When large-city or metropolitan fire departments purchase new apparatus, they tend to favor the major manufacturers. The smaller, rural departments, however, sometimes favor the smaller companies. This, in my opinion, isn’t a bad idea.
When the Winthrop (Maine) Fire Department (WFD) decided to update its fleet last year, it demonstrated the success smaller departments can have with smaller manufacturers. According to Firefighter Scott Milligan, one of several members who worked on the specs for the new pumper, “We originally started out planning on designing a brush truck. However, after many discussions, we decided to concentrate on a vehicle that was more versatile and one that we would be able to get more use out of.”
The new apparatus, a mid-size pumper, replaced a 1960s International tanker.
Deciding on the Specs
The planning process for the new pumper began about 2 years ago. “We sent members to FDIC, Fire-Rescue International and the New England Fire Chiefs shows,” Milligan says. “We visited with all of the manufacturers and took photos of various models on display. We looked at small and large apparatus at all venues.”
As with many rural communities, the WFD’s response area characteristics determined the apparatus design. “Our response district covers 37 square miles, and is primarily a bedroom community with very little industry,” Milligan says. “Roughly 25 percent of our area has hydrants. The area has a population of 6,000 with a summer population of 12,000. There are 11 bodies of water consisting of small and large lakes with numerous camp areas.” The prevalence of lakes has led to the town’s nickname, Pondtown.
As a result, the vehicle needed to be able to navigate some narrow dirt camp roads, as well as operate on various paved roads with good power and handling.
After deciding on the size of the vehicle they wanted, the committee decided to incorporate a compressed air foam system (CAFS). “Our members liked the concept, which we felt was a necessity to have on any new apparatus we had built,” Milligan says. “A neighboring fire department in the area, Mount Vernon, had a similar vehicle recently delivered on the same chassis. They helped us work on the specs and it helped us a great deal.”
“It Works for Us”
Usually, the WFD selects an apparatus manufacturer through competitive bidding, but for this purchase it chose Darley based on the company’s experience building vehicles for the specified size and weight, as well as Darley’s experience with CAFS.
“Darley was a great company to work with,” Milligan says. “They couldn’t have been more responsive to our needs.” Since there isn’t a local Darley dealer in the WFD’s area, the department dealt direct with the factory.
“After the initial order, we visited the factory twice,” Milligan adds. “Viewing the apparatus being built for other fire departments gave us insight into the manufacturing process and some ideas for our own unit.”
From design to delivery took approximately 13 months, and Milligan explains that the department is very happy with the outcome. “The truck handles like a pick-up truck,” he says. “It operates very straight-forward, with good power and good handling.”
As for the CAFS, the WFD intends to use it on every type of fire they respond to. “So far we’ve used it on several brush fires in our response area with great results,” Milligan says. “We are presently talking about purchasing another vehicle in about 5 years, and we will probably have CAFS installed on that vehicle as well.”
Since Darley doesn’t operate a service facility in the local area, the WFD worked out a plan by which a local apparatus service center would perform all of the required maintenance and warranty repairs needed on the vehicle.
The bottom line: “My department feels we received a lot of truck for our money,” Milligan says. “It wouldn’t be the ideal firefighting vehicle for all departments, but it works for us, and that’s all that matters.”
Big Punch in a Little Package
In the past several years, I’ve seen many more mid-size pumpers being constructed. Because of newer pump technology, mid-size pumpers have increased from 500-gpm or 750-gpm units to 1,000-gpm and in some cases 1,250-gpm units. This new option gives a stronger firefighting punch to these smaller vehicles.
When you start the planning process for your new apparatus, look at all of your options and all the manufacturers. Darley has been around since 1908 and has been manufacturing its own pumps since 1934. It has a great deal of experience designing and building all types of vehicles, large and small.
Many of us feel pressure to keep up with the other departments that surround us, but with budget constraints sweeping fire departments across the country and apparatus costs skyrocketing, getting a “bigger and better” fire truck is harder than ever to justify. Rather than worrying about what your neighboring departments are doing, worry about what your department needs. As Scott Milligan stated, “We bought a vehicle that works for us.” That should be your main concern when speccing a vehicle. After all, you’ll be the final judge on how the vehicle operates in your respective response district.
Winthrop Fire Department’s New Pumper
- 2009 GMC Darley Quick-Attack AutoCAFS pumper
- GMC 5500 cab and chassis; co-polymer body
- 330-hp, 6.6-liter Duramax engine
- 1,250-gpm Darley pump with 120-cfm CAFS
- 300-gallon tank and 25-gallon foam cell
-
Foam Pro 2001 foam system
Winthrop’s Apparatus
- 2009 GMC Darley pumper with 1,250-gpm pump, 300-gallon tank, auto CAFS and
- co-polymer body with 25-gallon foam cell
- 2004 E-One Cyclone II quint with 1,500-gpm pump, 300-gallon tank and 100′ aluminum ladder
- 1999 Pierce Saber rescue engine with 1,250-gpm pump and a 1,000-gallon tank
- 1987 Pierce GMC 4 x 4 with 1,000-gpm pump and 500-gallon tank
- 1987 Chevy utility vehicle
