CONVERSION TO A SPECIAL OPERATIONS UNIT

CONVERSION TO A SPECIAL OPERATIONS UNIT

VOLUNTEERS CORNER

Our idea for a multipurpose support unit began as a way to prolong the life of the Leonia (NJ) Fire Department’s heavy rescue truck by answering minor emergency calls and carrying auxiliary equipment. In addition to this support function, we also wanted a vehicle that could transport our rescue boat. Keeping our tight budget In mind, we came up with the following requirements for a special operations unit:

The unit must have sufficient compartment space to carry auxiliary equipment such as submersible pumps and hazardous-materials absorbents, freeing up much-needed compartment space on the primary apparatus.
The body style must allow for the mounting of a 28-foot ladder along with forcible entry tools required for police assistance calls. This would eliminate the need for a rescue or ladder truck to respond.
The body style also must allow space for mounting a 14-foot aluminum boat and related equipment.
According to NFPA requirements, firelighters must be seated in an enclosed area while responding to emergencies. This requirement reduced the number of firefighters that could ride on a particular apparatus. A support unit should allow for the safe transportation of additional personnel.
The unit should be able to provide traffic control and emergency
scene security during minor emergencies such as downed power lines. This would eliminate the need for the heavy rescue to remain at such emergencies.

OBTAINING AND CONVERTING THE VEHICLE

Then, a fire severely damaged the cab and chassis of one of Leonia’s ambulances. The ambulance’s body was well-suited to the fire department’s needs: It had plenty of compartment space and a roof large enough to carry both the boat and an extension ladder. And while examination of the modular body indicated minor damage, it would be extremely costly to repair for use as an ambulance.

This conversion, however, would require the commitment of the membership to make the necessary repairs and modifications. The department purchased a new Ford E-350 cutaway cab and chassis and began the removal of the modular body from the firedamaged chassis.

Since the electrical wiring for all lighting in the modular body was destroyed at the cab, all wires needed to be isolated and identified. When that was completed, a new 12-volt electrical panel was fabricated and placed in the forward compartment. This would be the junction point for all cab controls and power feeds.

With the arrival of the new cab and chassis, the modular body was transferred from the damaged chassis, the wiring harness was connected, and the control console was fabricated. With all electrical connections complete, the unit was sent out for painting. For added visibility and safety, reflective lettering was used.

Next, we began work on the interior of the modular body. An additional squad bench was fabricated for two reasons: to carry additional firefighters and to provide storage for and transportation of 22 air bottles back to the air refill station at fire department headquarters. The bench was constructed using ¾-inch plywood with Formica covering. The storage tubes were made from six-inch PVC pipe cut to 13-inch lengths. A hinged lid with cushions added to the unit’s seating capacity.

To supplement the unit’s 14-foot boat, a railing from which to hang life jackets was installed on the ceiling. Additional brackets were added to store the oars, boat hook, and anchor.

DOUBLING AS A COMMUNICATIONS/ COMMAND UNIT

The department also needed a communications unit to operate at major incidents in and around the borough. We obtained four eight-channel radios to place in the unit from the local police department, which recently upgraded its radio system. We removed sliding interior compartment doors and replaced them with a Formica panel to allow for recessed mounting of the radios. We also added rear remote speakers and handsets to the existing cab radios, enabling operation in the rear module.

We added a slide-out desk area to provide work space for analyzing the technical information we carry, which includes material safety data sheets, hazardous substance fact sheets, and fire department preplans for structures.

A command board and identification vests also are part of this unit’s inventory, along with incident command cards (see “Fireground Command: The ‘Stick’ Method,” Fire Engineering, August 1993).

All work, with the exception of painting and lettering, was done by department members, who spent more than 600 man-hours on this conversion. What began as an idea for a multipurpose vehicle to prolong the life of the heavy rescue truck ended with a versatile unit capable of operating at various emergencies in different capacities. The uses of this vehicle range from supplying absorbents and brooms at motor vehicle accidents to responding to water rescues with the 14-foot boat, operating as a mobile communications unit at major incidents, and serving as an incident command center at fire scenes.

All of this was accomplished at minimal cost to the borough. The only significant expense was the cab and chassis, which cost under $15,000.