Archives > 2007 > September 2007 > Special Delivery: CAFS Makes Three-Man Volunteer Crews More Effective

September 2007

Special Delivery:

By Tony Lolli

CAFS Makes Three-Man Volunteer Crews More Effective

Ravena Hose Company, an all-volunteer department in New York covering a residential area south of Albany, purchased its first compressed air foam system (CAFS) this summer while acquiring its second W.S. Darley & Company engine.

The department took delivery of a 2006 Darley Vision pumper on July 7 and put it into service on July 28, replacing a 1983 Saulsbury/International rescue pumper.

Chief Joel Trombley said members of the department selected Darley because they had been impressed with the way the company supports its products, including Ravena’s other Darley apparatus, a 1992 pumper.

“When you can get the kind of fast response we do, anytime you need parts or service, that becomes an important consideration in future purchases,” he said. “We’ve been very well served by Darley and by Zwack Inc., the Darley sales representative. A price that’s within budget is a good first step, but it’s the service that keeps us coming back.”

Ravena officials started design and specification work a couple of years ago. They chose a 2006 model to save the $10,000 cost of meeting new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 2007 emission standards and devoted that money to other features on the apparatus, which was purchased for $333,995.

Because of concern over costs, Ravena Hose Company officers went out of their way to educate the mayor and village trustees about the value of CAFS.

“We were included right from the start,” said Ravena Village Trustee Bob Wade. “They invited us to meetings with potential bidders. We also went to several foam system demonstrations so we could see this new technology. It convinced us that compressed air foam was the way to go because it could be used effectively with a relatively smaller crew, a concern due to many volunteers working away from the village.”

Close Cooperation

Trombley said the performance of CAFS and its ease of use were important considerations. “It’s easy to connect, pre-piped to the monitor and the settings can be pre-set,” he said. “This truck makes even a three-man crew extremely effective.”

Close cooperation between the village’s volunteer firefighters and the trustees is nothing new. Wade said the trustees began putting money away several years ago, anticipating a new truck would be needed to replace the 1983 Saulsbury. “When it came time, we were able to purchase the Darley for cash and did not need a bond,” he said. “These volunteers spend lots of time responding and training. The village and its trustees appreciate what they do for us. The annual cost for equipment is much less than what it would be for salaries if we had to hire firefighters.”

The trustees were not the only ones who needed to be convinced that they should buy an engine equipped with CAFS. Chief Engineer Ron Rauche said the firefighters also had to be convinced. Using demonstration apparatus, the department conducted several car burn drills that were also witnessed by the village trustees. He said the firefighters found that lines charged with air were lighter than lines filled only with water.

“With this truck we use only 0.3 percent foam versus 3 percent for non-pressurized systems,” Rauche said. “We only need 35 gpm for water because of the CAFS. And, it’s easy to operate. Just hit the presets, hit the foam pump, throw the air toggle switch and bring the water. Even a crew of three can be effective because features like the pressure governor watch over the system.”

 The new engine was purchased to be used as rescue pumper. It has a top-mount pump control panel and a PolyBilt body with a custom cab that seats six with five 911 SCBA seats.

Moving The Deck Gun

It has two 1.5-inch CAFS-capable discharges behind the cab, a 1.5-inch front bumper trash discharge and a 2.5-inch rear mounted discharge. The new Darley is equipped with an Elkhart Brass deck gun that was transferred over from the old Saulsbury pumper and is foam capable.

Because the booster tank is integral with the body, the tank is also the back wall of each compartment. Each side of the vehicle has three compartments: a 44-by-61-inch compartment behind the cab; a 63-by-32-inch center compartment and a 54-by-61-inch rear compartment. Each of the six compartments is 25 inches deep. A rear compartment that measures 44 by 30 by 24 inches holds ropes, a large air bag and first aid equipment.

 Reels for Hurst tools are mounted on each side, as are electric reels. An air hose reel is mounted on the left side. The department’s tools were mounted by Zwack. 

“We added something that might be of interest to other companies,” said Rauche. “We have two small green lights mounted on the rear of the truck. They are operated from the pump panel and are used to signal ‘go’ for a hydrant feed.”

The Darley is geared for 65 to 70 mph and has a cramp angle of 50 degrees, according to Rauche. “This would also make a great rig for a city department,” he said, “because of the small turning radius.”

One thing Chief Trombley said he would have added, if costs permitted, was a bumper-mounted turret, electronically controlled from inside the cab. “With it, we could respond to a car fire and begin our attack even before we stopped, “ he said.

But he is clearly impressed with the new Darley, particularly its CAFS capabilities. “It will complete the initial knockdown on a fully-involved car fire using 88 gallons of water and less than one gallon of foam,” he said. “This is one technology all departments should consider.”

The Darley Vision was purchased through Zwack, Inc. in Stephentown, N.Y. Frank Zwack Jr. was the sales  representative.

For information call 800-323-0244 or go to www.darley.com.

Dimensions

• 213-inch wheelbase

• 118 inches high

• 99 inches wide

• 34 feet 3 inches long

Chassis

• HME 1871-P2E chassis

• 18,700-pound front axle

• 24,000-pound rear axle

• Cummins ISO 330 hp engine

• Allison 3000EVS transmission

Body

• PolyBilt body of copolymer material with lifetime warranty

• United Plastics Fabricating poly roll-out trays and poly tool mounts

• Seating for six, five with 911 SCBA seats with Zico Quic-Lock mechanical brackets

Pumping Features

• Darley LDMBC AutoCAFS 1,500 gpm pump mounted midship

• Darley 220 cubic feet per minute (CFM) rotary screw compressor

• FoamPro 2001 system

• 25-gallon copolymer cell of type A foam

• 795-gallon ProPoly booster tank

Other Features

• Onan 10,000-watt hydraulic generator

• Lighting, Code-3 Arrow Stick AS 847 for traffic control and two Fire Research 1,000-watt scene lights.

• Hose: 200 feet of 1.75-inch; 300 feet of 2.5-inch; 1,200 feet of 4-inch