Spencer Manufacturing Inc. discovered a new customer through attendance at a couple of regional fire trade shows, and after much discussion about the type of apparatus body needed, the fire department chose Spencer to build its new pumper.
Jordan Whitford, direct salesman for Spencer Manufacturing, says that he first met Woodhaven (MI) Fire Department truck committee members at the Novi, Michigan fire trade show. “We had a Solid-Poly™ pumper at that show, and after examining it closely, they told us they were interested in a truck made with the same kind of body,” Whitford says. “Woodhaven had a complex design that they wanted for their pumper, including a low hose bed, an overall length restriction on the rig, the ability to carry hydraulic rescue tools, and a godly amount of compartment space.”
The end result is a custom pumper on a Spartan Metro Star™ chassis and cab with a Spencer Solid-Poly body, powered by a 450-horsepower (hp) Cummins L9 diesel engine, and an Allison 3000 EVS automatic transmission, says Ben Bregg, Spencer’s sales engineer. The vehicle has a wheelbase of 220 inches, an overall length of 34 feet 8 inches, and an overall height of 9 feet 11 inches. “The department wanted a top-mount pumper because they cover a lot of highway areas around Detroit,” Bregg points out. “With a top-mount, the vehicle operator is up and out of the roadway, and has a good view of the scene around him.”
The Woodhaven pumper has a Waterous 2,000-gallons per minute (gpm) CSU single-stage pump, a 1,000-gallon water tank, a 30-gallon foam tank, and a Waterous Aquis™ foam system. The pumper also carries a Fireman’s Friend™ direct tank fill valve, an FRC™ pressure governor, Task Force Tips™ (TFT) intake valves, and a TFT monitor deck gun.
“We also gave Woodhaven one rescue depth compartment for their hydraulic rescue tools, which were mounted on a Lazy-Susan-type mounting,” Bregg says. “Our Solid-Poly design allowed us to maximize the tank capacity for the department and be unique with the compartment design and layout. We also were able to integrate handrails into the rear of the body.”
The Woodhaven pumper also has ROM™ roll-up doors covering the compartments, Solid-Poly tool boards, SCBA (self-contained breathing apparatus) storage, through-the-tank ladder and pike pole storage, a Whelen™ LED warning light package, FRC™ surface mount LED scene lights, and a backup camera.
ALAN M. PETRILLO is a Tucson, Ariz.-based journalist, the author of three novels and five non-fiction books, and a member of the Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment editorial advisory board. He served 22 years with Verdoy (NY) Fire Department, including the position of chief.
