Apparatus Ideas Bob Vaccaro

Brockton is a city in Plymouth County, Massachusetts. It is 25 miles south of Boston, is 21.5 square miles, and has a population of almost 105,000. It has five colleges, 20 schools, and three highways running through it.

The fire department was started in 1946 and boasts the first fire station that was fully electric, wired by Thomas Edison himself. Since that time, the department has purchased numerous fire apparatus manufactured by Mack, Seagrave, HME, Smeal, Spartan, and now Pierce. The department recently purchased an engine, a midmount platform aerial, and a rear-mount aerial, all manufactured by Pierce.

Chief Brain Nardelli states, “The process to order a new apparatus began roughly three years ago. We generally replace our apparatus based on age; maintenance issues; and, like most fire departments, funding that is available.” This time, the department started from scratch. It chose to go with the HGAC purchasing program so it would take less time and make it easier for the department to purchase what it wanted that met all of its needs instead of just going with a low bidder. “Since we previously purchased Pierce fire apparatus and had a good rapport with them and their local dealer, Allegiance Fire & Rescue, our firefighters decided, along with our committee, to go with them for this large purchase of apparatus,” Nardelli says.

1 The new Brockton Fire Department fire apparatus: a Pierce rear-mount aerial, a Pierce midmount platform, and a Pierce pumper. (Photos 1-4 by Michael Boynton)

The department looked at a demonstration Ascendant 100-foot platform that had a shorter wheelbase than previous department platforms. It also features Pierce’s TAK-4 T3 independent rear suspension with tight turning technology, providing greater maneuverability on the city’s tight streets. It also has a master stream that can go low or high as needed.

The rear-mount aerial and pumper were built on Enforcer cabs and chassis, which the department’s firefighters were familiar with. “The rear-mount is just a basic truck with truck company tools and Genesis extrication tools,” Nardelli says. “We added an engineer’s compartment behind the cab as well.”

The engine, known as Squad A, is an engine but also responds as a primary rescue at most scenes. “It has roll-out trays for all of our rescue tools as well as basic engine company tools,” says Nardelli. He adds, “Hose carried on the squad engine is 800 feet of 4-inch large-diameter hose for supply, 1,000 feet of 21⁄2-inch, and crosslays of 150 and 250 feet of 1¾-inch hose. All have solid bore nozzles.”

The Agriculture and Interior departments this week announced a broad-ranging initiative designed to bring federal firefighting agencies into closer cooperation, though it fell short of combining the firefighting operations of the two departments into one.

The Department of Interior will create a new U.S. Wildland Fire Service within the department, and it’s mission will be to collaborate closely with the U.S. Forest Service (under the Department of Agriculture), as well as state and tribal agencies, to create a single approach to wildland firefighting.

The initiative envisions:

• Streamlined procurement and payment systems
• Standardized training for firefighters
• Standardized human resources systems, pay scales, and benefits
• Modernization of the federal air firefighting programs with standardized inspection and certification processes
• Standardized mapping and risk management systems
• Creation of an overarching IT research office to set priorities and eliminate duplicative projects

At the same time, the two departments have said they will  look to identify and abandon outdated, inefficient systems. The announcements are in response to a presidential executive order to consolidate federal firefighting agencies. It addresses many of President Trump’s stated goals, but falls short of moving all federal firefighting operations under one department.

For more information, you can download the agency announcements here.

Read Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins implementing memorandum here.

Read Interior Secretary Doug Burgum’s order here. 

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Nate Gartrell
Bay Area News Group
(TNS)

RICHMOND — A man in his 30s was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries after a fire crew ran him over with their truck outside a Cutting Boulevard fire station, authorities said.

The man, who has not been publicly identified, was asleep outside Station 67 around 5 a.m. Thursday when a Richmond fire truck drove over him as firefighters left for an emergency call. The fire truck stopped and firefighters attempted to provide medical aid before he was taken to the hospital, authorities said.

The victim was believed to be intoxicated, and didn’t respond when the station’s roll-up door activated, police said. The crash remains under investigation.

The Richmond Fire Department referred all inquiries to Richmond police, who say the victim remained in critical condition as of Friday afternoon. It’s unclear whether the truck driver was placed on administrative leave or is under investigation.

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Authorities haven’t identified the firefighter who was behind the wheel, or said if anyone at the station inspected the driveway before the truck exited.

©2025 MediaNews Group, Inc. Visit at mercurynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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When technology and fire apparatus are discussed, reactions vary. While technology that makes a rig safer is never questioned, its reliability often is. This month, we asked Bill Adams and Ricky Riley to offer their thoughts on fire apparatus technology.

