By Susan J. Park
The Orange County Register
Copyright 2007 The Orange County Register (California)
All Rights Reserved

ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. — "Right turn here and then going left," says Tom Reardon, an engineer with the Fountain Valley Fire Department, while practicing tight turns in a large parking lot in Huntington Beach.

"Right turn, then left," repeats firefighter K.C. Hester over the communication lines within the truck. He sits almost 60 feet behind his counterpart, steering the back end of the city's newest vehicle.

The Fountain Valley Fire Department recently acquired a $730,000 American LaFrance tiller truck, also known as a tractor-drawn aerial truck.

The new truck has a 39-foot turning radius, compared to a 69-foot turning radius on the old truck, despite about an additional 10 feet of length. It is also about four inches shorter than the old truck, and it carries a ladder that can reach up to 100 feet, 10 feet shorter than its predecessor.

The new truck replaced the straight-framed truck acquired by Fountain Valley in 2001. Battalion Chief Joe Vasile said the new version costs about $20,000 more but has a better reputation among other fire departments for reliability.

The Fountain Valley Fire Department anticipates it will save money on maintenance and repair of the truck. The truck has about 75 percent more storage space, and heavy equipment can be accessed more easily, too.

"It's more ergonomic," said firefighter Bill McQuaid, describing how firefighters can slide out equipment and don't have to reach as high for heavier equipment. "It can alleviate the potential for injuries."

Though it comes with many benefits, the new truck is "a commitment to training," Vasile said.

The fire department has been practicing on a tiller truck loaned from the Orange County Fire Authority since last fall, Vasile said.

About 36 firefighters will be certified on tiller operations, or steering the back end of the long vehicle. The coordination between the tiller operator and the front driver is a new challenge for the city's firefighters.

"There was a honeymoon phase where we've been learning about each other," said firefighter Stephen Denisi. "But now everything is going as smooth as silk."

The new integration between Reardon and Hester is evident.

"If I say turn right and he thinks I'm turning left ... ," Reardon said.

"... it would be bad," Hester filled in.