Quint Apparatus

Quint Apparatus

There have been many “advances” in the fire service over the past 50 years or so—some good and some not so good. Some have stood the test; others have fallen by the wayside. One of the newer concepts is the quint concept. A quint has all of the features of a quad—a fire pump, a water (booster) tank, hose, and a full complement of ground ladders—plus an aerial ladder.

Some departments have eliminated engine and truck companies and elected to respond only quints. Most of these departments have procedures that dictate who does what at a fire. Normally, the first quint takes on engine company operations and the second-in quint assumes truck company operations.

I can see advantages and disadvantages to the quint concept. The cross-training of crews is an advantage as well as a disadvantage. Everyone knows everyone’s job; but, on the other hand, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Good truck work is hard enough to come by. Having your truck crews train on engine company operations along with truck company operations can prevent them from becoming good truckies. As a great old truck officer once told me, “Anyone can grab a hoseline and run, but where you put the hole for the smoke to come out makes or breaks a fire”!

Another disadvantage of the quint concept is that too many fire chiefs and city administrators use it as a way of cutting staffing levels. A well-staffed quint can do a lot of good at a fire. An understaffed anything often leads to trouble.

Can they work? Yes, with appropriate staffing and training. Quints work best in metro departments, where staffing seems to be less of an issue than in rural America.

The city of Toledo has two quint apparatus. They are run strictly as truck companies and thus do predominantly truck company work. In my city, an engine can (on rare occasions) vent a roof and a truck can (again, on rare occasions) pull and stretch hose. However, for the most part, each serves a distinct function at fires.

—John “Skip” Coleman, deputy chief of fire prevention, Toledo (OH) Department of Fire and Rescue, is the author of Incident Management for the Street-Smart Fire Officer (Fire Engineering, 1997) and Managing Major Fires (Fire Engineering, 2000). He is an editorial advisory board member of Fire Engineering and a member of the FDIC Educational Advisory Board.

Questions: What do you think of quint apparatus for urban departments? Do they make sense for rural departments? Does your department have experience with quints?

Rick Lasky, chief,
Lewisville (TX) Fire Department

Response: The debate over quints or quints vs. trucks has been around for a while. Like anything else in the fire service, to be fair, you have to look at all the issues and facts. Depending on your organization’s operation, size of department, mutual-aid agreements, and so on, it could be an asset or just more money spent on something that you don’t use. Personally, I would rather have engines doing engine work and trucks doing truck work, but again, depending on your department’s needs and resources, that may not be realistic. First, everyone (hopefully) agrees that quint or no quint, truck or no truck, you still need to do truck work: forcible entry, search and rescue, ventilation.

As far as quints for urban departments is concerned, look at your particular needs. Some departments spend the money and run them as truck companies and do not use them for engine work; others buy one just for the sake of saying that they have one and run it as a big engine with a ladder on top. Using it for engine and truck work at the same time requires one key ingredient—adequate staffing. You’ll need enough people to pump the pump, attack the fire, perform search and rescue, and ventilate. If you do the math, you will end up short on personnel.

There are ways to make it work if you operate with a quint or with a number of quints. Some departments have been able to commit to the “complete quint concept”; most usually have the first-arriving quint (with three to five firefighters on it) attack the fire as an engine company and the second-arriving quint (usually with the same number of firefighters) perform the truck work. One department outside Chicago’s west side runs with an engine, a quint with a 100-foot aerial, and an ambulance staffed with two firefighter paramedics. If the department has a job, the engine leads out, leaving the quint to pump and run as a ladder company. The remainder of the responding personnel are assigned around those first two arriving apparatus. It works really well. A similar setup has met with success in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

As for whether quints would work well in a rural setting, consider individual departments’ needs. Do they need elevated streams? How’s the water supply? The height of the buildings? Would they be better off with a large tanker pumper that can carry the water and hose they need and the tools for truck tasks?

