USING ALL AVAILABLE APPARATUS SPACE
APPARATUS/EQUIPMENT
Storage space on fire apparatus is always at a premium. Bulky items such as extra air packs, salvage covers and foam containers are usually left at the station, or just a token quantity is carried.
Most vehicles have a large tailboard that could be used to carry more equipment, especially bulk goods that are stackable, such as foam cans. The tailboard pictured carries 12 5-gallon containers of foam. The laying of hose lines is not impeded and there is still room to carry additional personnel on the tailboard.
The modifications and the costs were minor. The parts needed are four ¾-inch one-piece pipe hangers, two 3/4-inch pipes cut to length desired, four 3/4 -inch elbows, four ¾-inch caps, four 3/4 -inch close nipples, and eight 5/16-inch bolts with cap nuts.
The caps can be screwed on hand tight so the bracket can be removed easily.
The foam and brackets could be stationed by the first-due pumper. This way, when the alarm sounded for a known flammable liquid fire, two or three fire fighters then could load the apparatus with foam. The delay incurred in loading the foam should be less than waiting for the second apparatus to arrive with more foam.
The advantage is that the first-due pumper has arrived with 60 gallons of foam concentrate. At 3 percent, that means 2000 gallons of foam solution (6 percent equals 1000 gallons of foam solution). When the second-due pumper arrives, you have another 60 gallons of foam concentrate.
By controlling the spill fire fast and when it’s small, you can possibly stop it from becoming a major fire.
