Is the alien word in the set apparatus scene of fire pumper fire engine vehicle

Fire
is one of the most hazardous situation as it spreads so quickly, as
according to statistics affected aircraft has only 17 minutes to
initiate emergency descent, perform emergency landing and evacuate
the passengers. Otherwise
without
aggressive intervention by the flight crew
the aircraft will burn to ashes.

Cause

Fire may
be caused by a number of reasons:

• technical
  problems
  ( electrical system malfunction, electrical short circuit, engine
  failure which was due to ingestion of debris or bird strike,
  ignition of dangerous easy-flammable goods during transportation )

• outside
  factor
  ( lightning strike, hail, severe turbulence, bird strike )

• human
  factor
  :

√ Passengers’
error.
Most carriers prohibit smoking in the aircraft. This, coupled with
the use of fire resistant materials, has reduced the likelihood of
fire caused by a cigarette. Nevertheless, despite it minority of
passengers continue to smoke in the lavatories. Thus not extinguished
cigarette can pose risk to the safety. Explosion of bomb by
terrorists can obviously lead to fire.

√ Cabin
crew error.
Airlines comment that most in-flight and ground fire/smoke events
relate to the galley and involve some kind of electrical equipment.
Oven fires may occur because of items(which are not heat resistant)
being placed inside the oven by FAs (e.g. oven being used as storage
place for folders or checklists, or to dry shoes) or because of
overheating, or electrical overload/short circuit. In addition to
ovens, there is a lot of equipment in the galley wrong usage of
which can cause a fire (e.g. coffee or water heaters on without any
water in).

√ Airport
security officers’ error.
Overhead compartment fire is often caused by passengers’ hand
luggage which was not thoroughly checked (e.g. nail polish remover,
medicinal or toilet articles, safety matches, and other prohibited
items).

√ Flight
crew / loaders error.
Loosely packed dangerous goods ( which are not thoroughly controlled
by pilots) by loaders can ignite due to friction.

The
International Civil Aviation Organization defines Dangerous
goods

as
“ articles or substances which are capable of posing risk to
health, safety, property and the environment.”

Dangerous
goods fall into 9 classes:

Class
1: Explosives – Explosive
substances, explosive articles, and pyrotechnic devices, for example,
ammunition, and fireworks.

Class
2: Gases

Class
3: Flammable liquids – Examples
are petrol, alcohol, and perfume.

Class
4: Flammable solids – Examples
are matches, flammable metal powder

Class
5: Oxidizing Agents and Organic peroxides

These
substances are sensitive to impact or friction, or may create a
dangerous reaction when in contact with other substances. They may be
explosive and burn rapidly. Some examples are fertilizers and
chemicals.

Class
6: Toxic (poisonous) and infectious substances

Those
substances that are liable to cause death or injury if swallowed,
inhaled or absorbed through the skin. Examples are pesticides and
poisons, mercury.

Class
7: Radioactive materials

Class
8 Corrosives .

Class
9 Miscellaneous —
Hazardous substances such as dry ice and magnets.

Dangerous
goods fall into three types:

1. Goods that
   are acceptable on passenger and cargo aircraft

2. Goods that
   are acceptable on cargo aircraft only

3. Goods
   that are prohibited for air transportation

Goods
which are strictly
prohibited
for transportation in the cabin are

• Explosives
— fireworks, flares, toy gun caps

• Compressed
gases
— filled or partly filled aqualung cylinders

• Flammable
liquids and solids
— lighter fuel, non-safety matches, paints

• Oxidizers
— some bleaching powders

• Poisons

• Irritating
materials
— Tear gas devices

• Infectious
substances
— live virus materials

• Radioactive
materials
— medical or research samples which contain radioactive

sources

• Corrosives
— acids, etc.

• Magnetized
materials
— instruments containing magnets.

Consequences

Fire on
board can result in

• High
  stress level in the cockpit

• Engine
  failure

• Pressurization
  problems

• Shortest
  high speed vector to land

• Poor R/T
  (oxygen mask) or loss of R/T

• Passenger evacuation

• RWY blocked

Types of
fire

Engine
fire.

Engine fire
is normally detected and contained satisfactory by the aircraft fire
detection and suppression systems. But there are such situations when
fire can not be determined by onboard systems and it can spread to
the wing and the fuselage .Even when engine fire was eliminated the
crew need to land the aircraft as soon as possible so that the fire
will not break out again.

Cabin
fire.

Cabin fire
can be easily detected and put out by usage of fire extinguishes. It
is also advisable to perform landing as soon as possible in order to
investigate the problem.

Hidden
fire.

Hidden fire
can be detected by onboard systems or by passengers noticing smoke or
fume. It is very hazardous as smoke can fill up the cabin and can
reduce visibility and lead to suffocation and choking.

Effects

t the
first indication, or suspicion, of smoke and fumes, or fire within
the aircraft the flight
crew
will don smoke goggles and oxygen masks. The wearing of oxygen masks
may make the voice messages more difficult to understand.

Secondly,
the crew will attempt to find the source of the smoke or fire and
eliminate it. Different emergency
equipment
may be used, such as smoke
detectors, fire extinguishes,
fire
gloves, fire goggles, hoods, crash axe, emergency chutes for
evacuation.

• Smoke
  detectors.
  Optical Smoke Detectors are installed in aircraft toilets and
  usually in cargo compartments as well. They are usually only
  activated by a significant reduction in visibility due to thick
  smoke from, say, a waste bin fire. Cigarette Smoke will not usually
  activate them.

• Portable
  fire extinguishers.
  Portable extinguishers are to be found in the cockpit and in the
  cabin. They are designed to fight small fires and thus their
  capacity is limited.

• Fire/crash
  axe.
  Fire axes are provided to obtain emergency access to areas and parts
  of the airplane which are not easily accessible (e.g. behind
  sidewall, electrical or ceiling panels).

• Fire
  protection gloves.
  These gloves are kept in the flight deck and/or in the cabin to
  protect the user against heat/fire. They can also be used to handle
  hot or sharp objects.

• Smoke
  hoods.
  It is a smoke protective device which incorporates a small oxygen
  generator, which provides the wearer with Oxygen for a limited
  amount of time, typically 15-20 minutes.

• Smoke
  goggles.
  Smoke goggles may be found in the flight deck for use with smoke
  hoods. Some aircraft are equipped with oxygen masks with integral
  smoke goggles.

• Fire
  Blankets.
  Some operators have fire proof blankets onboard which can be used to
  suffocate a fire by cutting off the supply of oxygen.

When
crew members manage to extinguish fire, the captain will evaluate the
situation and make up his mind about the further actions. But in the
majority of cases he’ll give preference to land as soon as possible
for further investigation if any systems were affected by fire.

If
fire is uncontrollable and pilots will

— put on
oxygen masks if there is smoke or fire in the cockpit

— initiate
emergency descent without any delay (otherwise it will take an
aircraft a few minutes to burst into flames and burn fully)

— set
squawk 7700

— declare
Mayday

— proceed
to nearest suitable airport and request priority for landing or

— try to
find appropriate place for landing ahead of them( off-field landing
or ditching)

— request
fire brigade, ambulance, search and rescue team

— upon
landing start immediate evacuation of passengers (After
disembarkation for safety reasons they have to be removed on
100meters distance from crippled aircraft.)

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A fire apparatus (also known in some territories as a fire engine, fire truck, or fire appliance) is a vehicle designed to assist in firefighting and other rescue operations. Its functions include transporting firefighters to the scene of a fire, along with water and other equipment. In some territories, the terms fire engine and fire truck may represent different types of fire apparatus.

A typical modern fire apparatus carries equipment for a wide range of firefighting and rescue tasks. These include ladders, pike poles, axes and cutting equipment, halligan bars, ventilating equipment, floodlights, hose ramps, self-contained breathing apparatus, and general tools. 

Many fire apparatus are based on standard truck or lorry models with heavy duty suspension, alternators, transmission and cooling systems; audible and visual warnings such as sirens, horns, and flashing lights are added, as well as communication equipment such as a two-way radio.

Fire aparatus are often adapted to their areas of operation. Fire departments covering metropolitan areas or regions with additional fire risks may operate additional specialist vehicles for dealing with hazardous material incidents, fires requiring major foam attacks and multiple hose laying, as well as urban search and rescue and water rescues. In rural areas, fire departments may operate all-terrain apparatus. Depending on the local geography, fire-trains, fireboats or airplanes may also be used. In addition to apparatus designed specifically to fight fire, many fire departments also operate rescue units that carry tools for technical rescues of people from traffic collisions or structural collapses. 

