Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK) company, announced the sale of the 300th Ascendant® 100’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Tower with mid-mount configuration, purchased by the Austin Fire Department in Texas through authorized dealer Siddons-Martin Emergency Group. Since its introduction in 2018 and following the 200th sale just one year ago, this aerial configuration has proven to offer an unmatched combination of maneuverability, operability, and serviceability in the industry.
There are many reasons for the Ascendant 100’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Tower’s popularity and significant sales volume. Most notably are growth in cities across the U.S. and the impact on infrastructure, as well as the increased safety benefits of pedestrian-friendly roadways. According to the State Smart Transportation Initiative, fire departments have historically pushed back on the narrowing of roadways because it impedes on the maneuverability of large fire trucks. However, trends show the narrowing of roadways to accommodate pedestrian walkways and bikeways, as well as growth in urban and suburban infrastructure, will continue in the years ahead.
“Public interest in more pedestrian-friendly access to business and residential areas has been on the rise, and in recent years, the City of Austin has added bike lanes to downtown streets,” said Greg Tatsch, director of sales for Siddons-Martin Emergency Group. “As driving lanes narrow, this presents a challenge for maneuvering fire trucks. The option to have a mid-mount tower with a low overall height and length and without a large tail swing was extremely important for the Austin Fire Department, and we were proud to offer a game-changing fire apparatus with those attributes.”
Features of Austin Fire Department’s new Ascendant 100’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Tower with mid-mount configuration include:
- Pierce Velocity® chassis
- Mid-mount 100’ heavy-duty steel aerial tower
- Cummins X15 605 hp engine
- TAK-4® Independent Front Suspension
- Short overall height of 10’ 11” and length of 43’ 3” for superior maneuverability
- Integrated ground pads
- 20’ setback capacity
- 20-degree below grade operation
The Austin Fire Department responds to 130,000 calls for service annually with 1,200 personnel among 51 fire stations throughout the city. As Austin’s urban and suburban roadways became narrower to accommodate its residential and business growth, the fire department recognized the benefits of the Ascendant 100’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Tower.
“Austin’s downtown area has experienced explosive growth and having an apparatus with the ability to easily maneuver through narrower streets and increased traffic is critical to our mission,” said Lance Zenkner, battalion chief with the Austin Fire Department. “What attracted us most to the Ascendant mid-mount configuration is maneuverability in terms of cramp angle and turning radius, it’s also easy to operate, and can be setup and ready within about 90 seconds. As the city continues to grow, this tower has become a necessity to serve our community safely and effectively.”
Another critical factor related to fire apparatus size and selection is firehouse accessibility and layout. Historic firehouses tend to be more compact than newer firehouses, with the National Fire Protection Agency citing over 21,000 firehouses across the U.S. are beyond 40 years of age.
“We’ve seen remarkable interest in the Ascendant 100’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Tower because its size and maneuverability solve a problem for many fire departments without compromising on performance,” said Jim Johnson, Oshkosh Corpor