! You'll need it!

No problem Artie. I chalked it up as a "senior moment" which we all seem to suffer more of as the days go by. No harm, no foul...