Types

Conventional fire apparatus

The conventional fire apparatus (also called a fire appliance, fire tender, fire engine, water ladder, pumper or pump-ladder) may have several methods of pumping water onto the fire.  The most common method is to pass water from a pump through hoses to the fire, from an array of valves. It may also have a fixed pumping «cannon» (also called a fire monitor or deck gun), which can direct the water as pointed by the operator.  The horizontal and vertical range of the monitor arrangement usually is limited and appropriate only for specific tasks, such as airport fires.  Monitors can also be used as water cannons for crowd control.  A fire engine may have an onboard water reservoir allowing firefighters to begin tackling the fire immediately or it may be completely reliant on external sources, such as fire hydrants, water tenders, natural sources such as rivers, or reservoirs by using draft water suction.  A development is the use of an impulse fire-extinguishing system (IFEX), in which the water is highly pressurized into a vaporous mist, creating a cooling effect that is more efficient than that of water alone.^[1] Some fire engines have been equipped with injectors for mixing foam into the pumped water stream creating a foam solution that is more effective than water alone. Some modern apparatus have included an air pump alongside foam injection to produce a compressed air foam product that further increases the efficiency of the water stream, cutting down dramatically on extinguishing time and water damage. This is referred to as a CAFS (compressed air foam system).

Aerial apparatus

Turntable ladder

A turntable ladder (TL) is perhaps the best-known form of special purpose aerial apparatus, and is used to gain access to fires occurring at height using a large telescopic ladder, where conventional ladders carried on conventional appliances might not reach.

The name is derived from the fact that the large ladder is mounted on a turntable on the back of a truck chassis, allowing it to pivot around a stable base, which in turn allows a much greater ladder length to be achieved.  To increase its length, the ladder is telescopic. Modern TLs are either hydraulic or pneumatic in operation.

A ladder can also be mounted behind the cab. This is sometimes called «mid-ship» and the arrangement allows a shorter wheelbase for the truck, and also can be more stable in some conditions.

The key functions of a turntable ladder are:

• Allowing access or egress of firefighters and casualties at height;

• Providing a high level water point for firefighting (elevated master stream);

• Providing a working platform from which tasks such as ventilation or overhaul can be executed.

While the traditional characteristic of a fire appliance was a lack of water pumping or storage, many modern TLs have a water pumping function built in (and some have their own onboard supply reservoir), and may have a pre-piped waterway running the length of the ladder, to allow a stream of water to the firefighters at the top. In some cases, there may also be a monitor at the top of the ladder for ease of use. Other appliances may simply have a trackway which will hold a manually run hose reel securely, and prevent it from falling to the ground.

Tower ladder

Some turntable ladders may have a basket (sometimes known as a bucket) mounted at the top of the ladder, as on a hydraulic platform; these are called tower ladders.  These appliances can provide a secure place for a firefighter to operate equipment from, and allow multiple people, including rescued persons, to be carried.

Tiller ladder (Hook-and-ladder)

A tiller ladder, also known as a tractor-drawn aerial, aerial ladder truck or hook-and-ladder truck, is a specialised turntable ladder mounted on a semi-trailer truck. It has two drivers, with separate steering wheels for front and rear wheels. This truck is primarily used in the United States, especially in cities—like San Francisco and Washington, DC—where narrow streets cannot be entered by longer, rigid-bodied trucks. City Service Truck was the predecessor to the modern tiller ladder in that there was no aerial turntable ladder mounted. Only ground ladders were carried on a City Service Truck. The 65 ft. (bangor pole, tormentor pole or stay pole) extension ladder was the longest wood ground ladder carried on the obsolete San Francisco Fire Department City Service Truck. Which is now only used for parade and antique 65 ft. extension ladder evolution displays.

The hook-and-ladder concept originated when taller buildings and narrow city streets became a problem for fire departments.  Larger ladders were needed to get to the upper stories of buildings, and the only way to move these large ladders was with a large vehicle.  However, the only way to position these ladders properly was with a highly maneuverable vehicle.  The independent steering for the rear wheels improves maneuverability and allows the truck to quickly position itself for fighting fires.

The word hook in hook-and-ladder refers to the long-poled hooks, also called pike poles, carried on many types of fire fighting apparatus. Hooks and ladders, essential tools in fire fighting, were carried on fire trucks long before the development of the large tiller ladder trucks. The fire-fighting hook is used to penetrate and pull apart structure in the process of firefighting. In the US, tiller ladder trucks came to be called hook-and-ladder trucks, even though hooks and ladders are not their distinguishing features. At one time, there were two principle types of firefighting apparatus: one carried the  pump and hoses, and the other carried the hooks and ladders.^[2]

Quint/quad

Main article: Quint (fire apparatus)

In some areas of the United States, the turntable ladder may be known as a quint or quad, as it is capable of performing multiple tasks (pump, water tank, fire hose, aerial device, and ground ladders) with each of these functions making up one of its four (Quad) or five (Quint) capabilities.  The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has certain specification that a turntable ladder has to meet to be officially considered a quint or quad (such as fire pump capacity, minimum amounts of equipment, etc.).

Hydraulic platform

A hydraulic platform, also known as articulating booms, Snorkels, platform trucks, Bronto (used in Australia and New Zealand) or sometimes shortened to HP, is a specialized aerial work platform designed for firefighting use. They have a number of functions, which follow the same principles as the turntable ladder, providing high level access and elevated water pump positions.

Some hydraulic platforms are articulated, which allows the arm to bend in one or more places, giving it the ability to go «up and over» an obstacle (such as a building roof).  There are non-articulated platforms, based on standard aerial work platforms, although the most common type is the tower ladder (mentioned above).  HPs (articulated or not) may still have a ladder arrangement fitted to the arm, primarily as an emergency measure.  In some jurisdictions these can be denoted ladder platforms.

Most HPs are designed to reach a height of around 33 metres (100 feet), although larger models are capable of reaching heights of over 100 metres (328 feet).^[3]

Many HPs are fitted with additional equipment in the platform itself, which can include a control panel, lighting equipment, a fixed water outlet or monitor, power outlets or compressed air outlets (allowing the fixing of rescue equipment, such as hydraulic rescue tools).  Many are also adapted or capable of carrying a stretcher. Some units have video systems and remote control in case of dangerous chemical fires.

In an emergency, liquid-concrete pumping boom trucks can be temporarily repurposed for delivery of water for firefighting, as in the case of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in 2011.^[4]

Aerial ladder platform

Some fire departments use aerial ladder platforms (ALPs), or aerial water towers, the purpose of which is to deploy an elevated master stream of water, although it does not provide any access for firefighters. In many departments however, this function is better performed by a HP or TL.

Rescue apparatus

Heavy rescue vehicle

Main article: Heavy rescue vehicle

A heavy rescue vehicle, sometimes referred to as a Rescue Company, Rescue Squad or Technical Rescue, is a type of specialty firefighting or EMS apparatus. Essentially giant toolboxes on wheels, they are primarily designed for technical rescue situations such as vehicle extrications following traffic collisions, confined space rescues, rope rescues, swiftwater rescues, or building collapses.

In the U.S., NFPA regulations 1006 and 1670 provide guidelines and regulations for the operation of heavy rescue vehicles and also state that all «rescuers» must have medical training to perform any technical rescue operation, including cutting the vehicle itself.^[5][6] In most rescue environments, fire department personnel conduct rescue operations working hand-in-hand with medical personnel, such as EMTs or paramedics.

In addition to fire and rescue departments, tram or railway companies may have their own dedicated heavy rescue squads.^[7][8] For example, railway rescue squads may carry very specialized equipment for railway accidents like hydraulic jacks with capacity for lifting locomotives or even moving them horizontally, and equipment for tank car accidents.^[9]

Wildland fire apparatus

Main article: Wildland fire engine

Wildland firefighting requires vehicles that can easily negotiate difficult terrain and high-gradient roads, be self-reliant, and have high clearances for wheels and suspension. These wildland fire engines are traditionally smaller than standard fire apparatus and are primarily used for vegetation fires or wildland fires. They may also respond to emergencies in rough terrain where other vehicles cannot respond. Most wildland engines feature four-wheel drive capability to improve hill climbing and rough terrain capability.^[10] Some wildland apparatus can pump water while driving (where some traditional engines must be stationary to pump water), allowing «running attacks» on vegetation fires to minimize the rate of spread.^[11]

Hazardous materials apparatus

Many fire departments covering large metropolitan areas or those containing many high-risk hazards keep specialist appliances for dealing with hazardous materials (HAZMAT).  These are of several types, from those used to clean spilled oil on streets and highways, to full decontamination units, designed to clean victims and rescuers of contaminants after an incident.

