Something that is forgotten on a fire truck is the maintenance of the shoreline. Many things can go wrong with a shoreline: It gets run over by the truck, because it didn’t clear when the plug auto-ejected the plug or it was removed but then dropped under the truck. Or the wrong plug was used on the electric cord and it didn’t eject from the truck. Or it doesn’t eject because the plug previously had been run over but the operator still was able to plug it into the auto eject. Or the operator didn’t remove the cord from the outlet (non auto-eject) before getting in the truck and pulled the wire out of the reel or electrical box as he drove out of the firehouse. How many times have you seen this happen at your firehouse?

Another thing that happens to the plug is — after hitting the floor or wall over time — the wire connections in the plug come loose. The loose connection builds heat and starts melting the plug, which can start a fire. I read there was a fire truck that caught fire in Florida which was caused by the shoreline. I have come across plugs that were melted at the wire connections, which were loose and started smoking when plugged into the truck shoreline. I find wire connections loose in the plugs all the time when I plug the cord back in after running the truck. I will tighten the wires on plugs that are easy to remove from the power supply or I tell fire departments about finding the wires loose in the plugs and my recommendations to have someone to make needed repairs.

If your fire truck has an auto-eject, it does require maintenance, like lubricating the receptacle tangs with Vaseline or white lube. The plug also can be lubricated with WD-40, but you need shake out the excess before plugging it back in.

Shorelines that are non-auto-eject that are hard to plug in or remove also should be lubricated. Check the wire connections in the plug and replace if there is any signs of damage.

If your fire truck has a house air auto-eject, it also needs maintenance. It should be cleaned and lubricated at least every 6 months, more often for trucks is in the northern states with bad winter weather. For house air systems that are contaminated with moisture, lubricate with silicone or Teflon. Don’t use oil-based lubricants because they attract dirt.

Hank Henninger is In Service's 2011 EVT of the Year.