The West Haverstraw (NY) Fire Department was created in 1915 in Rockland County, New York. Volunteer Hose Company #2 and S.W. Johnson Fire Company make up the West Haverstraw Fire Department, which protects the communities of Garnerville and West Haverstraw and operates out of two separate stations.
The all-volunteer department protects 10,000 residents in a two-square-mile area that includes a CSX rail line, a rehab hospital, a brewery, an old mill plant with various types of tenants, an art gallery, numerous commercial establishments along Route 9W, and many old 2½-story multiple dwellings around balloon frame residences in the community.
According to Assistant Chief Jose Mulero, who was chairman of the apparatus committee, “We began the project several years ago of looking into replacing our 1992 Ford/Saulsbury heavy rescue, which was 30-plus years old. Our department had outgrown it and needed more compartment space to handle newer equipment that we would be purchasing. The older vehicle was also having parts and maintenance issues.”
The Village went out for a $2.1 million referendum to purchase the rescue and a 103-foot rear-mount ladder, which it also needed at the same time. “After the referendum passed, we went out for bid,” Mulero says. KME, from which the department previously purchased, won the bid for both vehicles. “They also had a better price and exceeded our specs, which was a plus for our department,” Mulero adds.
The committee designed a walk-in rescue that could carry 10 firefighters. The department is a RIT for six surrounding departments in the county and mutual aid for five to six others, which led to deciding to carry extra personnel. “Some of the differences from our old rescue are that the box is two feet longer, which gives us more compartment space,” says Mulero. “We are able to carry a full complement of DeWalt electric hand operated tools; a 10,000-pound portable winch; a light tower, which gives us a great deal more lighting on the fireground and accident scenes; ice rescue equipment; RIT equipment for our FAST team; a complete set of Holmatro electric extrication tools; and a 24-foot ground ladder.” The vehicle also carries a normal complement of forcible entry tools, ropes, and various saws.
1 The West Haverstraw (NY) Fire Department’s KME Severe Service walk-in heavy rescue. (Photos courtesy of KME Fire Apparatus.)
2 The officer’s side has electric Holmatro tools, fans, air bags, and electrical reels.
3 The driver’s side has forcible entry tools, struts, electric DeWalt hand tools, and saws.
KME Walk-in Rescue TruckThe rescue is built on a KME SSX Severe Service chassis that is powered by a Cummins L9 450-hp engine with an Allison EVS 3000 transmission. The walk-in rescue body is built with 3⁄16-inch aluminum with seating for eight. Auxiliary power is provided by an Onan 20-kW Protec generator. The rig carries a portable 10,000-pound Port Isle winch with Ramsey synthetic cable. The truck is also equipped with a Command Lite tower and a Whelen LED light package with a Roto-Ray, two Mars lights, and a Powercall siren. |
“While the vehicle was being built, our committee was able to visit the KME plant while it was still in Nesquehoning, Pennsylvania,” says Mulero. “The inspection trip went well. We were impressed with their operation all around. There were a few minor issues but nothing major at all as far as changes went.” He adds, “Bulldog Fire Apparatus was a new dealer for us. They were great to deal with, answering all of our questions and concerns. They also mounted all of our tools and equipment before we took final delivery.”
Mulero says that the construction of the vehicle went well and that the size and type of vehicle met all the department’s needs. “We really feel the design with the extra compartment space will enable us to take care of all our present needs and provide the added compartment space well into the future should we have to add any new equipment that we might feel we need,” he says.
The West Haverstraw Fire Department planned well for this purchase and the additional rear-mount ladder needed for its response district. It took into consideration the target hazards it has in the community, its mutual-aid plan with neighboring communities, as well as its responsibilities operating as a RIT in its county.
Designing larger compartments for existing tools as well as having additional space for future use presented proactive thinking. Things that we all consider now when designing new apparatus include supply chain issues and apparatus construction and delivery delays. These concerns are pretty much new to the fire service. If you are contemplating a new apparatus purchase any time soon, you might want to consider ordering a new vehicle way before an older apparatus is due for replacement if you can afford to do so. There are reports of delivery times taking two to three years in some cases. Add the costs of materials, and the overall price of a vehicle is something you might want to have your apparatus committee look into. In any case, if you plan properly, your build should go the way you want it to go.
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.
