A fire apparatus, fire engine, fire truck, or fire appliance is a vehicle designed to assist in fighting fires, by transporting firefighters to the scene, and providing them with access, water or other equipment. Fire is the heat and light energy released during a Chemical reaction, in particular a combustion reaction. Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous Fires that threaten civilian populations and property to rescue people from car accidents collapsed In some areas, the terms fire engine and fire truck represent different types of fire fighting apparatus. Distinguish from a Firefight, which means a battle with firearms
Types
Fire Engine
The fire engine may have several methods of pumping the water to the fire. The London Fire Brigade ( LFB) is the statutory England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The most common method is to pass water through hoses to the fire, from an array of valves. HOSE (aka SHOE is a term used for playing a mixed game of Poker consisting of four different poker games For other uses see Valve (disambiguation. For the electronic component see Thermionic valve.
The vehicle may also have a fixed pumping "cannon" (called a fire monitor or deluge), which can direct the water as pointed by the operator. The horizontal and vertical range of the monitor arrangement usually is limited and appropriate only for specific tasks, such as airport fires. Monitors have been used as water cannons for crowd control. A water cannon is a device that shoots a high- Pressure stream of Water. Crowd control is the controlling of a Crowd, to prevent the outbreak of disorder and prevention of possible rioting
A fire engine may have an on-board water reservoir, allowing it to fight a fire immediately upon arrival, or may be completely reliant on external sources, such as fire hydrants, water tender, river or reservoir, by using draft water suction. A fire hydrant (also known colloquially as a fire plug in the United States or as a johnny pump in New York City, because the firemen of the A water tender, also known as a tanker in some regions is a specialized Firefighting apparatus designed for the sole purpose of transporting Water from A reservoir is most broadly a place or hollow vessel where Fluid is kept in Reserve, for later use The term drafting water refers to the use of suction to move a liquid such as water from a vessel or body of water below the intake of a Suction Pump.
A development is the use of an impulse fire-extinguishing system (IFEX), in which the water is highly pressurised into a vaporous mist, creating a cooling effect that is more efficient than that of water alone. The Impulse Fire Extinguishing System (abbreviated IFEX) is a series of Firefighting equipment that utilizes small amounts of water fired in high velocity bursts to [1]
A modern fire engine is usually a multi-purpose vehicle carrying professionals and equipment for a wide range of fire-fighting and rescue tasks. Therefore, most fire engines carry equipment such as ladders, pike poles, axes, Halligans, fire extinguishers, and ventilating equipment. A ladder is a vertical or inclined set of rungs or steps. There are two types rigid ladders that can be leaned against a vertical surface such as a Wall, and Pike poles are long poles usually 6-10 feet in length used by Firefighters to search for fires hidden behind the Sheetrock in the walls and ceiling The axe, or ax, is an implement that has been used for millennia to shape split and cut Wood, Harvest timber, as a Weapon A Halligan bar (also called a Halligan tool) is a special tool commonly used in the Fire and rescue service. A fire extinguisher is an Active fire protection device used to extinguish or control small fires often in emergency situations In some areas, a ladder truck may carry these tools as well. Such a vehicle would in that case be known as a "Hook and Ladder" truck.
The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) was the first to introduce the "squad" concept for an engine and developed the "rescue pumper. The New York City Fire Department or the Fire Department City of New York ( FDNY) has the responsibility for protecting the citizens and property of New York City A typical FDNY squad has a 500 U. S. gallon (1900-L) water tank and specialized rescue equipment, but carries less hose than a standard engine. A gallon is a measure of Volume. It is in current use in the United States and still has limited use in many other English-speaking countries The litre or liter (see spelling differences) is a unit of Volume. [2] Since its introduction in New York, several other American cities have adopted the vehicles, sometimes calling them rescue engines. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the
Turntable ladder
The turntable ladder, also known as an aerial ladder, or sometimes abbreviated to simply TL is the best-known form of specialized fire apparatus (sometimes known as a fire truck), and is used to gain access to fires occurring at height, where conventional ladders carried on other appliances might not reach.
The name is derived from the fact that the large ladder is mounted on a turntable on the back of a truck or lorry, allowing it to pivot around a stable base, which in turn allows a much greater ladder length to be achieved). This article is about the semi-truck For the North American use of the word see Pickup truck. This article is about the semi-truck For the North American use of the word see Pickup truck. In order to increase its length, the ladder is telescopic. Modern turntable ladders are hydraulic or pneumatic in operation. For the mechanical technology see Hydraulic machinery and Hydraulic cylinder Hydraulics is a topic of science and Engineering Pneumatics, Pressurized gas to affect mechanical motion Pneumatic power is used in Industry, where it is common to have factory units plumbed for Compressed A ladder also can be mounted behind the cab. This is called "mid ship". This arrangement allows a shorter wheel base for truck, and also can be more stable in some conditions.
The turntable ladder units replaced the stand alone wheel mounted long ladders which were seen on fire engines before the widespread use of hydraulics.
The key functions of a turntable ladder are:
- Allowing access or egress of firefighters and casualties at height
- Providing a high level water point for firefighting (elevated master stream)
- Providing a working platform from which tasks such as ventilation or overhaul can be executed
While the traditional characteristic of a 'fire truck' was a lack of water pumping or storage, many modern turntable ladders have a water pumping function to them (and some have their own on board supply reservoir), and may have a pre-piped waterway running the length of the ladder, to allow the firefighters at the top a stream of water. In some cases, there may also be a monitor at the top of the ladder for ease of use. Other appliances may simply have a trackway which will hold a manually run hose reel securely, and prevent it from falling to the ground.
