Transcript Apparatus Familiarization & Inspection

Apparatus Familiarization
Apparatus Familiarization
During this presentation we are going define and
become more familiar with:
• Various types of fire apparatus.
• Various types of aerial apparatus components
and their function.
• Various equipment found on many fire
apparatus.
Apparatus Familiarization
In the second half of the presentation we will look
at inspecting and maintaining of our apparatus.
Often check-out sheets are not filled out or do
not even exist. This is probably because it is not
a fun and exciting task. Yet, this is one of the
most important functions a department should
pay attention too.
**Chiefs beware that you and your officer core
could be held liable if someone gets hurt or
killed due to an apparatus not being well
maintained and regularly inspected.
Apparatus Familiarization
Pumpers
• Fire department Engines (also called pumper,
pump, or wagon) are the most common of all
apparatus.
• The pumper’s main purpose is to supply water
and hose to for fire suppression.
• They must have a 750 gpm pump to qualify as a
pumper.
• Rarely will you find an engine with a pump larger
than 2000 gpm in the municipal setting. It is not
uncommon, however, for industrial pumpers to
be capable of 2000-3500 gpm.
Apparatus Familiarization
Initial Attack Fire Apparatus
There are two different types of these apparatus,
the mini-pumper and the midi-pumper.
• The mini-pumper is designed to handle small
fires or fires in remote locations. These trucks
are normally mounted on one ton truck chassis
equipped with four wheel drive for off road
effectiveness. Pumps 500 gpm and smaller are
usually used in combination with a foam system.
Apparatus Familiarization
Initial Attack Fire Apparatus
• The midi-pumper is sometimes called an
interface engine. This type of unit is very
prevalent in California. It will customarily have a
500-1000 gpm pump and be mount on a larger
chassis such as an 12K GVW International or
Freightliner. In many cases these units carry the
same equipment as a class A pumper.
Apparatus Familiarization
Mobile Water Supply Apparatus
According to NFPA 1901 an apparatus must carry a minimum of 1000 gallons
to be considered a Tender. Tankers/Tenders are utilized to transport water
to remote areas with limited water sources and support the pumper
operations on the fire scene.
When writing specs for a tanker the follow list of items should be considered:
• Adequate, but reasonable, water tank size.
– Bigger not always better
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Adequate fill rate time.
Adequate dump rate.
Adequate suspension and steering.
Properly sized chassis.
Properly sized engine for tank size and terrain.
***Sufficient Braking ability.***
Proper tank mounting.
Proper tank baffling and venting.
Ability to dump water from either side or the rear.
Apparatus Familiarization
Mobile Water Supply Apparatus
Please consider the following information when evaluating the use of a
surplus military chassis or surplus gasoline tanker for your next
tanker. These chassis were not designed to carry the weight of the
water that will be placed on them.
**Very Important**
Water weighs 8.33 pounds per gallon.
Gasoline weighs 5.6 pounds per gallon
So, when you are looking at converting a 3000 gallon gasoline tanker to a
water tanker, this is what you are going to be doing.
A gasoline tanker designed to carry a payload of (3000*5.6=) 16,800lbs.
To make it a water tanker, it will then have to carry a payload of (3000*8.33=)
24,990 lbs.
This a difference of 8200 lbs.
Apparatus Familiarization
Mobile Water Supply Apparatus
With all the grant money available today through
the TFS and FEMA grant programs, we should
no longer even consider this type of homemade
apparatus.
These units are hands down the most dangerous
of all apparatus that we drive. It takes a lot of
“Behind the wheel training time” to become
proficient and safe driving these heavy vehicles.
Apparatus Familiarization
Mobile Water Supply Apparatus
Case and Point
Read the following report;
then consider the safety of your
apparatus and crew members.
Apparatus Familiarization
Mobile Water Supply Apparatus
STATE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE
Firefighter Fatality Investigation
Investigation Number 06-139-11
Firefighter Clint Dewayne Rice
Carlton Volunteer Fire Department
November 22, 2005
Texas Department of Insurance Austin, Texas
Apparatus Familiarization
Mobile Water Supply Apparatus
Click on the name below. Please read the
entire report.
