Fire department equipment

The right tools for the job

From its formation in 1947 with one station, the Fire Department has grown to six stations and utilizes the latest in firefighting equipment. Over 30 units include pumpers, ladders, brush trucks and other specialty units with hundreds of specialized tools. The following are samples of the various equipment:

Pumper Engine 1 is a 1995 Freightliner / General Safety pumper. Powered by a Detroit Diesel Series 50 engine with 320 hp, it has a single stage 1,500 gpm (gallons per minute) pump with a 750 gallon tank. The pumper carries lots of hoses: two 200-foot "quicklines" (one-inch wide); a 300-foot "crosslay"(1-3/4" and 1-1/2" line); 800-feet of two-inch; 700-feet of four-inch; plus 350-feet in various pre-made bundles. A water gun is mounted on the truck's top. It also carries other fire fighting equipment. Engine 1,2,3 and 4 are the same, each truck carries five firefighters.		Command van/HAZMAT trailer The command van provides mobile communications and computer facilities. The HAZMAT trailer is used when responding to a hazardous material call.

Ladder Ladder 3 is a 1995 Freightliner tractor with a Simon LTI trailer and a 100-foot extension ladder. (Other ladder trucks include 12-, 20-, 35- or 45-foot ladders.) This truck contains specialized equipment, including a generator to power lights, fans and power tools. The tool called "The Jaws of Life," Hurst tools, a spreading ram, cutters and spreading jaws are carried on the truck. Extrication tools include air bags capable of lifting cars. Shovels, axes, tarps, cleanup buckets, sledgehammers, ropes, air bottles, backboards and saws are also on the truck.		Zodiak boat This inflatable raft is used by the Dive Team for water and ice rescues. It has a 25-hp motor and contains rescue and diving equipment.

Mini-pumper Engine 333 is used primarily for fires in parking ramps. This 1993 one-ton Chevy has four-wheel drive, a 454-hp gasoline engine, five-speed transmission and dual rear axle. It easily carries four firefighters with SCBA (Self Contained Breathing Apparatus) and 250 gallons of water capable of outputting 300 gpm. Its foam eductors are used for larger gas-fed fires. Five hundred feet of three-inch supply line are also carried. The generator is onboard can power quartz lights and ventilation fans.		Brush truck This truck is equipped with a snowplow blade for clearing the station lots. The truck carries enough water to fight a small house fire. The truck's main use is on brush fires. Two types of hoses can be used at the same time, making this a quick and effective tool for containing grass and woodland fires.

"Mule" ATV A two-person Polaris 6x6 All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) known as the "Mule" is used for grass and woodland fires. Once unloaded from the brush truck, the Mule and its trailer can haul equipment a mile or more closer to a fire. A key safety factor is the box at the rear of the front seats -- the Mule can quickly get an injured firefighter to medical attention.	Air truck This self-contain breathing apparatus service vehicle holds special long use (one hour) and emergency (five minutes) bottles. On scene, prefilled spare bottles are swapped as the used bottles refill. The truck is also setup for a confined space rescue and will provide air to a firefighter through a hose that is connected to a bottle on the surface. An emergency bottle is also carried, in case the main air supply fails.	Fire Safety House This vehicle is used for fire prevention demonstrations and classes.