2
Types of Fire
Apparatus
2
Objectives
(1 of 3)
• Describe which components are needed to
classify a piece of fire apparatus as a
pumper.
• Describe which components are needed to
classify a piece of fire apparatus as an
initial attack fire apparatus.
• Describe which components are needed to
classify a piece of fire apparatus as a
mobile water supply.
2
Objectives
(2 of 3)
• Describe which components are needed to
classify a piece of fire apparatus as an aerial
apparatus.
• Describe which components are needed to
classify a piece of fire apparatus as a quint.
• Describe which components are needed to
classify a piece of fire apparatus as a special
service fire apparatus.
2
Objectives
(3 of 3)
• Describe which components are needed to
classify a piece of fire apparatus as a
mobile foam apparatus.
2
Introduction
• Varied nature of day-to-day calls
– No single apparatus is adequate for all calls.
– Specialized equipment is based on function
and capabilities.
• The driver/operator should know the
capabilities of each apparatus and what
each equipment brings to the emergency
scene.
2
Fire Apparatus Requirements
(1 of 2)
• Working with a manufacturer
– Many apparatus available
– Jurisdiction purchasing the apparatus must
convey the following specifications:
• Specific performance requirements
• Maximum number of fire fighters to ride on the
apparatus
• Specific electrical loads required
– Jurisdiction must conduct ongoing training.
2
Fire Apparatus Requirements
(2 of 2)
• Manufacturer must describe the
apparatus.
– Estimated weight, wheel base, turning radius,
principal dimensions, transmission, axle
ratios, and capacity of aerial platform
– Jurisdiction and manufacturer must work
together to construct the apparatus.
– NFPA 1901 defines all documents and
components.
2
Water on the Fire Apparatus
(1 of 4)
• Water is a major component of fire attack.
• To get water on the fire, water must be
pressurized by a fire pump.
– NFPA 1901 defines a fire pump as a water pump
mounted on an apparatus for firefighting.
– Fire pump must be capable of delivering a minimum
capacity of 250 GPM (1000 L/min) at 150 psi (1000
kPa) net pump pressure.
2
Water on the Fire Apparatus
© JoLin/ShutterStock, Inc.
(2 of 4)
2
Water on the Fire Apparatus
(3 of 4)
• NFPA 1901 defines the requirements of
fire apparatus equipped with water tanks.
– Depending on the type of apparatus, the
water tank may hold hundreds or thousands
of gallons of water.
– All water tanks should be constructed with
noncorrosive materials.
2
Water on the Fire Apparatus
© Peter Kim/ShutterStock, Inc.
(4 of 4)
2
Pumper
(1 of 5)
• “Bread-and-butter” of fire service
– Secures water source and extinguishes fire
•
•
•
•
Most common type of fire apparatus
Part of almost every department
Responds to small incidents
Main source of fire attack for larger fires
involving structures
2
Pumper
(2 of 5)
• Critical for initial extinguishment because it
brings initial water supply and tools
• Pumper size
– Lengths of 30’ (9 m) or longer
– Can hold 1250 gal (4710 L) of water
• Per NFPA 1901, pumper should be equipped
with a permanently mounted pump with a
minimum rating of 750 GPM (2800 L/min)
2
Pumper
(3 of 5)
• Each department determines the fires
each apparatus will respond to and the
appropriate pump capacity.
– Needs its own water supply to sustain
operation
– Can carry 1000+ gal (3784+ L) of water, but
must carry 300+ gal (1135+ L)
– Departments determine water needs and
adjust the tank size accordingly.
2
Pumper
(4 of 5)
• Pumper carries water, tools, and
equipment.
– Must carry at least one straight ladder (with roof
hooks), one extension ladder, and one attic ladder
– NFPA 1901 requires fire hoses and nozzles.
• 800’ (240 m) of 2½” (65 mm) supply/attack hose
• 400’ (120 m) of 1½” (38 mm), 1¾” (45 mm), or 2” (52
mm) attack hose
• One combination spray nozzle capable of delivering
200 GPM (750 L/min) minimum
2
Pumper
(5 of 5)
• NFPA 1901 also requires:
– Two combination spray nozzles capable of
delivering 95 GPM (360 L/min) minimum
– One playpipe, with shut-off and 1” (25 mm),
1⅛” (29 mm), and 1¼” (32 mm) tips
• Pumper must have 40+ ft3 (1.1+ m3) of
enclosed weather-resistant compartments
to store equipment.
