Editor’s Opinion Chris Mc Loone
“That truck is nimble.” That’s what one of our assistant engineers said about one of our pumpers recently. We took delivery of two pumpers at the end of 2021.
These two were a bit of a departure from when we bought two at once previously. For example, the 1981 American LaFrances were twins (with slight differences like one being equipped with a front intake, different generator locations/types, etc.) as were the 1997 Spartan/Saulsbury pumpers. This time, though, the truck committee took a different approach when it designed the two newest vehicles. One is slightly shorter, carries slightly less water, carries fewer firefighters, and doesn’t have a raised cab roof. The second pumper has different compartmentation because it is set up more as a rescue-pumper. It has a raised roof, carries more firefighters, carries more water, and is slightly longer than the other. They are both built on the same cabs and chassis.
I agree with our engineer completely. It’s a very nimble truck. Our operators really enjoy driving it. We try to balance the frequency that each hits the road so neither is having its wheels run off. For fire attack, both rigs are set up the same way, although we are transitioning to advancing lines from the rear of the trucks vs. the crosslays. It has been interesting and enjoyable to see how our firefighters have adapted to the rigs since they’ve been in service. The committee did some different things with these, and the changes are paying off.
Now, I’m not going to lie—there were a couple of things where, as one of the more seasoned members, I did shake my head and wonder how something would work out. But, if you have a plan, and you work the plan, and you train on the plan, you generally come out on the right side. I sat in on some of the discussions during the design phase, and our chief at that time did a great job collecting all the ideas, discussing all the ideas, and letting the committee come to the decisions. Every member of the committee walked out knowing that their fingerprints were on the design one way or another.
What got me thinking about that was how the committee talked things through and discussed things, and it made me think about our newest digital offering, the Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment Podcast. Career or volunteer, I think many firefighters will say their favorite part of being at the firehouse is the conversations—whether they are in the radio room after a call or around the kitchen table. It’s the conversations we have where we come up with solutions, reminisce, bust stones, and plan our next rigs. We’re having some great conversations right now during our weekly Podcasts. You can find them all at fireapparatusmagazine.com/podcasts/. We’ve been covering the current apparatus purchasing environment; water delivery; fleet maintenance; the new fire apparatus standard, NFPA 1900, Standard for Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Vehicles, Automotive Fire Apparatus, Wildland Fire Apparatus, and Automotive Ambulances; and more. It’s been a great time speaking with our guests and letting them talk amongst themselves. We haven’t solved the world’s problems yet, but give us time.
One of the most important aspects of my job is keeping the conversation going with you as we all navigate the world of apparatus and equipment specification and purchasing. If you have a topic you’d like us to address on our Podcast, let me know. If you have questions that occur to you during a Podcast or after, let me know. My email address is chris.mcloone@clarionevents.com, and I am always eager to connect with you about any of our offerings—print or digital. The conversation is the best part about being a firefighter. Help us keep it going with you.
