Pierce Manufacturing, an Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK) company, today announced that it has been granted United States Patent #7,784,554 for the Pierce Ultimate Configuration (PUC™) firefighting vehicle. This is in addition to multiple patents previously issued, which cover this vehicle and its options. With more than 500 vehicles sold, the PUC is among the most popular products in Pierce Manufacturing history.
“This US patent reinforces the PUC as a breakthrough firefighting vehicle innovation unlike anything else in the industry,” said Jim Johnson, Oshkosh Corporation executive vice president and president, Fire & Emergency. “Our product development team spent thousands of hours developing the PUC, with input and feedback from firefighters coast-to-coast.”
The PUC is an industry-changing multi-purpose response vehicle that is engineered to eliminate the need for a bulky pumphouse. The PUC features a simplified two-step pump shift operation and redesigned pump panel for ease of use. In addition, the design frees space while improving function. With a wheelbase as short as 172-inches for improved maneuverability, the PUC also provides up to 500 cubic-feet of storage. Among the many other benefits delivered by the PUC are the following:
• Two-step/single touch ease. A simple two-step pump operation and “single touch” water-foam-CAFS selection means the firefighting system is up and functional before the operator exits the cab.
• Safety. With the pump operator positioned alongside the hose connections instead of over them – and with crosslays and hosebeds at chest height – the PUC boasts an impressive list of safety features.
The PUC is available on all Pierce custom chassis in side and top mount configurations, as well as on all aerial ladders
