The Cambridge Fire Department in Massachusetts has taken delivery of a Pierce Ascendant 100’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Tower with Idle Reduction Technology and TAK-4® T3.

APPLETON, Wis. (August 12, 2021) – Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK) company, announced today that the Cambridge Fire Department in Massachusetts has taken delivery of a Pierce Ascendant® 100’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Tower with mid-mount configuration on a Velocity® custom chassis. Sold through Pierce dealer, Allegiance Fire and Rescue, the new fire truck will replace aging apparatus and will support the city’s sustainability initiatives with leading-edge Idle Reduction Technology and TAK-4® T3 Independent Rear Suspension for added control and stability.

“The City of Cambridge is an old city and densely populated with streets that are narrow and demand a tight turning radius,” said Gerard Mahoney, chief of the Cambridge Fire Department. “Several of our firehouses were built for horse-drawn fire apparatus, and it is now a challenge to design fire trucks with the constraints of such narrow doorways. I was impressed with the outrigger design and that we were able to shorten the length of the new rig, compared to the apparatus it will replace that was built in 2002.”

Cambridge Fire Department’s new Ascendant 100’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Tower features:

• Velocity custom chassis
• Idle Reduction Technology incorporating high-performance lithium-ion batteries, lead-acid batteries, and auto-start with the Command Zone™ Advanced Electronics System
• 100’ heavy-duty steel tower with mid-mount configuration
• TAK-4 T3 Independent Rear Suspension
• Cummins X12 450 hp engine
• Allison 4000 Series transmission
• Hot-dipped galvanized frame rails and substructures
• 12-volt lighting with integrated power system
• Customized body compartmentation

Chief Mahoney added, “The City of Cambridge places a lot of emphasis on green technology and efforts to improve the environment, which made placing Idle Reduction Technology on our new fire apparatus the optimal choice. As a Green Community, the city has introduced 25 hybrid vehicles into the fleet to date, and also added municipal electric vehicles and many electric vehicle charging stations.”

The Cambridge Fire Department is approximately 300 personnel strong with an annual call volume of nearly 15,000. The new aerial tower will go into service in early August 2021.

“The Cambridge Fire Department has been a Pierce customer for over 30 years, and we are grateful for their collaboration and the confidence they’ve placed in our Allegiance Fire and Rescue team,” said Jeff Fournier, president of Allegiance Fire and Rescue. “Over the years, we’ve discussed how reduced fire truck emissions could support the city’s sustainability goals, and it is gratifying to see this innovative new aerial fire apparatus go into service. I’m confident its features and performance will exceed expectations as our team remains committed to continuing to provide dedicated service.”

For a comprehensive review of Pierce’s Ascendant Class of Aerials, visit www.piercemfg.com for specs, video, and images.

On the heels of about three months in the shop, the Venango (NE) Volunteer Fire Department’s new apparatus—V29: a 2015 Ford F-550, which will be used as a Type 6 grass rig aimed at quick attacks on grass fires—has been put into service reports granttribune.com.

Fire officials have been working on bringing the apparatus to the department for about five years now, and, for the last few years, the Rural Fire Board has been allocating money in the budget for it.

Officials say the rig is lightweight, quick, agile, and good for getting into tight spaces.

Estimates have the new rig costing about $90,000, including the truck itself and the equipment and work performed on the bed.

The Gloucester Township (NJ) fire district will hold a push-in ceremony for its new apparatus—Squad 88, a 2021 Pierce 1,500-gpm rescue-pumper—tomorrow at 6 p.m. at the firehouse at 1450 Blackwood Clementon Rd., reports NJ.com.

The ceremony will conclude after an apparatus procession to the Chews Landing Firehouse—Squad 88’s new home—at 43 Somerdale Rd.

Squad 88 has been assigned to the township’s first 24/7/365 on-duty engine company, covering the Chews Landing and Blackwood districts while also providing mutual aid for the township’s four other fire districts as well as other surrounding communities, the report notes.

The new apparatus was designed by a committee of fire officials and firefighters from the Chews Landing and Blackwood districts.

Squad 88 will replace a 17-year-old pumper, which is now a reserve.

Two Antrim County (MI) firefighters sustained minor injuries after a bridge near the intersection of Alden Highway and Comfort Road collapsed from underneath their apparatus, leaving it dangling off the fallen roadway, reports upnorthlive.com.

The collapse happened Wednesday morning just prior to 1 a.m., as severe thunderstorms came pouring down.

One firefighter was treated on scene for injuries, while the other was taken to the hospital—both are expected to be fine.