By Bill Adams
Shortly after World War II, the late Paul Harvey had a radio talk show that ran for nearly 60 years. It featured odd-ball and interesting short stories. He’d tell 99% of a story and then, often after a commercial break, he’d follow-up with an equally interesting or surprising ending and the catchphrase “and now you know the rest of the story.”
After listening to Harvey for years, it became second nature to look for more in a story. His influence as well as reaching Raisin Squad maturity level (old age) and an inquisitive mind make me guilty of always waiting for or wanting a sequel. Two recent Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment articles sparked my interest. Forgive the wandering off topic; that’s also an age thing.
Money
Al Petrillo’s recent article (https://www.fireapparatusmagazine.com/features/melrose-ma-fd-returns-to-seagrave-for-another-tractor-drawn-aerial/) about a new tiller (ladder truck) purchased in Melrose, Massachusetts pointed out the new rig pretty much mirrored its 2007 Seagrave tractor drawn aerial (TDA) with one big exception. “The biggest change on the new tiller was that they dropped the generator and went with two Honda 2-kW portable generators, along with a lot more outlets on the truck to charge their assortment of battery-operated tools.”
What started the money rant? Being an inquisitive white hair, I wanted to know the difference in cost, something vendors usually don’t discuss in the open. Several apparatus vendors would not go on-the-record when asked about the cost of a 10-kW onboard generator. They said there were too many variables that included what kind of generator, how much it costs in a crate, shipping costs, where it’s mounted affects installation costs, and extras like cord reel(s) and the number of outlets. That is understandable. An off-the-record budget price ranged from $30,000-$35,000 dollars.
Kevin Steeves, an old friend, semi-Raisin, and former volunteer fire chief, is the owner of Tele-Lite, Inc., in Rochester, New York. Tele-Lite is also a Honda dealer. Steeves says depending on the options, the list price of a Honda 2-kW generator is between $1,400-$1,500. $3,000 versus $30,000 is a pretty big spread. But wait – that’s not the whole story!
The last sentence in Petrillo’s article is important. It mentions battery-operated tools, which today run the gamut from handheld reciprocating saws to hydraulic rescue tools (HRT) and smoke ejectors. The cost of battery-operated tools should be a consideration when determining what type of generator to purchase. Another is if the rig carrying electric HRTs and an onboard generator is out-of-service, you can’t relocate the on-board mounted generator. Don’t forget chassis-powered LED lights. Melrose might be on to something.
More on Money
Recently, some articles about rigs being delivered started mentioning how much the apparatus cost. One printed forum that used to publish the purchasing price(s) of apparatus recently delivered no longer does. Why? Probably, most vendors didn’t want to explain why a rig delivered on the East Coast differs in price than a similar rig delivered on the West Coast or anyplace in-between. There are exceptions, especially when manufacturers advertise stock or program apparatus. Advertised prices usually do not reflect delivery costs, in-station training, lettering and graphics, and a host of other add-ons such as trays and shelves that purchasers may want. That’s another story in itself.
With few exceptions, most fire apparatus manufacturers and their dealers don’t like to publicly talk about money that fire department hierarchy calls the cost-of-goods and services purchased. The Raisin Squad calls it cash. Most firefighters, and especially older ones, believe fire trucks are too expensive. White hairs just think they could have purchased a rig for much less money. Once a fire department thinks they’ve been deceived or taken advantage of, it is hard to change their minds. Consequently, many believe their local vendor owes them free drinks and dinners as well as hats and jackets (aka trash and trinkets) for as long as the vendor is in business. That’s a story that could be told later.
Ladder Trucks
Another Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment article (https://www.fireapparatusmagazine.com/features/atlanta-ga-hybrid-trucks-stand-in-for-out-of-service-aerials/), by Brandi Makuski, also sparked my interest. It described what most old-timers in the fire service call City Service Ladder Trucks. They are ladder trucks without the aerial device and no pump and no tank. The Atlanta Fire Rescue Department (AFRD) purchased four of them to be used as spares when the aerial ladders in their fleet are out of service. There’s nothing wrong with the article or the concept. It is well written and AFRD’s solution has merit. It’s not a bad idea!
Atlanta’s nickname for the rig is hybrid – a catchy moniker. According to the article, the the new trucks $600,000 each. Three have been delivered and one more is on order. But wait a minute. There’s more to the story!
City Service Ladder Trucks
Prior to the domestic development of aerial ladders (https://www.lafra.org/lafd-history-historic-hayes-aerial-ladder-truck/) in 1868, both hand drawn ladder trucks (also called, carts) and horse drawn ladder trucks were used. Early ones carried some hand tools but only extension ladders. When chemical tanks and hose were introduced on horse drawn hose wagons, some early ladder trucks were also equipped with them. Some were called combinations, however, that term was soon relegated mainly to the early motorized triple combination pumpers which combined a pumper, hose wagon, and chemical truck into one rig.
When motor driven pumps were introduced, early ladder trucks featured small capacity pumps and small tanks feeding booster lines (formerly called chemical hose). I can’t find who coined the name City Service Ladder Trucks although I do recall seeing some early manufacturer brochures advertising them. When larger (500 gallon-per-minute) pumps were introduced, ladder trucks equipped with them were called quads or quadruples. When aerials were added, they became today’s quints.
One interesting tidbit is how come early ladder trucks were known as a Hook & Ladder? One of the earliest tools carried was a large metal hook attached to a rope that was thrown onto or over a building to pull it down (https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-history-of-hook-and-ladder-trucks and https://legeros.com/blog/hooks-and-ladders). Some departments still use the term Hook & Ladder.
Rest of the Story?
Atlanta didn’t reinvent the wheel with their hybrids. Although it’s a catchy nickname, in my aged opinion, the rig is actually a City Service Ladder Truck! They just rewrapped it. Someone else will have to finish and now you know the rest of the story, which asks: When a hybrid is built exactly to Atlanta’s specifications, how will the manufacturer certify it being compliant with the NFPA 1900, Standard for Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Vehicles, Automotive Fire Apparatus, Wildland Fire Apparatus, and Automotive Ambulances?
NFPA 1900 does not recognize a Hybrid Truck or a City Service Ladder Truck. Will it be an Aerial – without the aerial device or will it be a Special Service apparatus – with a whole bunch of ground ladders? And, how will the Insurance Services (ISO) credit one? Just curious!
BILL ADAMS is a member of the Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment Editorial Advisory Board, a former fire apparatus salesman, and a past chief of the East Rochester (NY) Fire Department. He has 50 years of experience in the volunteer fire service.