In Lewisville, we run four engines, two quints, one tower ladder, and three ambulances out of six fire stations. The tower ladder runs with five firefighters on-board on a regular basis and will run with four on occasion, but its task is primarily truck work. The quints in some cases, depending on their arrival with other apparatus, run as a truck company and with three to four firefighters on-board. When they are first in, they run as an engine company but will often use their ladder for roof access or as a second means of egress for the roof crew. All of our one-alarm responses get a truck and a quint and, in some cases, a second quint for a total of three aerial ladders on the initial response. So our quints can be utilized for engine or truck work. We stress to our quint driver operators that when they arrive first or second, they should be ready to set the jacks/outriggers at the same time they set the brakes. We don’t want the driver calling his captain telling him he’s going to have to shut down his line to move his rig so he can use his main ladder.

We’ve had success with the quints because everyone responding knows ahead of time of what is expected of them. Because of our tactics and strategy training, incident critiques, and general makeup of the community, we’ve made it work—and without much heartburn. It can work through good planning and a watchful eye, watching for those fire chiefs and city managers who will attempt to use the quint concept as a way to cut staffing. Simply put, and I’m not trying to work both sides of the fence here, it really comes down to each department’s needs and the funding available to fulfill them.

Ron Hiraki, assistant chief,
Seattle (WA) Fire Department

Response: Our department does not use quints, nor does it have previous experience using them. However, we did explore using them as a means to consolidate firefighters to attain four-person staffing yet retain our engine and ladder company options. Here are some of the issues that we considered:

• Cultural change/staffing. We deploy traditional engine and ladder companies throughout the city. We recognized that quints would be a major cultural change that would require input and “buy in” from the members to be successful. The consolidation of firefighters also raised a question of future staffing reductions, since quints could perform as either an engine or a ladder company.
• Training. This would include driver training as well as training for company officers on whether to set up and deploy as an engine company or a ladder company. This was an important issue, since we were not planning a 100-percent conversion to quints.
• Implementation/startup cost/reserve apparatus. Quints would have a significant implementation time. The deployment benefits are not easy or quick to achieve. Also, the cost of quints vs. traditional engine or ladder apparatus plus life span are considerations. Does a quint cost more than a traditional ladder apparatus? Does it wear out sooner because it would respond more often or weighs more? Additionally, when a quint is in for repair, what apparatus and staffing would replace it?
• Maneuverability/weight. Urban streets are becoming more crowded, and maneuverability is becoming more difficult. Weight was another issue on the streets. Maneuverability may be less of an issue in a rural setting, but weight is significant where the roads may not be designed for heavy fire apparatus.
• Equipment deployment. With the addition of the technical rescue disciplines, many departments are carrying more rescue equipment, which requires more space. Since quints must carry hose, water, ladders, and equipment, space for extrication equipment, rope rescue, confined space, and water rescue is limited. This may affect how a quint is deployed compared with a traditional ladder company.

Quints can be successfully deployed in urban fire departments, most notably in St. Louis. Rural fire departments may need to consider adequate roads/small bridges, water supply, and equipment needs in their quint equation.

Steve Kreis, assistant chief,
Phoenix (AZ) Fire Department

Response: Quints don’t have any place in urban departments for two reasons. The first is the apparatus itself, especially in urban settings. Engines are engines, and trucks are trucks. Combining the functions of each apparatus into one creates an apparatus that is a “jack of all trades,” okay for some firefighting efforts but not the apparatus of choice for anything. Second, and probably more importantly, is the role of the crew. Are they engine company firefighters or ladder company firefighters? The very nature of urban firefighting requires good, strong engine company and ladder company operations. Trying to train and operate in an urban setting with a quint would make most firefighters schizophrenic.

Phoenix does not have a “true” quint. We have a telescoping boom aerial device mounted on top of an engine. At times we have used it as an engine; other times, we have used it as a ladder while waiting for our trucks to be placed (back) in service.

If quints have a role anywhere in the fire service, it would be in suburban departments, but again, what are the crew members—ladder or engine firefighters? There is an “art” to being a good engine or ladder crew member or officer. The only true role for quints in the fire service is that they can provide quick relief for departments cutting back on resources while trying to maintain a certain level of service to the community. This could be a very slippery slope to start on. Remember the old saying, “You can pay me now or pay me later.”

