markmets415

We just put the Chief's car in service within the last month and the unit is already installed on the Engine, as far as lights, there is the one on the mirror, the one under the doors, one in the wheel wheel area and one on the extended front bumper, we will see how the coverage is and install more if needed.

sent from the shop, photos from Kessel's body preparing the body last week for paint which is to start today and the remounting of the newly powder coated front bumper and permanently installed pump plumbing and lighting, we should have a whole painted truck back Friday and hopefully a trip down next week.

Because of the addition of the CAFS the Engine was over $400,000 which I am sure sounds like alot to some of the members here but it is replacing two engines and will be in service for 20+ years

Chassis returned after pump painted, the body has been prepared and paint is online to be completed by early next week so we should see a completely painted Engine by the end of next week the build process should move along rather quickly, as a side note the body was removed and taken off site to the Pierce warranty (Kessel's) paint shop and the chassis was returned to the Firematic shop for the re-install of the pump plumbing and bumper assembly as well as interior cab electronics.

I've seen this vehicle several times during my trips to Firematic, in fact we used some lighting ideas on our new engine that's there under construction, the unit is a very nicely designed mini pumper with a 1000 GPM midship pump.

Been my argument for years, As Chief the good old beer machine went for a ride, yet after I got out from office it returned, I am with you 100% there is no need for it to be there and it's one of the reason why I stopped going to parades, it sad to see a bunch of drunk firefighters making a spectacle of themselves and the departments they serve.

thanks for the share, our last two contracts were decided by binding arbitration.

Sure but as always it depends on the day of the week for me

Storage is always a consideration when specs are being drawn up and the configuration of such space is also dictated by what type of vehicle you are building that best suits your districts needs, back to our new Engine being built, it has a front mount pump, rather than placing a trash line within the front bumper we chose to use that area to hold the various different adaptors that may be needed at the pump rather than having to go to a compartment in the body to locate one and used the "dead space" under the cab steps to place the reel with the 200' of hard line on it and also added a 3rd area above our speed lays that wasn't originally spec'd but was again "dead space" that we found during the build, this area will hold a poly tray with a dead lay of 1" forestry hose. Costs should always been a huge consideration on adding things, Look at the rigs that get posted here or you see at a show, hell don't forget to add the Q2 (yes we have one but not by my choice) or the three rotating thing that spins around on the front of the Engine or $1000's of dollars in gold leaf, we can go on and on about the costs of some the "items" that are added to a fire apparatus that may or may not be needed but I balk at the argument that the cost of such a reel like the one we have is a waste of space or money, we planned and used every possible space that we could use to hold equipment on our new engine as our fire district is taking two engines out of service when the new one arrives.

We have two booster reels on out BRAT, of course this is a brush truck not a pumper, one reel is a dead lay for 1000' of forestry hose which can be pulled off and hooked into one of the 1 1/2" discharges at pump (the hose is not charged on the reel as it is capped and yes it was designed that way for the storage of the hose), the other is reel with 200' of hard line, all discharges on the BRAT are class A foam capable. The BRAT also carries 3 - hose bags containing 300' each of 1" forestry hose and 400' of 1 3/4 and 300' of 2 1/2", at a fire in Lakeville CT. last fall every piece of hose was used in the woods by various departments. We have had great success with the reels, again yes this is a different type of vehicle and mostly used for grass/brush type fires but repacking over 1000' of forestry hose if not on a reel would not be fun. The line has been used in ways IZZY mentioned above as well. Our new engine being constructed has a reel spec'd under the cab steps that will hold 200' of hard 1" line that will be CAFS capable for those road side grass fires, smaller nusinance fires, the new engine has "pump and roll" capabilities. We have used foam for years and will continue to do so.

great as always, thank you for sharing!

Seth I am considering going on Sunday, usually go on Friday but work beckons and my son graduates on Saturday from high school.

I can check, it's a shop in Carmel that the Firematic Shop uses.

great shots as always, thanks for sharing

A few from the shop, it went off to paint, frame work at the rear of the chassis to support the body, the cut outs the rear of the body for the tow eyes and sound-off signal 12 light LED traffic advisor and the side of the body showing the lower compartment for storage of foam pails, the access door in the officers compartment to the CAFS valves and plumbing and the 2 1/2" CAFS speed lay, 2 - 2" CAFS speed lay and the upper area which will house dead lay of forestry hose, all speed lays will be in poly trays for ease of packing.

Wow, thanks pretty awesome, great tool to use that otherwise would be sitting in the salvage yard, thanks for sharing!

No problem, as soon I can track down the Chief, I will add some more photos

It has an inner light. Dan I tried posting an older link from a previous thread and the photos do not open, do you have any of the photos still on available to repost here?

It's the first thing I saw was the KFC sign, to funny!

There was a conversation about painting it white with ghost striping and lettering but it just wasn't worth the cost being it is used, we got a good deal on the vehicle from our neighbors, it's been well taken care of and it will help us get started towards the purchase of a new one down the road a few.

This is were they will be, we went with a 102" wide body thus why they are in further, same design as the Washington CT rig, I tried posting the link from Feb. 2011 in the apparatus photos section for the Washington rig but the pictures do not load.

a few more of the body mounted

and the body is mounted and shall be headed to paint

Captain could you share what your department uses, you are always proactive so anything to aid the rest of us that actually take the time to read and listen to what you offer would be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance.

Thanks, it has been a long process to say the least from the start of the design, components, placement, approval and now the construction process. We will have a wet down shortly after the delivery for this Engine and the our B.R.A.T. The B.R.A.T has far exceeded our expectations and has not only been used more then we envisioned in our district but has been used by numerous mutual departments as well, Pawling (will be started soon) and Rhinebeck (completed and in service) have purchased a B.R.A.T from Firematic too and a few more of our neighbors are hoping too. Firematic makes the process so easy and working with David Horton and the shop is great, they don't build "cookie cutter" vehicles which allows for creativity with a custom build which for a smaller department makes a huge difference.