Apparatus updates by Jack Lerch

Re-printed from Fire Apparatus Journal July-Aug 2002


ALL BUT THREE OF THE APPARATUS destroyed at the World Trade Center Attack have been replaced. The three exceptions are Satellite I and the two High-Rise units. Their replacements, being built by Saulsbury on donated Mack MR chassis, are expected shortly.

American LaFrance has delivered a heavy rescue built on a Freightliner Condor chassis. This apparatus is lettered for Rescue Services and is intended to be a dedicated spare. Known as the Spirit of Oklahoma, the apparatus was donated with funds raised by school children.

Most of the World Trade Center emergency order of nineteen Seagrave 1000 gpm pumpers have been delivered and are in service, with the remainder due by the end of August. These will be followed immediately by the regular order of forty similar Seagrave pumpers. Specs have been drawn up for bidding of forty-eight additional 1000 gpm pumpers. Specs have also been prepared for a contract to build two 1000 gpm high-pressure pumpers. A total of four Seagrave 1000 gpm high-pressure pumpers were delivered under an emergency WTC contract and are now in service at Engines 6 and 10, both classified as 2001 models, and at Engines 34 and 65, classified as 2002 models.

Delivery has started on the emergency WTC contract for seventeen Seagrave 100-foot rearmount aerials. In addition, there are three addon contracts for a total of ten additional 100-foot rear-mounts added to the regular order of nineteen which are in service as 2001 models. All five of the regular contract of five Seagrave 100-foot tillers are in service. Ladder 101 is a 2001 model while Ladders 5, 6, 20, and 104 are 2002 models. Delivery of the emergency WTC contract for five similar Seagrave tillers should be completed by October.

All eight of the regular contract of Seagrave/Aerialscope 95-foot towers are now in service. The first seven, assigned to Ladder Companies 14, 107, 119, 121, 152, 161, and 163 are 2001 models, with Ladder 117 classified as a 2002 model. Two separate add-on orders of one and three should be in by the end of the year. Delivery has started on the emergency WTC contract of five Seagrave/Aerialscope 75-foot towers, with all expected by late summer. Three additional 75-foot Seagrave/Aerialscope towers will follow, from a regular contract for two, plus an add-on of one. One of these replaced a previously ordered 95-foot model. Ladder 153 has been assigned a 1998 Seagrave/Aerialscope 75-foot tower-ladder, originally assigned to Ladder 161, which in turn received one of the new 95-foot models.

The emergency order of new Horton ambulances, mounted on Ford F-350 chassis, has now been upped to 100 such vehicles, with delivery already started. A new 2001 Ford/McCoy-Miller stretcher van has been placed in service with Mobile Medical Unit 4. Two wheel chair vans, one a two-chair model, the other a one-chair model, with bodies built by Leader Industries on Ford chassis, are also expected shortly for assignment to Mobile Medical Unit 4. That unit transports injured FDNY personnel to and from hospitals, physical therapy, and other on-going treatment for line-of-duty injuries. Specs have been completed for bidding on a contract to build two MERVs (Major Emergency Response Vehicles).

A donated Emergency-One medium-duty rescue style apparatus with roll-up doors, built on a Freightliner FL-80 chassis, has been delivered and assigned to the Special Operations Command for use as the Utility Support Unit. More commonly called the Dewatering Unit, this apparatus is quartered at Special Operations Command headquarters. it replaced a shop-built unit, created in 1994 by retrofitting a 1980 ComCoach salvage truck body onto a 1983 Mack CF former hose wagon chassis. The new apparatus has a large patriotic mural painted on its hood.

Another donated vehicle has been delivered for assignment as the second piece of Haz-Mat 1. This new apparatus is really unusual for New York. It is a four-door conventional Kenworth T-300 chassis with a Pierce rescue style body with roll-up compartment doors. The apparatus was donated by the employees of Pierce and replaces a four-door 1996 International built by Saulsbury which will become a spare. Both of these donated vehicles are equipped with onboard generators.

Among the many new service or support vehicles received recently are two large tire service trucks. Built on Freightliner FL-80 chassis, they have bodies built by Hirn, and actually give the appearance of being large capacity hose wagons with their high and wide, open bodies. They are used by the tire section of Fleet Services to replace damaged tires in the field.

The shops have also constructed a fuel tender, built on a 2002 Ford chassis. The small, maneuverable unit has a 374-gallon diesel fuel tank,
transfer pump, delivery hose on a reel, two portable fuel dispensers, and is equipped with a lift gate. It is intended to refuel apparatus at the scene of large-scale operations.