When the Lutherville (Md.) Volunteer Fire Company (LVFC) decided to replace its aging heavy-rescue, they decided to go big. By big, I mean a bigger vehicle that would be suited for their current and future needs: bigger compartment space, bigger crane, bigger light tower. You get the picture.
LVFC History
The LVFC is a 100 percent volunteer company that’s been serving Baltimore County since 1909. The Baltimore County fire service is a little different than other county-run fire departments in Maryland. Rather than operating combination departments, Baltimore separates paid and volunteer personnel into different stations. However, personnel work together seamlessly when they respond to alarms, and the volunteers operate under the same performance expectations as their paid counterparts.
The LVFC has more than 100 active members and operates as one of 35 volunteer fire companies that work with 24 paid stations in Baltimore County. The LVFC serves and protects a population of more than 35,000 people in a 45-square-mile area, including the communities of Lutherville, Timonium, Towson, Stoneleigh and Ruxton.
Last year, LVFC’s responses totaled almost 2,000. The area ranges from highly urban, with high-rise office buildings, college campuses and strip malls, to rural.
Critical Rig
The LVFC is one of just a few stations in the area equipped for heavy rescue, and its strategic location near the junctions of I-83 and the I-695 Beltway, north of the City of Baltimore, results in frequent calls to severe auto accidents. Squad 303 is an integral part of the department’s operations on first-due and mutual-aid calls.
The department had operated a heavy-rescue with a crane since 1985. “The old rescue was 24 years old, so it was time to begin looking for a replacement,” says Mike Huber, apparatus acquisition coordinator for the LVFC. “We were beginning to run out of space on the old vehicle and needed a new truck with increased space for present and future needs.”
The process of speccing the vehicle began 2 years ago. The LVFC truck committee comprises four senior members, one junior firefighter, a past captain and a past president. “With these members, we felt we had all the bases covered as far as experience and opinions, and everyone had a say in what they thought was best for our fire company,” Huber says.
The LVFC isn’t bound by any bidding or purchasing regulations, so it didn’t have to pick the lowest bidder. Rather, the department chose Pierce because it offered the best package. “We took a behind-the-scenes look at their factory in Appleton, Wis.,” Huber says. “After that visit, we were convinced. Workers, engineers and salespeople at Pierce were top-notch and were never too busy to answer our questions. The local dealer in the area, Singer Associates, worked with us all the way and was phenomenal.”
Bigger & Better
“We knew what the deficiencies were with our old vehicle and what we needed to improve on the new truck,” Huber says. The LVFC chose Pierce’s Velocity cab because of better visibility and a large, open area that provides better communications without headsets. “The compartments we chose are large and well thought out,” Huber says. “They were organized for better weight distribution with all of the tools mounted inside them.”
Among other improvements to the rig: a large crane with a better reach. The older vehicle had an 8-ton crane with a 33′ reach; the new truck has a 10-ton crane with a 43′ reach.
“The crane is something we had in the past,” Huber says. “The new crane we chose was better suited for our work at accident scenes on the Beltway and other main interstates. It features a wireless remote. We can have a rapid deployment with the crane, which is actually faster than air bag placement. We can pick up vehicles with it, if needed, but in the majority of instances it’s used for stabilization. We leave the heavy-vehicle righting to local heavy-duty tow operators in the area.”
The crane requires increased training for the members who operate the vehicle. “We have a specialized driver-qualification program since the vehicle is unique for our operation,” Huber says. “All drivers are trained by National Crane on the operation of the boom. They must have crane time, road time driving the vehicle, time operating the winches and time operating on the main interstates in our district before they can be qualified on the vehicle itself. They also must meet all OSHA standards for the safe operation of the crane.”
The new heavy-rescue also features a light tower. “In our older vehicle, we had two 1,500-watt floodlights, so the installation of the light tower was new to our fire company–an added safety benefit for us operating at emergency scenes,” Huber says.
How Will You Improve?
The LVFC had a special vehicle built for unique needs in its response district. Although you might not need a crane on your heavy-rescue, you can still be proactive in designing your next rescue vehicle–or any vehicle for that matter. The key is to reject status quo and think about the improvements you’ll design for your new rig.
Technology is changing things rapidly in the fire service. The tools you’ll use in the future might not fit in the compartments your present vehicle features. Or you might want to add additional tools that you can’t presently carry. In addition to more compartment space, consider a bigger cab and a chassis that offers better visibility, functional safety and better communication for your members.
As the LVFC did, request that your apparatus committee look at all manufacturers and decide who is best for the building of your new vehicle. Investigate the factories ahead of time if your budget permits. Most important in this economy: Ask the manufacturer how service after the sale will benefit your department.
Big ‘n Heavy
LVFC’s new heavy-rescue specs
- Pierce Velocity chassis
- Non-walk-in body
- Pierce ladder gantry
- 515-hp Detroit Series 60 diesel engine
- Allison 4000 EVS transmission
- 240″ wheelbase; overall length: 39 feet, 6 inches
- TAK-4 suspension
- 24,000-lb. front axle; 44,000-lb. rear axle
- Jacobs engine brake
- -20,000-lb. front-mounted Warn winch
- 9,000-lb. portable winch
- 30-kW Harrison hydraulic generator
- 9,000-watt Wilburt light tower
- 10-ton National Crane Series 400 crane
- Eight-person cab
- Front and side airbags
- Complete rollover protection
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Whelen LED light package
