APPARATUS DELIVERIES
- The Kern County (CA) Fire Department has in service 19 pumping apparatus built by Beck Fire Apparatus. Kern County operates 45 stations covering an area of more than 8,000 square miles.
According to spokesperson Wade Roberts, 15 of the units arc structural pumpers. They are built on Ottawa chassis with four-door custom cabs. Each has a Hale 1,500-gpm pump with a three-inch right side discharge. The hose bed has room for two high-rise hose packs with 100 feet of 1 1/2-inch hose each, as well as 1,000 feet of four-inch hose, tOO feet of three-inch hose, and 600 feet of 2 1/2-inch hose. In three crosstrays above the pump there are 150 feet of 1 1/2inch attack line, 200 feet of 1 Vi-inch attack line, and 150 feet of 1 Viinch jump line. There is a 4½-inch front intake preconnected above an extended bumper and two three-inch preconnected intakes as well. A prepiped monitor with a 1,250-gpm nozzle is featured.
The pumpers carry 1,000-gallon poly water tanks and have 10 compartments designed to carry heavy rescue equipment, ventilation fans, and saws in addition to other engine company equipment.
Other features include UHF and VHF radios with an integrated intercom system, dual air-conditioning, a five-kw gasoline generator, a Redi-Line electric generator, and SCBA cylinder storage in wheelwell compartments.
These pumpers are powered by a 475-hp Detroit diesel engine with an Allison four-speed transmission and have a Jacobs engine brake and disc brakes. (Photo by Wade Roberts.)
Circle No. 1 on Reader Service Card
The remaining four units are designed to work in mountainous areas and are built on International 4800 chassis with four-wheel drive. Each carries 500 gallons of water in a poly tank and a 500-gpm American Godiva pump; a hose bed with 1,000 feet of 2 Vi-inch hose; two wildland hose packs with 100 feet of one-inch and 100 feet of 1 Vi-inch hose each; and 100 feet of 1 ‘/2-inch jump line, which comes off the back. Two crosstrays have 150 feet and 200 feet of 1 ‘/2-inch attack line. The units have seven tool and equipment compartments.
Powering these pumpers are a 245-hp Detroit diesel engine with an Allison four-speed automatic transmission. A Williams exhaust brake, a Redi-I.inc electric generator, and l 111 and VIIF radios are featured. (Photo by Wade Roberts.)
Circle No. 2 on Reader Service Card
- Shown here are three of six pumpers built by Marion body Works for the Portland (OR) Bureau of lire. Rescue and Emergency Services. Located between two major rivers on Oregon’s northern border, Portland has 550,000 people within 190 square miles.
Deputy Chief Douglas Paul explains that the bureau wanted apparatus of a simple design so that working from them would be easy. The pumpers’ height is under 10 feet
The hose bed is less than 57 inches from the ground (without hostload), which provides easy access to two rear I ⅝⅜-inch preconnected hoselines as well as the 2 Viand three-inch hose carried. The one 1½and two 1 Vi-inch crosslays are no higher than 64 inches from the ground—for the same reason.
The pumpers are mounted on Spartan Monarch chassis with fourdoor cabs and powered by a Detroit 6V92TA diesel engine with Allison HT 740 automatic transmissions; the wheelbase is 18 * inches.
They mount a Hale, QSMG, 1,500-gpm pump and carry 500 gallons of water and 1,200 feet of three-inch hose. A mounted Akron Apollo monitor with three-inch piping to the pump is capable of delivering 800 to 1,200 gpm.
Four of the pumpers carry 100-gallon tanks of foam. The systems are a Portland design used with 1 ½or 2 Vi-inch in-line eductors
Circle No. 3 on Reader Service Cord