Some turntable ladders may have a basket or platform (sometimes known as a bucket) mounted at the top of the ladder, as on a hydraulic platform, and these are called tower ladders. These can provide a secure place for a firefighter to operate equipment from, and allow multiple people to be carried (including rescued persons).
A tiller truck, also known as a tractor drawn aerial, is a specialised turntable ladder appliance mounted on a semi-trailer truck. truckcartransporterarp750pixjpg|thumb|right|A tractor with an auto-transport Semi-trailer. It has separate steering wheels for front and rear wheels (the steering device for the rear is sometimes a tiller rather than a true steering wheel). A steering wheel (also called a driving wheel or hand wheel) is a type of steering Control in Vehicles and vessels ( Ships and Boats A tiller or till is a Lever attached to a Rudder post (American terminology or Rudder stock (English terminology of a boat in order to provide This truck is often used in areas with narrow streets that prevent longer single-vehicle trucks from entering. Some cities, including Los Angeles, California, San Francisco, California, Baltimore, Maryland, Seattle, Washington and New York City, New York rely heavily on them. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth most populous city The City of New York
In some areas, the turntable ladder appliance may be termed a 'hook and ladder' vehicle, as it will carry an array of ladders and hooks. Hooks are used most commonly for pulling drywall or plaster walls away from framing members to expose hidden fire, and to allow access for extinguishing the fire. For the musical group "Drywall" see Drywall (musical project Drywall is a common manufactured Building material The term plaster can refer to plaster of Paris Lime plaster, or Cement plaster. Hooks can also be used for pulling siding, breaking windows, etc. Technically, any vehicle carrying hooks and ladders could be considered a hook and ladder vehicle.
Quint and Quad
In some areas, the turntable ladder may be known as a quad or quint, as it is capable of performing multiple tasks (pump, water tank, fire hose, aerial device, and ground ladders) with each of these functions making up one of its five (quint) or four (quad) cabilities.
Hydraulic platforms
A hydraulic platform, also known as articulating booms, snorkels, platform trucks or sometimes shortened to just HP, is a specialized aerial work platform designed for firefighting use. An aerial work platform (AWP or elevated work platform ( EWP) is a mechanical device used to provide temporary access for people or equipment to inaccessible They have a number of functions, which follow the same principles as the turntable ladder, providing high level access and elevated water pump positions.
Some hydraulic platforms are articulated, which allows the arm to bend in one or more places, giving it the ability to go 'up and over' an obstacle (such as a building roof). An articulated vehicle is a vehicle which has a permanent or semi-permanent pivoting joint in its construction allowing the vehicle to turn more sharply There are non-articulated platforms, based on standard aerial work platforms, although the most common type is the tower ladder (mentioned above in the Turntable ladder section). Hydraulic platforms (articulated or not) may still have a ladder arrangement fitted to the arm, primarily as an emergency measure. In some jurisdictions these can be denoted ladder platforms.
Most hydraulic platforms are designed to reach a height of around 33 metres (100 feet), although larger models are capable of reaching heights of over 100 metres (328 feet). [3]
Many hydraulic platforms are fitted with additional equipment in the platform itself, which can include a control panel, lighting equipment, a fixed water outlet or monitor, power outlets or compressed air outlets (allowing the fixing of rescue equipment, such as the jaws of life). Hydraulic rescue tools are used by emergency rescue personnel to assist Vehicle extrication of crash victims as well as other rescues from small spaces Many platforms are also adapted or capable of carrying a stretcher. A stretcher is a Medical device used to carry casualties or an incapacitated person from one place to another Some units have video systems and remote control in case of dangerous chemical fires.
Some hydraulic platforms might also be designated as a quad or quint engine, as it is capable of performing multiple tasks (pump, water tank, fire hose, aerial device, and ground ladders)
Aerial water towers
In some instances, fire departments may have a specialised aerial water tower, the purpose of which is to deploy an elevated master stream of water, although it does not provide any access for firefighters. In most departments, this function is now performed by a hydraulic platform or turntable ladder, so this type of appliance is quite rare, and most examples of this type of unit are historical. The historical units of this type were usually manually or mechanically raised and lowered using friction drums or ratchet mechanisms. [4]
Water tenders
A water tender, which can also be known as a tanker truck or water bowser is a specialist fire appliance with the primary purpose of transporting large amounts of water to a scene. These are especially useful in rural areas where fire hydrants are not readily available.
Most tenders have an on-board pumping system. This pump is often not of sufficient power to fight fires (as it is designed to be attached to a fire engine), but is more often used to draw water in to the tender from hydrants or other water sources. In some areas, the tenders are used to pump water during floods, and may be fitted with a heavier duty pump for this purpose.
Most water tenders are designed to carry loads of 1000 gallons (approx. A gallon is a measure of Volume. It is in current use in the United States and still has limited use in many other English-speaking countries 3800 litres) or more. The litre or liter (see spelling differences) is a unit of Volume. In the US, 1000 gallons is the requirement in the NFPA standards[5]. Some may carry up to or even upwards of 5000 gallons (more than 20 000 litres) of water - with a trailer even more [6][7][8].
