Depending on the part of the country, the makeup of their coverage area, and the type of rigs they are running, fire departments have different needs and requirements when it comes to vehicle stabilization equipment.

From equipping heavy rescues to light chassis vehicles, departments must consider the types of equipment being loaded, their weights, space requirements, and the tactical use of the equipment.

Mike Ulibarri, western hemisphere sales manager for Paratech Inc., says that Paratech’s Highway VSK kit has proven to be a very popular fire department choice for use on rescue trucks, while its Supporter X2 All-in-One Vehicle Stabilizer has been widely adopted to be carried on pumpers and aerial ladders. Ulibarri says the Highway VSK kit is designed for multiple vehicles, longer reach, and heavier weights, such as a full-loaded tractor trailer, when compared with Paratech’s Standard VSK. The Highway VSK Kit has two 25- to 36-inch AcmeThread struts; two 37- to 58-inch AcmeThread struts; two 12-inch, two 24-inch, and two 36-inch strut extensions; and four each multi-bases, hinged base with an anchor ring, rachet belt with finger hook, and tie down keys with J-hook.

Ulibarri says the Supporter X2 is best used when firefighters need to stabilize a vehicle accident scene quickly. “With the TwistLock collar, all you need to do is twist, extend, and lock, and the Supporter can stabilize 10,000 pounds with a 2:1 safety factor at any height,” he points out. The kit has a quick extension to 70 inches, a quick super extension to 95.4 inches, a spike base, an auto rewind belt, an integrated ratchet belt, and a 90-degree base that folds flat for easy storage. Paratech also makes a heavy vehicle extrication kit, an interstate/ motorway VSK kit, VSK base kits, and a Standard VSK.

1 Paratech’s Highway VSK kit is its most popular model of vehicle stabilization struts. (Photo 1 courtesy of Paratech Inc.)

Chris Pasto, director of engineering and training for Res-Q-Jack and the company’s founder, says Res-Q-Jack’s Apex strut is about 80 percent of the company’s market sales now. He notes that the new Apex X-Strut takes the user-friendly design of the Auto X-Strut and beefs it up for more capability. “The Apex X-Strut features a combination of a threaded inner tube and a square outer tube, allowing for a built-in ratchet on the standard strut, and an internal positive stop to eliminate the risk of overextension,” Pasto points out. He adds that the Apex accepts all pin-free end fittings on both the 45- to 62¾-inch Short Strut and the 58¾- to 91½-inch Long Strut.

Pasto says Res-Q-Jack also makes the Heavy-Duty Vehicle Stabilization and Lifting Strut that’s capable of stabilizing and lifting large vehicles as well as for structural collapse. He notes that the strut is milled from solid aluminum and features threaded collars instead of standard pins, allowing great strength and fast deployment. The struts are available in 51½- to 68½-inch short struts and 67½- to 100-inch long struts. Res-Q-Jack also makes a Heavy Duty Strut series, Steel X-Strut series, RJ3 series struts, Auto-X Struts, and GreenLite™ X-Strut series.

Steve Martin, lead instructor at JYD Industries, says JYD’s new Sidewinder+ Jack is engineered specifically for use on automobiles and light duty trucks. It features a tilting head for angled adjustments with the ability to lift from 5¼ inches to 19¼ inches and can be operated manually or with power tools. He says the Sidewinder+ kit includes a Sidewinder+ jack, a combination flathead and pointed head, a universal, and a speedy wrench.

Read more

• 0
• 0
• Article rating: No rating