By Bill Adams

I recall an old-time chief saying he wasn’t always right, but he was never wrong. Talk about being arrogant and conceited. But if you really think about it, you don’t often hear white coats admitting they stepped on one of their private body parts. The subject was kicked around the coffee table the other morning. One geezer who always defends white coats said you seldom hear any fireman (a gender-neutral term) saying he made a mistake, and you’ll never hear of one admitting they really did something stupid.

Looking back at 50 years in three different departments, I vaguely recall some of the guys doing some stupid stuff. Do not believe there is, or could be, a resemblance to this writer in any of the following examples.

• The new driver, who had not yet driven to a call, excitedly raced to the station when he heard the air horn blowing (before pagers). He was a ways out, and most of the apparatus had already responded. The dispatcher told him they had a small kitchen fire up on Highland Street and he’d better take the rescue truck because it sounds like they’ll need its fans. He did. When he got up to Hyland Avenue, his was the only rig there. Ooops.
• Not being a life-long native of a community can be challenging when historic and generic terms and locations are used. Another time, a driver who just happened to look like me, ran into the station to answer a call. The dispatcher said there was a small grass fire down behind the Hornbeam Hollow Farm. Where the hell is the Hornbeam Hollow farm? The dispatcher calmly got up from the watch desk and put his arm around the young driver’s shoulder and said, “You know where you and your parents live? Well, step out your front door and look at the old farmhouse across the road. That’s the Hornbeam Hollow farm.” That’s what it was called during the Civil War.
• In another company, a driver who recently moved to a rural district from suburbia, responded on a rig by himself. He radioed back asking to confirm the location. The old guy on the base radio read him the instructions off the run card: “Go west out of the station. Then go west on Route ----.  Then east on -------- Road. The street you want is the 2^nd left past the cemetery.”  Not knowing east from west, the driver radioed back saying it was cloudy and he couldn’t see the sun and to repeat the directions with lefts and rights. 
• *In yet another department, the officer riding in a rig with an open cab stood up and threw a stiff-arm at “some old lady” who was running a red light almost hitting the truck. She was the mayor’s secretary. The officer’s actions did not sit well with him.
• A story was told about an incident that occurred before I joined the department. The dispatcher kept calling one of the responding apparatus to relay instructions from the chief on scene. There was no reply. The frustrated dispatcher finally radioed: “Fire alarm to Engine 2. Turn your radio on!”
• A long time ago, the village’s department turned out very quickly for an attic fire located on a real steep hill off the main drag. The first engine had to stop when pulling the hill, and the driver stalled it. The second engine, following SOPs, went the opposite way—a couple blocks longer. The ladder made it around the stalled engine and got there just ahead of the second engine. The engine crew was stretching 1½-inch hose when the driver suddenly took off down the street heading for a plug—towing the 1½-inch hose and two of the guys trying to hold it. He thought the crew had stretched a 2½ inch supply line to the ladder. After

KME Fire Apparatus, a manufacturer of fire apparatus, announces the delivery of eight KME custom pumpers to Central Pierce Fire & Rescue, WA.

These eight engines have been specifically engineered to the department’s requirements. Paul Stueve, Assistant Chief of Logistics for Central Pierce states, “Cascade Fire and KME have provided an experience of responsiveness, a willingness to meet high expectations, and delivery with professionalism.”

These new pumpers are identically built on KME’s Predator® cab with a Severe Service™ interior package. The trucks will serve a diverse area including the City of Puyallup, WA, which is has an urban environment as well as a portion of unincorporated Pierce County.

 Features of the custom pumpers include:

• Predator MFD cab with a 10” raised roof Cab
• Cummins ISX 12 500 HP engine
• Allison 4000 EVS transmission
• Waterous 1500 GPM pump
• FoamPro 2002 foam system
• 500-gallon water tank with 30-gallon foam tank

“The new pumpers have hit the streets, providing service reliably as promised. The feedback from our citizens has been positive with regards to their impressive appearance. From early evaluations by our firefighters, the consensus has been positive on the design features that were specified and how these pumpers perform,” said Paul Stueve.

