The 200th Ascendant 100’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Tower sold through Pierce dealer, Firematic Supply Company, will go into service with the West Babylon Fire Department in New York. The monumental sale represents a historic shift in apparatus aerial configuration options and enhanced maneuverability introduced by Pierce in 2018.
APPLETON, Wis. — Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation company, and Pierce dealer, Firematic Supply Company, announced today the sale of the 200th Ascendant 100’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Tower purchased by the West Babylon Fire Department in New York. Introduced by Pierce in 2018, the 200th sale of the Ascendant tower represents significant demand for the apparatus’ innovative aerial configuration options and world-class maneuverability, drivability, operability, and serviceability.
“Our team was confident the Ascendant 100’ Aerial Tower would be a highly sought-after configuration due to customers gravitating to mid-mounted aerials for the lower overall height, which aligns with the northeast’s historically low firehouse doors,” said Pete Hanratty, president of Firematic Supply Company. “When the Ascendant tower was unveiled, it was immediately apparent that Pierce conquered what had been a significant list of compromises customers had to deal with when choosing a mid-mount aerial apparatus in the past, including advancements in scrub area, maneuverability, and other areas that set the product apart.”
The West Babylon Fire Department is made up of three stations and 170 members with an estimated call volume of 3,900 per year. West Babylon is a suburb of New York City located in Long Island, with a population of over 43,000.
In the past three years, Firematic Supply Company alone has sold 24 Ascendant 100’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Towers in its New York and Connecticut regions. The 200th Ascendant tower is the first mid-mount aerial apparatus for the West Babylon Fire Department and will add to its entirely Pierce fleet.
“This is the 13th truck our department has purchased from Pierce and Firematic, and we’ve always had a great experience and have been happy with the products,” said John Manzi, commissioner of the West Babylon Fire Department. “We are impressed with the Ascendant 100’ Aerial Tower’s mid-mount configuration, which offers a lot of flexibility in regard to the ways we can access both residential and commercial buildings. With its shorter overall length, sweep area, and reach, we know this apparatus will provide the maneuverability needed to offer the best service to our community.”
Features of West Babylon Fire Department’s new Ascendant 100’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Tower include:
- Pierce Velocity chassis
- Mid-mount 100’ heavy-duty steel aerial tower
- Cummins X15 605 hp engine
- Allison EVS 4000 transmission
- Short overall length of 43’4” for outstanding maneuverability
- Large compartment space for maximum equipment storage capacity
- Pierce safety systems, including frontal airbags and side roll protection
- Advanced camera systems for 360° apparatus coverage and center outrigger placement
- HAAS Alert Collision Mitigation - a cloud-based service that sends real-time digital alerts to drivers in their vehicles as they approach first responders en route or on-scene at accidents
“The pace in which we reached the 200th sale of the Ascendant 100’ Aerial Tower speaks to the coast-to-coast confidence that the fire service has in both Pierce, our unparalleled dealer network, and the innovations we develop that address the challenges firefighters face each day,” said Jim Johnson, president of Pierce Manufacturing. “A fire apparatus purchase is a significant investment for any community, and the fact that our dealers have a proven history of providing the highest level of product support adds a level of assurance that customers will receive a proper return on investment.”
To learn more about Pierce Manufacturing and the 200th sale of the Ascendant 100’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Tower, visit www.piercemfg.com.