Hearth Record

Equipment (Smeal)

Vehicle recall 16V-887. NHTSA received Smeal Fire Apparatus Co., Inc.’s report on Dec 9, 2016.

NHTSA’s own record, on nhtsa.gov

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The short answer

NHTSA received Smeal Fire Apparatus Co., Inc.’s report on Dec 9, 2016. Copied from NHTSA on Oct 28, 2026.

Every line below is in NHTSA’s own words, with its source beside it.

What’s wrong with it?

A guardrail that bends or breaks under load can increase the risk of injury.

Smeal Fire Apparatus Co., Inc.

(Smeal) is recalling certain model year 1997-2016 Rear Mount Aerial Platform Apparatus emergency vehicles manufactured January 1, 1997, to November 30, 2016.

The affected vehicles are equipped with a movable ladder access guardrail that may bend or break under heavy loads.

Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated daily.

  • NHTSA’s part: Equipment.

What should you do?

Smeal will notify owners, and dealers will add a support to the opposite side of the guardrail, free of charge. The recall began on January 11, 2017. Owners may contact Smeal customer service at 1-877-415-8628.

Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated daily.

  • How to reach the firm: Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
  • Check a vehicle by its VIN at NHTSA: the recalls still open on it are listed there.

Which ones are recalled?

NHTSA counts 216 vehicles potentially involved, across everything this recall names.

Each model year opens its own page: every recall naming it, its owner complaints and its crash ratings.

Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated daily.

  • Smeal Aerial2015and 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014, before the model years listed here
  • Smeal Aerial Fire Apparatus2016

Who is recalling it?

  • Made by Smeal Fire Apparatus Co., Inc..
Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated daily.

What the record doesn’t say

  • NHTSA’s recall file doesn’t say whether anyone was hurt. Owners’ complaints are counted on each vehicle’s page.
  • Whether one vehicle or seat has been fixed: only its maker, or NHTSA’s lookup with a VIN, can say.
  • How many have been returned or fixed isn’t in the notice.
Source:

Hearth Record wrote these lines.

Sources

  • National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Recalls flat file (FLAT_RCL_POST_2010).

    Released Oct 28, 2026 and checked Oct 28, 2026. Updated daily. Public domain (U.S. Government work).

Source:

Vehicle, car seat, tire and vehicle equipment recalls, owner complaints and crash ratings are from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Copied on Oct 28, 2026.

How to read a record

Four things every record does, shown on an example record made up for this guide.

An example record, made up for this guide

An example nursing home

Made up for this guide: no real place is shown

Not fully inspected in over two years (CMS flag)

11 health citations at the latest inspection cycle

The state average is 14.3.

Source:

CMS, State and US Averages and Health Deficiencies. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated monthly.

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Every fact names its source.

Who published it, when, and how often it changes sit beside each fact, with a link to the agency’s own file.

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