Pierce Ascendant Tiller Quint for the Santa Maria City (CA) Fire Department

The Santa Maria City (CA) Fire Department had seen a big housing boom in the city and wanted to replace its 110-foot 1999 Hi-Tech LTI aerial ladder that had 100,000 miles on it. While the department was waiting for funding, it formed a seven-person truck committee that researched aerial manufacturers and neighboring fire agencies to determine the various truck options available.

The department was able to get an Assistance to Firefighters Grant for $988,410 in July 2017, and the city came up with the rest of the money to make up the $1.4 million purchase price for a Pierce Manufacturing Ascendant® 107-foot heavy-duty tiller quint.

FIRST-TIME TDA CUSTOMER

Christopher Rehs, a Santa Maria City captain and member of the truck committee, says the Pierce Ascendant is the department’s first tractor-drawn aerial (TDA). “The biggest advantage of the tiller is its maneuverability,” Rehs points out. “With the turntable in the middle of the truck, we can access areas in our city that our straight stick couldn’t, and it lets us get in a lot closer in tight-access places like a college campus and various apartment buildings.”

Tim Smits, senior sales manager for aerial products at Pierce Manufacturing, notes that the tiller quint concept is becoming more popular around the country. “With many departments trying to do more with less, the value of a TDA with a pump, a water tank, 500 cubic feet of compartment space, and the ability to carry up to 260 feet of ground ladders can’t be underestimated,” Smits points out.

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