By Alan M. Petrillo
The fire truck of the future is fast becoming an electronically controlled vehicle, and many technological systems are making the vehicles more efficient, easier to operate, simpler to maintain and repair, and safer to use when fighting fires.
Some of the systems being put on fire trucks are bringing the future to today-artificial intelligence in the form of envelope control for aerials, automatic and wireless water streams for pumpers and aerials, avoidance control systems, and all-around camera usage.
Have No Fear
Trapper Meadors, sales engineer for Precision Fire Apparatus, thinks the fire truck of the future is here now. “The technology that manufacturers are putting into fire trucks today is far surpassing anything done in the past,” Meadors says. “And, the customer base is embracing it. We’re building trucks with electric valves, control screens that control pumps, and screens that show where equipment is stowed or if it’s deployed. And, we see that kind of technology use only increasing.”
Meadors notes that the younger generation of firefighters “embraces the newer technology and is used to using touch screens and computerized equipment, which help provide a more streamlined operation of fire trucks.”
Jason Witmier, product manager of aerials for KME, says that the use of electronics still “scares some people in the fire service. When the fire service first started using electronics, they took electrical devices for industrial applications and used them in fire trucks. Sometimes they didn’t work well, and there’s a generation of firefighters that remembers that.”
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| The Westminster (MA) Fire Department had KME build its new pumper with all electronic valves and an electronic pressure governor, which allows for a shorter wheelbase and more maneuverability of the rig. The electronics also simplify operation of the pumper. (Photo courtesy of KME.) |
However, Witmier believes that electronics on fire trucks have made great inroads recently. “We’ve turned the corner in the last five years,” he says, “because manufacturers developed devices specifically for our industry and made them function without problems.” Witmier points out that electric valves and pressure governors allow manufacturers to shorten the pump enclosure, which allows a shorter wheelbase that gives more maneuverability to the truck. “Or, you could keep the same wheelbase,” he adds, “and get a lot more storage space.”
Dave Rider, director of global product development for Smeal Fire Apparatus, believes the industry will see a lot more integration of touch screens on fire trucks. “The younger generation is used to iPads and iPhones,” he says. “So, integrating that technology into the fire service gives us the iFiretruck.”
Controlling the Truck
Lisa Barwick, director of business development for product management at Pierce Manufacturing Inc., says Pierce recently upgraded its Command Zone multiplexing system to bring new technology and enhancements to controlling fire trucks. “We used voice-of-the-customer feedback to determine what was important to firefighters-elements like a touch screen and where buttons should be placed,” Barwick points out. “We used that i