Croton Falls New Chiefs Vehicle: 2011 Chevrolet Suburban/SWS

[SWS1 68]

The Croton Falls Fire Department, in Westchester County New York, recently took delivery of their new Chief's truck, a 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe. As with many of today's first response vehicles, much time was invested to assure it could fulfill a multitude of capabilities.

One specific need was sufficient rear facing warning as the CFFD regularly responds up to I-684, a limited access, multi lane highway occupied by high speed, high volume traffic. As Chief's vehicles are typically the initial personnel to arrive on scene, and distracted, impatient drivers present a real danger to first and subsequent responders, the need for adequate rear warning was paramount.

As with most of the vehicles upfitted by SWS today, 2071 incorporates a 100% LED based warning system. Front facing components include a Whelen FX Freedom lightbar, two six head Dominators and two LINZ6s in the front grille with a Sound Off headlight flasher. Side warning is provided by M4s on each outer bumper corner, a four head Dominator Plus in each rear side cargo window and a Sound Off Intersector under each side view mirror. The rear is protected by a Whelen Outer Edge, Outer Pillar Edge, eight head Dominator Plus in the upper cargo window, two split color M4s on the cargo door and four LAW HideAway LEDs in the taillights. A CenCom system with a HOWLER low frequency siren system complete the overall warning package.

A custom built Command / Storage cabinet was installed in the rear cargo compartment which incorporates communications equipment, space for turnout & SCBA, four open storage compartments, adjustable shelving and slide out command drawer with marking whiteboard and clear overlay. Two additional four head Dominator Plus bars were installed on the sides of the cabinet to provide additional rear warning when the cargo door is raised. Rear vehicle area lighting for nighttime operations is provided by three LED compartment lights. Two dual lamp floods under the rear of the truck supplement the area work lights while also operating in conjunction with the OEM reverse lights.

The 24 inch Havis console contains the department and County radios, CenCom control head, storage box, side mounted armrests, dual cup holder, 12V power outlets and HOWLER controls.

Vehicle graphics include white reflective striping, red safety chevron on the rear door, along with gold leaf lettering and department artwork on each front passenger door.

Specialty Warning Systems extends it's thanks to the Croton Falls Fire Department for the confidence placed in us to provide their new Chief's vehicle. We look forward to working with them on future projects.

YouTube video link............http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABtaENSy9fw

While we are appreciative and thankful for the hectic workload we have been working through since the move to our larger, more efficient facility last Thanksgiving, it has limited the amount of time we've had available to keep current projects posted on EMTBRAVO as they're completed. Most readers are probably well aware of the vehicles we deliver to fellow departments in Westchester, Putnam and Duchess Counties as they are delivered, but may not have had an opportunity to see vehicles that have been completed for other areas. We'll be starting to get these up for readers' interest and feedback in the near future. If NYS vehicles are of interest, we would be happy to post the most recent ones as well. Please let us know what you would like to see in the coming weeks and we'll be happy to get them up for you...........Thanks for everyone's support and interest !....... SWS

Edited July 3, 2011 by SWS1

[sfrd18 360]

Nice door artwork and nice chevrons! Looks great!

[x635 4,066]

Nice work as always!

I really like the Sound Off Intersector, never knew it existed but a very good choice for intersection waring.

[firedude 985]

Great job SWS!!! Keep up the good work!

[FFFORD 27]

Holy lights. Nice truck. good luck with it.

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

Nice looking Truck, best of luck with it. I do know I never ever want to be behind that truck when all those lights are on.

Edited July 3, 2011 by SRS131EMTFF

[TR54 239]

Nice , Chevy Suburban FD cars are making a come back. Be Safe.

[x129K 1,393]

Holy Rear Whoopie Lights! KInda makes the chevrons moot....guarentee you cant see them!

[osufire90 18]

Wow! that has some excellent rear warning light power!

[johnnyirons 5]

Must be nice to have the money to spend on excessive amounts of lights. Hopefully this department first spent money on equipment and necessary safety equipment first before wasting it on the lights. Correct me if I am wrong but don't Michigan state police have a very simple light package with busy interstates and have very limited emergency vehicle scene crashes. Its too bad joe taxpayer has no idea what a majority of these fire districts waste there money on while departments that are cash deprived cant even staff an adequate amount of fire personnel daily.

