Apparatus Purchasing: Boston’s Pumpers

BY BILL ADAMS

In some fire departments not using an apparatus purchasing committee, the department’s hierarchy and administrative staff solely determine the type and specifics of apparatus to be purchased.

Progressive departments seek input from active firefighters and officers (aka the operations division or the line). Astute departments pursue and evaluate the recommendations of repair and maintenance personnel (aka Maintenance; Logistics; the Shops; Fleet; or, as historically called in Boston, Massachusetts, the Motor Squad). I admiringly call them wrench spinners. My observation is the Boston Fire Department (BFD) approach to specifying new pumpers (aka engines) incorporates—at a committee level—the ideas, concerns, and suggestions of both the Motor Sq//aemstatic-ww1.azureedge.net/content/dam/fa/print-articles/volume-24/issue-6uad and operations division as well as identifies past experiences with apparatus previously purchased.

PURCHASING COMMITTEE OBJECTIVES

In 2014, the BFD, under the auspices of Fire Commissioner Joe Finn, established standard operating procedures for an apparatus and equipment committee under the chairmanship of Deputy Chief Robert Calobresi. One of its missions was “to research and develop specifications for engine and ladder apparatus.” In turn, the committee makes specification recommendations to the fire commissioner.

I reference specification documents and interviews with BFD’s Fleet and Logistics Division Lieutenant Jim O’Brien and paraphrase a 2017 Fire Engine Design summary. O’Brien, a 33-year veteran of the fire service, has previously been assigned to Rescue Company 2 and Ladder Company 4. Opinions and observations are my own and do not reflect official BFD protocol and procedures.

In designing the department’s pumpers, the committee’s objective was to expand performance, achieve maximum reliability, and minimize out-of-service time because of repairs and collisions. Past apparatus shortcomings were identified. Fireground operational concerns, objectives, and future planning were addressed. Special attention was given to safely responding and maneuvering in Boston’s highly congested environment by addressing apparatus size and collision avoidance. From personal experience, I categorize Boston’s secondary streets and alleys as very narrow, extremely narrow, and “don’t even think about trying it.” Lanes and paths laid out before the Revolutionary War are not conducive for today’s heavy traffic, parked vehicles, and 20-ton fire trucks seeking the right-of-way.

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