Engine 4 with the Orange Beach, AL, was added to the Orange Beach Fire Department fleet after a dedication and push-in ceremony earlier this month, according to a report published by GulfcoastNewsToday.com.

The new engine will be stationed on Ono Island outside of the Orange Beach Fire Department service area, according to the report published on the internet. As part of an agreement between island and city officials, the city purchased the new engine and equipment for about $550,000 and the island residents will repay the investment over 10 years.

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According to a report from WVLT, the Cosby (TN) Volunteer Fire Department (CVFD) in Cocke County took in its first new fire truck in 35 years through a $280,000 Federal Emergency Management Agency grant.

The CVFD responds to an average of 320 calls a year, helping extinguish structure, brush, and car fires as well as tending to motor vehicle accidents.

The CVFD has typically received “hand-me down” equipment or were forced to reconfigure an old school bus into a fire truck, which CVFD Fire Chief Michael Shelton said was “designed to haul kids to school, not 1,500 gallons of water.”

CVFD member Paul Bryant said that the department began in 1986 with a 1955 Ford engine that they purchased from Happy Valley.

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By Bill Adkins

Shuttling water is a right of passage when fighting fire in rural communities. When hydrants are not available, we must use tankers/tenders to shuttle the water from either a hydrant miles away or find a nearby static water source. To effectively shuttle water from either choice you need to have the proper equipment ready for the task.

Not all departments have in their budget to build a top-of-the-line type of tanker. Depending on the departments current resources, sometimes all that is needed is a chassis and a tank. Either way, you will not want to simply tell a manufacture to sell you a tanker that fits their needs. It is time to tell the manufacture to sell you a tanker that will work best for your needs.

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Taking a closer look of functions a shuttling tanker will do. 1) Dumping its water into a dump tank. 2) Receiving water from a hydrant or from a fill site apparatus and 3) Possibly driving or backing down narrow roadways and driveways.

Dumping Water

Tankers should be able to dump water on three sides of the apparatus (usually rear and both sides). You will see some tankers have electronic or pneumatic controlled dumps that can easily be dumped from the cab of the truck. This makes for the ability to dump from multiple sides into multiple tanks at the same time. I would recommend getting the largest dump valve you can afford. Another option is to get multiple dumps on each side. This allows you to dump at a quicker rate. Again the goal here is to dump as quickly as you can so you can return to the fill site.

If you are building a tanker on a budget, ordering electronic or pneumatic dumps may not be an option for you, however you are still able to order a dump that allows you to dump on all sides. One option is the Newton swivel dump. This is one of the most cost-effective options currently in the industry today.

Receiving Water

Setting your tanker to receive water depends on what supply line you and your mutual aid departments use. Take the time to think of your neighboring departments when ordering your fittings. Even if you normally use LDH doesn’t mean you will always use LDH on every water shuttle. Depending on your personnel LDH, even though it flows more water, may not be the most practical. For example, in rural areas we do not always have the option to have all our members that are young, strong, and physically fit. It may be more practical for your shuttle tanker to have multiple 2 ½- or 3- inch inlets ins

Dearborn Heights, MI, has appropriated more than $650,000 for a new fire engine to replace a 25-year-old apparatus that is costing too much to keep in service, according to a report published by Press & Guide newspaper.

The newspaper said the city has about $600,000 already in its capital outlay budget saved for the purchase, but in the year it will take to have the truck built and delivered, full payment won’t be due until the next budget cycle when the full purchase price of $658,897 will be due. At that time, the city will decide if they want to finance any of the purchase, the newspaper reported.

The city has also submitted grant request for a new engine every year, but have had any luck receiving an award, the newspaper reported, adding that the city has had to delay purchasing some vehicles.

The newspaper also reported firefighters believe they need to replace one other engine soon and then the fleet will be up to date for the foreseeable future.

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