Wildland fire appliances
Wildland firefighting requires unique vehicles that can climb mountain roads, be self-reliant, and have high clearances for wheels and suspension. Wildland fire suppression refers to the firefighting tactics used to suppress wildfires Wildland fire engines and wildland fire tenders may have lower capacities to carry water, but can be deployed to fight fires in environments where urban fire trucks would be unable to operate due to rugged terrain. A wildland fire engine is a type of fire apparatus designed to combat fires in areas unreachable to conventional engines – A Wildland fire tender is a specialized vehicle capable of bringing water foam or dry chemicals to fire trucks in the field that are engaged on the fireline
In heavily forested areas, a special kind of fire truck known as a brush truck is used. They are usually trucks with off-road capabilities for traversing rough terrain in order to reach the fire.
Airport crash tender
An airport crash tender is a fire engine designed for use at aerodromes and airports in aircraft accidents. An airport crash tender is a specially featured fire engine designed for use at aerodromes and Airports in Aircraft An aerodrome is an area on land or water (including any buildings installations and equipment used for the arrival and departure of aircraft An airport is a location where Aircraft such as airplanes, Helicopters and blimps take off and land
The features include a good acceleration, ability to move on rough terrains outside the runway and airport area, large water capacity, foam tank, a high-capacity pump, and water/foam monitors with a good throw distance. A runway ( RWY) is a strip of land on an Airport, on which Aircraft can take off and land. The most general definition of foam is a substance that is formed by trapping many gas Bubbles in a Liquid or Solid. Newer AR-FF vehicles also incorporate Twin Agent nozzles/injection systems to inject a stream of Purple-K dry chemical into the AFFF foam stream "knocking-down" the fire faster. A Twin Agent Fire Extinguishing System (TAFES incorporates the benefits of dry chemical and foam (AFFF or CAFS Purple-K is a dry chemical fire suppression agent used in some dry powder Fire extinguishers It is the most effective dry chemical in fighting class B (flammable liquid Some also have Halotron tanks with handlines for situations that require a clean agent to be utilized. These features give the airport crash tenders a capability to reach an airplane rapidly, and rapidly put out large fires with jet fuel involved. Jet fuel is a type of Aviation fuel designed for use in Aircraft powered by gas-turbine engines.
Some tenders have an elevated extended extinguishing arm called a Snozzle, giving a possibility to raise a water/foam cannon into the height of approx. An airport crash tender is a specially featured fire engine designed for use at aerodromes and Airports in Aircraft 10 - 20 meters. Some arms have reinforced nozzles that can puncture through superficial structures of an aeroplane to fight a fire inside the fuselage. [9].
ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) has given standards and recommended practices on rescue fire fighting categories of civil aerodromes [10][11]. The International Civil Aviation Organization ( ICAO) an agency of the United Nations, codifies the principles and techniques of international air navigation National aviation authorities may have given even further requirements on aerodrome rescue and fire services.
The rescue fire services are based on a critical aircraft based on a statistical analysis of movements (take-offs and landings) on the airport. The aerodrome category is based on the size of the biggest aircraft taking a movement on the aerodrome. In addition, the number of movements of the critical aircraft is calculated, and the category can be decreased by one if the number of movements is lower than the standard describes. There are also minimum category levels based on e. g. the number of seats in the critical aircraft.
Depending on the airport category, the standards determine the minimum number of rescue fire-fighting vehicles. In addition, requirements are given on the water and foam capacities, discharge rates for foam solutions, and minimum dry chemical powder (complementary agent) amounts, reserve stocks of fire fighting agents, ability to operate on rough terrain, and acceleration of the air crash tenders. The end of each runway has to be achieved in a response time of two minutes, and any part of the movement area has to be achieved in a response time not exceeding three minutes.
Rescue Unit
A heavy rescue vehicle, often referred to as a rescue company, rescue squad, technical rescue, heavy rescue, or simply, fire engine is a type of specialty firefighting or EMS (Emergency Medical Services) apparatus. Distinguish from a Firefight, which means a battle with firearms Emergency medical services (abbreviated to the initialism "EMS" in many countries are a branch of Emergency services dedicated to providing out-of-hospital Essentially giant toolboxes on wheels, they are primarily designed for technical rescue situations such as auto accidents, rope rescues, swiftwater rescues, or collapses. A toolbox (also called tool chest or workbox) varies with the craft of the owner Technical rescue refers to those aspects of saving life or property that employ the use of tools and skills that exceed those normally reserved for Fire fighting, Medical Rope rescue is a subset of Technical rescue that involves the use of static Nylon Kernmantle ropes anchoring and Belaying devices friction Swiftwater Rescue (also called " whitewater rescue") is a subset of Technical rescue that involves the use of specially trained personnel Ropes
NFPA (National Fire Protection Association in the U.S.) regulation 1006 and 1670 give guidelines and regulations for the operation of heavy rescue vehicles and also state that all "rescuers" must have medical training to perform any technical rescue operation, including cutting the vehicle itself[12][13]. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA is a US organization (albeit with some international members charged with creating and maintaining minimum standards and requirements The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Technical rescue refers to those aspects of saving life or property that employ the use of tools and skills that exceed those normally reserved for Fire fighting, Medical In most rescue environments, fire department personnel conduct rescue operations working hand-in-hand with medical personnel such as EMT or paramedics.
