E-66 & E-70 White Plains

[fyrlt17 13]

Two new ones for White Plains

[PFDRes47cue 653]

Great looking rigs. Freightliner cab right? Best of luck with it!

[antiquefirelt 994]

Nice pump panel layout and use of handwheels. What's the "road/pump" style manual switch on the right side for? I've not seen one of these outside the cab before.

[EJS1810 7]

Nice pump panel layout and use of handwheels. What's the "road/pump" style manual switch on the right side for? I've not seen one of these outside the cab before.

Possibly the MIV valve for the officer side suction

[Guest]

Very narrow hose bed esspecially for 5in. hose,

[x635 4,066]

Looks like White Plains FD has returned to Smeal for their engine bodies (after the last two being Pierce Contenders).

[fyrlt17 13]

Nice pump panel layout and use of handwheels. What's the "road/pump" style manual switch on the right side for? I've not seen one of these outside the cab before.

Tank to Pump

[fyrlt17 13]

Looks like White Plains FD has returned to Smeal for their engine bodies (after the last two being Pierce Contenders).

Seth

Pierce was one of the four companies to submit a bid, Smeal was the lowest.

[Guest]

Finally they are here. I've been waiting to see photos of those engines for months now finally I've seen them. I live in White Plains an they said we were suppose to get them last year but they never came now they are here. They are beautiful I was just hoping they would have gotten an bumper extension but its still cool.

Edited February 13, 2010 by TR54
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[Guest]

Could somebody help me? I was looking at fotki . Why would White Plains replace engine 70 instead of 71 ? Is Engine 70 gonna become 71? Somebody please inform me.

Edited February 13, 2010 by TR54
Spelling

[johnvv 20]

Nice looking rig, but I'm disappointed that the new engines do not appear to have a front suction hookup. Does anyone know why? In a city where there are hydrants on every street corner, now instead of firefighters hooking the hydrant from the safety of the front of the rig, they will have a greater possibility of being exposed to vehicle hazards.

[Ladder44 73]

Very narrow hosebeds, does WPFD run 5" supply hose?

[Bnechis 3,961]

Nice looking rig, but I'm disappointed that the new engines do not appear to have a front suction hookup. Does anyone know why? In a city where there are hydrants on every street corner, now instead of firefighters hooking the hydrant from the safety of the front of the rig, they will have a greater possibility of being exposed to vehicle hazards.

Front suctions have a number of disadvantages:

Added cost(in the $40,000 range)

Added maintenance (we had 4 rigs with them, 3 cracked from there own weight, 1 was damaged in an MVA and when we found out the cost to repair, it was removed.

High Friction loss - with all the turns it is generally equal to 100' of hose to travel 15 feet. This reduces the amount of water that can be pumped. When we had a 6" front suction on my engine we maxed at 1,150 gpm. a 6" steamer can do 1,500 - 2,000 gpm.

In some designs it increases the turning radius

The best one is many MPO's tend to nose the engine into the hydrant when they have it. This can push the tail end out into the street. At a MA call about 2 years ago I got a great pic of an engine doing just that and cutting off the tower ladder that was now 500 feet from the fire building.

The way we keep the MPO safe from traffic is to bring the line in on the right (or left if needed) steamer connection.

[IzzyEng4 427]

Why does White Plains spec out conventional cabs and chassis for thier engine companies? Is it a cost saving measure?

[L31TL2 0]

Good Luck with your new rigs!

[Rescue85 4]

Very nice looking rig. Nice layout & use of compartment space. I agree, storage of 5" hose looks like it will be a problem. Good Luck White Plains. You will need it. Smeal is a piece of crap. Expect many problems & leaks with the rig.

[SteveOFD 176]

Why does White Plains spec out conventional cabs and chassis for thier engine companies? Is it a cost saving measure?

I had heard awhile ago that they do this because the City DPW maintains the fire apparatus, and standardizing fire apparatus with DPW equipment (garbage trucks, dump trucks, etc.) means better efficiency at the shops.

[Guest]

Would anybody happen to know what other two fire companies where offering bids to White Plains besides Smeal and Pierce ?

Edited February 14, 2010 by T4444T

[IzzyEng4 427]

I had heard awhile ago that they do this because the City DPW maintains the fire apparatus, and standardizing fire apparatus with DPW equipment (garbage trucks, dump trucks, etc.) means better efficiency at the shops.

Thanks Steve and actually that really does make some sense!

[16fire5 693]

Front suctions have a number of disadvantages:

The best one is many MPO's tend to nose the engine into the hydrant when they have it. This can push the tail end out into the street. At a MA call about 2 years ago I got a great pic of an engine doing just that and cutting off the tower ladder that was now 500 feet from the fire building.

When able we encourage our chauffeurs to paralel to the curb and use the 10' flexible lenght of suction hose we carry to make the hydrant connection. This tends to no interfere with ladder company apparatus positioning. And as stated above frequently when chauffeurs use the front suction they tend to leave the a** end of their rig in the street. This is not a hard fast rule in the department many companies and chauffeurs have personal preferences. In most cases our chauffeurs are protected by the street being close by PD, the block is gridlocked by the first alarm assignment and the ladder company usually enters the block after the engine and from the same direction so their positioning will in most cases protect the engine.

Also the points about the cost and inherent flaws with front suctions should make any department purchasing a new rig give it serious consideration. That money could be very well spent elsewhere if you ask me.

