Apparatus Ideas Bob Vaccaro
Durham, North Carolina, was nicknamed the “Bull City” in the late 1800s when the Blackwell Tobacco Company named its product “Bull” Durham Tobacco. Durham is also famously known as the “City of Medicine,” with healthcare as a major industry, including more than 300 medical and health-related companies and medical practices.
Durham is home to several recognized educational institutions. Duke University and North Carolina Central University are central to Research Triangle Park, which encompasses 11 square miles with 2.37 million people and is devoted to research facilities. Durham itself has a population of 300,000.
Protecting all of this is the Durham (NC) Fire Department, a fully paid department with a staff of 400 firefighters. They operate out of 18 stations, with a 19th station opening sometime later this year. All frontline apparatus are manufactured by Sutphen and include 18 engines, four trucks, and one heavy rescue.
Captain Carl Hamlin, chairman of Durham’s apparatus committee, says that the department has had good luck with Sutphen through the years and stayed with the company for its fleet services division primarily. “They have commonality of parts and maintenance as well as making training for our firefighters a great deal easier,” he says. “No matter where a firefighter is stationed, he or she would be familiar with the vehicle’s operation.”
According to Hamlin, apparatus replacement is based on several factors, including miles, maintenance, parts, and general condition. Based on funding, the department tries to replace engines every 10 to 15 years and trucks every 15 to 20 years.
1 Durham’s Sutphen/SVI tandem axle walk-in rescue with two-door extended cab. (Photos courtesy of SVI Trucks.)
Recently, the apparatus committee decided to design and build a heavy rescue. “This new build was our first true heavy rescue,” says Hamlin. “Previously, four ladder trucks were used, so space was at a premium. They carried basic rescue tools only. A county fire department located on the southern edge of Durham merged with our city, and we gained a smaller rescue from them that we still use as a spare. Our chief back in 2018 came up with a basic rescue truck concept, and we began looking into designing a custom apparatus just for us and the special needs of our city.”
The department had a prebuild conference with Sutphen and SVI in 2022. “The new unit we designed would be able to carry more equipment, and it would make it more accessible for our firefighters,” says Hamlin. “We ordered the vehicle in 2023, and it took roughly a little over one year to build. In this day and age, we thought that was phenomenal.”
2 The rig’s Command Light light tower.
3 The body’s interior showing SCBA mounts and upper storage.
4 A large transverse compartment in the body with two slide-outs.
Sutphen/SVI Walk-in He