In addition to fire brigades and rescue departments, e. g. tram or railway companies may have their own heavy rescue squads specialized to tram or train accidents [14][15]. A tram, tramcar, trolley, trolley car, or streetcar is a railborne vehicle, of lighter weight and construction than a Train "Railroad" and "Railway" both redirect here For other uses see Railroad (disambiguation. For example, railway rescue squads may carry very specialized equipment for railway accidents like hydraulic jacks with capacity for lifting locomotives or even move them horizontally, and equipment for tank car accidents [16]. A locomotive is a railway Vehicle that provides the motive power for a Train. For Jay Leno's bespoke Tank -engined car see the Blastolene Special.
Hazardous Materials Appliances
Some fire departments keep special appliances for dealing with hazardous materials, or "HazMat". These are of several types, from those used to clean spilled oil on streets and highways, to full decontamination units, designed to clean victims and rescuers of contaminants after an incident.
Logistical Support Appliances
Many fire departments operate a number of vehicles in specialised logistical functions. These can be stand alone vehicles, or may be modular, such as with the use of a 'hookloader' system
Sometimes hookloaders are used for seldom-used equipment. A hookloader can load a container very rapidly and act as a special unit with lower investment costs. Containerization (or containerisation) is a system of Intermodal freight transport Cargo Transport using standard ISO containers For example, the Helsinki Rescue Department in Finland has several hookloader trucks and more than 40 containers including a water container, a hose container, an oil destruction container. Helsinki (in Finnish;) or Helsingfors (in Swedish;) is the Capital and largest city of Finland. Finland, officially the Republic of Finland ( is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. [17] Containers may also carry a command post, material for catastrophes, hoses and pumps for forest fires, even field hospitals, or for example, high-power pumps. A field hospital is a large mobile medical unit that temporarily takes care of casualties on-site before they can be safely transported to more permanent hospital facilities
Fireboat
Some fire companies that protect a body of water, such as a major city harbor, may utilize fireboats to combat fires on watercraft and waterfront areas.
Aircraft
Fire companies may also employ airplanes and helicopters to attack fire from the air. Such aircraft are fitted with large water tanks that drop water onto the fire.
Other apparatus
Other fire apparatus include:
- Chief's Vehicle
- Fire Police unit
- Squad/Utility Unit
- Foam Tenders/Foam Tankers
- Command and Control units
- Dive or Water Rescue units
- Specialist tracked units[18],
- Water craft support such as rigid-hulled inflatable boats, hovercraft or hydrocopters. Fire Police are Volunteer Fire Brigade/Company members who may also have sworn police powers A rigid-inflatable boat ( RIB) or rigid-hulled inflatable boat, ( RHIB) is a light-weight but high performance and high capacity Boat constructed A hovercraft, or air-cushion vehicle (ACV is an Amphibious vehicle or craft, designed to travel over any sufficiently smooth surface supported by A hydrocopter is an amphibious aircraft-propelled Catamaran. The vehicle has a boat-like hull, small wheels and pontoon skids (as in a Seaplane [19][20][21]
Other functions
In some communities a fire apparatus, often a paramedic engine, will be used to carry first responder firefighters, paramedics or EMTs to medical emergencies because of their faster response times due to forward staging in the city compared to ambulances coming from hospitals [22][23]. A paramedic is a medical professional usually a member of the emergency medical service, who primarily provides Pre-hospital advanced medical and The Emergency Medical Technician ( EMT) exists in many countries and is a health care provider trained to provide prehospital emergency medical care A medical emergency is an Injury or Illness that is acute and poses an immediate risk to a person's life or long term health This sometimes puzzles people who see a fire apparatus race past but do not see any fire, but medical calls often outnumber fire calls for such departments. Fire departments may also have lifeguards in places like Los Angeles County, CA.
Design and construction
Many fire appliances around the world are based on standard truck or lorry models, which are upgraded to the specifications required by the purchasing department. In the United States, a majority of fire trucks are specially designed from the chassis to the cab and body. This has led to the use of the term custom fire truck, as opposed to a commercial chassis and cab.
Modifications a fire appliance might undergo include adjustments for higher durability, removal of any speed limiter, and adjustments for long periods of idling at a higher temperature. This may be accomplished by heavy duty suspensions, brakes, tires, alternator, transmission and cooling systems. It is also usual to upgrade the capacity of the electrics of the vehicle, in order to accommodate the use of additional electrical and electronic equipment.
Fire appliances have audible and visual warnings, to protect themselves from traffic, and make themselves seen to other units at an incident.
In many countries, use of the audible and visual warnings affords the driver a degree of exemption from road traffic laws (such as the right to exceed speed limits, treat red stop lights as give way etc. ) and may also infer a duty on other motorists to move out of the direction of passage of the fire vehicle (or face possible prosecution).
Visual warnings
Visual warnings on a fire appliance can be of two types - either passive or active.
Passive visual warnings
The passive visual warnings involve the use of high contrast patterns. Older vehicles (and those in developing countries) are more likely to have their patterns painted on, whereas modern appliances often carry retro-reflective designs which reflect light from car headlights or torches. Developing countries are countries that haven't reached Western-style standards of democratic government free market economy industrialization social programs and human rights guaranties A retroreflector (sometimes called a retroflector) is a device or surface that reflects light back to its source with a minimum scattering of light Patterns include 'checker board' (alternate coloured squares, sometimes called 'battenburg markings', named after a type of cake), chevrons (arrowheads - often pointed towards the front of the vehicle if on the side, or pointing vertically upwards if on the rear) or stripes (along the side - these were the first type or retro-reflective devices introduced, as the original retro-reflective material came only in tape form). Battenburg refers to a pattern of high-visibility markings used to maximise conspicuity primarily on the Emergency service vehicles but also in other applications In some countries, in addition to retro-reflective markings, vehicles are now painted a bright yellow or orange, although in many other countries, red remains the colour for fire engines.