It Doesn’t Matter What You Call It

BY BILL ADAMS

When firefighters interface with their apparatus, safety is priority one and is nonnegotiable. I started to address fire apparatus technology by saying that any technological innovation in fire apparatus design that benefits firefighters is to be commended regardless of if said innovation is mechanically or educationally oriented. This last sentence sounds good but is grammatically incorrect.

I don’t want to offend the innovators or the sales, marketing, and advertising folks in the fire apparatus industry. Nor do I want to incur the wrath of my late 12th grade English teacher’s ghost. But, there is a difference between innovation, technology, and technological. According to the dictionaries, an innovation means something has been invented or modernized. Technology means expertise and skill—which I deduce is having the knowledge and proficiency in accomplishing something. I interpret technological as the application of a disciplined or scientific approach to both technology and innovation. The three words have been intertwined.

Most manufacturers tout their products as the best things since apple pie and sliced bread. However, someone else might have gotten there first. Credit should be given where credit is due.

ELECTRIC FIRE TRUCKS

Over the past years, domestic manufacturers began introducing electrically powered apparatus. They weren’t the first. Neil Wallington’s 2022 book, The World Encyclopedia of Fire Engines, says electrically powered fire apparatus were introduced around 1905 by both French and British manufacturers. The concept only lasted four or five years, mainly because the batteries were too heavy and required frequent charging. Today’s manufacturers have improved the original innovations. If they sell a lot of them, they’ll have proven they have the technological know-how in doing so.

CHANGES

There can be debatable consequences for some innovations. Paraphrasing one of Newton’s laws of physics: For every action, there is an opposite reaction. An eccentric example is at the beginning of the American Civil War, when innovations in weaponry rendered ineffective the infamous mounted cavalry charges with flashing sabers and single-shot rifles. Hence, cavalry troops were used as dismounted infantry with every fifth soldier delegated to merely holding the reins of the other four troopers’ horses. Those horse-holders reduced the number of fighters on the line by 20%. It led to the demise of the 7th Cavalry at Little Big Horn.

Fast forward to today’s fire service and observe the concept of multitasking apparatus—in particular, quints. Innovations such as larger motors and increased axle carrying capacities increased the capabilities of quintuples. Hence, many fire departments embraced the concept of standalone quint companies. It has worked for some.

For others, it has not. In some career departments, city fathers no doubt applauded combining an engine company and ladder company, each staffed by four firefighters, into a single quint company staffed with just four firefighters. Staffing and equipment purchasing costs might be reduced by 50%. The city could be saving money, but the public and firefighters could suffer because of the lack of firefighters on the load. My examples are not—and I emphasize are not—disparaging the wide-ranging benefits of technology in the fire apparatus

Spartan Chassis marked its 50th anniversary in Charlotte, Michigan, with a celebration that honored five decades of innovation, quality craftsmanship, and strong community ties. The event reflected the company’s deep roots and lasting impact, not just in emergency vehicle manufacturing, but in supporting the people and places that helped build it. What began in 1975 as a small team of founders building custom cab-over fire chassis has grown into a nationally recognized manufacturer of fire apparatus chassis and a trusted partner to fire departments across the country.

Honoring a Visionary: Bill Foster

A particularly moving highlight of the anniversary celebration was the tribute to Bill Foster, one of Spartan’s original co-founders and a pioneer in the fire apparatus industry. Foster, who passed away on January 1, 2025, at the age of 83, was more than a business leader. He was an innovator whose work reshaped fire apparatus design and elevated the standards of maintenance training.

In 1994, he launched the Fire Truck Training Conference (FTTC), creating a national benchmark for hands-on education for emergency vehicle technicians. His vision provided emergency vehicle technicians (EVTs) with the specialized training and professional development necessary to keep fire apparatus safe and reliable, setting a standard that is still recognized today.

Foster’s lifelong commitment to firefighter safety and his drive for higher maintenance standards earned respect across the fire service. His influence lives on in every Spartan chassis built and in every technician who benefits from the programs he inspired. The anniversary not only celebrated 50 years of Spartan’s success, it also honored Foster’s lasting legacy and the communities his work continues to protect.

A Legacy of Quality and Consistency

During the celebration, Ed DeVito, chief operating officer of REV Specialty Vehicle Segment, shared his thoughts on what has made Spartan a trusted name in the fire service for five decades. When asked what matters most in earning long-term loyalty, DeVito pointed to Spartan’s relentless commitment to product quality and operational consistency. “Over time, we have focused really on the manufacturing upside to be consistent and ensure that we’re producing a high-quality product. Anytime there’s a manufacturing environment, there are ups and downs and sideways. But to