By Bob Vaccaro
The West Babylon Fire Department has been a loyal Pierce Manufacturing Inc. customer since it purchased the first Pierce Arrow pumper on Long Island in the 1980s. Since that time, it has purchased five engines, a heavy rescue and a previous platform from Pierce.
Ex-Chief and Commissioner Joe Arcuri, who was the chairman of the pumper design committee, said the West Babylon Fire District has a current replacement program set at 25 years for an engine and 30 years for an aerial.
The department had a refurbishment plan set at 15 years, but broke away from that plan a while ago because it was not feasible due to some issues. The department reset the program at 29 years for engines and 25 for ladders.
“Both committees spent about a year working on writing the specs and looking at other apparatus to gain some insight in overall design,” Arcuri said. “Our fire district went with the HGAC purchasing plan, which made it easier and quicker for us to order what we wanted. Standardizing with Pierce makes things a great deal easier for our fire district as well.
“For the pumpers purchased we went with 2,000-gallons-per-minute pumps up from a 1,500-gpm. We also had the pumps designed to be a two stage Waterous since that was what our members were used to operating with. Also spec-ed was a 750-gallon water tank with a 50-gallon foam tank. We are able to flow three percent foam with an around-the-pump foam system.”
The Velocity pumper has a 20-inch raised roof with a 10-man cab. The rear cab has six self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) seats and two fold-up non-SCBA seats. The top mount pump panel has a sliding canopy that protects the pump operator. The first pumper, an Impel, has a slightly raised roof with a side-mount pump.
Also designed into the pumper was an electric deck gun riser, two booster lines, and all discharges have manual controls.
Hose carried is as follows: Four 1¾-inch lines over the pump panel; rear has 200-feet of 1¾-inch, 300-feet of 2½-inch, 200-feet of 2½-inch off the side, 1,000-feet of large diameter hose (LDH), 500-feet of 3-inch supply line and two booster reels with 200-feet of 1-inch booster lines.
The ladder company went with a Pierce Velocity Ascendant 100-foot midmount platform instead of the 85-foot rear-mount platform that the department previously operated.
“The Ascendant offered us a shorter wheelbase which has greater maneuverability for our firefighters operating around some of the tighter streets in our response district,” Arcuri said. “The ladder also has a great deal more compartment space which was also a plus for us, especially for future use.”
The West Babylon Fire District made great choices in ordering three pieces of highly functional apparatus to serve its response district. The thought process for both committees was proactive and they designed what they wanted and what would work for their fire district.
Pierce Ascendant Platform
- 100’ Ascendant Steel Aerial Platform
- GVW 78,000 lbs.
- Wheelbase 271”
- Front Suspension TAK-4 24,000, Rear Meritor RT52-185 54,000 lbs.
- Cummins X15 605 hp., Allison EVS 4000 Transmission
- Jacobs Engine Brake
- Pierce Command Zone Electronics
- Whelen Emergency Vehicle Lighting
- Hi Viz scene lighting
- Pierce Velocity Pumpers
- Pierce Velocity Long Cab and Chassis, Top Mount Body
- GVW 51,000 lbs.
- Wheelbase 252”
- Cummins X15 605 hp, Allison EVS 4000 Transmission
- Front Suspension TAK-4 24,000 lbs., Rear Meritor Rs26-85 27,000 lbs.
- Waterous 2 Stage CMU 2000gpm pump. 750-gallon poly water tank
- 50-gallon foam tank, Foam Trident Foam Mate around the pump foam system
- Jacobs Engine Brake
- Pierce Command Zone Electronics
- Whelen Emergency Vehicle Lighting
- Hi Viz scene lighting
West Babylon Fire District
- 8.0 square miles, Population 45,000
- Combination Volunteer/Paid EMS
- Fire Station 1- 126 Arnold Avenue
- Engine 1-9-1 – 2005 Pierce Quantum (SN#16873)
- Engine 1-9-3 – 2019 Pierce Velocity (2000/650) (SN#33505)
- Tower Ladder 1-9-4 – 2022 Pierce Velocity 6×4 (-/-/100′ Ascendant mid-mount platform) (SN#36202)
- Rescue 1-9-15 – 2015 Pierce Velocity walk-in (SN#28123)
- Fire Station 2 – 1033 Herzel Boulevard
- Engine 1-9-2 – 2019 Pierce Velocity (2000/650) (SN#33506)
- Engine 1-9-6 – 2022 Pierce Velocity (SN#36201)
- Fire Station 3 – 101 Great East Neck Road
- Engine 1-9-8 – 2017 Pierce Velocity (2000/750) (SN#29898)
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.