Another passive marking is the word FIRE, RESCUE or local language variant spelled out in reverse on the front of the vehicle. This enables drivers of other vehicles to more easily identify an approaching fire service vehicle in their rear view mirrors. The appliance may also display a telephone number which may be used to summon assistance, along with the name of the operating department or station identifier.
Active visual warnings
The active visual warnings are usually in the form of flashing coloured lights (also known as 'beacons' or 'lightbars'). Emergency vehicle lighting refers to any of several visual warning devices which may be known as light bars or beacons fitted to a vehicle and used when the driver wishes to convey to Emergency vehicle lighting refers to any of several visual warning devices which may be known as light bars or beacons fitted to a vehicle and used when the driver wishes to convey to These flash in order to attract the attention of other road users as the fire appliance approaches, or to provide warning to motorists approaching a stopped appliance in a dangerous position on the road. Common colours for fire warning beacons are blue and red. The beacons can be made to flash, the original method was to place a spinning mirror which moves around a light bulb, called a 'rotating beacon'. More modern methods include the use of strobe lights, which are usually brighter, and can be programmed to produce specific patterns (such as a left -> right pattern when parked on the left hand side of the road, indicating to other road users that they should move out away from the vehicle). There is also the more widespread use of LED flashing lights as they are low profile and low energy. More information on Emergency vehicle equipment. Emergency vehicle equipment is the equipment fitted to or carried by an emergency vehicle which is additional to any equipment such as Headlights, Steering wheels
Audible warnings
In addition to visual warnings, most appliances are also fitted with audible warnings, sometimes known as sirens, which can alert people and vehicles to the presence of an emergency vehicle before they can be seen. A siren is a loud noise maker The original version would yield sounds under water suggesting a link with the Sirens of Greek mythology An emergency vehicle is any Vehicle that is designated and authorized to Respond to an Emergency. The first audible warnings were mechanical bells, mounted to either the front or roof of the truck. Most vehicles are now fitted with electronic sirens, which can produce a range of different noises. Fire service driving training often includes the use of different noises depending on traffic conditions and manoeuvre being performed. For instance, on a clear road, approaching a junction, the 'wail' setting may be used, which gives a long up and down variation, with an unbroken tone, whereas, in heavy slow traffic, a 'yelp' setting may be preferred, which is like a wail, but sped up. The speakers for modern sirens can be located in several places on the vehicle, including being integral to the lightbar, or hidden in the grille. Some vehicles may also be fitted with airhorn audible warnings. The air horn is a device designed to create an extremely loud noise. A number of North American fire departments have returned to the 'acoustic' or 'air' traditional siren as its overtones help the public 'locate' and avoid the firetruck--the newer electronic signals disperse almost pure tones which are hard to locate, especially in city 'canyons' of buildings.
A development is the use of the RDS system of car radios, whereby the vehicle can be fitted with a short range FM transmitter, set to RDS code 31, which interrupts the radio of all cars within range, in the manner of a traffic broadcast, but in such a way that the user of the receiving radio is unable to opt out of the message (as with traffic broadcasts). This feature is built in to all RDS radios for use in national emergency broadcast systems, but short range units on emergency vehicles can prove an effective means of alerting traffic to their presence, although is not able to alert pedestrians and non-RDS radio users.
Additional equipment
Firefighters may also have a range of additional equipment available to them, which may include:
- Two Way Radio - One of the most important pieces of equipment. Many services have moved from traditional UHF/VHF sets, which can be monitored externally, to more secure systems, such as those working on a GSM system, such as TETRA
- Mobile Data Terminal - Many appliances are fitted with Mobile Data Terminals (or MDTs), which are connected wirelessly to a central computer, and enable firefighters to call up details such as incident logs, maps of locations or exclusion zones. Very high frequency (VHF is the Radio frequency range from 30 MHz to 300 MHz. GSM ( Global System for Mobile communications: originally from Groupe Spécial Mobile) is the most popular standard for Mobile phones in the "TETRA" redirects here For other uses see Tetra (disambiguation TErrestrial Trunked RAdio ( TETRA) (formerly known as A mobile data terminal (MDT is a computerized device used in Police cars Taxicabs Courier vehicles service trucks commercial trucking fleets
- Evidence gathering CCTV - Some fire vehicles can be fitted with video cameras used to record activity. They may also be fitted with sound recording facilities. This is used for the protection of the crew (and evidence of any assaults or intimidation of the firefighters) or can be used as evidence relating to the incident itself.
- Ramming pads - These rubberised pads are fitted to the chassis of the appliance, to allow the vehicle to be used as a battering ram, or to push other vehicles off the road in an emergency.
Crew assignment
Engines are normally staffed with at least three people - an officer, a driver who usually operates the pump, and a firefighter. Preferably, an engine will carry a second firefighter, to increase effectiveness in safely attacking a fire. In some countries, such as Finland, an engine carries the unit leader, an engineer and one or two pairs of firefighters [24]. Finland, officially the Republic of Finland ( is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. Since firefighting takes places in a very hot and hostile environment with high risks, fire fighters work as pairs, and at least one more pair of firefighters is needed on scene for the safety and shifting.
