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As we start a new year in the fire service, firefighters find themselves in the middle of winter, which requires us to be diligent to ensure our equipment is in good working order. In cold weather operations, it is imperative to make sure our trucks are running properly and safely.
It is our job to check our fire apparatus on a routine basis. This may be on a weekly, bi-weekly, monthly schedule—or daily. By conducting a check of our fire apparatus on a regular basis, we ensure that the fire apparatus is ready for service in a safe manner.
- Apparatus Inspection and Maintenance: Everyone’s Responsibility
- Podcast: Water Delivery, Cold Weather Operations
When checking in any type of truck, there are four basic areas that need to be addressed: outside, inside, operations, and equipment. If these four areas are checked consistently every time, then you will have completed a thorough truck check.
On the Outside
To check the outside of the truck, have the truck running with certain apparatus functions operating. By conducting a full 360 walkaround, we will inspect the entire truck. The outside of the truck includes areas such as:
General appearance: Does the truck have any damage on the body? Any scrapes?
Windows: Check all windows for cracks and chips. Are the windows clean? Are the mirrors attached securely? Are the wiper blades in good condition?
Tires: Are the tires inflated to the proper pressure? Is tread depth above par? What condition are the tires in? Are the lug nuts secure and not loose? Are there any rocks in between the back dual tires?
Lights: Are the headlights working? What about the high beams, hazard lights, and emergency lights? Are any bulbs out? Are lenses damaged? What’s the status of turn signal indictors, running lights, and pump panel lights?
Air brakes systems: Drain the air tank reservoirs and check for any air leaks.
Compartment doors: Do they open and close properly?
Equipment: If any equipment is attached to the outside of the truck, make sure that it is secure and not about to fall off
License plate: Ensure that the current sticker is on plate, that both plates are on the truck (if two are required), and that the commercial inspection sticker is present and current.
On the Inside
The inside of the truck needs to be checked for proper operation. The driver must ensure that the truck is ready for him or her to drive. The driver will need to adjust the driving seat for proper distance and height, adjust the mirrors, and adjust the telescoping steering wheel, as well. Other aspects of the inside include:
Gauges: Inspect all gauges on the driver dashboard, fuel, air gauges, oil temp, and transmission oil pressure gauge.
Switches: Ensure that all switches and signals are working.
Lights: Inspect all interior lights.
Sirens: Ensure that the siren functions work along with the air horn.
Air brakes: Conduct air brake test to ensure that all safety features of the system are working.
Engine: Check all fluids, such as the oil, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, windshield washer fluid, radiator levels, hydraulic fluid, and brake fluid. Check belts for wear and tear, battery terminals for corrosion, and hoses for cracks.
Truck Operations
In a rescue truck, there may not be a pump to operate. Certain ladder trucks have no pump, either. Other trucks will have special operations such, as an air cascade system. Either way, the operations of the apparatus need to be checked. This will involve operating the pump on most trucks. Items such as the pump heater, cooling function, drains for each discharge and intake port, the foam system, if so equipped, and the primer. The primer should be operated for about five to 10 seconds to ensure that it will work and get the air out of the pump.
For aerial devices, the ladder needs to be operated. Along with the operation of the ladder, the outriggers need to be operated and the devices attached to the ladder need to be operated. Each aerial truck is different with their setup procedures. It’s important to follow the manufacturers’ procedures.
There are safety systems that are built into aerial devices when they are being set up. These safety systems allow one function to be operated at one time when setting up; if it is not set up properly, they will prohibit certain functions. An example would be the outriggers. There will be a limiter switch on the outrigger that reads if the outrigger is fully extended or not. If it is, it will allow the aerial device to operate fully. If the outrigger is not fully extended, it will prohibit certain functions from operating. Ensure that these safety systems work properly.
Operating the aerial device—whether it is a straight stick or a platform—is essential. The aerial device needs to be extended fully and rotated a full 360 degrees. It is a good idea to fully extend the ladder and have it at zero degrees to one side. This will allow you to walk underneath it to inspect the water pipe, the sheave wheels, the cables, and grease on the ladder rails. You should operate the nozzles, any communicating devices, and auxiliary outlets. Once done, the aerial device can be bedded.
All scene lights should be operated using the on-board generator. Many rescues, engines, and ladder trucks have these items. For rescues, they may have other items that need to be operated and checked, such as a winch system.
Truck Equipment
All trucks carry equipment. The equipment they carry will depend upon the operation of the apparatus. When checking the truck, operate all mechanical equipment, such as chain saws, circular saws, positive pressure fans, hydraulic auto ex tools, and thermal cameras to ensure that they are working properly. Other equipment that is on the truck like hand tools, medical bag, defibrillator, self-contained breathing apparatus bottles, nozzles, and hose will need to be checked, as well.
Checking all four areas—outside, inside, operations, and equipment—will ensure that the fire apparatus is ready for service and ready for cold weather operations.
Mark van der Feyst has been in the fire service since 1999 and is a firefighter with the Fort Gratiot (MI) Fire Department. He is an international instructor teaching in Canada, the United States, and India, and at FDIC. He is also the lead author of Residential Fire Rescue (Fire Engineering Books & Video). He can be contacted at Mark@FireStarTraining.com.