Clint Dewayne Rice
» STATE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE
• Firefighter Fatality Investigation
» Investigation Number 06-139-11
» Firefighter Clint Dewayne Rice
» Carlton Volunteer Fire Department November 22,
2005
Texas Department of Insurance Austin,
Texas
STATE FIRE MARSHAL’S OFFICE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF
INSURANCE AUSTIN, TEXAS
Firefighter Fatality Investigation
Firefighter Clint Dewayne Rice
Carlton Volunteer Fire Department
Summary
Firefighter Clint Dewayne Rice, age 28, died in a motor vehicle
incident while driving a tractor-trailer water tender to a wildfire in
Hamilton County on November 22, 2005. Firefighter Rice was a
member of the Carlton Volunteer Fire Department (CVFD).
CVFD was providing mutual aid to the Hamilton, Texas fire
department in fighting a large grass fire. Firefighter Rice lost control
of his vehicle while rounding a turn on Farm-to-Market Road 219,
causing the truck to overturn.
Rice was ejected from the truck cab and was pronounced dead at
the scene. He was not wearing a seat belt.
Firefighter Rice served in the Carlton Volunteer Fire Department for
three months. He is survived by his wife.
Building Structure and Systems
No structures were reported involved in the wildfire.
Investigation of the Death of the Firefighter
On November 22, 2005 at approximately 2:10 PM, the Hamilton
County Sheriff’s Office notified the Carlton Volunteer Fire
Department (CVFD) that the Hamilton Fire Department had
requested assistance with a large wildfire six miles west of
Hamilton on Highway 36.
Unit 612, a modified military 6-wheel drive brush truck, driven by
Firefighter James Rice, departed the CVFD station enroute to
the fire. Firefighter Clint Rice departed shortly thereafter in Unit
610, a 1979 Freightliner cabover tractor-trailer water tender.
CVFD purchased the Freightliner tractor of Unit 610 in 1996.
The tank trailer of Unit 610 was a 1968 Heil 5000-gallon fuel
tanker obtained from the Federal Excess Personal Property
(FEPP) program administered by the Texas Forest Service.
CVFD converted the former M131A5 military fuel tank trailer to a
water tender, modified the tank compartment dividers into
baffles, and installed additional equipment including a water
pump, hose, and fittings.
Approximately 2.5 miles from the CVFD station on Farm-toMarket Road 219, Unit 610 passed a diamond left curve sign
with a 40 mph speed advisory sign attached
FM 219 approaching the incident
scene in the direction of travel of
Unit 610.
Warning chevrons delineated the curve. The asphalt roadway
was dry, in good condition, and had a slight downhill grade
continuing into a banked left curve. The incident occurred during
daylight hours.
The right side tires of Unit 610 left the roadway at the transition
of the straight road into the curve, .17 miles after passing the
curve warning sign. Tire marks indicated that Firefighter Rice
attempted to steer Unit 610 around the curve.
As Unit 610 approached the apex of the curve, the slope of the
shoulder, combined with lateral movement of water in the cargo
tank, began to lift the left side tires of the cargo tank off the
pavement.
Path of right tires of tractor-trailer.
The weight transfer and body lean caused the cargo tank
to roll onto its right side, pulling the truck tractor in turn
onto its right side. The cargo tank slid down the shoulder
and rolled onto its top. This continuing
The passenger side door of the truck tractor tore away
from the truck cab during the rollover. The rollover
continued with the cargo tank rolling onto its left side,
pulling the truck tractor over onto its left side, tearing
away the driver’s door.
During the rollover, the truck cab roof was sheared
away just above the dashboard. Firefighter Rice, who
was not wearing the driver’s seat safety belt, was ejected
from the truck cab and landed on the right hand lane of
the roadway, approximately 30 feet from the final resting
point of the truck cab.