Some fire departments may deploy a scientific support vehicle where required. Essentially a mobile laboratory, these units can attend a wide range of incidents, including chemical spills and fires, where early on-site scientific analysis and monitoring will speed up the detection process and allow firefighters and other emergency services to provide the correct response for the particular incident.

Logistical support apparatus

Many fire departments operate a number of vehicles in specialized logistical functions. These can be stand-alone vehicles, or may be modular, such as with the use of a hook-lift system. Hooklifts are sometimes only employed for seldom-used equipment; they can load a variety of different equipment containers very rapidly and act as a special unit with lower investment costs. For example, the Helsinki Rescue Department has several hooklift trucks and more than 40 containers, including a water container, a hose container, and an oil destruction container.^[12]  Containers may also carry a command post, salvage tools, foam barrels, hoses and pumps for wildfires, or even field hospitals.

Command support unit

The advancement of technology and potential for very large-scale incidents has led to many fire departments utilising or increasing their use of mobile command support units.

A fundamental advantage of such an appliance is to accommodate the many different types of communication equipment needed at major incidents. In addition to the wide range of radio frequencies used, fire chiefs often need to communicate via landlines and send and receive information via satellite links and CCTV of the ongoing situation. The command unit can essentially be used as an on-site conference centre for command personnel, mapping and planning firefighting operations and booking in and directing crews as they arrive.

Water and foam-carrying apparatus

Tanker truck

A tanker truck, which can also be known as a water tender or water bowser, is a specialist fire appliance with the primary purpose of transporting large amounts of water to the fireground to make it available for extinguishing operations. These are especially useful in rural areas where fire hydrants are not readily available and natural water resources are insufficient or difficult to exploit.

Most tankers have an on-board pumping system. This pump is often not of sufficient power to fight fires (as it is designed to be attached to a fire engine), but is more often used to draw water into the tender from hydrants or other water sources. In some areas, the tenders are used to pump water during floods, and may be fitted with a heavier duty pump for this purpose. Many tankers are equipped with fast-drain valves on the sides and back of the truck. This allows firefighters to empty thousands of gallons or several cubic meters of water into a portable water tank in just a few seconds.

Most water tenders are designed to carry loads of 1,000 US gallons (Template:Convert/L impgal) or more. In the U.S., 1,000 U.S. gallons is the requirement in the NFPA standards.^[13] Some may carry up to or even upwards of 5,000 US gallons (Template:Convert/impgal L) of water.^[14][15][16]

Hose layer

In some fire departments, a similar function may be performed by a hose layer, hose tender or hydrant tender which carries large-capacity high-pressure hose wagons to incidents where hydrants or other water sources are not close enough to the fireground. It will lay out its hose at the nearest hydrant or water source then drive to the fireground with the hose laying off the back; upon arrival it will connect to a fire appliance to supply it with the water needed for the firefighting operations.

Foam tender

Foam tenders carry large amounts of foam to be used at incidents where water is ineffective or cannot be used to tackle a blaze. They may take the form of a tanker, or a truck carrying foam packets or barrels.

Fireboat

Some fire departments that protect a body of water, such as a major city harbor or coastline, may utilise fireboats to combat fires on watercraft and waterfront areas. Such fireboats pump water from under them, so they can theoretically provide water indefinitely. In some places, fire boats are not just designed for firefighting, they can also be used to perform rescue missions, and transport divers and other equipment to the scene.

Fire train

Railways of the former Soviet Union widely use permanent-readiness fire trains to extinguish fires on the trains, railroad track and adjacent territories—which otherwise may not be accessible by the roads. A fire train consists of specialist railcars (i.e. water tank, foam tank, water pump, electric generator etc.) and a professional firefighting team. In case of fire emergency, the train is coupled by the nearest available locomotive and quickly routed to the emergency site beyond schedule. Despite fulfilling all the necessary railway procedures, the fire trains sometimes arrive at the site faster than the road vehicles, bringing more water supply to tackle the fire.

Each fire train has its permanent base siding with exits at both directions and adjacent buildings facilitating the team.^[17] The base siding is always located in a major railway hub, where several locomotives are available at a time. e.g., there are two separate fire train units in the city of Kiev. However, fire trains in themselves are unlimited in their operation radius, protecting all the country’s railways in a network pattern.

Similar trains are found in Switzerland, Germany and the United States (with BNSF).^[18]

Airport crash tender

An airport crash tender is a fire engine designed for use at aerodromes in aircraft accidents. The features include a good acceleration, ability to move on rough terrain outside the runway and airport area, large water capacity, a foam tank, a high-capacity pump, and water/foam monitors with a good throw distance. Newer AR-FF vehicles also incorporate twin agent nozzles/injection systems to inject a stream of Purple-K dry chemical into the AFFF Aqueous Film Forming Fluroprotein foam stream «knocking-down» the fire faster. Some also have Halotron tanks with handlines for situations that require a clean agent to be utilized. These features give the airport crash tenders a capability to reach an airplane rapidly, and rapidly extinguish large fires with jet fuel involved.

Some tenders have an elevated extended extinguishing arm called a Snozzle, giving a possibility to raise a water/foam cannon into the height of approximately . Some arms have reinforced nozzles that can puncture through superficial structures of an aeroplane to fight a fire inside the fuselage.^[19]

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has given standards and recommended practices on rescue firefighting categories of civil aerodromes.^[20][21] National aviation authorities may have given even further requirements on aerodrome rescue and fire services.

The rescue fire services are based on a statistical analysis of movements (take-offs and landings) on the airport. The aerodrome category is based on the size of the biggest aircraft taking a movement on the aerodrome. In addition, the number of movements of the critical aircraft is calculated, and the category can be decreased by one if the number of movements is lower than the standard describes. There are also minimum category levels based on, for example, the number of seats in the critical aircraft.

Depending on the airport category, the standards determine the minimum number of rescue firefighting vehicles. In addition, requirements are given on the water and foam capacities, discharge rates for foam solutions, and minimum dry chemical powder (complementary agent) amounts, reserve stocks of fire fighting agents, ability to operate on rough terrain, and acceleration of the air crash tenders. The end of each runway must be reached in a response time of two minutes, and any part of the movement area has to be achieved in a response time not exceeding three minutes.

Aircraft

Fire departments may also deploy airplanes and helicopters to attack fire from the air. Such aircraft are fitted with large tanks that drop water or fire retardant chemicals onto the fire.

Firefighting tank

In China, a firefighting tank equipped with water and foam retardant guns is deployed in cases where access to the area is difficult.^[22]

Motorcycle

Motorcycles are sometimes equipped for fighting fires or to be used as a first responder unit.

They are commonly used in Japan and Hong Kong, for example, in normal everyday duties. The motorcycles are useful for efficiently and quickly negotiating the small streets and heavy traffic in the large urban areas of Japanese cities. Having off-road motorcycles helps in responding to the difficult terrain that surround many urban centres. Some departments would likely have their crews in teams of two or three motorcycles. The firefighters who drive these motorcycles wear a light-weight fire suit. Their motorcycle’s helmets are fireproofed and equipped with a radio. A fire extinguisher, fire blanket, and a small hose are carried in the cargo truck and panniers. One of the motorcycles carries a first aid kit and/or automated external defibrillator. The other motorcycles in this team may carry fire fighting and rescue equipment. A self-contained breathing apparatus pack is also carried aboard at least one motorcycle, and is kept ready for immediate use. Most crews are firefighters with training in first response, first aid, and/or paramedicine.

There are also fire fighting all-terrain vehicles.

In the Czech Republic, firefighters use a specially modified tank to extinguish forest fires.

Other apparatus

Other fire apparatus include:

• Fire Police Unit

• Fire/Arson Investigation Unit

• Dive/Marine Rescue Unit

• Operational Support Unit

• Animal Rescue Unit

• Rescue and firefighting robot

• Crane trucks

• Hazmat trucks

• Squad/Utility Unit

• Tracked vehicle

• Pump trailer

• Other watercraft support such as rigid-hulled inflatable boats, hovercraft or hydrocopters

Other functions

In some communities a fire apparatus, often a paramedic engine, will be used to carry first responder firefighters, paramedics or EMTs to medical emergencies because of their faster response times due to forward staging in the city compared to ambulances coming from hospitals ^[23][24] Fire departments may also have lifeguards in places such as Los Angeles County, California.

