Greenwich (Sound Beach) Rescue 5

[T. John 21]

The Town of Greenwich (CT) will be taking delivery of its new heavy rescue truck within the next few weeks. I will post more pictures and details once they are available. The truck is assigned to the Sound Beach station in Old Greenwich. The current Rescue 5 (Ford L9000 w/ E1 walkin body) is being converted for the SBVFD Dive Team.

Edited February 19, 2010 by T. John

[IzzyEng4 427]

WOW! What is the wheel base on that rig??

[x635 4,066]

I was thinking the same thing and no tandem axle.....Sound Beach has some tight streets. However, they have an excellent rescue team and carry a lot of advanced equipment....I would think the wheelbase is no longer then their ladder truck?

Can't wait to see the compartment shots. Thanks for the spy photo.

[T. John 21]

More pictures are available at:

http://picasaweb.google.com/SoundBeachFireRescue/Rescue5

I am not sure of the wheelbase as I can't seem to find the drawing on my laptop. The truck was modeled after the technical rescue truck from Port St. Lucie FL. The back compartment is designed to carry trench equipment and dimensional lumber. A lot of engineering was put into this truck. The purpose was to combine 3 trucks into one as a dedicated heavy rescue truck. I have since taken a new job outside of CT but will try to keep everyone posted.

[Guest]

Another great job by Pierce Fire Services.

[T. John 21]

Attached is the CAD drawing of the new rescue along with a comparison drawing of the old truck that is going to be converted for the Dive Team.

Also, the link I posed previously went bad. Here is a link to more pictures.

http://picasaweb.google.com/SoundBeachFireRescue/ApparatusNewRescue5

13613 - SBVFD OLD RESCUE.pdf

22523 - SBVFD NEW RESCUE.pdf

[mfc2257 464]

I was thinking the same thing and no tandem axle.....Sound Beach has some tight streets. However, they have an excellent rescue team and carry a lot of advanced equipment....I would think the wheelbase is no longer then their ladder truck?

Can't wait to see the compartment shots. Thanks for the spy photo.

Somehow Pierce has designed their chassis to accommodate more weight on a single axle than I've seen anywhere else. Here are two large squad's from mutual aid departments near where I went to college in Gettysburg, PA.... Also on singles. First Littlestown, PA Rescue 20, Second New Oxford, PA Rescue 13 (Now merged with East Berlin FD to make United Hook and Hose Company 33.)

Edited March 1, 2010 by mfc2257

[PCFD ENG58 1,085]

Two things, Why doors and not roll ups, you have the same type of response area as we have [ I=95 / parkway ] and I will never stand behind a door again to get tools out on the roadway . With lanes closed wtih buffer trucks, cones, flares, you know what can happen out there and now I need to get my eyes checked blurred vision from those photos maybe some better shots someday . Good luck with it as I know you work hard at what you do !

Edited March 1, 2010 by PCFD ENG58

[PFDRes47cue 653]

Awesome looking rig. Great job by Pierce! I am also curious about why they chose doors and not roll-ups? Best of luck with the new rig!

[Guest bamoore22]

Beautiful truck! I believe that the reason Pierce can design these trucks with single rear axles instead of tandems is the overall gross vehicle weight rating. Since the truck will primarily carry just rescue equipment, the single rear axle can support this weight without having to add a second axle. Also, if you look at tandem rear-axle rescues, they have two compartments over the rear tandem axle with a total of five compartments on each side usually (three full size compartments and then the two over the axles). Putting just a single rear axle on the truck allows for more compartment space by allowing four full size compartments. Also, the wheelbase on this truck is listed at 249 inches; for Pierce the typical wheelbase for ladder trucks is about 246 inches and for rear-mount towers it's usually about 254 inches.

[Bnechis 3,961]

I believe that the reason Pierce can design these trucks with single rear axles instead of tandems is the overall gross vehicle weight rating.

Anyone can design a single rear axle if keep the weight carried relativly low.

