APPLETON, WI—Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK) company, has secured an order from Cottleville Fire Protection District located in St. Charles County, Missouri. Sold through Pierce dealer MacQueen Emergency, the order includes four Pierce Velocity® Pumpers and an Ascendant® 110’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Platform on a Velocity chassis. The new fire apparatus will replace aging trucks, and will allow the Cottleville Fire Protection District to establish improved standardization with an entirely Pierce fleet.
Researching, specifying, and subsequently purchasing apparatus during a pandemic presented a new level of complexity that few were prepared to handle.
Related Content
- Crestview (FL) Takes Delivery of New Rig
- Texas A&M Pierce Velocity Pumper Video Walk-Around
- Pierce Archive
“The professionals from MacQueen Emergency and Pierce worked closely with our apparatus purchasing committee through these unchartered waters, making sure that we had everything needed to make such critical decisions,” said Craig Tihen, assistant chief of the Cottleville Fire Protection District. “As we researched the best fire apparatus for our district, multiple fire districts and departments were on lockdown and limiting outside visitors. We absolutely had to test drive, pump, and operate an Ascendant 110’ single rear axle platform to make an informed decision, and our sales team worked diligently through the situation to deliver a demonstrator truck as promised.”
Cottleville Fire Protection District’s new fire apparatus will feature:
Pierce Velocity Pumpers
- Velocity chassis
- 700-gallon water tank
- Pierce PUC™ 1,500-gpm single-stage pump
- Detroit DD13 525-hp engine
- TAK-4® Independent Suspension
- Side roll and frontal impact protection
- HiViz® electronic LED headlights with halo flashing system, Will-Burt light tower, and Whelen warning light system
- Carcinogen Awareness and Reduction to Exposure (CARE) cab customization including vinyl seats and aluminum floor
Ascendant 110’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Platform
- Velocity chassis with a 110’ heavy-duty steel ladder platform
- 500-gallon water tank
- 1,500-gpm pump
- Detroit DD13 525-hp engine
- TAK-4 Independent Suspension
- Side roll and frontal impact protection
- Single rear axle configuration
- Carcinogen Awareness and Reduction to Exposure (CARE) cab customization including vinyl seats and aluminum floor
Chief Tihen added, “We chose this configuration for its balanced compromise between apparatus size, options, and capacity. The 189” rescue body provides us ample storage for equipment with 700 gallons of water and a safely positioned hosebed, all while providing a short wheelbase for exceptional maneuverability.”
The Cottleville Fire Protection District covers 38 square miles of St. Charles County, Missouri, and is located just northwest of St. Louis. The district responds to over 3,800 service calls per year out of four fire stations. With three shifts working a 48/96 rotation, the District employs 58 full-time personnel.
“Selecting new fire apparatus to best serve a community is a huge responsibility even during the most normal of circumstances,” said Andy Klein, sales manager of MacQueen Emergency’s Missouri branch. “When we faced the challenges experienced worldwide this year, we knew that all parties would have to work together in a creative way to achieve a common goal. Thankfully, our team has built an incredible level of trust with the Cottleville Fire Protection District over 25 years, and we are confident that the apparatus selected will meet their needs for exceptional maneuverability, reliability, performance.”
For more information, visit www.piercemfg.com.