In the United Kingdom, firefighters are arranged in fire and rescue services - historically known as brigades, and usually organised at county, city or combined level. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous Fires that threaten civilian populations and property to rescue people from car accidents collapsed The fire service in the United Kingdom operates under separate legislative and administrative arrangements in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and These are divided into either commands or areas, in some cases divisions, then stations, which range in size but in almost every instance have at least one pumping appliance. In addition, general purpose engine stations may have specialist vehicles such as turntable ladders, hydraulic platforms, foam tenders, etc. The number of personnel at a station varies depending on the number of applainces, and whether it is full time, day manned or retained. Generally, the crew of an average sized pump is around 5, but in any case it can be no less than four and no more than six.
In cities of the United States, firefighters are generally deployed into fire companies specializing in certain tasks. Most common are engine companies and ladder, or "truck", companies. In addition, large cities frequently staff rescue companies. By definition, each company is led by an officer (a captain or lieutenant) who commands several firefighters. Staffing of fire companies varies by jurisdiction and frequently by company type. In large cities, fire company staffing may vary from as few as three to as many as six personnel. In suburban and rural areas of the United States, the legal organization to which volunteers belong is usually called a company; one company may operate several pieces of apparatus. Duties of volunteers are often less specialized than those of city firefighters, because it is less predictable who will be available for a given emergency, so more flexibility is needed.
In New Zealand the standard crew consists of four - the OIC, driver and two others. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island They are numbered OIC,1,2 and 3, with the OIC in the front passengers seat and number 1 directly behind them. number 3 is the driver. The crew has specific tasks in a water drill, decided by where they are sitting. At call-outs, there may be five on an appliance, but only four have allotted tasks with the fifth person being spare.
History
Ctesibius of Alexandria is credited with inventing the first fire pump around the second century B. Ctesibius or Ktesibios or Tesibius ( Greek Κτησίβιος ( fl C. , and an example of a force-pump possible used for a fire-engine is mentioned by Heron of Alexandria. Hero (or Heron) of Alexandria ( Ήρων ο Αλεξανδρεύς) (c The fire pump was reinvented in Europe during the 1500s, reportedly used in Augsburg in 1518 and Nuremberg in 1657. Augsburg is an independent City in the south-west of Bavaria. A book of 1655 inventions mentions a steam engine (called fire engine) pump used to "raise a column of water 40 feet [12 m]", but there was no mention of whether it was portable.
Colonial laws in America required each house to have a bucket of water on the front stoop during fires at night. These buckets were intended for use by the initial "bucket brigade" that would throw the water at fires.
Philadelphia obtained a hand-pumped fire engine in 1719, years after Boston's 1654 model appeared there, made by Joseph Jencks, but before New York's two engines arrived from London. Philadelphia (ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə
By 1730, Newsham, in London, had made successful fire engines; the first used in New York City (in 1731) were of his make (six years before formation of the NYC volunteer fire department). The City of New York The amount of manpower and skill necessary for firefighting prompted the institution of an organized fire company by Benjamin Franklin in 1737. Benjamin Franklin ( April 17 1790 was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America. Thomas Lote built the first fire engine made in America in 1743.
Ericsson made a similar one in New York in 1840. John Ericsson is credited with building the first American steam-powered fire engine. This article is about John Ericsson the Swedish-American inventor John Braithwaite built the first steam fire-engine in Britain. John Braithwaite the younger (1797–1870 was an English engineer who invented the first steam Fire engine. See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands
Until the mid-19th century most fire engines were maneuvered by men, but the introduction of horse-drawn fire engines considerably improved the response time to incidents. The first self-propelled steam engine was built in New York in 1841. It was the target of sabotage by firefighters and its use was discontinued, and motorized fire engines did not become commonplace until the early 20th century. Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening an enemy oppressor or employer through subversion obstruction disruption and/or destruction
For many years firefighters sat on the sides of the fire engines, or even stood on the rear of the vehicles, exposed to the elements. This arrangement was uncomfortable and dangerous (some firefighters were thrown to their deaths when their fire engines made sharp turns on the road), and today nearly all fire engines have fully enclosed seating areas for their crews.
Early pumpers
Early pumpers used cisterns as a source of water. Water was later put into wooden pipes under the streets and a "fire plug" was pulled out of the top of the pipe when a suction hose was to be inserted. Later systems incorporated pressurized fire hydrants, where the pressure was increased when a fire alarm was sounded. This was found to be harmful to the system, and unreliable, and today's valved hydrant systems are kept under pressure at all times, although additional pressure may be added when needed. Pressurized hydrants eliminate much of the work in obtaining water for pumping through the engine and into the attack hoses. Many rural fire engines still rely upon cisterns or other sources for drafting water into the pumps.
Early aerials
Since the late 19th century, means of reaching tall structures have been devised. At first, manually-extendable ladders were used; as these grew in length (and weight) these were put onto two large wheels. When carried by fire engines these ladders had the wheels suspended behind the rear of the vehicle, making them a distinctive sight.
Before long, the turntable ladder - which was even longer, mechanically-extendable, and installed directly onto a fire truck - made its appearance. Since the late 1930s, the longest turntable ladders have reached a height of 150 feet (45 metres), requiring the aforementioned "tiller trucks" to carry such ladders.
After the Second World War turntable ladders were supplemented by the aerial work platform (sometimes called 'cherry picker'), a platform or bucket attached onto a mechanically-bending arm (or "snorkel") installed onto a fire truck. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including An aerial work platform (AWP or elevated work platform ( EWP) is a mechanical device used to provide temporary access for people or equipment to inaccessible While these could not reach the height of similar turntable ladders, the platforms could extend into previously unreachable "dead corners" of a burning building.