Design and construction

Many fire appliances around the world are based on standard truck or lorry models, which are upgraded to the specifications required by the purchasing department. In the United States, a majority of fire trucks are specially designed from the chassis to the cab and body. This has led to the use of the term custom fire truck, as opposed to a commercial chassis and cab.

A fire appliance may undergo modifications such as adjustments for higher durability, removal of any speed limiter, and adjustments for long periods of idling at a higher temperature. This may be accomplished by heavy duty suspensions, brakes, tires, alternator, transmission and cooling systems. It is also usual to upgrade the capacity of the electrical system to accommodate additional electrical and electronic equipment.

Fire appliances have audible and visual warnings, to protect themselves from traffic, and make themselves visible to other units at an incident.

In many countries, use of the audible and visual warnings affords the driver a degree of exemption from road traffic laws (such as the right to exceed speed limits, treat red stop lights as give way etc.) and may also infer a duty on other motorists to move out of the direction of passage of the fire vehicle (or face possible prosecution).

Visual warnings

Visual warnings on a fire appliance can be of two types: either passive or active.

Passive visual warnings

The passive visual warnings involve the use of high contrast patterns.  Older vehicles (and those in developing countries) are more likely to have their patterns painted on, whereas modern appliances often carry retro-reflective designs which reflect light from headlights or torches.  Patterns include «checker board» (alternate colored squares, sometimes called «battenburg markings», named after a type of cake), chevrons (arrowheads, often pointed towards the front of the vehicle if on the side, or pointing vertically upwards if on the rear) or stripes (along the side; these were the first type of retro-reflective devices introduced, as the original retro-reflective material came only in tape form).  In some countries, in addition to retro-reflective markings, vehicles are now painted a bright yellow or orange, although in many other countries, red remains the color for fire engines.  In Australia a number of rural fire units are painted white, such as those used by the Country Fire Service in South Australia, making them more visible in bushfire conditions.

Another passive marking is the word FIRE, RESCUE or local language variant spelled out in reverse on the front of the vehicle.  This enables drivers of other vehicles to more easily identify a fire service vehicle in their rear view mirrors.  The appliance may also display a telephone number which may be used to summon assistance, along with the name of the operating department or station identifier.

NFPA 1901 Standards for Automotive Fire Apparatus: 20.4 Aerial Ladder Operating Position

20.4.2 A system that is lighted and marked with labels shall be visible from the operator’s position to indicate the elevation, extension, and rated capacities (see sample of boom angle indicator^[25]).

Active visual warnings

File:Firetruck.ogg

The active visual warnings are usually in the form of flashing colored lights (also known as «beacons» or «lightbars»). These flash to attract the attention of other road users as the fire appliance approaches, or to provide warning to motorists approaching a stopped appliance in a dangerous position on the road. Common colors for fire warning beacons are blue and red.  The beacons can be made to flash. The original method was to place a spinning mirror which moves around a light bulb, called a «rotating beacon». More modern methods include the use of strobe lights, which are usually brighter, and can be programmed to produce specific patterns (such as a left -> right pattern when parked on the left hand side of the road, indicating to other road users that they should move out away from the vehicle). LED flashing lights are becoming more widespread, as they are low profile and consume less energy.

Audible warnings

File:Whelen.ogg

In addition to visual warnings, most appliances are also fitted with audible warnings, sometimes known as sirens, which can alert people to the presence of an emergency vehicle before they can be seen.  The first audible warnings were mechanical bells, mounted on the front or roof of the truck.  Most vehicles are now fitted with electronic sirens, which can produce a range of different sounds.  Fire service driving training often includes the use of different sounds depending on traffic conditions and maneuver being performed.  For instance, on a clear road, approaching a junction, the «wail» setting may be used, which gives a long up and down variation, with an unbroken tone, whereas, in heavy slow traffic, a «yelp» setting may be preferred, which is like a wail, but faster.

The speakers for modern sirens can be located in several places on the vehicle, including being integral to the lightbar, or hidden in the grille.  Some vehicles may also be fitted with airhorn audible warnings. A number of North American fire departments have returned to the «acoustic» or «air» traditional siren, as its overtones help the public «locate» and avoid the fire truck—the newer electronic signals disperse almost pure electronic sine wave tones, which are hard to locate, especially in city «canyons» of buildings. In Chile, many vehicles are fitted with three types of audible warnings, which are sounded all at once: the classic «air» siren, the electronic «yelp», and the European two-tone air horns (sometimes newer vehicles are fitted with the electronic version of the latter, commonly called «Hi-Lo»).

A development is the use of the RDS system of car radios, whereby the vehicle can be fitted with a short range FM transmitter, set to RDS code 31, which interrupts the radio of all cars within range, in the manner of a traffic broadcast, but in such a way that the user of the receiving radio is unable to opt out of the message (as with traffic broadcasts).  This feature is built into all RDS radios for use in national emergency broadcast systems, but short range units on emergency vehicles can prove an effective means of alerting traffic to their presence, although is not able to alert pedestrians and non-RDS radio users.

Additional equipment

Firefighters may also have a range of additional equipment available to them, which may include:

• Two-way radio—This is one of the most important pieces of equipment.  Many services have moved from traditional UHF/VHF sets, which can be monitored externally, to more secure systems, such as those working on a GSM system, such as TETRA.

• Mobile data terminal—Many appliances are fitted with Mobile Data Terminals (or MDTs), which are connected wirelessly to a central computer, and enable firefighters to call up details such as incident logs, maps of locations, or exclusion zones.

• Evidence-gathering CCTV—Some fire vehicles can be fitted with video cameras used to record activity.  They may also be fitted with sound recording facilities.  This is used for the protection of the crew (and evidence of any assaults or intimidation of the firefighters) or can be used as evidence relating to the incident itself.

• Ramming pads—These rubberized pads are fitted to the chassis of the appliance, to allow the vehicle to be used as a battering ram, or to push other vehicles off the road in an emergency.  One of the uses of ramming pads is to remove a parked car illegally blocking a fire hydrant that is needed by fire crews responding to an emergency.

Crew assignment

Template:Wildland Firefighting

Engines are normally staffed with at least three people if possible: an officer, a driver (who usually operates the pump), and a firefighter.  Preferably, an engine will carry a second firefighter, to increase effectiveness in safely attacking a fire.  In some countries, such as Finland, an engine carries the unit leader, an engineer, and one or two pairs of firefighters.^[26]  Since firefighting takes places in a very hot and hostile environment with high risks, fire fighters work as pairs, and at least one more pair of firefighters is needed on scene for the safety and shifting.

In cities of the United States, firefighters are generally deployed into fire companies specializing in certain tasks. Most common are engine companies and ladder, or «truck», companies. In addition, large cities frequently staff rescue companies. By definition, each company is led by an officer (a captain or lieutenant) who commands several firefighters. Staffing of fire companies varies by jurisdiction and frequently by company type. In large cities, fire company staffing may vary from as few as three to as many as six personnel. In suburban and rural areas of the United States, the legal organization to which volunteers belong is usually called a company; one company may operate several pieces of apparatus. Duties of volunteers are often less specialized than those of city firefighters, because it is less predictable who will be available for a given emergency, so more flexibility is needed.

Other departments staff their fire engines as emergency response units. The staged layout of fire stations and apparatus around a city means that a fire engine dispatched from its station may reach a medical emergency call faster than an ambulance coming from a hospital. Therefore, firefighters are trained as EMTs and paramedics. The usual complement includes 1 fire captain and a number of additional firefighters. The number of additional firefighters depends on the severity of the incidents it will respond to, the capacity of the fire truck in question, the nature of the call for assistance and the personal preference of the fire department. For example, a pumper truck might carry 1 captain, 2 FF/Es (Engineers) and 1 FF/P (paramedic). Both the captain and the engineers are trained as Emergency Medical Technicians.

Many departments staff all of their trucks as medical response units, while some use a mixture. Common units that are medical response units include: Pumper, Rescue, Search & Rescue, and Hazardous Materials Units. The advantage of Medical Response units is well worth the training expenses. 911 medical calls that are responded to by a fire truck places less strain on ambulances and certified first responders, enabling them to focus on more critical patients. The disadvantage includes training for the firefighters as EMTs and paramedics, which happens to be very expensive. Also, medical equipment must be carried by the fire truck, reducing storage space for some firefighting equipment.

