By Bill Adams

Asking a group of firefighters if they prefer fire apparatus mounted on a custom cab and chassis or a commercial cab and chassis may result in a discourse as contentious as debating the attributes of straight tip vs. fog nozzles, aluminum vs. wooden ground ladders, or what the best color to paint a fire truck is.

The backbone of every fire truck is the combination of its chassis components. Part 1 only addresses the development of custom cabs. Part 2 will address cab construction and the differences between custom and commercial cabs.

A dictionary’s definitions of custom and commercial do not reflect what the fire service considers a custom or commercial cab and chassis. A generally accepted definition of a custom cab and chassis is one that is designed specifically as a fire truck. You will not see one hauling a refuse truck body. A commercial cab and chassis is one designed explicitly for the commercial/industrial market. The same applies to the cab alone and the chassis alone. My definition of a cab is where firefighters sit and a chassis is what’s under the cab. Commercial cabs and chassis can be and are customized (no pun intended) to meet fire service criteria. And, there have been instances where custom cabs have been mounted on a commercial chassis and commercial cabs mounted on a custom chassis.

Early History

The original custom cabs were built by manufacturers of complete fire apparatus including the chassis. Some that are no longer in business include Mack, Maxim, Peter Pirsch, FWD, Ward La France, Oren, American La France, the original Ahrens-Fox, Hahn, Buffalo, Stutz, Sanford, and Crown Coach-a late entry into the apparatus field. The first custom cabs were located behind the motor and were not much more than an open seat sitting on top of a fire pump. In 1928, Peter Pirsch delivered the first custom built, fully enclosed cab on a fire truck to Monroe, Wisconsin. It was on a chassis with the motor located ahead of the cab, commonly referred to then and today as a conventional cab. In 1939, American La France introduced the industry’s first custom cab-forward chassis-the JO/JOX series, a square, unappealing design that no manufacturer copied. Some early cab-forward commercial chassis were referred to as midengine chassis, meaning the front seats were located ahead of the motor and radiator. The definition shouldn’t be confused with today’s fire service understanding that a midengine chassis is one where the motor is not located within the cab at all.

In 1947, American La France introduced its popular 700 Series custom cab-forward design that was the forerunner of today’s custom cabs (photo 1). Other apparatus manufacturers introduced their own designs, although it took most almost 10 years to do so. Each apparatus manufacturer that built its own cab and chassis had a unique design whereby firefighters could readily identify the manufacturer of the rig coming down the street.

1 The Providence (RI) Fire Department purchased this Series 700 American La France 1,500-gpm pumper in 1949. First developed in 1947, the Series 700 design had a 10-year run before it was emulated by other fire apparatus manufacturers. (Photo by author.)

Independent Cab and Chassis Builders

From the mid 1960s to the 1990s, builders that manufactured just a

By Bill Adams

Asking a group of firefighters if they prefer fire apparatus mounted on a custom cab and chassis or a commercial cab and chassis may result in a discourse as contentious as debating the attributes of straight tip vs. fog nozzles, aluminum vs. wooden ground ladders, or what the best color to paint a fire truck is.

The backbone of every fire truck is the combination of its chassis components. Part 1 only addresses the development of custom cabs. Part 2 will address cab construction and the differences between custom and commercial cabs.

A dictionary’s definitions of custom and commercial do not reflect what the fire service considers a custom or commercial cab and chassis. A generally accepted definition of a custom cab and chassis is one that is designed specifically as a fire truck. You will not see one hauling a refuse truck body. A commercial cab and chassis is one designed explicitly for the commercial/industrial market. The same applies to the cab alone and the chassis alone. My definition of a cab is where firefighters sit and a chassis is what’s under the cab. Commercial cabs and chassis can be and are customized (no pun intended) to meet fire service criteria. And, there have been instances where custom cabs have been mounted on a commercial chassis and commercial cabs mounted on a custom chassis.

Early History

The original custom cabs were built by manufacturers of complete fire apparatus including the chassis. Some that are no longer in business include Mack, Maxim, Peter Pirsch, FWD, Ward La France, Oren, American La France, the original Ahrens-Fox, Hahn, Buffalo, Stutz, Sanford, and Crown Coach-a late entry into the apparatus field. The first custom cabs were located behind the motor and were not much more than an open seat sitting on top of a fire pump. In 1928, Peter Pirsch delivered the first custom built, fully enclosed cab on a fire truck to Monroe, Wisconsin. It was on a chassis with the motor located ahead of the cab, commonly referred to then and today as a conventional cab. In 1939, American La France introduced the industry’s first custom cab-forward chassis-the JO/JOX series, a square, unappealing design that no manufacturer copied. Some early cab-forward commercial chassis were referred to as midengine chassis, meaning the front seats were located ahead of the motor and radiator. The definition shouldn’t be confused with today’s fire service understanding that a midengine chassis is one where the motor is not located within the cab at all.

In 1947, American La France introduced its popular 700 Series custom cab-forward design that was the forerunner of today’s custom cabs (photo 1). Other apparatus manufacturers introduced their own designs, although it took most almost 10 years to do so. Each apparatus manufacturer that built its own cab and chassis had a unique design whereby firefighters could readily identify the manufacturer of the rig coming down the street.

