The Dix Hills Fire Department is a fairly new organization compared with others on Long Island. It was formed back in 1947. The fire district has grown considerably since that time with numerous residences, schools, and commercial establishments. It presently operates out of three fire stations with 300 members.
The fire district has been proactive in thinking when it comes to purchasing fire apparatus for its community. Commissioner Larry Feld states, “The fire district has always had an apparatus replacement program, which can sometimes accelerate the time limit or also reduce it. Cost has always been a factor in deciding what our needs may be at the time. In spite of that reasoning, we always try to preplan for our needs. For our current purchase, we decided to replace our 16-year-old 75-foot Pierce Quint.”
1 The Dix Hills Pierce Enforcer 107-foot Ascendant quint has a 2,000-gpm Waterous single-stage pump and 500-gallon tank. (Photos by author.)
2 The pump panel with four crosslays of 1¾- and 2½-inch hose.
3 The officer’s side compartments with TFT Blitzfire nozzle, forcible entry tools, battery-powered fans, apartment packs, saws, extinguishers, and pony lengths of hose.
4 The ladder tip with a smooth bore nozzle connected to the waterway and floodlight.
Feld says the unit served the department well, but it wanted to upgrade to a larger 107-foot aerial. “We have been a loyal Pierce customer for 39 years since we bought our first pumper in 1987, wanted to standardize again with Pierce, and entered into a lease purchase agreement with Pierce.”
The department’s apparatus committee was made up of various commissioners, chiefs and company officers, and a mechanic. “We all liked the Ascendant line of aerial apparatus,” says Feld. “The quint we ordered would have a 107-foot ladder instead of the 75-foot that we operated with, which would give us greater reach. We have numerous single-family dwellings set back from the road, which can sometimes give us a problem. The extra 32 feet of reach would help us out a great deal in our response area.”
Other changes the department made to the design of the rig were spec’ing the Enforcer cab, which provided more room for its firefighters; more compartment space; different outriggers; additional and updated LED lighting; the ability to carry more hose; TAK-4 suspension; and a 12-volt system so the rig did not require a generator.
The quint carries 750 feet of 5-inch large-diameter hose, 1,100 feet of 2½-inch hose, 800 feet of 1¾-inch hose in the crosslays, and 50 feet of 1¾-inch and 50 feet of 2½-inch line for high-rise packs.
“The length of the vehicle did not increase with this build as well,” adds Feld. “This gave us the same great maneuverability that we had with the older quint. “Our committee was able to travel out to the Appleton, Wisconsin, factory for final inspection and didn’t have any concerns with the construction. The Pierce engineers and salespeople worked well with us on the design. Firematic, the local Pierce dealer, did all of our tool mounting, and we were satisfied with everything they did for us. Service after the sale was also outstanding.”
5 The driver’s side compartments with saws, spare nozzles, DeWalt hand tools, normal engine company fittings, and extra compartment space.
6 The extended front bumper has an 1¾-inch trash line.
Pierce Enforcer Quint
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Dix Hills Fire Department personnel did their research when preplanning for this apparatus purchase and received a highly functional and maneuverable fire apparatus for their response district. Not only did this new quint give them more reach, but it also gave them more compartment space. Because this new apparatus has a single rear axle, it gives them the same maneuverability as the previous unit. Training was also minimized because of the familiarity firefighters had with the previous quint. All in all, Dix Hills firefighters gained a newer but familiar type of apparatus that they can operate well into the future.
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.