In the United Kingdom, firefighters are arranged in fire and rescue services, historically known as brigades, and usually organized at county, city, or combined level.  These are divided into either commands or areas, in some cases divisions, then stations, which range in size but in almost every instance have at least one pumping appliance.  In addition, general purpose engine stations may have specialist vehicles, such as turntable ladders, hydraulic platforms, foam tenders, etc.  The number of personnel at a station varies depending on the number of appliances, and whether it is full-time, day manned, or retained.  Generally, the crew of an average sized pump is around five, but in any case it can be no less than four and no more than six.

In New Zealand the standard crew consists of four: the OIC (Officer in Charge, or Officer in Command), the driver, and two others. They are numbered OIC, 1, 2, and 3, with the OIC in the front passenger’s seat and number 1 directly behind them; number 3 is the driver.  The crew has specific tasks in a water drill, decided by where they are sitting.  At call-outs, there may be five on an appliance, but only four have allotted tasks, with the fifth person being spare.

History

An early device used to squirt water onto a fire is a squirt or fire syringe. Hand squirts and hand pumps are noted before Ctesibius of Alexandria invented the first fire pump around the 2nd century B.C.,^[27] and an example of a force-pump possibly used for a fire-engine is mentioned by Heron of Alexandria.  The fire pump was reinvented in Europe during the 16th century, reportedly used in Augsburg in 1518 and Nuremberg in 1657. A book of 1655 inventions mentions a steam engine (called a fire engine) pump used to «raise a column of water 40 feet [12 m]», but there was no mention of whether it was portable.

Colonial laws in America required each house to have a bucket of water on the front stoop during fires at night. These buckets were intended for use by the initial bucket brigade that would supply the water at fires. Philadelphia obtained a hand-pumped fire engine in 1719, years after Boston’s 1654 model appeared there, made by Joseph Jencks, but before New York’s two engines arrived from London.

By 1730, Richard Newsham, in London, had made successful fire engines; the first used in New York City (in 1731) were of his make (six years before formation of the NYC volunteer fire department). The amount of manpower and skill necessary for firefighting prompted the institution of an organized fire company by Benjamin Franklin in 1737. Thomas Lote built the first fire engine made in America in 1743. These earliest engines are called hand tubs because they are manually (hand) powered and the water was supplied by bucket brigade dumped into a tub (cistern) where the pump had a permanent intake pipe. An important advancement around 1822 was the invention of an engine which could draft water from a water source doing away with the bucket brigade. Philadelphia fire engine manufacturers Sellers and Pennock model the Hydraulion is said to be the first suction engine produced in 1822.^[28] Some models had the hard, suction hose fixed to the intake and curled up over the apparatus known as a squirrel tail engine.

The earliest engines were small and were carried by four men or mounted on skids and dragged to a fire. The earliest four-wheel carriage mounted engines were pulled to the fire by hand. As the engines grew larger they became horse-drawn and later self-propelled by steam engines. John Ericsson is credited with building the first American steam-powered fire engine. George Braithwaite built the first steam fire-engine in Britain.

Until the mid-19th century, most fire engines were maneuvered by men, but the introduction of horse-drawn fire engines considerably improved the response time to incidents. The first self-propelled steam-driven fire engine was built in New York in 1841. It was the target of sabotage by firefighters and its use was discontinued, and motorized fire engines did not become commonplace until the early 20th century. By 1905, the idea of combining gas engine motor trucks into fire engines was attracting great attention; according to a Popular Mechanics article in that year,^[29] such trucks were rapidly gaining popularity in England. That same year, the Knox Automobile Company of Springfield, Massachusetts began selling what some^[30] have described as the world’s first modern fire engine. A year later, the City of Springfield had an entire modern fire department supplied with Knox fire engines.

For many years firefighters sat on the sides of the fire engines, or even stood on the rear of the vehicles, exposed to the elements. This arrangement was uncomfortable and dangerous (some firefighters were thrown to their deaths when their fire engines made sharp turns on the road), and today nearly all fire engines have fully enclosed seating areas for their crews.

Early pumpers

Early pumpers used cisterns as a source of water. Water was later put into wooden pipes under the streets and a «fire plug» was pulled out of the top of the pipe when a suction hose was to be inserted. Later systems incorporated pressurized fire hydrants, where the pressure was increased when a fire alarm was sounded. This was found to be harmful to the system, and unreliable, and today’s valved hydrant systems are kept under pressure at all times, although additional pressure may be added when needed. Pressurized hydrants eliminate much of the work in obtaining water for pumping through the engine and into the attack hoses. Many rural fire engines still rely upon cisterns or other sources for drafting water into the pumps.

Early aerials

Since the late 19th century, means of reaching tall structures have been devised. At first, manually extendable ladders were used; as these grew in length (and weight), they were put onto two large wheels. When carried by fire engines these ladders had the wheels suspended behind the rear of the vehicle, making them a distinctive sight. Before long, the turntable ladder—which was even longer, mechanically extendable, and installed directly onto a fire truck—made its appearance.

The longest turntable ladders have reached a height of 150 feet ( m), requiring the aforementioned «tiller trucks» to carry such ladders.

After the Second World War turntable ladders were supplemented by the aerial work platform (sometimes called «cherry picker»), a platform or bucket attached onto a mechanically bending arm (or «snorkel») installed onto a fire truck.  While these could not reach the height of similar turntable ladders, the platforms could extend into previously unreachable «dead corners» of a burning building.

See also

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• Fire appliances in the United Kingdom

• Fire chief’s vehicle

• Glossary of firefighting terms

• Containerized firefighting equipment

• Jan van der Heyden, improved the design of the fire engine in 1672

• NFPA 1901

References

External links

• The development of United States fire engines

• Detailed examination of two fire trucks

• Large image library and forum with thousands of photos of old and modern fire engines / trucks

• Handtub Junction, USA Website about handtubs in the U.S. including a database of all known apparatus.

• A brief, concise history of fire fighting apparatus

• Video of slowly setting up to pump a restored 1868 Button hand pumper

This article is about a specific type of fire apparatus. For firefighting apparatus in general, see Firefighting apparatus.

A fire engine (also known in some places as a fire truck or fire lorry) is a road vehicle (usually a truck) that functions as a firefighting apparatus. The primary purposes of a fire engine include transporting firefighters and water to an incident as well as carrying equipment for firefighting operations. Some fire engines have specialized functions, such as wildfire suppression and aircraft rescue and firefighting, and may also carry equipment for technical rescue.

Many fire engines are based on commercial vehicle chassis that are further upgraded and customised for firefighting requirements. They are normally fitted with sirens and emergency vehicle lighting, as well as communication equipment such as two-way radios and mobile computer technology.

The terms fire engine and fire truck are often used interchangeably to a broad range of vehicles involved in firefighting; however, in some fire departments they refer to separate and specific types of vehicle.

Design and construction[edit]

The design and construction of fire engines focuses greatly on the use of both active and passive warnings. Passive visual warnings involve the use of high contrast patterns to increase the noticeability of the vehicle. These types of warnings are often seen on older vehicles and those in developing countries.^[1] More modern designs make use of retroreflectors to reflect light from other vehicles. Vehicles will also often have these reflectors arranged in a chevron pattern along with the words fire or rescue.^[1] European countries commonly use a pattern known as Battenburg markings.^[2] Along with the passive warnings, are active visual warnings which are usually in the form of flashing colored lights (also known as «beacons» or «lightbars»). These flash to attract the attention of other drivers as the fire truck approaches, or to provide warning to drivers approaching a parked fire truck in a dangerous position on the road. While the fire truck is headed towards the scene, the lights are always accompanied by loud audible warnings such as sirens and air horns.^[1] Some fire engines in the United States are lime yellow rather than red due to safety and ergonomics reasons. A 2009 study by the U.S. Fire Administration concluded that fluorescent colors, including yellow-green and orange, are easiest to spot in daylight.^[3]

In some regions, a fire engine may be used to transport first responder firefighters, paramedics or EMTs to medical emergencies due to their proximity to the incident.^[4][5]

Types[edit]

Conventional fire engine[edit]

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The standard fire engine transports firefighters to the scene, carries equipment needed by the firefighters for most firefighting scenarios, and may provide a limited supply of water with which to fight the fire. The tools carried on the fire engine will vary greatly based on many factors including the size of the department and the usual situations the firefighters handle. For example, departments located near large bodies of water or rivers are likely to have some sort of water rescue equipment. Standard tools found on nearly all fire engines include ladders, hydraulic rescue tools (often referred to as the jaws of life), floodlights, fire hose, fire extinguishers, self-contained breathing apparatus, and thermal imaging cameras.^[6]

The exact layout of what is carried on an engine is decided by the needs of the department. For example, fire departments located in metropolitan areas will carry equipment to mitigate hazardous materials and effect technical rescues, while departments that operate in the wildland-urban interface will need the gear to deal with brush fires.

