By Alan M. Petrillo
The “Bigger is better” trend is alive and well in the fire service. Lots of fire departments are choosing to outfit their new engines with larger fire pumps and bigger water tanks, compared to those being purchased five to 10 years ago.
Apparatus and pump makers acknowledge this trend toward larger water tanks and pumps on engines and say the reasons for such choices are varied.
Mark Brenneman, assistant sales manager for 4 Guys Fire Trucks, says that his company has seen an increase in size in pump capacity and tank gallonage on engines in recent years.
“The lines between pumpers and the pumper-tanker have blurred,” Brenneman observes. “The pump gpm (gallons per minute) on engines have increased significantly, and tank sizes have crept up too. Customers generally know what they want in terms of pump and tank sizes, so it’s up to the manufacturer to get them what they need.”
Brenneman checked the 4 Guys pumper data and found that 1,500-gpm pumps were the most popular size for engines, with the call for smaller 500-gpm to 1,000-gpm pumps sharply reduced. In terms of tanks, 4 Guys didn’t see a corresponding expansion into larger water tanks on engines, although Brenneman notes that may change in the near future. “ I’ve seen pumpers get progressively bigger,” he notes. “There are still smaller engines, but today’s small pumpers are bigger than those of previous days. Pumpers today are the size that tankers were 10 years ago.”
Joe Messmer, president of Summit Fire Apparatus, says his company has been installing Mac1 3,000-gpm module pumps on municipal pumpers, most with 1,000-gallon water tanks, for semi-rural fire departments in the past year. “With the supply chain shortages that are plaguing manufacturers, we looked into alternative pumps and came up with the Mac1,” Messmer says. “Mac1 also has a 1,250-gpm version if the department doesn’t need the higher gallonage. We do the pump end on the 3,000-gpm unit with stainless-steel plumbing so the pump doesn’t take up any more room than a cast iron pump would and also give it a savings in weight.”
Chris Kleinhuizen, systems engineer for Rosenbauer America, says Rosenbauer has been seeing much larger pumps on municipal pumpers. “Many departments are asking for larger pumps but are de-rating them to give them a longer life span,” Kleinhuizen says. “We also are seeing more water tanks sized around 1,000 gallons and up to 1,200 gallons. Staffing is one of the big issues with pump and tank sizes because many departments can’t roll two or three rigs, so they want to do it with one.”
Kleinhuizen notes that Rosenbauer also makes fire pumps and has several series available in the larger sizes. “We have the RN series; then the N110, which produces 2,500 gpm and is used on a lot of aerials; the N130 pump will give 3,500 gpm; and we just proofed the N200 pump that will produce 5,500 gpm,” he says.
Alex Hobday, sales engineer for Spencer Manufacturing Inc., says Spencer has been seeing more large tanks going on pumpers than large pumps. “More water means extending the useful time on the scene,” Hobday observes, “so many departments are turning to pumper-tanker style vehicles, turning two trucks into one.”
Hobday points to a pumper-rescue-tanker that Spencer built for the Angola (IN) Fire Department on a Spartan Metro Star ELFD chassis and cab with a 10-inch raised roof, carrying a Hale QMax-XS 1,500-gpm pump and an 1,800-gallon water tank. “This vehicle was built to allow the department to roll one apparatus on a first-due assignment and not need to rely on a tanker/tender following right behind it,” Hobday points out.
For the Saugatuck Township (MI) Fire District, Spencer built a pumper on a Spartan Metro Star MFD chassis and cab with a 10-inch raised roof, a Hale QMax 2,000-gpm pump, and a 1,600-gallon water tank. “This pumper w