Snorkels

[AFS1970 504]

Looking for some information on Snorkels. I am only somewhat familiar with them and have never used one. I know that Stamford's now disbanded Truck 4 used one but that was before my time. Springdale had one and it was old and rarely used when they got rid of it. I remember Noroton Heights having one until they replaced it with a quint.

 

I have read that ALF bought Snorkel then shut down that division and stopped making them.

 

I know Chicago still uses them but I am not sure who makes them. I had heard possibly Pierce or Rosenbauer.

 

Any major cities / counties other than Chicago use them? I remember seeing historical pictures of LA using them, but nothing current.

 

I know Springdale's was 85 ft & Chicago uses 55 ft. Anyone know if other sizes were made or are available?

 

Are there any still in service in NY or CT?

[vodoly 535]

Smeal now part of Spartan ERV is now producing  snorkels Tele squirts &  the articulated  boom squirt I am sure they'll be popping up  all over the place soon Frankfort Illinois got one of their new snorkels 

Edited January 17, 2017 by vodoly

[MiFF 23]

I believe Philadelphia runs two assigned as truck companies. Baltimore used to have one assigned as frontline truck company but it is now a special call piece. I think it's designated truck 51 and is special called as a water tower for large defensive fires. 

 

My department in michigan used to have a 1980 spartan/pierce 85 ft. We replaced it in 2010 with a smeal 100 ft tower. I learned you could do some neat things but it had more disadvantages in our environment. I learned it's not the ideal truck for a single truck company department.

[vodoly 535]

2 minutes ago, MiFF said:

I believe Philadelphia runs two assigned as truck companies. Baltimore used to have one assigned as frontline truck company but it is now a special call piece. I think it's designated truck 51 and is special called as a water tower for large defensive fires. 

 

My department in michigan used to have a 1980 spartan/pierce 85 ft. We replaced it in 2010 with a smeal 100 ft tower. I learned you could do some neat things but it had more disadvantages in our environment. I learned it's not the ideal truck for a single truck company department.

Philly's in the process of exploring replacements to both of their remaining snorkels  as is Baltimore 

[x635 4,066]

In Westchester, Bedford Hills had a Snorkel which was replaced by the current TL-57. I believe Verplank and Mount Vernon had ones as well, if I remember correctly.

 

Chicago just took delivery of some new Snorkels as a second piece to their Rescue squads. (Click here for photos), Since they were made by Rosenbauer, they  technically aren't "Snorkels"

 

As for Los Angeles, this is what happened to one of their Snorkels: (Click here for photos)

 

Here's some photos of the newest generation, which I think is a pretty cool truck (Click here for photos)

 

I don't know of any that still exist in our area, but if Smeal (who got the rights to the trade names and engineering documents purchased when they were auctioning off ALF) markets their product correct, I would assume we see some Snorkels start to reappear.  In some situations, it's nice to have a compact unit with an articulating boom. Here's some photos of the newest generation Snorkel. (Click here for photos)

[Fumarin 4]

Chicago's taken delivery of their new snorkels (run as one half of a two piece "squad").  Here's some pictures from another site with some information on them

http://chicagoareafire.com/blog/2016/11/chicago-orders-new-squads-more-16/

 

http://chicagoareafire.com/blog/2016/12/chicago-orders-new-squads-more-19/

 

[AFS1970 504]

Thanks for the info. Only having been up in one (Springdale T56) once, and that was at a muster, I know next to nothing about Snorkels. I have heard of the advantages being that they can go up and over fences and power lines. I am not so sure how much I would want to be in a metal box that was attached to a boom with power lines running through the middle. What are some of the disadvantages? I know Chicago is using 55 ft units, so I assume height/reach to be a limiting factor. 

 

As an aside, on that LA roll over incident, was the rig driving or operating the boom? It looked like the snorkel boom was not a major factor if it rolled while driving. As cool as open cabs are, I can see the lack of a roof being more of a factor in an LODD. 

 

Also what is HU3? Saw it in one of the LA pics, just curious.

 

[vodoly 535]

Jersey City's long gone ALF snorkel had 2 incidents where it turned over while operating at fire After the 2nd incident at a huge pier fire on the Hoboken Jersey City border it was retired Time for new history It replacement ? 1  of the longest front line serving pieces  Tower  Ladder 6 's 75 foot aerialscope 

[x635 4,066]

1 hour ago, AFS1970 said:

As an aside, on that LA roll over incident, was the rig driving or operating the boom? It looked like the snorkel boom was not a major factor if it rolled while driving. As cool as open cabs are, I can see the lack of a roof being more of a factor in an LODD. 

 

Also what is HU3? Saw it in one of the LA pics, just curious.

 

 

It was operating at a fire scene, and resulted in an LODD of Fireman Thomas C. Collier, Jr, of LAFD Snorkel Company 3. He was in the bucket at approx. 85 ft. Here's some more info on that:

 

http://www.lafire.com/lastalarm_file/1970-0705_Collier/ThomasColllier.htm

 

HU3, was "Heavy Utility 3", now known as "Heavy Rescue 56". It's a heavy duty wrecker used for rescue operations, USAR, and department fleet issues. First due is the entire city. This link is the modern day version:

 

http://www.lafd.org/news/lafd-takes-delivery-new-50-ton-heavy-rescue

[nfd2004 750]

I know at one time Connecticut also had snorkels. As posted above, I believe there was one in Stamford.

 

Also Bridgeport, Stratford, Groton, and I believe Cheshire also had one.

 

 My brother worked Bridgeports Snorkel out of fire headquarters as both a firefighter and as a Lt. If anybody knows where fire headquarters is, there is a railroad overpass just to the right of that firehouse. Because of the height of that snorkel truck, if it snowed and they needed to put chains on, that truck would NOT fit under that railroad over pass. It would require them to turn in the opposite direction and take a much longer route to the incident.