Katherine T. Ridenhour, captain, Aurora (CO) Fire Department

Response: Today, some departments have converted their entire fleet to quint apparatus. Many of these conversions were based on declining financial resources and expanding demands for service. Many departments quote cost savings, increased ISO ratings, and reduced staffing as the incentives for quints. However, none of those reasons have anything to do with fireground operations and safety!

Don’t misunderstand: Quints are an excellent resource and can meet many needs in differing communities. Today’s quints have overcome some of their old problems. New designs incorporate larger water tanks (750 up to 2,500 gallons can be found) and redesigned hosebeds that lay hose easier and have a more ergonomic design. However, there are still issues with speed, size, and weight (talk to departments that purchased quints but couldn’t back them into stations or take certain routes because of weight restrictions).

The obvious advantage of quint apparatus is their versatility and ability to handle many types of situations. Getting a ladder in front of the fire building with hose and water as a first-due rig is great, but the officer must decide if it will be used as a ladder or an engine, and rig placement becomes paramount. Quints allow for flexibility to meet the most critical need on arrival, but rarely can rig placement allow for optimum aerial operations and hoseline advancement from one location.

In urban/suburban departments, a quint’s versatility may be easier to justify at face value than in rural departments—especially medium-size quints with adequate water tanks in areas that are expanding until the population and run load can support a dedicated truck company. However, in rural areas, truck companies often arrive from mutual aid, and quints may be the best answer to have ladder capabilities responding in a timely manner. Even communities that do not have tall structures certainly benefit from having elevated master streams and ladders that can transport personnel and equipment.

The main drawbacks I see with the quint concept are the diluting of firefighting skills and the number of personnel assigned to the rig. Engine and truck company operations require specialized training and different mindsets. Many complaints arise regarding the lack of truck company operations performed at fire scenes when quints are the main type of apparatus used. The idea of having a “one rig fits all” situation also carries with it the “jack-of-all-trades” concept—and mastery of none. Most departments do not meet the NFPA 1710 minimum staffing level of four on each rig, and on a quint, five or six would be safer and more fireground efficient.

Coming from a department that staffs a four-person minimum on every rig 24/7 with no quints as frontline apparatus, I see us being highly effective on fire scenes as dedicated truck and engine companies. However, we did have one quint (affectionately called the quintasaurus—65,000 lbs.) stationed in an industrial area that was used as a first-due truck in its district supported by two engines. It was then used as a second-due engine in adjoining districts on alarms. We originally intended to staff it as a six-person rig but could not justify the additional backfill costs and found the maintenance cost was more than three times that of an engine. We have not considered another quint purchase. In fact, the 17-year-old quint is in reserve status and for sale!

Before purchasing a quint, a department must first perform a thorough analysis to address cost/benefit issues, plan for appropriate district coverage and lack of coverage when a “two”-piece apparatus is out of service, and develop guidelines for operational use. Implementation procedures should include thorough training for crew members as well as recurring evaluation during service to ensure maximum efficiency is obtained from these dual-purpose rigs.

Bob Oliphant, lieutenant,
Kalamazoo (MI) Department of Public Safety

Response: My department has been using quints for approximately 20 years and currently has two in service. They were purchased because our truck apparatus needed to be replaced and are used primarily for truck operations. A quint/truck plus two engines respond on fire alarms.

The primary consideration at the time we started to make the change from conventional truck apparatus to quints was that quints were more versatile. I think this is still true. Quints have their own pump and don’t require an engine to supply them with water. They are prepiped for aerial streams and can be put into service more quickly. These features plus a mounted ladder and full complement of ground ladders make them a “do it all” fire apparatus.

I believe that quints have given my department better capabilities than the ladder trucks they replaced. I have no doubt we will continue to use them in the future. Because of their cost, I don’t believe quints will ever replace conventional ladder trucks. But, if a department can afford it, I think a quint offers a lot of advantages.

Peter Sells, district chief—
officer development, Toronto (ON) Fire Services

Response: In 1998, the Toronto Fire Services inherited the fleets of the six fire departments that protected the previous municipalities of Metro Toronto. There was considerable diversity in the amalgamated fleet in terms of age, state of repair, chassis characteristics, and degree of specialized design and equipment. One of the major tasks we have faced over the past five years has been to implement a comprehensive long-term strategy to modernize and standardize our fleet of 178 apparatus.

