Apparatus: New aerials hit the market

It seemed that the focus at FDIC 2012 for the various fire apparatus manufacturers was building taller-reaching aerial ladders. You had the new 138-foot Telstar from Spartan ERV; 123-foot for KME, which previously introduced a 79-foot, 103-foot, 109-foot and 123-foot quints; 104-foot Scorpion from HME; and a repeat of the 78-foot and 137-foot aerials from E-One. Pierce, not be outdone, introduced the new Dash CF 105-foot aerial ladder that took on a retro look of the Pierce Arrow from the past.

Spartan EVR (previously Crimson) made the biggest splash this year with the announcement of the new name change and their collaboration with Gimaex and Renault, both French manufacturers who have joined forces with Spartan on several new projects to meet the demands of the American market.

Spartan EVR’s entry is the Telstar, a 138-foot telescopic and articulating aerial platform. At first look, it reminded one of the Bront0-Skylift. However, it has many new improvements and is easier to operate.

The Telstar has redundant controls and remote diagnostics. It has an 80-foot horizontal reach and a 138-foot overall reach. It also can be used as much as 23 feet below grade. It can carry 123 feet of ground ladders and has a short wheelbase for easy maneuverability. The truck is self-leveling and has a platform capacity of 1,000 pounds and a water flow of 1,000 gpm.

HME’s Scorpion comes with a tandem front steer axle, a 104-foot, four-section rear-mount platform and a 1,500 gpm Waterous CXV single stage pump. The truck also touts a 500-gallon tank. When you first look at the truck, you will notice the uniqueness of the twin steerable front axles. The truck was designed for maximum height and the ability to turn in tight spaces.

KME introduced its 123-foot AerialCat that was built for the Westfield, Ind. Fire Department. The truck features a 114-foot horizontal reach; KME’s storefront Blitz, which allows the ladder to be positioned below horizontal; and flow of 1,500 gpm above the centerline of the ladder. This means it can be used inside a storefront or other commercial building and allow for a blitz attack with the aerial waterway. The tip of the ladder is rated as 500 pounds unrestricted and has a 1,500 gpm waterway.

The ladder incorporates a new stainless steel bolt-on egress with knurled stainless steel handrails and rungs, increasing safety and reducing possible paint damage that is typical at the ladder tip. The egress is equipped with ladder tip skid guards on the very tip, which allow the ladder tip to slide on a roof or side of a building without getting caught on building materials.

Pierce celebrated 30 years in the business of building custom chassis this year. Pierce displayed 10 vehicles at this year’s FDIC. One was the first ladder built on the new Dash CF chassis, which also included a retro looking Pierce Arrow cab that has increased room for the driver and officer and a flat layout for the crew in the rear of the vehicle.

E-One had nine vehicles on display including a 100-foot platform for the Hendersonville, Tenn. Fire Department, a 100-foot rear-mount ladder for Topsham, Maine, as well as a 78-foot eMax quint for Fort Walton Beach, Fla. The e-Max is a new design for fire departments that need greater storage space as well as being able to do more with less. It can be configure as an aerial ladder, a pumper or rescue vehicle. It is available on E-Ones Custom Chassis as well as some more affordable commercial chassis.