Some fire engines have a fixed deluge gun, also known as a master stream, which directs a heavy stream of water to wherever the operator points it. An additional feature of engines are their preconnected hose lines, commonly referred to as preconnects.^[7] The preconnects are attached to the engine’s onboard water supply and allow firefighters to quickly mount an aggressive attack on the fire as soon as they arrive on scene.^[7] When the onboard water supply runs out, the engine is connected to more permanent sources such as fire hydrants or water tenders and can also use natural sources such as rivers or reservoirs by drafting water.

Aerial apparatus[edit]

An aerial apparatus is a fire truck mounted with an extendable boom that enables firefighters to reach high locations. They can provide a high vantage point for spraying water and creating ventilation, an access route for firefighters and an escape route for firefighters and people they have rescued. In North America, aerial apparatuses are used for fire suppression, whereas in Europe, they are used more for rescue.^[8][9]

Turntable ladder[edit]

A turntable ladder (TL) is an aerial apparatus with a large ladder mounted on a pivot which resembles a turntable, giving it its name. The key functions of a turntable ladder are allowing access or egress of firefighters and fire victims at height, providing a high-level water point for firefighting (elevated master stream), and providing a platform from which tasks such as ventilation or overhaul can be executed.

To increase its length and reach, the ladder is often telescoping. Modern telescopic ladders may be hydraulic or pneumatic. These mechanical features allow the use of ladders which are longer, sturdier, and more stable. They may also have pre-attached hoses or other equipment.

The pivot can be mounted at the rear of the chassis or in the middle, just behind the cab. The latter is sometimes called a «mid-ship» arrangement, and it allows a lower travel height for the truck.

While the traditional characteristic of a TL was a lack of water pumping or storage, many modern TLs have a water pumping function built in (and some have their own on-board supply reservoir). Some may have piping along the ladder to supply water to firefighters at the top of the ladder, and some of these may also have a monitor installed at the top. Other appliances may simply have a track-way to securely hold a manually-run hose reel.

In the United States, turntable ladders with additional functions such as an onboard pump, a water tank, fire hose, aerial ladder and multiple ground ladders, are known as quad or quint engines, indicating the number of functions they perform.^[10]

The highest TL in the world is the Magirus M68L, with a range of 68 meters (223.1 ft).^[11]

Tiller truck[edit]

In the United States, a tiller truck, also known as a tractor-drawn aerial, tiller ladder, or hook-and-ladder truck, is a specialized turntable ladder mounted on a semi-trailer truck. Unlike a commercial semi, the trailer and tractor are permanently combined and special tools are required to separate them. It has two drivers, with separate steering wheels for front and rear wheels.^[12]

One of the main features of the tiller-truck is its enhanced maneuverability.^[13] The independent steering of the front and back wheels allow the tiller to make much sharper turns, which is particularly helpful on narrow streets and in apartment complexes with maze-like roads.^[12] An additional feature of the tiller-truck is that its overall length, over 50 feet (15 m) for most models, allows for additional storage of tools and equipment.^[13] The extreme length gives compartment capacities that range between 500 and 650 cubic feet (14 and 18 m³) in the trailer with an additional 40 and 60 cubic feet (1.1 and 1.7 m³) in the cab.^[13]

Some departments elect to use tiller-quints, which are tiller trucks that have the added feature of being fitted with an on-board water tank.^[13] These are particularly useful for smaller departments that do not have enough personnel to staff both an engine company and a truck company.^[13]

Platform truck[edit]

A platform truck carries an aerial work platform, also known as a basket or bucket, on the end of a ladder or boom. These platforms can provide a secure place from which a firefighter can operate. Many platforms also allow for rescues to be performed and are outfitted with tie down clips and rappelling arms.^[14]

Some booms are capable of articulating, allowing the arm to bend in one or more places. This allows the platform truck to go «up and over» an obstacle, and is an advantage over the traditional platform ladder, which can only extend in a straight line.

Wildland fire engine[edit]

A wildland fire engine is a specialized fire engine that can negotiate difficult terrain for wildfire suppression. A wildland fire engine is smaller than standard fire engines and has a higher ground clearance. They may also respond to emergencies in rough terrain where other vehicles cannot respond. Many wildland engines feature four-wheel drive capability to improve hill climbing and rough terrain capability.^[15] Some wildland apparatus can pump water while driving (compared to some traditional engines which must be stationary to pump water), allowing «mobile attacks» on vegetation fires to minimize the rate of spread.^[16]

Fire departments that serve areas along the wildland–urban interface have to be able to tackle traditional urban fires as well as wildland fires.^[17] Departments in these areas often use a wildland-urban interface engine, which combine features of a standard fire engine with that of a wildland fire engine.^{[18][better source needed]}

Water tender[edit]

A water tender is a specialist fire appliance with the primary purpose of transporting large amounts of water to the fire area to make it available for extinguishing operations. These are especially useful in rural areas where fire hydrants are not readily available and natural water resources are insufficient or difficult to exploit.

Most tankers have an on-board pumping system. This pump is often not of sufficient power to fight fires (as it is designed to be attached to a fire engine), but is more often used to draw water into the tender from hydrants or other water sources. Many tankers are equipped with fast-drain valves on the sides and back of the truck. This allows firefighters to empty thousands of gallons of water into a portable water tank in just a few seconds.

Most water tenders are designed to carry loads of 5,000–12,000 litres (1,100–2,600 imp gal).^[19]

Airport crash tender[edit]

An airport crash tender is a specialized fire engine designed for use at aerodromes in aircraft accidents.^[20] Some of the features that make the airport crash tender unique are its ability to move on rough terrain outside the runway and airport area, large water capacity as well as a foam tank, a high-capacity pump, and water/foam monitors. Newer airport crash tenders also incorporate twin agent nozzles/injection systems that add dry chemical fire retardant (such as Purple-K) to create a stream of firefighting foam which is able to stop the fire faster.^[21] Some also have gaseous fire suppression tanks for electrical fires. These features give the airport crash tenders a capability to reach an airplane rapidly, and rapidly extinguish large fires with jet fuel involved.

Other vehicles[edit]

Other vehicles that are used by fire departments but may not be directly involved in firefighting may include

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History[edit]

An early device used to squirt water onto a fire was known as a squirt or fire syringe. Hand squirts and hand pumps are noted before Ctesibius of Alexandria invented the first fire pump around the 2nd century B.C.,^[22] and an example of a force-pump possibly used for a fire-engine is mentioned by Heron of Alexandria.

In 1650, Hans Hautsch built a fire engine with a compressed air vessel. On each side 14 men worked a piston rod back and forth in a horizontal direction. The air vessel, a type of pressure tank, issued an even stream despite the backward motion of the piston. This was made possible by a rotating pipe mounted on the hose which allowed the jet to reach heights up to 20 m (65.6 ft). Caspar Schott observed Hautsch’s fire engine in 1655 and wrote an account of it in his Magia Universalis.^[23]

Colonial laws in America required each house to have a bucket of water on the front stoop in preparation for fires at night. These buckets were intended for use by the initial bucket brigade that would supply the water at fires. Philadelphia obtained a hand-pumped fire engine in 1719, years after Boston’s 1654 model appeared there, made by Joseph Jenckes Sr., but before New York’s two engines arrived from London.

By 1730, Richard Newsham, in London, had made successful fire engines. He also invented those first used in New York City in 1731 where the amount of manpower and skill necessary for firefighting prompted Benjamin Franklin to found an organized fire company in 1737. Thomas Lote built the first fire engine made in America in 1743. These earliest engines are called hand tubs because they are manually (hand) powered and the water was supplied by a bucket brigade dumping it into a tub (cistern) where the pump had a permanent intake pipe.

An important advancement around 1822 was the invention of an engine which could draft water from a water source. This rendered the bucket brigade obsolete. In 1822, a Philadelphia-based manufacturing company called Sellers and Pennock made a model called «The Hydraulion». It is said to be the first suction engine.^[24] Some models had the hard, suction hose fixed to the intake and curled up over the apparatus known as a squirrel tail engine.

