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Types of Fire Apparatus

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Objectives (1 of 3)

• Describe which components are needed to classify a piece of fire apparatus as a pumper.

• Describe which components are needed to classify a piece of fire apparatus as an initial attack fire apparatus.

• Describe which components are needed to classify a piece of fire apparatus as a mobile water supply.

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Objectives (2 of 3)

• Describe which components are needed to classify a piece of fire apparatus as an aerial apparatus.

• Describe which components are needed to classify a piece of fire apparatus as a quint.

• Describe which components are needed to classify a piece of fire apparatus as a special service fire apparatus.

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Objectives (3 of 3)

• Describe which components are needed to classify a piece of fire apparatus as a mobile foam apparatus.

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Introduction

• Varied nature of day-to-day calls – No single apparatus is adequate for all calls.– Specialized equipment is based on function

and capabilities.

• The driver/operator should know the capabilities of each apparatus and what each equipment brings to the emergency scene.

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Fire Apparatus Requirements (1 of 2)

• Working with a manufacturer– Many apparatus available – Jurisdiction purchasing the apparatus must

convey the following specifications:• Specific performance requirements• Maximum number of fire fighters to ride on the

apparatus• Specific electrical loads required

– Jurisdiction must conduct ongoing training.

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Fire Apparatus Requirements (2 of 2)

• Manufacturer must describe the apparatus.– Estimated weight, wheel base, turning radius,

principal dimensions, transmission, axle ratios, and capacity of aerial platform

– Jurisdiction and manufacturer must work together to construct the apparatus.

– NFPA 1901 defines all documents and components.

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Water on the Fire Apparatus (1 of 4)

• Water is a major component of fire attack. • To get water on the fire, water must be

pressurized by a fire pump. – NFPA 1901 defines a fire pump as a water pump

mounted on an apparatus for firefighting.– Fire pump must be capable of delivering a minimum

capacity of 250 GPM (1000 L/min) at 150 psi (1000 kPa) net pump pressure.

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Water on the Fire Apparatus (2 of 4)

© JoLin/ShutterStock, Inc.

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Water on the Fire Apparatus (3 of 4)

• NFPA 1901 defines the requirements of fire apparatus equipped with water tanks. – Depending on the type of apparatus, the

water tank may hold hundreds or thousands of gallons of water.

– All water tanks should be constructed with noncorrosive materials.

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Water on the Fire Apparatus (4 of 4)

© Peter Kim/ShutterStock, Inc.

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Pumper (1 of 5)

• “Bread-and-butter” of fire service– Secures water source and extinguishes fire

• Most common type of fire apparatus

• Part of almost every department

• Responds to small incidents

• Main source of fire attack for larger fires involving structures

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Pumper (2 of 5)

• Critical for initial extinguishment because it brings initial water supply and tools

• Pumper size– Lengths of 30’ (9 m) or longer

– Can hold 1250 gal (4710 L) of water

• Per NFPA 1901, pumper should be equipped with a permanently mounted pump with a minimum rating of 750 GPM (2800 L/min)

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Pumper (3 of 5)

• Each department determines the fires each apparatus will respond to and the appropriate pump capacity.– Needs its own water supply to sustain

operation– Can carry 1000+ gal (3784+ L) of water, but

must carry 300+ gal (1135+ L)– Departments determine water needs and

adjust the tank size accordingly.

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Pumper (4 of 5)

• Pumper carries water, tools, and equipment. – Must carry at least one straight ladder (with roof

hooks), one extension ladder, and one attic ladder– NFPA 1901 requires fire hoses and nozzles.

• 800’ (240 m) of 2½” (65 mm) supply/attack hose• 400’ (120 m) of 1½” (38 mm), 1¾” (45 mm), or 2” (52

mm) attack hose• One combination spray nozzle capable of delivering

200 GPM (750 L/min) minimum

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Pumper (5 of 5)

• NFPA 1901 also requires:– Two combination spray nozzles capable of

delivering 95 GPM (360 L/min) minimum– One playpipe, with shut-off and 1” (25 mm),

1⅛” (29 mm), and 1¼” (32 mm) tips

• Pumper must have 40+ ft3 (1.1+ m3) of enclosed weather-resistant compartments to store equipment.

