Surprisingly, their answer was 75 to 80 percent of the aerial apparatus being built were quints, or aerial devices with some type of firefighting capabilities-e. The quint seems to be the truck company of the suburban fire department.
As suburban areas begin to grow, so too do their fire departments. The quint is a good stepping stone to traditional truck company operations for a growing organization.
In my department, we started staffing a quint around out of necessity to staff a station because the department did not have an extra engine to house there. We made our quint, with limited compartmentation and ground ladders, work for us by adding additional compartments and mounting some of our equipment e. What we learned was the apparatus did not define our operations. Our attitude concerning fireground operations did.
Some larger municipal departments have left their traditional truck company configurations for the quints. Most notably are St. Do these departments see some of the same issues smaller suburban departments do? The larger department can have the first quint position and work as an engine while the second quint positions as a truck company. Obviously, this works; otherwise, St. Louis and other TQC organizations would not have implemented such a program. There still remains the issue of limited fire attack capabilities with quints and their minimum ground ladder complements.
First, if your department is fortunate to be able to specify and design something that meets the needs of the organization, take the time and effort to do so. Consider looking at a tractor drawn aerial TDA if your staffing and training allow. The TDA will allow you to have suppression functions without impacting compartmentation and ground ladder storage capabilities.
Second, develop operational guidelines that outline the expectations of the quint on the fireground for specific occupancies and order of arrival. Functioning as an engine at single-story residences is reasonable. The ability to package both a ladder and pumper engine together means that a fire department can buy one vehicle instead of two.
But keep in mind, there is more to consider than just the firefighting tools at your disposal. Determining if a quint fire truck is right for your department starts with understanding your department's needs and mission as well as the personnel available to operate the apparatus. By determining the functionality and tools you require, your fire department can understand if a quint is the best option to meet the needs of your community.
Another vital issue to keep in mind is staffing. And remember, crew members will need to be cross-trained in both engine and ladder company functions. A test drive can help you determine how the various models will operate in your coverage area. Focus on the tallest structures and areas where the buildings are set back farthest from the road.
These considerations will help you design and develop the best unit for your department. The quint fire truck includes a Hale Midship pump and a gallon water tank that can pump GPM.
If you decide to purchase a quint fire truck, Pierce Manufacturing is here to meet your needs. Pierce developed the foot aerial ladder to increase the horizontal reach to over feet, giving staff a full operational advantage when fighting fires with larger setbacks while still meeting the equipment requirements for a quint.
Quint trucks are also available with both rear-mount platform and mid-mount platforms. At Pierce, we are proud to offer the quint to meet the requirements of fie departments across the country and around the world. Products include custom and commercial pumpers, aerials, rescue trucks, wildland trucks, mini pumpers, elliptical tankers, and homeland security apparatus.
In addition, Pierce designs its own foam systems and was the first company to introduce frontal airbags and the Side Roll Protection system to fire apparatus. To learn more about Pierce, visit www. For more information, visit oshkoshcorp. Registered Trademark of Pierce Manufacturing Inc. What is a Quint Fire Truck? August 10, If it sounds like you can have it all and cover more bases with just one fire apparatus, you can — with the functionality and value of the HME Quint.
The HME Quint provides aerial ladder options ranging from feet to over feet, in two, three or four-sections, combined with advanced soft touch and envelope controls for easy operation.
It has been designed smart and built tough to deliver both full aerial and pumper performance in one economical fire apparatus. With aerial ladder options and chassis lengths, the HME Quint can be built to answer specific needs for maneuverability and power.
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