Gallery
 Fuso FK fire engine in Taipei |
 Fire engine, Helsinki, Finland. Taipei ( Taiwanese Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tâi-pak-chhī Jhuyin Fuhao: ㄊㄞˊ ㄅㄟˇ ㄕˋ Hakka: Thòi-pet-sṳ has been the capital of (Click for more info). |
 A 53-m (174 feet) telescope aerial platform ladder unit, Helsinki, Finland. (Click for more info) |
 Paris Fire Brigade. This article is about the Paris Fire Brigade For the British Society for Plant Pathology see BSPP. |
 An Airservices Australia tender beside the runway at Sydney Airport. Airservices Australia is an Australian Government Commonwealth authority responsible for providing safe and environmentally sound Air traffic control management Sydney Airport (also known as Kingsford Smith International Airport), is located in the Sydney suburb of Mascot. |
 Command center in Helsinki, Finland. |
 Special platform ladder unit, Helsinki, Finland. |
 Tracked vehicle, Helsinki, Finland. |
 Spanish Pegaso 7217 truck in Santiago de Compostela. Pegaso (pe'ɰaso Spanish for " Pegasus " was a Spanish brand of Trucks Buses Tractors and Armored vehicles Santiago de Compostela (also Saint James of Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia and a UNESCO World |
 Renault Camiva ME180 truck in Punta Arenas (Chile) |
 FDNY tower ladder 21, New York City. Renault Trucks is a French truck manufacturer with its corporate headquarters at Saint-Priest near Lyon. Punta Arenas (literally in Spanish: "Sandy Point" is the most prominent settlement on the Strait of Magellan and the capital of the Magallanes y la |
 FDNY Engine 6, New York City. |
 Toronto Fire Service pumper |
 Tower 1 of the Gainesville, Florida Fire Department. Gainesville is the largest City in and County seat of Alachua County, Florida, United States. |
 Italian fire truck (Vigili del fuoco). |
 Wheeling, Illinois FD Engine 24. Wheeling is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. |
 Greenfields Fire Company Engine, Berks County, Pennsylvania. Berks County is a County located in the US state of Pennsylvania. |
 "Mark 5" Pumper, Melbourne, Australia. |
 Platoon of the fire department, Hofgeismar/Germany |
 A DelGro Fast Response Light Fire Attack Vehicle (LFAV), Singapore Civil Defence Force |
 6-Tower, Hillcrest Fire Co. Hofgeismar is a town in the district of Kassel, in northern Hesse, Germany. ComfortDelGro Corporation Limited is the world's second-largest transport company with a fleet of 41000 vehicles #1, NY. 2002 Pierce Dash 2000 95' Midmount Aerial Platform Quint |
 Argentinian Dodge truck, El Chaltén. Dodge is a United States -based brand of Automobiles Sport utility vehicles and Trucks manufactured and marketed by Chrysler LLC El Chaltén is a small mountain village in Santa Cruz Province, Argentina. |
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 A LF 16/12, Voluntary Fire Brigade in Brehna, Germany |
 A Mercedes-Benz truck serving as turntable ladder in Kronach/Germany |
 Water tender of Hofgeismar, Germany |
 A Polish 1936-built Fiat 621 L fire truck, Warsaw, Poland |
 Water cannon on a hydraulic platform, with firefighter on board, Daejeon, South Korea. A fire apparatus, fire engine, fire truck, or fire appliance is a vehicle designed to assist in fighting Fires by transporting Firefighters Hofgeismar is a town in the district of Kassel, in northern Hesse, Germany. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. A fire apparatus, fire engine, fire truck, or fire appliance is a vehicle designed to assist in fighting Fires by transporting Firefighters Warsaw (Warszawa; also known by other names) is the Capital and Largest city of Poland. |
 A London Fire Brigade command unit |
 A British decontamination unit, referred to as an Incident Response Unit |
 New South Wales Rural Fire Service Category 1 tanker |
 Typical NSWRFS Toyota Landcruiser Personnel carrier (PC) |
 A Western Australia 70 Series Land Cruiser Fire appliance ( Model HZJ75R) |
 A combined appliance made by Vema/JDC |
 Industrial Pumper belonging to West Pulaski Fire Dist #23, Built by Rosenbauer America |
 Isuzu Forward being used as a fire engine in Japan |
 Dragon 1 of Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue's Aviation Fire-Rescue Battalion |
 Rescue 45 of Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue |
 QUINT 57 of Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue |
 QUINT 29 of Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue |
 Station 28 Apparatus of Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue |
 ALS Rescue Unit 28 of Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue |
|
 Ashok Leyland Fire Tender Example of Indian Fire Brigade Truck |
 Large tanker, Hellenic Fire Brigade, Greece |
 Scientific support vehicle in London |
 Fire engine belonging to Bedfordshire Fire Service |
 Dennis Pumper,Fire Services Department (Hong Kong) |
References