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Initial Attack Fire Apparatus (1 of 6)

• Used like a pumper, but with different specifications– Not as common as a pumper, but used by

many departments

• Smaller version of the pumper and more maneuverable, especially off road

• Equipped with four-wheel drive and used to fight fires in urban and rural settings

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Initial Attack Fire Apparatus (2 of 6)

• Many are built on a commercial chassis platform with a custom-built body.– Makes many parts easier to maintain and repair

because parts can be found at local auto parts stores

• Some are custom built by a private company.• Be aware of the potential for overloading the

chassis with too much weight and creating a safety hazard.

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Initial Attack Fire Apparatus (3 of 6)

• NFPA 1901 states that the initial attack apparatus must:– Be equipped with a fire pump as defined in

NFPA 1901– Have the minimum rated capacity of 250 GPM

(1000 L/min)– Have a water tank with a minimum certified

capacity of 200 gal (750 L)

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Initial Attack Fire Apparatus (4 of 6)

• The apparatus has pumping capabilities, so a hose is required to expel water.

• Must carry a minimum of 15’ (4.5 m) of soft suction hose or 20’ (6 m) of hard suction hose with a strainer

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Initial Attack Fire Apparatus (5 of 6)

• NFPA requires these hoses and nozzles:– 300’ (90 m) of 2½” (65 mm) fire supply hose– 400’ (120 m) of 1½” (38 mm), 1¾” (45 mm), or

2” (52 mm) attack fire hose– Two combination spray nozzles with a

minimum capacity of 95 GPM (360 L/min)

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Initial Attack Fire Apparatus (6 of 6)

• Needs storage compartments– NFPA 1901 mandates 22+ ft3 (0.62+ m3) of

enclosed weather-resistant compartments for equipment.

– Compartment space is a custom body that is added to a commercial cab and chassis.

• Initial attack fire apparatus is used to bring equipment to the fire scene. – Most tools are the same as found on a pumper.

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Mobile Water Supply Apparatus (1 of 3)

• Many rural communities do not have hydrants or readily accessible water.– Fire fighters need apparatus with large-

capacity water tanks.

• Mobile water supply apparatus are defined in NFPA 1901.– May be designed with or without a fire pump– If it has a fire pump, it is designed to carry a

large capacity of water to the fire scene.

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Mobile Water Supply Apparatus (2 of 3)

• Mobile supply apparatus with fire pump carries 15+’ (4.5+ m) of soft suction hose or 20’ (6 m) of hard suction hose with a strainer.

• Fire hose and nozzles are also needed. – Must have 200+’ (60+ m) of 2½+” (65+ mm) supply

hose – Mobile water supply apparatus with fire pump

requires 400’ (120 m) of 1½” (45 mm) or 2” (52 mm) attack hose and two combination spray nozzles with 95+ GPM (360+ L/min) capacity.

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Mobile Water Supply Apparatus (3 of 3)

• Equipment storage is very important. – Must have 20+ ft3 (0.57+ m3) of enclosed

weather-resistant compartment space for equipment

– Minor equipment must be organized and mounted in brackets or compartments.

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Aerial Fire Apparatus (1 of 6)

• 1830: Abraham Wivell, an English fire fighter, created the first fly ladder. – Reached the second story with main ladder and

extended the next two flies to the upper floors• Late 19th century: Scott-Uda designed height

extension ladders. – Used eight extensions with weights and

balances– Short-lived because many died due to collapses

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Aerial Fire Apparatus (2 of 6)

• 1868: Daniel Hayes successfully patterned an 85’ hand-cranked aerial ladder. – Popularity of mechanics, pneumatics, and

hydraulics started the race for a perfect aerial ladder.

• Seagraves introduced the first aerial truck.– 1916: American LaFrance used air

compression to raise ladders.

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Aerial Fire Apparatus (3 of 6)

• Today’s ladder trucks are equipped with computerized aerial ladders that extend for 110’.

• Aerial fire apparatus are defined in NFPA 1901.– Apparatus can be configured in many ways:

aerial ladder, elevating platform, water tower, or water pump.

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Aerial Fire Apparatus (4 of 6)

© SVLumagraphica/ShutterStock, Inc.

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Aerial Fire Apparatus (5 of 6)

• Aerial apparatus must have 115+’ (35+ m) of ground ladders supplied and installed by the manufacturer.