The earliest engines were small and were either carried by four men, or mounted on skids and dragged to a fire. As the engines grew larger they became horse-drawn and later self-propelled by steam engines.^[25]

Until the mid-19th century, most fire engines were maneuvered by men, but the introduction of horse-drawn fire engines considerably improved the response time to incidents. The first self-propelled steam pumper fire engine was built in New York in 1841. Unfortunately for the manufacturers, some firefighters sabotaged the device and its use of the first engine was discontinued. However, the need and the utility of power equipment ensured the success of the steam pumper well into the twentieth century. Many cities and towns around the world bought the steam fire engines.

Motorised fire engines date back to January 1897, when the Prefect of Police in Paris applied for funds to purchase «a machine worked by petroleum for the traction of a fire-engine, ladders, and so forth and for the conveyance of the necessary staff of pompiers».^[26] With great prescience the report states «If the experiment prove successful, as is anticipated, horses will eventually be entirely replaced by automobiles». This was, indeed, the case and motorised fire engines became commonplace by the early 20th century. By 1905, the idea of combining gas engine motor trucks into fire engines was attracting great attention; according to a Popular Mechanics article in that year,^[27] such trucks were rapidly gaining popularity in England. That same year, the Knox Automobile Company of Springfield, Massachusetts, began selling what some^[28] have described as the world’s first modern fire engine. A year later, the city of Springfield, Illinois, had filled their fire department with Knox engines. Another early motorized fire engine was developed by Peter Pirsch and Sons of Kenosha, Wisconsin.^[29]

For many years firefighters sat on the sides of the fire engines, or even stood on the rear of the vehicles, exposed to the elements. This arrangement was uncomfortable and dangerous (some firefighters were thrown to their deaths when their fire engines made sharp turns on the road), and today nearly all fire engines have fully enclosed seating areas for their crews.

Early pumpers[edit]

Early pumpers used cisterns as a source of water. Water was later put into wooden pipes under the streets and a «fire plug» was pulled out of the top of the pipe when a suction hose was to be inserted. Later systems incorporated pressurized fire hydrants, where the pressure was increased when a fire alarm was sounded. This was found to be harmful to the system and unreliable. Today’s valved hydrant systems are kept under pressure at all times, although additional pressure may be added when needed. Pressurized hydrants eliminate much of the work in obtaining water for pumping through the engine and into the attack hoses. Many rural fire engines still rely upon cisterns or other sources for drafting water into the pumps. Steam pumper came in to use in the 1850s.

Early aerials[edit]

In the late 19th century, means of reaching tall structures were devised. At first, manually extendable ladders were used; as these grew in length (and weight), they were put onto two large wheels. When carried by fire engines these wheeled escape ladders had the wheels suspended behind the rear of the vehicle, making them a distinctive sight. Before long, turntable ladders—which were even longer, mechanically extendable, and installed directly onto fire trucks—made their appearances.

After the Second World War turntable ladders were supplemented by the aerial work platform (sometimes called «cherry picker»), a platform or bucket attached onto a mechanically bending arm (or «snorkel») installed onto a fire truck. While these could not reach the height of similar turntable ladders, the platforms could extend into previously unreachable «dead corners» of a burning building.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• The development of United States fire engines
• Detailed examination of two fire trucks
• A brief, concise history of fire fighting apparatus
• Animagraffs: How a Fire Engine Works — video tour of a standard pumper truck, illustrated with cross-sectional graphics for all subsystems

The modern day fire truck is typically associated with blazing lights, blaring sirens, and the huge cascade of water. One of the biggest, most prominent indications of a fire scene is the super large size and red colored fire truck. What started off as a mere water pump placed on wagon wheels has now transformed into a proper vehicle carrying all the essential equipment like ladders, power tools and rescue gear as the vehicle moves from the fire station to the fire scene.

The term fire truck is often used interchangeably with another term that is ‘fire engine’ by quite a few people in different territories, when referring to the act of firefighting. However, this has become quite a debate nowadays because there are still many fire departments and fire services where people refer to separate and distinctive types of vehicle or fire apparatuses when they talk about fire trucks and fire engines.

So, is a fire truck the same thing as a fire engine or are there unique differences between the two?

Fire Truck vs. Fire Engine

Whenever there is a fire reported at any possible location, be it a restaurant, a residential building, or a factory, you are likely to see a large red vehicle, more like a four wheel drive that is constantly honking its horns, blaring its sirens and moving as fast as it can to the location of the fire scene.

As you move out of the way and perhaps, drive your car towards the side of the road in order to give space to the red vehicle, you might wonder to yourself or ask those who are with you, what that vehicle really is. Is it a fire truck or is it a fire engine?

Although both are firefighting specialized equipment or firefighting apparatus used by the fire departments all over the world whose primary purpose is to offer fire protection, they do serve different purposes.

Fire Engine

Initially, the word ‘engine’ was used exclusively to refer to a ‘pump’ which is basically one of the most important tools for getting a large water supply to a particular fire scene. Eventually, the term underwent a major transformation and is now called a ‘fire engine’ which is simply described as a rescue vehicle or a firefighting apparatus of the fire department that pump water from their large water tank.

Also less commonly referred to as a “pumper”, a fire engine is the first vehicle that you see arriving at a possible fire scene. A typical fire engine consists of a water tank, a water pump, hundreds or sometimes even thousands of feet of powerful hoses and some extra materials nozzles and tools in for the hoses to function efficiently and properly. In old school terminology, a fire engine was called a ‘triple combination rig’ since it consisted the three key elements that are a water pump, a water tank and huge hoses.

The water tank usually contains hundreds of gallons of water which is the main water source used by the firefighters to help extinguish the fire. They keep using this to create a powerful stream of water until they are able to connect to a fire hydrant which is water connection point that helps them tap into another water supply. Needless to say, fire hydrants are a very vital part of active fire protection.

Fire Truck

On the other hand, a fire truck is like an auxiliary vehicle that helps transport the team of firefighters from the fire station to the fire scene, along with all the necessary supplementary equipment. These typically include ladders like a ground ladder and an aerial ladder, first aid, and protective gear.

Sometimes, the trucks also carry breathing apparatus including a snorkel to help the victims of the fire. While the primary purpose of the fire engine is to effectively contain and extinguish the fire, the fire truck is more focused towards rescuing people from the fire scene, saving lives, ventilating the building or location, and providing any emergency first aid or medical treatment to the affected victims.

Since fires are known to be extremely unpredictable and have a tendency to spiral out of control, fire engines are immediately followed by fire trucks carrying ample emergency equipment including breathing masks, chainsaws, fans and strong lights. This extra precaution is extremely necessary given that an unforeseen situation occurs like a fire explosion or that there are people trapped inside the building.

The main distinguishing factor that separates the truck from the engine is that the former is the actual rig with a big ladder. This is what gives fire trucks their true distinction. It is specialized equipment that is called out for structure fires and similar situations that require extra manpower and emergency firefighting gear.

The History of the Fire Truck

There is no doubt about the fact that fires are as old as the entire human civilization which is why communities and societies have always felt the need to come up with organized ways to protect themselves  from unpredictable fires.

Also, considering how the world itself and populations have expanded so rapidly with rural areas and urban areas becoming so densely-packed the need to come up with fire protection strategies at a civic level had increased a great deal. This was particularly evident during the formation of numerous American colonies when people realized that something had to be done to protect the new settlements from getting destroyed by these fires.

Water Pumps on Wagon Wheels

The first ever fire apparatus that came into existence was the pumps-on-wheels equipment which basically included a water supply pump that was mounted on to a wooden chassis. There was also a large lever attached to this framework whose main purpose was to provide a place to the firefighters to rest their feet.

Although pumps on their own had existed since Roman times, they proved to be slightly difficult when used to for the purpose of fire extinguishing. This is primarily because most of the early types of pumps simply spurted water than spraying it which made it quite challenging to generate an adequate stream of water. This equipment was called “bucket brigades” back then and was even used to put out fires in Europe.

Horse-Drawn Pumpers

Soon enough, as a result of the technological advancements post-Industrial Revolution, the pumps-on-wheels apparatus was replaced by horse-drawn steam pumper. Groups of horses were used to pull steam trucks in order to pump water at the fire scene.

This went on from the 1840s all the way until the First World War, especially in the United States. There were large horses that pulled heavy steam-powered fire trucks along with a team of three to four men who had to be present at the scene in order to operate the pump.