 KME dealer, Cascade Fire & Safety, of Yakima, WA., provides service and support for Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.  “At Cascade, our mission is providing fire departments with the right products and service for the long term,” said Mark Merritt, Cascade Fire & Safety, President. “Our entire team thoroughly enjoys the privilege of serving the professionals at Central Pierce Fire & Rescue. We are excited to see them get to new levels and reach their goals.”

For more information, visit www.kmefire.com.

SUPERIOR, WI—The City of Pittsburgh River Rescue Unit, located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has selected Lake Assault Boats to construct a 30-foot EMS river rescue vessel. The craft’s primary mission is to perform rescues in response to water emergencies, administer advanced life support (ALS) services, assist firefighting operations, and provide security for the nation’s second largest inland port. The craft will be delivered in fall 2019.

“This is our second craft for the City of Pittsburgh in the past three years, and we’re thrilled to receive this vote of confidence from a city known for its vital waterways and iconic riverfront,” said Chad DuMars, Lake Assault Boats vice president of operations. “This custom craft features fast response combined with a full toolbox of capabilities to address a wide range of emergency scenarios.”

The boat’s Catamaran style hull is engineered for enhanced stability and maneuverability, and it is powered by two state-of-the-art Yamaha 425 hp outboard engines for maximum response time. Slow speed maneuvering is controlled by Yamaha’s Helm Master joystick steering and digital anchoring system. The vessel features a 74” hydraulically operated bow door, a heated front deck, dive step cutouts; and it can deploy a SWAT team and its equipment, including an ATV vehicle. 

“This new rescue vessel will respond to just about any emergency—from a medical situation on a river cruise ship, to a SWAT team’s mission or a fire on a fishing boat,“ said Division Chief Raymond S. Everitt, a 35-year veteran of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire. “In addition, our Unit participates in several mutual aid agreements and there are times we’ll need to travel long distances. The craft’s 45 mph estimated top speed will greatly improve our response time.”

The boat carries an ALS squad on board and is equipped with the same medical gear found on a traditional ambulance. Its 10-foot long, fully enclosed pilothouse has an 80-inch interior clearance height, with ample room to treat patients in space protected from the elements. There is an operator’s captain seat with storage below, additional bench seating, and numerous storage compartments. The helm station features integrated fire pump controls and an overhead radio rack. The craft will carry a full spectrum of electronics, including chart plotter, HD radar, sonar, and a forward looking infrared (FLIR) system, all controlled through two Garmin touchscreens. 

For firefighting operations, the boat is outfitted with a Darley 750-gpm fire pump (stored in a recessed deck compartment) with through-hull suction into a sea chest, and an Elkhart deck monitor and nozzle. Other notable features include a full complement of LED floodlights, warning lights, and spotlights; a hinged radar arch; and an SCBA dive bottle rack.

ABOUT PITTSBURGH RIVER RESCUE 
The Pittsburgh River Rescue Unit combines the efforts of the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services' SCUBA Search & Rescue Team with those of the Bureau of Police River Patrol. The Paramedics who staff the River Rescue Units are responsible for water rescue, and for administering ALS emergency medical care. The Police Officers assigned to River Rescue are responsible for piloting the various water rescue craft as well as for enforcing Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Codes. The Unit also provides assistance to the largest number of registered recreational boats in Pennsylvania as well as security for the nation’s second largest inland port.

ABOUT LAKE ASSAULT BOATS

Lake Assault Boats are born in a shipyard, designed for a mission, tes

• Body: EXT
• Pump: Hale 8FGR150-19R
• Engine: Cummins
• Chassis: RBM Commander
• Tank Capacity: 300 gallons
• Pump Mount: Side
• Horsepower: 505
• Axles: Tandem
• Generator: Harrison 8-kW