APPLETON, WI—Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK) company, has secured an order from the Providence (RI) Fire Department. Sold through Pierce dealer, Allegiance Fire and Rescue, the order includes four Pierce® Saber® Pumpers, four 100-foot heavy-duty aerial ladders on Arrow XT™ chassis, and an Ascendant® 100-foot heavy-duty aerial tower on an Arrow XT chassis. The custom low overall height of the 100-foot heavy-duty aerial ladders is the first-ever of this configuration and will support the department’s maneuverability requirements within the city’s historic firehouses.
Additionally, the new apparatus will provide critical fleet updates to ensure the community’s fire and emergency service needs are met for years to come. “As the process of selecting new fire apparatus began, we knew we needed and wanted heavy-duty ladders that would be maneuverable in our historic firehouses and on city streets,” said Michael Bates, assistant chief of the Providence Fire Department. “We were pleased with Pierce’s ability to reengineer a fire truck to meet all of our requirements. Our department has been fortunate to work with Pierce and the Allegiance Fire and Rescue team, who didn’t take a typical sales approach but rather suggested features that they knew would be best for us.”
The Providence Fire Department’s new fire apparatus will feature:
Four Pierce Saber Pumpers
- Saber custom chassis
- Cummins L9 450- hp engine
- Allison EVS 3000 transmission
- Hale Qmax 1,750-gpm single-stage pumps
- Low hosebeds and crosslays for easy payout of hose loads
- Short overall length of 29 feet with angled front and rear bumpers
- Full LED emergency lighting system with HiViz scene lighting
Four 100-Foot Heavy-Duty Aerial Ladders
- Arrow XT custom chassis
- 100-foot heavy-duty steel aerial ladder
- Cummins X12 500-hp engine
- Allison EVS 4000 transmission
- Low overall travel height of less than 11 feet
- 12-foot overall jack spread with short jack capability reducing the footprint for tight city streets, and 18-foot ground penetration allowing for easy setup on city hills
- All four sections of aerial ladder equipped with blue LED rung lighting for reliable aerial device placement and climbing safety
- Aerial ladder rated for 500-pound dry/250-pound wet tip load
One Ascendant 100-Foot Heavy-Duty Aerial Tower
- Arrow XT custom chassis
- Midmount 100-foot heavy-duty steel aerial tower
- Cummins X15 600-hp engine
- Allison EVS 4000 transmission
- Low overall length of 43 feet, 4inches for outstanding maneuverability
- Storage for 220 feet of ground ladders
- All four sections of aerial ladder equipped with blue LED rung lighting for superior aerial device placement and climbing safety
- Aerial tower rated for 1,000-pound dry/500-pound wet tip load
Chief Bates added, “We chose the mid-mount tower because it best suits the Providence Fire Department’s needs. It’s shorter than any other tower, has excellent set-up speed, is maneuverable in tight downtown and residential streets, and the below-grade extension is remarkable.”
All of the nine new fire apparatus will include the added safety attributes of Pierce’s Carcinogen Awareness and Reduction to Exposure (CARE) cab customization, including removable and washable seat covers, diamond plate floors, and Line-X coverage on metal surfaces within the cabs for enhanced durability and cleanability.
“Our Allegiance Fire and Rescue team is honored to have the opportunity to assist the Providence Fire Department with a fire apparatus order of such importance for their community,” said Bill O’Connor, vice president of sales and marketing for Allegiance Fire and Rescue. “After our Sales Representative Andrew Hilsman evaluated the department’s unique challenges and apparatus requirements, we enjoyed identifying and developing custom solutions. I know each new fire truck will provide the performance and longevity of service the department expects.”
The Providence Fire Department is made up of 12 stations and 400 personnel, with an annual service call volume of approximately 45,000. Anticipated delivery of the department’s new pumpers will take place in June 2021, the new tower in July 2021, and the new ladders in August 2021.
For more information, visit www.piercemfg.com.