[xfirefighter484x 234]

Correct me if I am wrong but don't Michigan state police have a very simple light package with busy interstates and have very limited emergency vehicle scene crashes.

It is true for the most part, but, not that I agree that their lighting is effective enough, but that it just my opinion.

I am a fan of blinkies, don't get my wrong, but even I think the rear of this vehicle is overkill.

That being said, the install itself does appear clean, and well done, as is usual with SWS!!!

[x129K 1,393]

Which leads to the question, when is too much? Or more specifically, when do the warning lights become a safety hazard themselves?

With the rear interior light sticks activated, is it even possible to use the command center/board?

Do the sticks in the front grille block enough air to cause the truck to overheat when "run hard"?

What would be a better option for highway rear warning?

I am still a BIG fan of rotating lights on the roof of rigs...they do things LED and strobe cant..they can flash around corners, bouce off of building, signs, etc... a good mix of LED and rotating lights can be a very effective warning system.

The instal is typical of SWS, impeccable. The truck is nice and I wish the department well with it, may they never need the rear warning for it's intended purpose.

[INIT915 1,119]

Correct me if I am wrong but don't Michigan state police have a very simple light package with busy interstates and have very limited emergency vehicle scene crashes.

Have a link to provide regarding this?

[xfirefighter484x 234]

Have a link to provide regarding this?

New link started for this discussion:

[hfd745 8]

Must be nice to have the money to spend on excessive amounts of lights. Hopefully this department first spent money on equipment and necessary safety equipment first before wasting it on the lights. Correct me if I am wrong but don't Michigan state police have a very simple light package with busy interstates and have very limited emergency vehicle scene crashes. Its too bad joe taxpayer has no idea what a majority of these fire districts waste there money on while departments that are cash deprived cant even staff an adequate amount of fire personnel daily.

VERY WELL SAID, I WAS THINKING EXACTLY THE SAME THING...

[nycmedic 65]

No wonder the property taxes are ridiculous in Croton. There is so much waste of lights on this vehicle it is ridiculous.

[MoFire390 118]

truck looks great!!! as always

[Westfield12 65]

The rear lights are pretty cool. The local hospital-based paramedic service has those lights on the back of their rigs. And they're Tahoes!

[fireguy30 13]

Which leads to the question, when is too much? Or more specifically, when do the warning lights become a safety hazard themselves?

With the rear interior light sticks activated, is it even possible to use the command center/board?

Do the sticks in the front grille block enough air to cause the truck to overheat when "run hard"?

What would be a better option for highway rear warning?

I am still a BIG fan of rotating lights on the roof of rigs...they do things LED and strobe cant..they can flash around corners, bouce off of building, signs, etc... a good mix of LED and rotating lights can be a very effective warning system.

The instal is typical of SWS, impeccable. The truck is nice and I wish the department well with it, may they never need the rear warning for it's intended purpose.

i agree with you 100% i am very big in to lights no light today will beet a mx7000 loaded light bar(bring back the rotaters) like the other guy said they bonce off everything leds flash one way and 1 way only unless you by the new walean light bar now do you really need 2 6 light light bars in the grill or is 1 good and for the back it is done very nice and clean good job sws but now you can do the same with takeing the arrow stick out of the inside and put it on the roof in the back once you open that back hatch the light are ameing at the sky at least the arrow stick on the roof will shine threw the window and the lights on the side are cool but do you really need 2 more bars on the inside the same way you could prob save anout 1000.oo by take those lights out and still be a x-miss tree in the road do we know if the light onside can be turned off with a switch from the back and if i was the chief they would blind the s%&t out of me flashing in my face as im trying to do stuff

this is not to bash these guys safty is #1 but the more lights you have could alos mean the more a person would look at them and go damn thats alot of lights my taxes are paying for and hit the guy stop infront of him just saying i have seen it happen

now on to sws

you guys do very clean nice custom work i know a few cars that you have done and been in a few very very nicely done keep it up

and agan this is not to bash just putting my 2 cents out there

[x635 4,066]

I *believe* that SWS is one of the installers that actually installs the "low power" switch. In some models of lights, this can dim them significantly at night.