Since the truck will primarily carry just rescue equipment, the single rear axle can support this weight without having to add a second axle.

Maybe if all you consider to be "rescue equipment" is extrication equipment. Once we add all our equipment to our 91' Single rear axle Pierce it was overloaded and that was with 46% of the box empty and the 4 seats in the back empty. Everytime we wanted to add equipment, we had to remove something else.

Also, if you look at tandem rear-axle rescues, they have two compartments over the rear tandem axle with a total of five compartments on each side usually (three full size compartments and then the two over the axles). Putting just a single rear axle on the truck allows for more compartment space by allowing four full size compartments.

While that 4th compartment may get you "more space" its only going to be able to carry air (and not in tanks). Most rescues have tons of wasted space and extra compartments do not make a difference but capacity to carry the load (and be able to safely stop it) is more critical. Also most single axle units are 21' box, not 24' so you actually do not gain the extra space over the tandumes.

Also, the wheelbase on this truck is listed at 249 inches; for Pierce the typical wheelbase for ladder trucks is about 246 inches and for rear-mount towers it's usually about 254 inches.

Arent most of those ladders tandums?

[Guest bamoore22]

Anyone can design a single rear axle if keep the weight carried relativly low.

Maybe if all you consider to be "rescue equipment" is extrication equipment. Once we add all our equipment to our 91' Single rear axle Pierce it was overloaded and that was with 46% of the box empty and the 4 seats in the back empty. Everytime we wanted to add equipment, we had to remove something else.

While that 4th compartment may get you "more space" its only going to be able to carry air (and not in tanks). Most rescues have tons of wasted space and extra compartments do not make a difference but capacity to carry the load (and be able to safely stop it) is more critical. Also most single axle units are 21' box, not 24' so you actually do not gain the extra space over the tandumes.

Arent most of those ladders tandums?

True, anyone can design a single rear-axle unit if the weight is relatively low but what I meant by the extra compartment to add compartment space is the fact that the truck carries no pump, tank, or hose. The pumper/tankers in my department have 1250 gallon tanks and carry 1200' of 5" hose on a single rear axle. That water weight, considering water weighs about 8.5 lbs per gallon, is roughly 10,500 lbs and the 1200' of 5" hose, considering a 100' section weighs almost 100 lbs, is 1200 lbs. Combined, not even considering the weight of the pump, is 11,700 lbs, and that doesn't consider the other hose lengths we carry. So that gives roughly 12,000 lbs of equipment that the single rear axle truck can carry, and that's probably a pretty big understatement. In addition, the wheelbase information was just a comparison to this particular truck and to the wheelbases of trucks that many departments use every day. So while it is a long wheelbase, it is not too unreasonably long. And yes, the vast majority of those units are tandem axle.

[T. John 21]

There was a lot of discussion and consideration given to the type of doors to be included on the truck. There was concern with the committee that, due to the low height of the truck, that the rollups would take up too much compartment space. This also prompted the two Hurst pumps to be mounted in the upper compartments as well as reels. The rollups also cut down on the cost of the vehicle. The doors also provide a mounting platform for small tools and misc. equipment. Regarding the issue of apparatus placement, when the truck is being used, it is not the last truck in line at the incident. When functioning as a "rescue", it is typically the closest truck to the actual operation and additional protection is provided by other vehicles to include appropriate clearance on either side for personnel operating in/around the vehicle.

Edited April 2, 2010 by T. John

[x635 4,066]

I don't know what CT's weight and DOT rules are, but it is kind of strange that Pierce would put something like this on a single axle. Regardless, looks like an awesome truck with plenty of storage space. I do like roll ups, but you can really notice the amount of space saved and more tool mounting opitons.

[Arrowxt 8]

Axles come in a variety of ratings. Looking at front tires and rear tires I can gauge weight and GVW. Did anyone bother to ask what they are going to load into this truck? I have seen more Tandem trucks overloaded than single axle rears. It depends more on what you carry and where you carry it.