• Ladders that should be provided:– One attic ladder– Two straight ladders (with folding roof hooks)– Two extension ladders

• Must include at least 40 ft3 (1.1 m3) of enclosed compartment space

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Aerial Fire Apparatus (6 of 6)

• Commonly known as “toolboxes on wheels” – Carry more equipment to the fire scene than

other apparatus– Designed to assist fire fighters with support

functions on the fire ground– Do not carry hoses or nozzles because they

are designed for support functions

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Quint Fire Apparatus (1 of 6)

• 1912: Metz of Germany patented the first quint.

• 1935: In the United States, American LaFrance built the first quint.

• 1940: Seagraves followed with its own quint.

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Quint Fire Apparatus (2 of 6)

• “Quint” is short for “quintuple” and has five functions– Pump– Water tank– Fire hose storage– Aerial– Ground ladders

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Quint Fire Apparatus (3 of 6)

• Quint was very popular until the 1990s.– Budget cuts made departments reconsider

the use of multipurpose quints. – Many believed the purchase of a quint meant

the department had a double-functioning apparatus (pumper and ladder).

– Quint works as a pump or aerial ladder truck.

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Quint Fire Apparatus (4 of 6)

• NFPA 1901 specifies what an apparatus needs to be defined as a quint.– Fire pump requirements must be met and have a

rated capacity of 1000 GPM (4000 L/m). – Equipped with an aerial ladder with a

permanently installed waterway, plus a water tank with a certified capacity of 300+ gal (1100+ L)

– Carry 85+’ (26+ m) of ground ladders including extension ladder, straight ladder with roof hooks, and attic ladder

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Quint Fire Apparatus (5 of 6)

Photo supplied by PBCFR

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Quint Fire Apparatus (6 of 6)

• Quint’s hose is a necessity.– 15+’ (4.5+ m) of soft suction with compatible

couplings or 20’ (6 m) of hard suction hose with strainer

– Purchaser specifies whether hard or soft suction is necessary.

– Quint must carry certain fire hose and nozzles.

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Special Service Fire Apparatus (1 of 3)

• Designed for a particular purpose and does not fit into other categories– Hazardous materials and heavy technical rescue

• Most special service apparatus provide compartment space for unique equipment. – If equipped with a fire pump, pump shall meet

requirements in NFPA 1901. – If equipped with ground ladders, they shall meet

requirements in NFPA 1931.

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Special Service Fire Apparatus (2 of 3)

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Special Service Fire Apparatus (3 of 3)

• Required to have more compartment space than other apparatus because its primary function is to supply certain equipment to the incident– Must have 120+ ft3 (3.4+ m3) of enclosed,

weather-resistant compartments for equipment

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Mobile Foam Fire Apparatus (1 of 4)

• Apparatus with permanently mounted fire pump, foam proportioning system, and foam concentrate tank(s)– Primary purpose is to control and extinguish

flammable and combustible liquid fires in storage tanks and other flammable liquid spills.

– Delivers foam immediately without requiring fire fighters to attach special containers or change nozzles

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Mobile Foam Fire Apparatus (2 of 4)

Courtesy of Roy Robichaux, ConocoPhillips Alliance Refinery

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Mobile Foam Fire Apparatus (3 of 4)

• Apparatus must be equipped with a fire pump with a rated capacity of 750+ GPM (3000+ L/min) or an industrial supply pump.

• Foam proportioning system is needed.

• Apparatus must be equipped with foam concentrate tanks meeting NFPA requirements and a capacity of 500+ gal (2000+ L).

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Mobile Foam Fire Apparatus (4 of 4)

• Must carry 15+’ (4.5+ m) of soft suction hose with compatible couplings or 20’ (6 m) of hard suction hose with strainer

• Equipment storage includes 40+ ft3 (1.13+ m3) of enclosed weather-resistant compartments.

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Summary (1 of 3)

• A fire pump is vital in getting water from the fire apparatus, through the hose, and onto the fire.

• A pumper is the most common fire apparatus and found in almost every department.

• A pumper is used on small fires and is the main source of fire attack for larger fires involving structures.

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Summary (2 of 3)

• Initial attack apparatus are used like pumpers but are more maneuverable, especially off road.

• Aerial apparatus are equipped with an aerial ladder, elevating platform, and water tower to support firefighting and rescue operations.

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Summary (3 of 3)

• Quint functions: pump, water tank, fire hose storage, aerial, ground ladders

• Special service apparatus are designed for a certain purpose and do not fit into other categories.

• A foam apparatus has a pump, foam system, and foam concentrate tank(s).