The Boonsboro (VA) Volunteer Fire Department, located outside the City of Lynchburg, Virginia, was in the mix to purchase a new wildland urban interface (WUI) brush truck.
The department previously operated a 1989 Ford F-350 with a utility body and skid mount pump. The older vehicle was starting to show a great deal of wear and tear and was 33 years old. So, a replacement was way overdue.
Boonsboro consists of 35 square miles with a population of more than 8,000. It has 3,500 structures with schools, churches, offices, and other small commercial buildings. Thirty-five percent of the response area has hydrants, with numerous dry hydrants in the area—some accessible from hard surfaces and others installed in grassy fields. Sixty percent of the area is agriculture, 35% residential, and 5% commercial.
Chief Lewis Litchford states, “The department was looking for a more heavy duty unit that would be multiuse. We wanted a vehicle that could be used for floods, storms, and brush fires and could be used in all types of terrain.”
The apparatus purchasing committee looked around at several manufacturers and came across Acela. “We really liked what we saw with this heavy duty vehicle that could be used on any type of terrain,” says Litchford. “Acela built us exactly what our department was looking for.”
According to Litchford, Acela was selling vehicles that were originally designed for the United States Army for use in extreme weather and terrain conditions. “Acela purchases the chassis from government surplus and refurbs them,” he says. “They remove the Stewart and Stevenson cab and then reassemble it after sandblasting it, prepping, and painting it. A new digital dashboard with new gauges is installed with new wiring harnesses throughout as well as air conditioning and insulation. Any type of mechanical issue is dealt with before delivery.”
The body Boonsboro designed was built by APR Plastic Fabricators of Fort Wayne, Indiana”. “It is a [polypropylene] body and was designed with Amdor roll-up doors, a 1,000-gallon polypropylene tank, a 30-gallon foam tank, a Darley 250-gallon-per-minute (gpm) pump, adjustable shelving, coffin compartments on top of the body, a 25,000-pound recovery winch, and a central tire pressure inflation system. The body, tank, and chassis were constructed at Acela’s factory in Montana. “The central tire pressure system installed on the vehicle gives us the capability to change from asphalt to mud instantly with no problem whatsoever,” adds Litchford.
1 The Boonsboro Acela Monterra WUI 6×6 features a 250-gpm Darley pump, a 1,000-gallon water tank, and a 30-gallon foam tank. [Photos courtesy of the Boonsboro (VA) Fire Department.]
2 The WUI rig features a front 25,000-pound winch.
3 Shown are officer-side compartments with SCBA, rope bags, fittings, and water rescue gear.
4 Shown are driver-side compartments with a chain saw, blowers, a float dock strainer, extra gas, and forcible entry tools.
Acela Monterra 6×6 Cab and Chassis
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5 Shown is the rear pump panel with booster lines holding forestry line and booster line.
6 The rig has a steel cage behind the cab that serves as a stand-up area.
Boonsboro (VA) Fire Department Fleet
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The vehicle was designed to carry two 1,000-foot reels of 1-inch forestry hose and 300 feet of booster line. It also carries extra lengths of 1-inch forestry hose for long stretches. Additional equipment includes two chain saws, blowers, rakes, rope gear for trail rescue, two self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), and personal flotation devices for water rescues. “When fully loaded, the truck has 8 inches more ground clearance than any other truck in its class and can operate in 52 inches of water,” says Litchford.
“Acela was great to deal with,” adds Litchford. Our committee traveled to the factory for several inspections and was happy with the end result. The build could not have been better for us.”
Boonsboro had a special need for its response district. It wanted a heavy duty WUI unit that could operate on any type of terrain as well as during flooding and storms. It investigated other manufacturers and felt that Acela was the way to go for this type of build.
Acela listened to all of the department’s concerns and needs and built a highly functional and highly maneuverable vehicle that has adequate compartment space to carry hose and loose equipment for all of Boonsboro’s different operations.
Proper planning for present and future needs should always be your main concern for any type of apparatus build. Following this plan should ensure that your department gets what it needs.
BOB VACCARO has more than 40 years of fire service experience. He is a former chief of the Deer Park (NY) Fire Department. Vaccaro has also worked for the Insurance Services Office, the New York Fire Patrol, and several major commercial insurance companies as a senior loss-control consultant. He is a life member of the IAFC.