Gasoline Engines

While horse-led steam trucks did solve quite a few issues, there were still big problems faced by firefighters in terms of logistics. The large teams of horses had to be watered, fed and stable which proved to be quite time-consuming and costly.

With the advent of the 19^th century, these horse-driven trucks were taken over by gasoline engines. From the First World War until the 1920s, gasoline engines were used to power the fire trucks. A gradual increase in efficiency was noticed by people as gasoline completely superseded the use of steam. These engines proved to be faster and more efficient than horse-drawn steam powered trucks because the water pumps were much better able to create a powerful stream of water.

Modern Fire Trucks

The fire trucks that you see now in the current modern age are mainly the result of ladder trucks that were developed in the first half of the twentieth century. These trucks were specially created because American cities were expanding both upwards and outwards rapidly and one of their most defining features during that century was the growth of the skyscraper. The civic fighters of the United States sensed an imminent need for a firefighting apparatus that was durable, effective and ensured ultimate protection. The fires were also more common at greater heights which strongly called out for a ladder truck.

A pivotal invention that incorporated the ladder technology was the “Hayes Ladder” which was very different from the previously used traditional kind of ladders. The main difference was that this one had the ladder mounted to the truck with a spring mechanism that allowed firefighters to raise or elevate the ladder at tall buildings.

This further allowed them to rescue people from upper-level windows and even enter the building from a particular height. This particular fire equipment gained significant popularity throughout the United States and the idea of a ladder mounted to the fire trucks was carried forward to the 21^st century, resulting in the much-similar modern-day fire truck.

Ever since the idea of using a fire truck was formulated for fire protection, it has undergone several transformations that have resulted in a variety of different types of fire trucks. Some of these are still used quite commonly while others have faced great decline in their popularity.

Conventional Fire Truck

This is a standard type of fire truck with an engine which has been mainly developed for firefighting operations. It serves the purpose of taking the firefighters to the fire scene as well as carrying essential tools, hoses and equipment to the scene along with a limited water supply.

The kind of tools carried by the conventional fire apparatus greatly on factors like the size of the vehicle and the type of terrain it has to handle. The latter can range from rugged or rough terrain to a smoother one.

Some of the most fire equipment includes fire extinguishers, ladders, breathing apparatus, hydraulic rescue tools, thermal imaging cameras and floodlights. They may even carry extra materials and things in regards to the cleanup or removal of hazardous materials from the fire scene.

There are also variations within the conventional types of fire trucks where some even contain a fixed deluge gun, also referred to as a ‘master stream’. The primary purpose of this gun is to release a heavy stream of water when it is directed to a particular spot. When this onboard water stream runs out, the engine is connected to external and more permanent sources of water such as fire hydrants or water tenders.

Pumper Truck

These are one of the most commonly used fire apparatus by most fire departments and are also often called ‘triple combination pumpers’. They are similar to wagons and are typically fitted with a hose body, fire pump and a water tank. A pumper is seen at any fire scene where it is basically used to provide firefighters with important tools to help contain the fire and also to save the victims.

Turntable Ladder Truck

This is a special aerial apparatus that makes use of a large telescopic ladder in order to gain access to those areas that are at quite a height. The unique name of this fire truck comes from the fact that there is a turntable present at the back of the truck which mounts a large ladder. The turntable allows the ladder to pivot which makes it easier to spray water in the desired direction.

Many modern day turntable ladders come with a built-in water function where some consist of a pre-piped waterway that extends all the way across the ladder while the others have an on-board supply reservoir. They also often carry out other functions by holding a number of additional tools like an aerial ladder, onboard pump, fire hose and a quad.

Heavy Rescue Vehicle

As the name suggests, this type of fire apparatus is specialty equipment that is used for technical rescue operations. It is sometimes referred to as ‘rescue squad’ which is one of the reasons why you will often see heavy rescue vehicles not only at a fire scene, but also in massive traffic collisions, swift-water rescues and in building collapses.

Tiller Truck

A specialized ladder truck, the tiller truck is a firefighting apparatus that has a turntable ladder attached to a semi-trailer truck. It is like a hybrid version that uses both trailer and tractor. Interestingly though, it has two drivers, along with separate steering wheels for both the front and rear wheels.

This division between the two gives the tiller truck the incredible ability to maneuver quite efficiently, which is one of its main features. This results in sharper turns, especially in maze-like roads and narrow streets. Another great feature of the tiller truck is its length that often crosses over 50 feet. This creates additional space in the truck for carrying fire-related necessary tools and equipment.

A variation of the tiller truck is tiller-quint which is a kind of truck that has an added on-board water tank fitted in the main vehicle.

Wildland Fire Engines

The main purpose or intention behind Wildland fire engines is to be able to maneuver on rough, challenging terrains, coupled with a high clearance for suspension and wheels. These are types of fire trucks that are used instead of the regular conventional trucks to combat fires in difficult hills and mountains.

Most of these vehicles feature a four wheel drive that performs really well in rough terrain areas. Compared to traditional types of fire apparatus, Wildland fire engines have the ability to pump water while driving that greatly allows them to run attacks on vegetation fires in order to prevent them from spreading rapidly. Vegetation fires can have a devastating tendency to spread really quickly that ends up destroying far too many plants, crops and trees. This is why Wildland fire engines are ideal for firefighting in such areas.

Quints

This fire apparatus is one of those misunderstood fire truck with a bit of controversy attached to it. Quint carries out five key functions, two of which are that it carries a pump as well as an aerial device on a single vehicle. It further performs other tactical firefighting functions such as: providing master stream to fire fighters including pump and hose, giving them an access to elevated areas with the help of aerial devices and ground ladder and lastly, ensuring a continuous supply of water through its water tanks and pumps.

A-Wagon

Commonly referred to as a hazardous materials apparatus, A-Wagon is a special vehicle that is used to fight brush fires and grass fires. The specialize name of this fire apparatus is due to the fact one upon a time, these vehicles consisted of separate auxiliary motors that released water from the pump. This suggests that the motor could allow the vehicle to roll and pump both at quite the same time.

Water Tenders

These are often described as mobile water supply apparatus that are primarily designed to pick, transport, and deliver water to emergency fire scenes. Most of these vehicles have quite a basic and simple design and they usually don’t come with a pump since their main function or purpose is to have a proper water supply. Water tenders are not meant for off-road use since they are a two-wheel drive and are generally operated by one or two firefighters.

Main Components of a Fire Truck

When you look at a fire truck from afar, all you can really see is the bright red color, elevated ladders mounted on the main department of the vehicle and perhaps, water pumps generating never-ending sprays of water. However, if you look closely, or perhaps, ever get an opportunity to sit inside a fire truck, you will realize that is apparently simple and huge vehicle has so much more to it.

A fire truck consists of some key elements and components, each of which is extremely vital and serves a very important and a unique function.

These are some of the most basic and most important components of a fire struck.

Gripped Steps

Every fire truck has a series of gripped steps that allow firefighters to move around the vehicle with ease and convenience.

Flood Lights

These are high-intensity artificial lights that provide a great source of illumination especially during the night when there is a fire scene in the dark.

Reference Books

As they say, true learning never stops and similarly in this case, most fire trucks are equipped with references books on firefighting that firefighters can take help from, or refer to in times of confusion or when they want to make sure of something.

Ventilator Fans

As the name suggests, these are used at the fire scenes to circulate air and provide adequate ventilation. They basically create a movement of the air in order to disperse fumes from the fire.

Aerial Ladder

This is essential for commercial fires where it can reach up to 105 feet. It often comes with a master stream hose and the ladder is raised towards the building with the help of a hydraulic piston rod.

Hoses

These are large flexible hollow tubes that are mounted on the top of the fire trucks and are able to release a thousand gallons of water per minute.

Pump Panel

Another important component, the pump panel helps control or restrain the flow and pressure of the water-spraying hoses. The fire fighters need years of practice in order to be able to operate the pump penal efficiently and effectively.

Air Tanks

These are generally portable, easy-to-use units that allow you to store in compressed air which is much-needed especially at a fire scene. Firefighters can also fill these tanks with breathing gases that can provide immediate aid to the fire victims.

Radio Systems

Needless to say, radio systems are one of the most essential pieces of public safety equipment. These are in-built within the fire truck vehicle and are used to communicate with the backend team at the main fire department.

Now that you know the main differences between a fire truck and fire engine, you are likely to be able to tell the two apart the next time you see them at any fire scene!