As the tractor-trailer combination came to rest in a field, the truck tractor
rolled back upright onto its wheels. The cargo tank rollover pulled the
truck tractor onto its top.
The vehicle traveled approximately 330 feet from the point the first tire left the
roadway.
Texas Department of Public Safety trooper Steven Schwartz investigated the
motor vehicle incident and cited “unsafe speed (below legal limit), defective or
slick tires, and defective or no trailer brakes” as contributing factors on his official
report. Trooper Schwartz checked the air pressure in the undamaged tires of Unit
610 and his report states that air pressure in those tires ranged from 30 to 88 psi.
This mix of tire pressures may have adversely affected the handling of the
tractor-trailer water tender.
The military technical and maintenance manual for the M135A5 fuel tank trailer
http://www.tpub.com/content/semis/TM-9-2330-272-14P/index.htm states hard
surface road tire pressure should be 60 psi based on a 48,035 pound gross
trailer weight. This gross trailer weight was based on a 5,000 gallon cargo of fuel
weighing 35,250 pounds. Filling this trailer with 5,000 gallons of water weighing
41,700 pounds, (8.34 pounds/gallon) produces a gross trailer weight of 54,485
pounds.
This is 6,450 pounds over the maximum 48,035-pound gross weight listed on the
information placard on the trailer frame. This does not take into account the
weight of the water pump and any additional equipment installed by CVFD.
Exceeding the gross trailer weight may have an adverse effect on vehicle
handling, braking, and performance and may violate state motor vehicle laws.
Military data plate on frame of tank trailer
The tank trailer originally had two compartments divided by bulkheads. SFMO investigators found that
CVFD modified these bulkheads by cutting large holes in them to facilitate the transfer and discharge of
water. While these modified bulkheads may have served as baffles to control the movement of water
from front to back in the cargo tank, there were no baffles to control the lateral movement of water, which
would tend to affect the handling characteristics of the vehicle as the weight of the water shifted from
side-to-side.
Contributing factors:
The fully loaded cargo tank trailer exceeded the maximum gross weight listed on
the data plate by at least 6,450 pounds.
The existing baffles in the cargo tank were inadequate to control water
movement and subsequent weight shifts.
The tires on the tractor-trailer combination had inconsistent inflation pressures,
some of which were dangerously low.
The Texas Department of Public Safety report cited “defective or no trailer
brakes.”
The overloaded vehicle, combined with unsafe and
inconsistent tire pressures and inadequate water tank baffles
presented an extreme challenge to the driver to maintain
control, even at low speeds.
Recommendation: All fire departments should consider safety
and health as primary concerns in the specification, design,
construction, acquisition, operation, maintenance, inspection,
and repair of all fire department apparatus. Fire departments
should utilize the resources discussed in this report to evaluate
their water tender (tanker) policies.
Texas Transportation Code § 545.351 (Reasonable and Prudent Speed
requirement) NFPA 1500, Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety and
Health Program, Chapter 6.1.1, Quincy, MA: National Fire Protection
Association.
Apparatus Familiarization
Mobile Water Supply Apparatus
How do you feel?
Does it seem like a senseless death?
Who all should share responsibility for this tragic event?
Why are we using these vehicles (death traps)?
We must make certain that Mr. Clint Rice’s death is not forgotten. It is
one thing to have an accident in a vehicle designed for a particular
task, but this was not the case. Please consider the safety of your
department, and make appropriate changes to help avoid another
senseless tragedy, such as Mr. Rice’s. Most importantly do not read
this and say to yourself “That will not happen … we train, or we have
driving policies in place, or whatever … .” If we find ourselves at this
point it is time for us to check our egos!
Apparatus Familiarization
Wildland Apparatus
These units are often known as Brush Trucks and
usually have water tank sizes of less than 500
gallons.
Many of these apparatus have places for
firefighters to ride outside the cab to fight fire.
Both NFPA 1500, Standard on Fire Department
Occupational Safety and Health, and NIOSH
prohibit this practice.
