To Quint or Not to Quint...

[Guest DG795]

What are your opinions on the quint craze of westchester county? Does a quint give you a more versatile rig, or just take away needed space on a ladder?

For Dept's that operate quints...

What are your SOP's regarding its response and operations?

Are you truly getting the most out of the apparatus?

Upon arrival at a scene are you sizing up as an engine company or a truck company?

How much water do you carry on the apparatus, and has the quint pushed the limits of a safe GVW on your streets/highways?

Have you been able to operate more effectively with reduced staffing with a quint?

If you had to do it again what, if anything, would you change?

[CM36 4]

Ardsley operates a Quint

It is the first due to all strutce fire and automantic alarms

Yes we are because we have a another truck that has water on it and can do more we can operate a land hind with out be hooked up to a hyrdant which helps if there are only 3 or 4 people on hte truck

Truck company

400 gallons and 1500 gpm and no it has not pushed the limts of the safe GVW

Yes we can cause now if their are only enough guys to get a line in then we don't have to worry about getting hooked up to a hyrdant right away we have tank water also the pump operator can do more besides just moiving the ladder around.

[x635 4,066]

To back up what Chris said:

For Dept's that operate quints...

What are your SOP's regarding its response and operations?

1st due to any structural incident within the Village Of Ardsley and district.

Can carry 4 Firefighters, 1 officer, and the MPO/Driver

Usually, pulls IFO the fire building or closest part of the building to the fire.

MPO determines best position so that lines can be stretched and/or the aerial can be placed. The second due, usually E-164, hits the closest hydrant and lays into L-50.

Are you truly getting the most out of the apparatus?

The quint works well for a small district like Ardsley, that doesnt neccarily need or can afford a full truck company and can only afford and needs three engines. It's also nice because we have 2 engines as well, when one goes out of service for PM or whatever, we still have the quint to serve as an engine.

Upon arrival at a scene are you sizing up as an engine company or a truck company?

It's a very versatile system we run that really depends on the call.

All Ardsley FF's are cross-trained in Engine, Truck, and Rescue Operations.

Usually, L-50 responds with a full crew. Usually the chief or deputy is 10-84 and has completed the size up. 2 FF's/L50 offcr will conduct a primary search, if warranted, and 2 members will stretch a line/or intiate truck company operations. The crew from E-164, which usually has 6 people and arrives 1-2 minutes or less after the quint, has one member hook into the hydrant, while the MPO hooks into L-50 or into 164 then to L-50. The balance of the crew and officer will usually assume truck company operations and/or stretch a backup line.

How much water do you carry on the apparatus, and has the quint pushed the limits of a safe GVW on your streets/highways?

GVW is fine

400/1500 as Chris said, and the GVW is fine. The short wheelbase also allows it to be extremly manuverable through the tight Ardsley streets and traffic.

Have you been able to operate more effectively with reduced staffing with a quint?

Doesn't really end up being reduced for Ardsley.

If you had to do it again what, if anything, would you change?

Nothing major. Maybe the next time around, Ardsley's grown up since 1986 when the quint was initially spec'd and would now warrant a 100', especially with the new senior housing going up. Also maybe a bigger engine and rear diff.

Also, you should be careful on how and what you run your quint too (i.e. car fires, wires down, etc) With the aerial, it does require more PM than your average engine, and tires do wear faster as well.

DG795, you're welcome to come and check out our quint anytime. Lemme know and I will hook you up.

[HFD23 37]

with the quint i can go both ways.. i agree small deparments like ardsley with very few high rise's the quint is the way to go.. this holds true with greenville ladder 4 , greenville now only has to run the quint and the engine..with 151 as the mutual aid rig or as a spare...

the major thing you need to realize is just as a engine your quint only has in ardsleys case 400 gallons with a 2 1/2 like they used 2 weeks ago at the kitchen fire in the restaurant, thats not alot of flow time while your waiting for 164 to lay in...

the quint shows the need for firefighter who man this rig to be crossed trained, the must act as either a engine or truck company, and somethines may have to do both.

i think most of the quints like ladder 50 and ladder 4 don;t push the limits they are designed for small town departments i think these trucks save the districts alot of money from preventing them from running a truck and 2 engines the would normally be required with out a quint..

my personal opinion when choosing a ladder with a tank and pump is to keep it small like ladder 47, ladder 4 and ladder 50, the problem comes in when you go big like FFD ladder 1, its a beautiful rig, but i feel a pump and 800-1000 feet of 4 inch house and pre connects on a rig of that size is a waste of space... the truck has little compartment space due to the pump and hose bed, i feel more truck company equipment could be placed on the rig it the pump and hose were not included. The other side to this is that you give up some space and gain the ability to go mutual aid take up your own hydrant and lay your own supply line with out having to team up with a engine like when HFD TL-15 goes to white plains it requires them often to team up with eng 151 from greenville for water supply.. i guess it comes down to what your department requires most or feels is more important..

[Remember585 815]

Quint - the way to go. Lake Mohegan has got the right idea, put a quint in every station. They don't need to be massive rigs, but something versatile enough that can function as an aerial AND / OR an engine. We are operating our 1st quint and still getting used to it - but it will be an asset in the long run (I think).

[Guest Mstremt]

THANKS I WASN'T AWARE THE LMFD HAD FOUR QUINTS ??

[Guest]

quints do have there advantages though they are for for waaaannnnnaaaaaaa beeeeeeeeee truckies that are really only wagon drivers. just make sure its not a ferrara wagon boys

[LFD171 0]

Mohegan has 3 quints with ladder 10, ladder 35 and Engine 250, which has a telesquirt boom.

Is there a 4th one?

[Guest DG795]

No, Mohegan has two quints (L10,L35) and E250 like you said. There is no 4th quint.

[Mofire24 27]

in mohegan i guess we do alright with the quints

Ladder 10 is a 75ft smeal spartan gladiator with a 300 gal tank

Ladder 35 is a 105ft smeal spartan gladiator with a 500 gal tank

and eng 250 is a kme 55 ft telesquirt with a 500 gal tank top mount pump basically just an elevated water way. On a usual structual response we send Ladder 35 from HQ and waterever substation is closer too the incident where you might get another ladder on the response a telesquirt or engine

[Remember585 815]

Did I say Mohegan had 4 quints? NO! I am saying the concept of putting one in each house is a good idea - and they are 3/4 of the way there. So settle down people!

[CG206 29]

Good job Muns... #-o. lol