 

 In addition, although the bucket is able to go over wires and tree branches, "for every action there is a reaction". Sometimes it might not have been able to make the swing because of where the lower and upper boom section met. Like folding your arm trying to get through a small hole with your elbow extended.

 

 In addition, many snorkels had a long overhang extending beyond the front of the cab. Making it very difficult to turn onto many streets if light poles etc were in the way. I remember Jersey City's Snorkel and that must have had at east a six foot overhang of the resting boom in front of that cab.

[SageVigiles 1,194]

I believe Orange, CT had an 80's Mack Telesquirt. Not sure if it is still around though.

[vodoly 535]

31 minutes ago, nfd2004 said:

I know at one time Connecticut also had snorkels. As posted above, I believe there was one in Stamford.

 

Also Bridgeport, Stratford, Groton, and I believe Cheshire also had one.

 

 My brother worked Bridgeports Snorkel out of fire headquarters as both a firefighter and as a Lt. If anybody knows where fire headquarters is, there is a railroad overpass just to the right of that firehouse. Because of the height of that snorkel truck, if it snowed and they needed to put chains on, that truck would NOT fit under that railroad over pass. It would require them to turn in the opposite direction and take a much longer route to the incident.

 

 In addition, although the bucket is able to go over wires and tree branches, "for every action there is a reaction". Sometimes it might not have been able to make the swing because of where the lower and upper boom section met. Like folding your arm trying to get through a small hole with your elbow extended.

 

 In addition, many snorkels had a long overhang extending beyond the front of the cab. Making it very difficult to turn onto many streets if light poles etc were in the way. I remember Jersey City's Snorkel and that must have had at east a six foot overhang of the resting boom in front of that cab.

Yes it did   

[PCFD ENG58 1,085]

Springdale Snorkel is 65 foot

[nfd2004 750]

1 hour ago, SageVigiles said:

I believe Orange, CT had an 80's Mack Telesquirt. Not sure if it is still around though.

 

 Regarding Telesquirts, Stamford also had two. I think Engines 4 and 5. At one point, I think one of those pieces was also used for a period of time out of headquarters as Squad 1, part of a two piece mini/maxi company using a mini pumper as well.

[AFS1970 504]

The telesquirts in Stamford were assigned to E4 & E5. At one point these were also 5 man companies, due to being the only rigs at the time alone in a station. E4 had a Mack CF and E5 had a Hamerly. Later on E1 in Stamford briefly used a Pierce telesquirt that had been in service in Long Ridge as E71. The 5th men on E4 & E5 I believe became part of the additional manpower on T2 & T3 when they finally became 4 man companies. There are no longer any telesquirts in service in Stamford.

 

The mini pumper at Stamford HQ was the predecessor to R1, at least manpower wise. From what I understand it was bought because it could fit into parking garages. That crew became the original R1,Riding Turn of River's old R66 that went to Stamford in the early 1980's.

 

 

[Newburgher 241]

This was the Snorkel that Newburgh tried. With lots of wires and narrow streets, it only stayed a short time. It then went to Monticello, I don't know how long the kept it though. 

[nfd2004 750]

42 minutes ago, AFS1970 said:

The telesquirts in Stamford were assigned to E4 & E5. At one point these were also 5 man companies, due to being the only rigs at the time alone in a station. E4 had a Mack CF and E5 had a Hamerly. Later on E1 in Stamford briefly used a Pierce telesquirt that had been in service in Long Ridge as E71. The 5th men on E4 & E5 I believe became part of the additional manpower on T2 & T3 when they finally became 4 man companies. There are no longer any telesquirts in service in Stamford.

 

The mini pumper at Stamford HQ was the predecessor to R1, at least manpower wise. From what I understand it was bought because it could fit into parking garages. That crew became the original R1,Riding Turn of River's old R66 that went to Stamford in the early 1980's.

 

 

 That's it ASF1970.

 

 Yes, the mini pumpers were a big selling point for being able to go into parking garages. Also as you say, I don't Remember any rescue 1 being there at the time.

 

 I didn't know that the telesquirt for Engine 1 came from E 71. Or that Rescue 1 was the old Rescue 66.

 

 Also, during that time Downtown Stamford became a large high rise cooperate headquarters area replacing the older buildings of the downtown area.

[Newburgher 241]

This picture shows the Snorkel, along with the rest of the in service ( at the time) American LaFrances.

Edited January 18, 2017 by Newburgher
Grammar

[Newburgher 241]

Picture of the Snorkel after it left Newburgh.  With lots of wires and narrow streets, it didnt stay here long, and went to Monticello next.  How long they had it, I do not know. Poughkeepsie had one for a short time too

[Newburgher 241]

I just realized the same picture appears twice.  The duplicate can be removed if it needs to be

[ltx17 19]

 

In Rockland County,hillcrest fd ran a 1962 internationall chassis w/ a 65 ft pitman boom which was replaced in 1977 by a Hendrickson chassis/pierce body/65 ft snorkel boom; Nanuet and Tallman ran mid 60's young crusader chassis models:75 and 65 ft respectively; suffern fd ran an alf 90 ft on a century chassis from the early to mid 60's era

[vodoly 535]

Tenafly  Bergenfield South Hackensack Carlstadt (Mack Cf) Glen Rock  & Fort Lee all in bergen county all ran snorkels back in the late 60's though 80's One of my favorites was Seaside Park NJ's 1982 Mack CF 1500 /500 / 55 foot  snorkel  also remember when they were training with it at the DPW Yard when they first got it I actually got to see it work a fire in seaside park at Avanti's Bayview restaurant 

Edited January 18, 2017 by vodoly