[T. John 21]

In some situations, more is not always better and this, in my opinion, applies here. Just because a vendor comes out with a new type of light doesn't mean you have to install it. Effective lighting needs to be able to warn motorists from a distance and to mark where the emergency vehicle is parked and where crews might be operating. Looking at the video, the number of lights just makes the vehicle glow as if you are being blinded by a spotlight. At night, can a motorist see someone walking behind or near the vehicle with everything activated (or, can the first responders themselves working around the vehicle work without being blinded)? Will drivers become blinded by the sheer volume and brightness of the lights, unable to correct their vision to safely drive past an incident scene? What was wrong with just a lightbar and a few body mounted lights towards the rear? Has that been proven not to be effective? I am a strong supporter of creating a safe scene to work at, especially on limited access highways, but doing so itself has to be done safely. That is the reason we don't shine blinding lights into oncoming traffic. It is why we wear reflective vests at a scene. I can only imagine the amount of money invested into this vehicle. In times when the economy is still in the toilet and families are unable to make ends meet, investing in a needless amount of lights sends a wrong message to the community and to our elected officials. I also believe that vendors need to act responsibly when working with clients to determine what is actually required/recommended to do the job - nothing less, and maybe nothing more. It would be interesting to measure the amount of lumens put out by this vehicle at night - low or high power. Way too much, period.

Edited July 9, 2011 by T. John

[cffd50 0]

the rear arrow stick lights in the rear window can be turned off with a switch in the back so the chief doesnt get blinded.

i would also like to ad that anybody who has worked an mva or car fire on 684 or 84 during rush hour can agree the more lights the better. the people who use that road only care about one thing...getting around the car in front of them and flooring it. i would like the scene noticeable from a distance.

[1075thebox 1]

Video

CFFD 2071

[x129K 1,393]

that anybody who has worked an mva or car fire during rush hour can agree the more lights the better.

Respectfully disagree Cap. I think too many lights can actually be a safety hazard/.

[signal30 22]

This truck is extreme overkill, yep, you definitely see it i'm sure, but i'm not so sure you're going to see anything else with this thing parked somewhere. I'm all about woo woo's, but someone made the comment of the "cost" issue with some departments that have to scavenge for simple safety items for their members while other departments blow their money on excessive items. Granted, I understand how budgets work...use the money this year, otherwise you can't really justify asking for the same amount next year. But maybe some of us can look at ourselves and be big boys and girls and say, you know what? i think we can cut back a little bit...

Yes, the truck looks good, and i don't necessarily know too much about this agency's jurisdiction, but i really would love to have been in the meeting where all this was being discussed. I doubt that at any point, was there ever so much of a concern about the cost.

[FFEMT150 214]

the rear arrow stick lights in the rear window can be turned off with a switch in the back so the chief doesnt get blinded.

i would also like to ad that anybody who has worked an mva or car fire on 684 or 84 during rush hour can agree the more lights the better. the people who use that road only care about one thing...getting around the car in front of them and flooring it. i would like the scene noticeable from a distance.

I have worked many MVA's and car fires on I84 and the TSP in dutchess county, Never really felt the need to have that many lights. Also saw this truck in the Mahopac parade, Once the truck was down the road you couldn't tell there were lights flashing... Looked like one solid light. Might have gone just a bit over here. DOES look good, don't get me wrong, but just a bit over the top IMO.

[FFBlaser 24]

What I'd do...

1. Take one of the grill Bars out,

2. Remove all the side lights except the M4's

3. Take the six lights of the rear pillars out

4. Take the two Interior 4 head dominators out

Bam... Perfect amount of lighting.

[FFEMT150 214]

New Thread for the discussion... Looking to go alittle more in depth with this and don't want to dominate the thread here...

[X2321 133]

No wonder the property taxes are ridiculous in Croton. There is so much waste of lights on this vehicle it is ridiculous.

I don't think this will cost the Croton taxpayers a single penny.