Having a large fleet allows the advantage of consolidating specialized equipment onto specific apparatus such as haz-mat units, air/light support units, and heavy rescues. It also affords us a considerable degree of purchasing power, given the number of apparatus we purchase each year. Purchasing power translates into considerable savings and the ability to specify apparatus design to meet our local needs as determined by our long-term fleet strategy.

Specifying each aerial ladder in our fleet as a quint maximizes the on-scene usefulness of the apparatus to the incident commander. Narrow, obstructed downtown streets can make apparatus placement a nightmare. Even in the older residential and industrial neighborhoods, having a self-sufficient water tower can help reduce emergency scene congestion. For example, a quint can take the place of a pumper as the last apparatus in a relay pumping operation. If a quint is the first to arrive at a house or car fire, deployment of attack lines need not be delayed. When multiple apparatus responses to a major incident deplete coverage in a section of the city, quints can fill in at empty stations and maintain an acceptable level of fire protection.

Having quints in our fleet does not reduce the number of dedicated pumpers we require (as in a “Total Quint” strategy). Regardless of innovations, such as five-section ladders that shorten the wheelbase, quints will not have the maneuverability and response speed of pumpers. Also, the insurance rating of the municipality is based in part on the number of first-run pumpers in the fleet, and a quint would not count toward this total.

Larry Anderson, assistant chief,
Dallas (TX) Fire Department

Response: I am a strong believer in division of labor on the fireground. An engine company is tasked with deployment of fire attack lines and the proper utilization of those lines. Truck company operations are much more varied and require a level of experience and awareness over and above what is necessary on an engine company. This should not be construed to demean engine operations in any way. When you think about it, almost everything truck companies do supports engine company operations.

I have a hard time agreeing with the argument that a quint is capable of performing both engine and truck functions. More often than not, instead of being both an engine and a truck, it is neither. Urban departments, which have a fairly high instance of structure fires, need truck companies operating from properly equipped apparatus with experienced crews who understand the nuts and bolts of truck work. Rescue, forcible entry, ventilation, and primary search are some of the functions handled by capable truck crews. Being diverted from the aforementioned tasks to lay a plug line or pull another preconnect destroys the usefulness of an important aspect of fireground operations. Our department does not use quints, but we do answer calls with some of our suburban departments that have them. It has been my experience that these quints are too understaffed to accomplish adequate truck functions and are usually relegated to being an overpriced engine company.

Josh Thompson, lieutenant,
Avon (IN) Fire Department

Response: I could compare the issue of “quint vs. engine and truck” to that of “fog vs. smooth bore.” The debate will go on for years, with differing opinions and hopefully realistic research. The use of quints can be determined by department needs. If the department needs specialized apparatus that can function as an engine and an elevated master stream, then it needs a quint. However, the quint must fulfill the need for an adequate water supply source, more diverse equipment on a first-response apparatus, and the most efficient allocation of equipment and personnel.

I work in two departments, one in a suburban area and one in a small urban/rural area. Both contain several nonhydranted areas. In the suburban area, a portable water source and multiple units are readily available on the first response. In the small urban area, water supply is limited to less than half of the coverage area, but a portable water source comes from farther away, and reserves respond from home. In the suburban area, a quint would be useful as a first-response apparatus if all personnel were trained to function within the roles of truck and engine companies. There is a higher run load in the suburban area, indicating the need for more personnel and the availability of specific training. Within the small urban/rural area, the need differs from run to run. You cannot take the chance that every fire will be within the city water system limits or that a portable water source will be immediately available. However, the first- response vehicle typically contains three to four firefighters, who must be trained in all functions involved on the fire scene.

My small urban/rural department does not use quints. My suburban department bought a ladder truck with a pump and 300-gallon booster tank (not thought of as a quint) several years ago when the department was very small but realized the limitations as the area grew. Some of the major limitations included a lack of a 21/2-inch preconnect, only two 13/4-inch preconnects, limited space for additional equipment needed to meet the demand of increasing responses, and lack of an adequate water supply.