2
Initial Attack Fire Apparatus
(1 of 6)
• Used like a pumper, but with different
specifications
– Not as common as a pumper, but used by
many departments
• Smaller version of the pumper and more
maneuverable, especially off road
• Equipped with four-wheel drive and used
to fight fires in urban and rural settings
2
Initial Attack Fire Apparatus
(2 of 6)
• Many are built on a commercial chassis
platform with a custom-built body.
– Makes many parts easier to maintain and repair
because parts can be found at local auto parts
stores
• Some are custom built by a private company.
• Be aware of the potential for overloading the
chassis with too much weight and creating a
safety hazard.
2
Initial Attack Fire Apparatus
(3 of 6)
• NFPA 1901 states that the initial attack
apparatus must:
– Be equipped with a fire pump as defined in
NFPA 1901
– Have the minimum rated capacity of 250 GPM
(1000 L/min)
– Have a water tank with a minimum certified
capacity of 200 gal (750 L)
2
Initial Attack Fire Apparatus
(4 of 6)
• The apparatus has pumping capabilities,
so a hose is required to expel water.
• Must carry a minimum of 15’ (4.5 m) of soft
suction hose or 20’ (6 m) of hard suction
hose with a strainer
2
Initial Attack Fire Apparatus
(5 of 6)
• NFPA requires these hoses and nozzles:
– 300’ (90 m) of 2½” (65 mm) fire supply hose
– 400’ (120 m) of 1½” (38 mm), 1¾” (45 mm), or
2” (52 mm) attack fire hose
– Two combination spray nozzles with a
minimum capacity of 95 GPM (360 L/min)
2
Initial Attack Fire Apparatus
(6 of 6)
• Needs storage compartments
– NFPA 1901 mandates 22+ ft3 (0.62+ m3) of
enclosed weather-resistant compartments for
equipment.
– Compartment space is a custom body that is
added to a commercial cab and chassis.
• Initial attack fire apparatus is used to bring
equipment to the fire scene.
– Most tools are the same as found on a pumper.
2
Mobile Water Supply Apparatus
(1 of 3)
• Many rural communities do not have
hydrants or readily accessible water.
– Fire fighters need apparatus with largecapacity water tanks.
• Mobile water supply apparatus are defined
in NFPA 1901.
– May be designed with or without a fire pump
– If it has a fire pump, it is designed to carry a
large capacity of water to the fire scene.
2
Mobile Water Supply Apparatus
(2 of 3)
• Mobile supply apparatus with fire pump
carries 15+’ (4.5+ m) of soft suction hose or
20’ (6 m) of hard suction hose with a strainer.
• Fire hose and nozzles are also needed.
– Must have 200+’ (60+ m) of 2½+” (65+ mm) supply
hose
– Mobile water supply apparatus with fire pump
requires 400’ (120 m) of 1½” (45 mm) or 2” (52
mm) attack hose and two combination spray
nozzles with 95+ GPM (360+ L/min) capacity.
2
Mobile Water Supply Apparatus
(3 of 3)
• Equipment storage is very important.
– Must have 20+ ft3 (0.57+ m3) of enclosed
weather-resistant compartment space for
equipment
– Minor equipment must be organized and
mounted in brackets or compartments.
2
Aerial Fire Apparatus
(1 of 6)
• 1830: Abraham Wivell, an English fire fighter,
created the first fly ladder.
– Reached the second story with main ladder and
extended the next two flies to the upper floors
• Late 19th century: Scott-Uda designed height
extension ladders.
– Used eight extensions with weights and
balances
– Short-lived because many died due to collapses
2
Aerial Fire Apparatus
(2 of 6)
• 1868: Daniel Hayes successfully patterned
an 85’ hand-cranked aerial ladder.
– Popularity of mechanics, pneumatics, and
hydraulics started the race for a perfect aerial
ladder.
• Seagraves introduced the first aerial truck.
– 1916: American LaFrance used air
compression to raise ladders.
2
Aerial Fire Apparatus
(3 of 6)
• Today’s ladder trucks are equipped with
computerized aerial ladders that extend for
110’.
• Aerial fire apparatus are defined in NFPA
1901.
– Apparatus can be configured in many ways:
aerial ladder, elevating platform, water tower,
or water pump.
2
Aerial Fire Apparatus
© SVLumagraphica/ShutterStock, Inc.
(4 of 6)
2
Aerial Fire Apparatus
(5 of 6)
• Aerial apparatus must have 115+’ (35+ m)
of ground ladders supplied and installed by
the manufacturer.
