Determining what your department’s next pumper, or engine, should look and act like doesn’t have to be a life-altering experience for those involved. Rather, it’s a great opportunity to improve the safety, effectiveness and efficiency for your department’s most critical emergency response resource.
Today’s engine is not solely the vehicle of a firefighter, but rather the vehicle of the first responder. Look at your department’s call types for the past three to five years and I believe most will see that fire suppression is a small percentage of the total calls for service.
So why specify an engine with capabilities and equipment that are 90 percent or more focused on fire suppression?
Specify an engine that has the appropriate compartment space to accommodate the equipment and protective clothing that your people need as the first responders to hazardous materials releases, vehicle crash extrications, medical emergencies and technical rescues.
Begin with the end
Tight budgets, especially for apparatus replacement, are forcing many fire departments to become more creative and innovative in managing the lifecycle for fire apparatus. One of these aspects is selling fire apparatus when it’s reached its replacement point to allow a department to recoup some of the initial investment.
One of the best things you can do to enhance its future resale value is to spec your next engine more like a top-selling pickup truck and not like a competition-ready monster truck. That’s because in order to sell your “one of a kind” engine, you’ll have to find a fire department with the same vision for their next fire truck. It’s not an easy task.
Next, consider how your department is staffed: career, volunteer, combination or paid-on-call. The level of knowledge, skills, and experience that driver/operators will bring to the driver’s seat and pump panel should be a primary topic for discussion when planning for your new engine.
Look for cabin designs with control consoles that are easy to understand and that put key lights, switches and equipment within easy reach.
Pump placement
Consider locating the pump panel someplace other than the driver’s side of the apparatus. Seriously, consider this.
First-responder deaths and injuries while operating on highways and roadways are becoming all too frequent and the traditional pump panel location puts the operator at a higher risk when the engine is parked on the shoulder of the road parallel to the travel lanes or perpendicular to the travel lanes to protect other responders working downstream of traffic.
Pump panels can be located topside on the apparatus, at the rear of the apparatus, and even on the right-hand side (officer’s side), any of which significantly reduce the operator’s risk.
Consider pump panels that are intuitive in their design and easy to operate. All-digital, touch-screen pump displays offer both pressure and flow readings; the addition of a central controller for all valves can further minimize cost. Because such a pump panel configuration does not have manual levers to operate valves, there are no handles on the panel, which makes it easier for technicians to access the pump for maintenance.
Who’s going to work on it?
An equally important stakeholder in this new purchase is the Emergency Vehicle Technician — the fire apparatus mechanic who will be doing the maintenance and repair work on the new engine.
The EVT’s number-one priority is access to all the major assemblies. Accessibility can make the difference between an easy to maintain vehicle and one that is a nightmare.
It also has a significant impact on how long an engine has to be out of service for maintenance or repairs. The easier it is for the EVT to get into spaces on the apparatus, the sooner the apparatus gets out of the shop and back into service.
One thing EVTs shouldn’t have to worry about are tanks, especially if you go with Polymer.
Polymer tanks are the latest development in the quest for fire apparatus that is more functional, more affordable and longer lasting. Polymer is today’s response for manufacturers and buyers in their quest for lighter, stronger and cheaper construction materials.
Polymer tanks have lower operating costs over the life of the tank and a longer tank life than those constructed using metals or fiberglass. They get this added life because polymer is a nonporous, U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved food-grade material that is not subject to microbial attack. It makes the tanks practically maintenance-free.
The cost-benefit reality is that polymer tanks offer the buyer an option to obtain a tank with a price and weight that’s comparable to aluminum, but with an impact strength on par with stainless steel.
Pumps for pumpers
The standard mid-ship-mounted centrifugal pump should also be up for discussion in your specification process because it’s a space hog that consumes valuable cubic feet on the apparatus chassis that can be better used for additional storage compartments.
One option is using a PTO-driven pump — they’re not just for wildland firefighting apparatus anymore. Several manufacturers, including Pierce and Rosenbauer, are selling apparatus with PTO-driven pumps rated up to 1,500 gpm.
PTO-driven pumps have some significant advantages for the buyer including about 50 percent less cost than a mid-ship pump and they are easily customizable. Also, the pump can be tucked beneath or immediately behind the cab, using often-wasted space.
And there’s the ease of operations — the apparatus operator engages the pump by simply pushing a button in the cab, regardless of whether the truck is in drive, neutral or park.
These savings in weight and space typically dedicated solely to the pump and manifold can be a huge advantage for fire departments when considering the needs for a pumper and a rescue truck — one vehicle for all emergency needs. The pump-and-roll capability of a PTO-driven pump also increases the firefighting capability of the apparatus, particularly during wildland interface operations to protect structures.
A well-planned engine choice will server your community, department and firefighters for years to come.