- ^ Fire Fighting Technologies detail on IFES. The London Fire Brigade ( LFB) is the statutory The New South Wales Rural Fire Service (RFS is a volunteer-based firefighting agency and statutory body of the NSW Government The Toyota Land Cruiser is a series of Four-wheel drive vehicles produced by the Japanese car maker Toyota Motor Corporation. Western Australia is a state occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. The Isuzu Forward & Isuzu F-Series ( Kana:いすゞ・フォワード is a line of medium-duty Commercial vehicle by Isuzu. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue (PBCFR is a combination career/volunteer fire department responsible for providing Fire Protection Emergency Medical Services, ALS Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue (PBCFR is a combination career/volunteer fire department responsible for providing Fire Protection Emergency Medical Services, ALS Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue (PBCFR is a combination career/volunteer fire department responsible for providing Fire Protection Emergency Medical Services, ALS Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue (PBCFR is a combination career/volunteer fire department responsible for providing Fire Protection Emergency Medical Services, ALS Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue (PBCFR is a combination career/volunteer fire department responsible for providing Fire Protection Emergency Medical Services, ALS Advanced Life Support (ALS- Implies that a EMT is capable of performing advanced life support skills as either an EMT-I (Intermediate or an EMT-P (Paramedic commonly referred Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue (PBCFR is a combination career/volunteer fire department responsible for providing Fire Protection Emergency Medical Services, ALS Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue (PBCFR is a combination career/volunteer fire department responsible for providing Fire Protection Emergency Medical Services, ALS Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Bedfordshire (abbreviated Beds) is a County in England that forms part of the East of England region. Fire Services Department ( of the Hong Kong Government is an emergency service responsible for fire-fighting and rescue on land and sea Retrieved on 2007-06-15. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 763 BC - Assyrians record a Solar eclipse that will be used to fix the Chronology of Mesopotamian history
- ^ FDNY Squad 18: The Rig. Retrieved on 2006-09-22. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 66 - Emperor Nero creates the Legion I Italica. 1236 - The Lithuanians
- ^ Bronto Skylift: HLA Range brochure. www. bronto. fi. Retrieved April the 28th, 2007
- ^ LA Fire Department Aerial Water Tower (March 1948). Retrieved on 2007-06-16. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1487 - Battle of Stoke Field, the last dying breath of the Wars of the Roses.
- ^ NFPA 1901 Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus, Chapter 7: Mobile Water Supply Fire Apparatus. 2003 edition. National Fire Protection Association.
- ^ Tarvasjoen vpk (Tarvasjoki Voluntary Fire Dept, Finland 2006)
- ^ For example, specifications of Amthor International Fire Tankers, www. Tarvasjoki (ˈtɑrʋɑsˌjoki is a municipality of Finland. amthorinternational. com, retrieved April 28, 2007
- ^ Example on a 12 500 litres (approx. Events 1192 - Assassination of Conrad of Montferrat (Conrad I King of Jerusalem, in Tyre, two days after his title Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. 3300 US gallons) water tender with 9000 litres (approx. 2377 US gallons) trailer: Fire Dept. of Kittilä, Regional Rescue Services of Lappi in northern Finland. Kittilä (Kittâl Gihttel is a municipality of Finland and a popular holiday resort http://www.fireimages.net/displayimage.php?pos=-11200, retrieved in April 28, 2007. Events 1192 - Assassination of Conrad of Montferrat (Conrad I King of Jerusalem, in Tyre, two days after his title Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.
- ^ Relyea; Robert G. , Garnett; Edward V. : United States Patent Application, February 8, 1993. Events 421 - Constantius III becomes co- Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?patentnumber=5301756
- ^ ICAO: Volume 1 - Aerodrome Design and Operations. Annex 14: Aerodrome Rescue and Fire Fighting Service (RFFS) requirements
- ^ ICAO: Airport Services Manual. Part 1 - Rescue and Fire Fighting. 3rd edition, 1990
- ^ NFPA 1006 Standard for Rescue Technician Professional Qualifications. 2003 Edition. National Fire Protection Association.
- ^ NFPA 1670 Standard on Operations and Training for Technical Search and Rescue Incidents. 2004 Edition. National Fire Protection Association.
- ^ For example, Helsinki City Transport’s tram rescue unit in http://www.fireimages.net/displayimage.php?pos=-9508, retrieved on 9th of May, 2007.
- ^ For example, VR railway rescue squad in http://www.fireimages.net/displayimage.php?pos=-18186, retrieved on 9th of May, 2007.
- ^ Visiiri 2/2006, pp. 6 – 7, on the heavy rescue unit of VR Railway Company in Helsinki, Finland, http://www.liitin.fi/index.php?node_id=5607, retrieved on May 9, 2007. Events 1457 BC - Battle of Megiddo (15th century BC between Thutmose III and a large Canaanite coalition under the King of Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. (In Finnish)
- ^ Helsinki Rescue Department
- ^ For example, Helsinki Rescue Department, Finland 2007
- ^ For example, in Helsinki Rescue Department, Finland 2007
- ^ For example, in Tampere Regional Rescue Department, Finland 2007
- ^ For example, in Tampere Regional Rescue Department, Finland 2007
- ^ Walter A, Edgar C, Rutledge M: First Responder Handbook: Fire Service Edition.
- ^ Alaspää et al: Uusi ensihoidon käsikirja. Tammi 2004. (New Handbook on Emergency care) (in Finnish)
- ^ Pelastusajoneuvojen yleisopas. (A general guide for rescue vehicles) (In Finnish). Ministry of the Interior, Finland. http://www.pelastustoimi.fi/raportit/pelastusajoneuvojen-yleisopas/. Retrieved on April the 28th, 2007
See also
- NFPA 1901
- Fire chief's vehicle
- Heavy rescue vehicle
- Airport crash tender
- Water tender
- Glossary of firefighting terms
External links
- The development of United States fire engines
- Detailed examination of two fire trucks
- Photos of fire engines
- Fire apparatus news and articles
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