• Ladders that should be provided:
– One attic ladder
– Two straight ladders (with folding roof hooks)
– Two extension ladders
• Must include at least 40 ft3 (1.1 m3) of
enclosed compartment space
2
Aerial Fire Apparatus
(6 of 6)
• Commonly known as “toolboxes on
wheels”
– Carry more equipment to the fire scene than
other apparatus
– Designed to assist fire fighters with support
functions on the fire ground
– Do not carry hoses or nozzles because they
are designed for support functions
2
Quint Fire Apparatus
(1 of 6)
• 1912: Metz of Germany patented the first
quint.
• 1935: In the United States, American
LaFrance built the first quint.
• 1940: Seagraves followed with its own
quint.
2
Quint Fire Apparatus
(2 of 6)
• “Quint” is short for “quintuple” and has five
functions
– Pump
– Water tank
– Fire hose storage
– Aerial
– Ground ladders
2
Quint Fire Apparatus
(3 of 6)
• Quint was very popular until the 1990s.
– Budget cuts made departments reconsider
the use of multipurpose quints.
– Many believed the purchase of a quint meant
the department had a double-functioning
apparatus (pumper and ladder).
– Quint works as a pump or aerial ladder truck.
2
Quint Fire Apparatus
(4 of 6)
• NFPA 1901 specifies what an apparatus
needs to be defined as a quint.
– Fire pump requirements must be met and have a
rated capacity of 1000 GPM (4000 L/m).
– Equipped with an aerial ladder with a
permanently installed waterway, plus a water tank
with a certified capacity of 300+ gal (1100+ L)
– Carry 85+’ (26+ m) of ground ladders including
extension ladder, straight ladder with roof hooks,
and attic ladder
2
Quint Fire Apparatus
Photo supplied by PBCFR
(5 of 6)
2
Quint Fire Apparatus
(6 of 6)
• Quint’s hose is a necessity.
– 15+’ (4.5+ m) of soft suction with compatible
couplings or 20’ (6 m) of hard suction hose
with strainer
– Purchaser specifies whether hard or soft
suction is necessary.
– Quint must carry certain fire hose and
nozzles.
2
Special Service Fire Apparatus
(1 of 3)
• Designed for a particular purpose and does
not fit into other categories
– Hazardous materials and heavy technical rescue
• Most special service apparatus provide
compartment space for unique equipment.
– If equipped with a fire pump, pump shall meet
requirements in NFPA 1901.
– If equipped with ground ladders, they shall meet
requirements in NFPA 1931.
2
Special Service Fire Apparatus
(2 of 3)
2
Special Service Fire Apparatus
(3 of 3)
• Required to have more compartment
space than other apparatus because its
primary function is to supply certain
equipment to the incident
– Must have 120+ ft3 (3.4+ m3) of enclosed,
weather-resistant compartments for
equipment
2
Mobile Foam Fire Apparatus
(1 of 4)
• Apparatus with permanently mounted fire
pump, foam proportioning system, and
foam concentrate tank(s)
– Primary purpose is to control and extinguish
flammable and combustible liquid fires in storage
tanks and other flammable liquid spills.
– Delivers foam immediately without requiring fire
fighters to attach special containers or change
nozzles
2
Mobile Foam Fire Apparatus
Courtesy of Roy Robichaux, ConocoPhillips Alliance Refinery
(2 of 4)
2
Mobile Foam Fire Apparatus
(3 of 4)
• Apparatus must be equipped with a fire
pump with a rated capacity of 750+ GPM
(3000+ L/min) or an industrial supply pump.
• Foam proportioning system is needed.
• Apparatus must be equipped with foam
concentrate tanks meeting NFPA
requirements and a capacity of 500+ gal
(2000+ L).
2
Mobile Foam Fire Apparatus
(4 of 4)
• Must carry 15+’ (4.5+ m) of soft suction
hose with compatible couplings or 20’ (6 m)
of hard suction hose with strainer
• Equipment storage includes 40+ ft3 (1.13+
m3) of enclosed weather-resistant
compartments.
2
Summary (1 of 3)
• A fire pump is vital in getting water from
the fire apparatus, through the hose, and
onto the fire.
• A pumper is the most common fire
apparatus and found in almost every
department.
• A pumper is used on small fires and is the
main source of fire attack for larger fires
involving structures.
2
Summary (2 of 3)
• Initial attack apparatus are used like
pumpers but are more maneuverable,
especially off road.
• Aerial apparatus are equipped with an
aerial ladder, elevating platform, and water
tower to support firefighting and rescue
operations.
2
Summary (3 of 3)
• Quint functions: pump, water tank, fire
hose storage, aerial, ground ladders
• Special service apparatus are designed for
a certain purpose and do not fit into other
categories.
• A foam apparatus has a pump, foam
system, and foam concentrate tank(s).