Apparatus Familiarization
Aerial Apparatus
Aerial apparatus can be separated into two categories:
those with pumps and those without. Aerials with
pumps are referred to as ‘Quints’ because of how they
are equipped …
1) Aerial device with permanently attached waterway,
2) 85 feet of ground ladders,
3) Fire pump of at least 1000 GPM,
4) Water tank of at least 300 gallons,
5) 800 feet of 2 ½” or larger supply hose and 400 feet of
attack hose.
Quint
Apparatus Familiarization
Aerial Apparatus
NFPA 1901 classifies aerial devices into three basic
categories:
Aerial ladders
Elevated platforms
and Water towers
For those of us in the service we probably recognize about
five different types of aerial apparatus: Aerial ladders
(Straight stick), Aerial ladder platforms, Telescoping
aerial platforms, Articulating aerial platforms, and Water
towers.
Apparatus Familiarization
Aerial Ladders
Aerial ladders are the most common type of aerial
apparatus used in North America. The ladders of these
apparatus range from 50 to 135 feet in height. This
height is measured from the ground to the top rung when
the ladder is fully elevated and fully extended.
NFPA 1901 states that aerial ladders must have at least
two sections and a minimum reach of 50 feet.
The bottom section of the aerial ladder is referred to as the
base (or bed) section. The second and subsequent
sections that extend beyond the base section are called
the fly sections.
Apparatus Familiarization
Aerial Ladders
NFPA 1901 also requires aerial ladders with a working
height of 110 feet or less, with stabilizers set, should be
able to be raised from the bedded position to its
maximum elevation and extension and rotate 90 degrees
in just 120 seconds.
Aerial ladders with heights greater than 110 feet are
allowed 180 seconds to perform the same evolution.
All aerial ladders manufactured since 1991 must have a
minimum tip load of 250 pounds when the ladder is fully
extended at any elevation.
Apparatus Familiarization
Aerial Apparatus Components
The first system we are going to look at is the stabilizing
system. Hydraulics control most all modern aerial
apparatus stabilizing systems.
The stabilizers are to be deployed every time the aerial
device is to raised from its bed. These stabilizers are
used to prevent the apparatus from tipping over when
the aerial device is raised and maneuvered.
The purpose of the stabilizer systems is to remove the
weight of the apparatus from the suspension. This
makes the apparatus more stable and does not allow for
any give within the apparatus chassis.
Apparatus Familiarization
Aerial Apparatus Components
The second system using hydraulics is the
elevating cylinders. The function of the hoisting
cylinders is to raise and lower the aerial device.
These cylinders attach to the aerial device at
one end and the turntable at the other. Integral
safety valves lock and hold oil in the cylinder in
the event of a leak or a blowout.
Apparatus Familiarization
Aerial Apparatus Components
The third component using the hydraulic system is the
extension cylinders.
Typically two cylinders are used to extend the aerial device.
They are mounted to the base section of the ladder and
are used in conjunction with a series of pulleys and
cables that, in turn, extend the fly sections.
The cable and pulley system is very efficient its ability to
extend the fly sections. The extension cylinders can
extend a 100 foot aerial device with as little as about 96”
of stroke.
Apparatus Familiarization
Aerial Apparatus Components
The turntable is also controlled by the hydraulic
system.
The turntable is where the aerial device attaches
to the apparatus base. It is this component that
allows for the ladder to be rotated left and right.
Hydraulics can be used to manipulate the motor
that drives a gear that spins around the
turntable.
Apparatus Familiarization
Apparatus Equipment
NFPA 1901 specifies the required amount of
equipment to be carried on aerial apparatus.
This is a rather long and specific list.
Future presentations will only look at a few very
common pieces: ground ladders, forcible entry
equipment, ventilation equipment, and salvage &
loss control equipment. These are some of the
most common pieces of equipment carried on
both aerial and pumping apparatus.
Apparatus Familiarization
Summary
Our goal as driver operators is to be familiar
with and know the capabilities of our
apparatus, just as a pilot would be with a
plane. We will cover in more detail the
specifics of your department’s apparatus
during the day of hands-on training.