Equipment World Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/692436
EquipmentWorld.com | June 2016 23 AEMP Technicians of the Year | continued JohnDeere.com/jdpower With every turn of the wheel, every push of the controls, and every project completed — you're reminded why you chose John Deere engine power in the first place. John Deere engines faithfully do their jobs with performance that responds to each command, uptime delivered day after day, and low cost of operation proven year after year. We make every experience you have with our engines count, right down to the reliable support you receive at more than 4,000 service locations worldwide. That's the John Deere experience. behind your productivity behind your productivity POWER Untitled-14 1 5/17/16 2:07 PM good hands-on experience, be- cause they break just about every- thing on those trucks," he says. Six years ago, Naletko signed on with the Sarasota (Florida) County Fleet Services where he is a Heavy Equipment II techni- cian. "Michael hit the ground running and never looked back," says Greg Morris, fleet manager at Sarasota County. "He was nomi- nated by his peers with unani- mous approval. He has superb customer service skills and leads by example." Today Naletko maintains just about every piece of equipment the Sarasota County Fire De- partment operates: fire engines, rescue vehicles, jaws of life, stretchers and saws. As a Heavy Equipment II, he is the go-to guy if a Technician I has trouble with a specific task. In addition to scheduling and processing work orders, he's also involved in equipment procurement. "If there is something new coming out for our fleet, I'll get a heads up and relay that to the fire department," Naletko says. "I've also been on some mid-point and final inspections at the factory where our engines and rescue vehicles are made." Naletko credits his supervisors in the Air Force and the older techs he's worked with for giving him a solid grounding in the pro- fession and handing down their tricks of the trade. "They pro- vided so much input it was easier to learn from them than from a book or a class," he says. One of the biggest challenges he faces today is dealing with the exhaust aftertreatment in the big diesel engines that power Sarasota's fire trucks. "It's about 70 percent of our problems," he says. "Trucks keep coming in with check engine lights and its almost always emissions related. A fire truck sits at high idle most of the time, or runs in city traf- fic so it doesn't get a chance to burn off a lot of the soot. And when they're running the pump, they won't go into regen. At our 300-hour PM we actually do a park-regen before doing the service." Naletko is currently enrolled in AEMP University and taking its Equipment Manager Special- ist (EMS) course. After that, he hopes to earn the Certified Equip- ment Manager (CEM) certification and eventually reach the position of fleet manager. "I like working on emergency vehicles," Naletko says. "If I don't do my job, they can't do theirs. And the trucks we work on save lives. That's a good feeling."