A “Do-All” Vehicle

08/08/2017

 

To give you a little background: The Silver Spring Community Fire Company services 33 square miles of Silver Spring Township including suburban residential properties, gated communities, high-density residential communities, large-span and mid-rise commercial properties, several miles of Interstate 81, Carlisle Pike, nonhydranted semirural and rural areas, several schools, and a high-population skilled nursing facility. It is in Cumberland County just outside of the Harrisburg area of Pennsylvania.

 

According to Deputy Chief Ben McDonald, “Not only do we serve our own community but we respond on automatic aid to Hampden Township and Middlesex Township. We handle around 700 to 800 runs per year.” This encompasses auto accidents with pins, hazmats, and structural fires.

 

Like most departments, personnel wanted a “do-all” vehicle. The vehicle being replaced was a 1999 International E-ONE the department had really outgrown.

 

“Our truck committee set out four years ago to design a new vehicle,” McDonald says. “We began the process with an E-ONE cad drawing of their newly designed eMAX pumper. Our fire company decided not to go to bid. We chose E-ONE because we had experience with them in the past with our other vehicles. We have that luxury since we are an independent fire company and actually own all of our equipment.”

 

Having had great experience dealing with E-ONE in the past, it was a no brainer for the department. “E-ONE is excellent to deal with, along with Fire Line Equipment, their local dealer,” McDonald adds.

 

 

Vehicle Specs

The eMAX design the committee started with was very in touch with what the department wanted to accomplish. “Our committee took the basic design, cab, and body and improved on it for our operations,” McDonald says. “We took the largest cab, an 80-foot ALS cab, and then extended the body. By extending the body, it gave us an added full-depth compartment on the officer’s side of the vehicle.” The committee also moved the pump panel back, which provided added space on the driver’s side. It was also decided to include four preconnects on the pumper.

 

The apparatus carries two 200-foot 1¾-inch crosslays, two 200-foot 2½-inch crosslays, one 300-foot 1¾-inch rear lay, a preconnected rear blitzfire line, and 400 feet of three-inch and 1,200 feet of five-inch hose. It carries a full complement of engine company tools as well as auto extrication tools.