By MIKE MOORE
Anyone who spends any time thinking seriously about how firefighters can be more effective knows that as firefighters are asked to do more, apparatus are asked to carry more. Conditions demand even greater vehicle maneuverability. Whether navigating the crowded streets of a large city or the rugged terrain of a rural landscape, getting to the scene—and identifying and setting up at the optimal location once there—is more challenging than ever.
And certain facts endure: Fire scenes are inherently dangerous and potentially chaotic environments. Anything that simplifies actions or eliminates unneeded risk is indispensable. And, of course, the more you can simplify service, the more apt the truck is to be in service.
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| Photo by Christopher J. Chomel. |
The Pierce Ultimate Configuration (PUC) was designed over a five-year period with these design criteria in mind. And, to keep the design focused on real-life needs, our customers actively participated in the process.
Pierce has the opportunity to rub elbows with firefighters through organizations such as the Volunteer and Combination Officers Section, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, the National Fire Protection Association, and the International Association of Fire Chiefs. Pierce also welcomes more than 10,000 firefighters a year to its headquarters to discuss the issues that fire departments face every day.
Such discussions pointed Pierce toward a vehicle that was more compact and versatile—yet has more usable space. Communities are placing increased responsibilities on fire departments, which means fire trucks have to carry more equipment. At the same time, customers were concerned that fire trucks were getting too big. Firefighters expressed a desire for more simplicity and a continuing focus on safety. Mechanics asked for vehicles that are easier to service.
Reducing the overall apparatus size while increasing its storage space required very basic rethinking. As it turned out, a pumphouse redesign drove all the other changes. Because pumps are traditionally mounted midship driven by a split shaft off the transmission, four or five feet of space are typically consumed just by the pumphouse. Since the PUC’s pump is driven off a gear set next to the engine’s flywheel, the pump housing could be moved forward, above the frame rails and under the cab’s seat-box area. As a result, the traditional pumphouse is no longer needed.
Moving the pump forward allowed the water tank to be longer and lower, reducing the truck’s center of gravity. This made for nimbler handling. The far-forward pump also freed up as much as 30 percent extra storage space—up to 500 cubic feet—while simultaneously reducing the pumper’s wheelbase by as much as 18 inches.
Other significant benefits are also realized with the PUC configuration: The crosslays are now between the cab and the truck’s body and lowered to chest height, making it easier for firefighters to shoulder the crosslays as they deploy to fight the fire and to reload them before they return from the scene.
Most other equipment was lowered as well, including ladders, stokes baskets, and backboards. Greater storage space also allows for better ergonomic placement of tools. For example, all pieces of medical equipment can be grouped together. Similar rethinking led to the following improvements:
- Pump engagement. A simple two-step pump operation and “single-touch” water-foam-compressed air foam system selection means the firefighting system is up and functional before the operator exits the cab. The two-step pump operation also eliminates the grinding sound.
- Maintenance access. The PUC’s design reduces downtime and maintenance costs. Plumbing and pump components are easily accessed by tilting the cab and removing the crosslay trays. Maintenance personnel spend less time getting to the plumbing and parts, allowing the trucks to return to service in a shorter time.
- Side- or top-mount operator panel.The PUC provides a choice of either a side- or top-mount operator’s panel on the same wheelbase chassis. In either position, the pump operator is safely away from the hose connections instead of standing over them. Additionally, the operator’s panel is organized in a more intuitive way, simplifying operation.
Although much of the design effort focused on optimizing space, ease of use, and maneuverability, the PUC and its 1,500-gallon-per-minute pump have considerable firefighting power. The pump carries a full six-year warranty. All PUCs are pump-and-roll designs, equipped to chase a moving fire in an open area.
The PUC is available on all Pierce custom chassis in both side- and top-mount configurations and on most aerial products and custom Contender® vehicles.
MIKE MOORE is the director of strategic business development for Pierce Manufacturing.