Edited February 15, 2010 by 16fire5

[M' Ave 1,466]

I saw a good move once on a tight block. Small space on either side of the hydrant so he couldn't really tuck the rig in for the trucks to get by. The move? The chauffeur pulled onto the sidewalk, perpendicular to the street, leaving no more of the rig in the street than the width of a parked car. Used the 10' flex suction from there, nice and close.

Guys really do go to lengths to avoid the front intake.

[SteveOFD 176]

One thing I like about these rig's is the rotary pump discharge valves (Akron). I have seen these at the shows, but have only seen them in pic's of some of the Los Angeles rig's. IMO it seems that you could have a more feather like adjustment to the discharges, rather than trying to "inch" the push/pull or swing type valves.

[Guest]

Trucks finally delivered after about 3 months.

[jcoppola 52]

Very nice looking rig. Nice layout & use of compartment space. I agree, storage of 5" hose looks like it will be a problem. Good Luck White Plains. You will need it. Smeal is a piece of crap. Expect many problems & leaks with the rig.

I agree, from what I have seen and heard, Smeal is low on quality and customer satisfaction.

Good luck with the rigs anyway though.

[61MACKBR1 222]

I agree, from what I have seen and heard, Smeal is low on quality and customer satisfaction.

Good luck with the rigs anyway though.

I guess that depends upon who you talk to. I would presume that White Plains is satisfied with them, otherwise they would not allow them to bid. Also, Yonkers is about to receive 3 New Smeal/Spartan Rigs within the next couple of weeks from NEFA (E309, SQ11, L72). These are 2 of Westchester County's Largest Fire Departments, who are both very particular on what they want.

[chris 18]

Front suctions have a number of disadvantages:

Added cost(in the $40,000 range)

Added maintenance (we had 4 rigs with them, 3 cracked from there own weight, 1 was damaged in an MVA and when we found out the cost to repair, it was removed.

High Friction loss - with all the turns it is generally equal to 100' of hose to travel 15 feet. This reduces the amount of water that can be pumped. When we had a 6" front suction on my engine we maxed at 1,150 gpm. a 6" steamer can do 1,500 - 2,000 gpm.

In some designs it increases the turning radius

The best one is many MPO's tend to nose the engine into the hydrant when they have it. This can push the tail end out into the street. At a MA call about 2 years ago I got a great pic of an engine doing just that and cutting off the tower ladder that was now 500 feet from the fire building.

The way we keep the MPO safe from traffic is to bring the line in on the right (or left if needed) steamer connection.

Advantages around my neck of the woods would be for drafting from different bodies of water, including pond's from a tanker ( and yes we know some of you are not sure what a tanker might be ). For this ( in alot of cases ) you almost have to have a front suction. Croton has one engine without it and cannot be sent out of town on mutual aid when a drafting site is to be set up, because you can't guarentee the rig can position where its needed to draft.

[chris 18]

Very narrow hose bed esspecially for 5in. hose,

Very narrow hosebeds, does WPFD run 5" supply hose?

The dividers can move.

Why does White Plains spec out conventional cabs and chassis for thier engine companies? Is it a cost saving measure?

I was also curious about this? Some places like it because the crew is not near the noise of the engine and sirens, a hearing loss thing.

[61MACKBR1 222]

IzzyEng4, on 13 February 2010 - 09:00 PM, said:

Why does White Plains spec out conventional cabs and chassis for thier engine companies? Is it a cost saving measure?

I was also curious about this? Some places like it because the crew is not near the noise of the engine and sirens, a hearing loss thing.

I believe that White Plains FD specs out the Ford Conventional Cabs, as their DPW Department does all of the work on these rigs, and these Ford Conventional Cabs are similiar in nature to those to which the DPW Garbage Trucks use, therefore, it is easier for them to work on and this provides them with "symetry" as it relates to replacement parts, etc.

[PCFD ENG58 1,085]

IzzyEng4, on 13 February 2010 - 09:00 PM, said:

Why does White Plains spec out conventional cabs and chassis for thier engine companies? Is it a cost saving measure?

I was also curious about this? Some places like it because the crew is not near the noise of the engine and sirens, a hearing loss thing.

I believe that White Plains FD specs out the Ford Conventional Cabs, as their DPW Department does all of the work on these rigs, and these Ford Conventional Cabs are similiar in nature to those to which the DPW Garbage Trucks use, therefore, it is easier for them to work on and this provides them with "symetry" as it relates to replacement parts, etc.

When White Plains recieved those Fords ,cab and chassis went to DPW , Then from there they went for fire bodys, garbage bodys, dump bodys and so on, All chassis came in together. As for the dealer that covers our area for Smeal you can kept them. On a vist to them our truck committee was shocked to see them installing Home Depot parts on pump fittings right in front of us, we were not wearing any F.D. clothing and they didn't even try to hide it. We left and never went back !

Edited March 24, 2010 by PCFD ENG58

[61MACKBR1 222]

Hey PCFD ENG58: Who is the Smeal Rep for Port Chester? Is it New England Fire Apparatus and Equipment? If so, then this surprises me, as the information that I have on NEFA (dealing with them as it relates to SCBA Equipment) has been very positive. As I mentioned above, I believe that both Yonkers and White Plains has had a very good relationship with them as well. Is it NEFA?

When White Plains recieved those Fords ,cab and chassis went to DPW , Then from there they went for fire bodys, garbage bodys, dump bodys and so on, All chassis came in together. As for the dealer that covers our area for Smeal you can kept them. On a vist to them our truck committee was shocked to see them installing Home Depot parts on pump fittings right in front of us, we were not wearing any F.D. clothing and they didn't even try to hide it. We left and never went back !