1 The Providence (RI) Fire Department purchased this Series 700 American La France 1,500-gpm pumper in 1949. First developed in 1947, the Series 700 design had a 10-year run before it was emulated by other fire apparatus manufacturers. (Photo by author.)

Independent Cab and Chassis Builders

From the mid 1960s to the 1990s, builders that manufactured just a

By Bill Adams

Asking a group of firefighters if they prefer fire apparatus mounted on a custom cab and chassis or a commercial cab and chassis may result in a discourse as contentious as debating the attributes of straight tip vs. fog nozzles, aluminum vs. wooden ground ladders, or what the best color to paint a fire truck is.

The backbone of every fire truck is the combination of its chassis components. Part 1 only addresses the development of custom cabs. Part 2 will address cab construction and the differences between custom and commercial cabs.

A dictionary’s definitions of custom and commercial do not reflect what the fire service considers a custom or commercial cab and chassis. A generally accepted definition of a custom cab and chassis is one that is designed specifically as a fire truck. You will not see one hauling a refuse truck body. A commercial cab and chassis is one designed explicitly for the commercial/industrial market. The same applies to the cab alone and the chassis alone. My definition of a cab is where firefighters sit and a chassis is what’s under the cab. Commercial cabs and chassis can be and are customized (no pun intended) to meet fire service criteria. And, there have been instances where custom cabs have been mounted on a commercial chassis and commercial cabs mounted on a custom chassis.

Early History

The original custom cabs were built by manufacturers of complete fire apparatus including the chassis. Some that are no longer in business include Mack, Maxim, Peter Pirsch, FWD, Ward La France, Oren, American La France, the original Ahrens-Fox, Hahn, Buffalo, Stutz, Sanford, and Crown Coach-a late entry into the apparatus field. The first custom cabs were located behind the motor and were not much more than an open seat sitting on top of a fire pump. In 1928, Peter Pirsch delivered the first custom built, fully enclosed cab on a fire truck to Monroe, Wisconsin. It was on a chassis with the motor located ahead of the cab, commonly referred to then and today as a conventional cab. In 1939, American La France introduced the industry’s first custom cab-forward chassis-the JO/JOX series, a square, unappealing design that no manufacturer copied. Some early cab-forward commercial chassis were referred to as midengine chassis, meaning the front seats were located ahead of the motor and radiator. The definition shouldn’t be confused with today’s fire service understanding that a midengine chassis is one where the motor is not located within the cab at all.

In 1947, American La France introduced its popular 700 Series custom cab-forward design that was the forerunner of today’s custom cabs (photo 1). Other apparatus manufacturers introduced their own designs, although it took most almost 10 years to do so. Each apparatus manufacturer that built its own cab and chassis had a unique design whereby firefighters could readily identify the manufacturer of the rig coming down the street.

1 The Providence (RI) Fire Department purchased this Series 700 American La France 1,500-gpm pumper in 1949. First developed in 1947, the Series 700 design had a 10-year run before it was emulated by other fire apparatus manufacturers. (Photo by author.)

Independent Cab and Chassis Builders

From the mid 1960s to the 1990s, builders that manufactured just a

By Alan M. Petrillo

The Wearable Advanced Sensor Platform (WASP™) system developed by Globe Manufacturing Company has undergone live fire testing at the Illinois Fire Service Institute (IFSI) and has furnished both Globe and the IFSI with important data that bring WASP to the brink of deployment among fire departments around the country.

Mark Mordecai, director of business development for Globe Manufacturing, says that WASP addresses two critical problem areas identified on the InterAgency Board’s (IAB) research and development priority list: emergency responder body-worn integrated electronics system development and 3D tracking of personnel.

1 Globe Manufacturing’s Wearable Advanced Sensor Platform (WASP™) system uses a flame-resistant, moisture-wicking base layer shirt that incoporates a Zeph BioHarness™. (Photo courtesy of Globe Manufacturing Inc.)

The System

WASP consists of three main elements: a flame-resistant, moisture-wicking, semifitted base layer shirt; a Zeph BioHarness™; and a belt-mounted location tracking unit. Mordecai notes that the base layer shirt incorporates the Zeph BioHarness and is comfortable for firefighters to wear continuously for a full 24-hour shift as well as durable to withstand normal firefighter activities and multiple washes. An embedded strap with a low-profile buckle closure contains electronic sensors and adjusts to allow the user to set it once for functionality and comfort and then unbuckle for easier donning and doffing.

The belt-mounted tracking unit, using technology provided by TRX Systems, permits ready integration with Android cell phones. A Windows-based command station receives data from live sessions or logged data from memory and provides tools to rapidly analyze user physiological response over time, in addition to showing user location and tracks. The physiological monitoring and indoor location are tracked at the same time by the system.

2 The belt-mounted tracking unit in the WASP system uses technology developed by TRX Systems. (Photo courtesy of Globe Manufacturing Inc.)

IFSI Tests

“Our goal is to first deliver WASP systems to training academies around the country to develop firefighting safety training where the academies use the system as part of their curriculum,” Mordecai says. “The first system shipped went to IFSI, one of the premier training centers in the United States and which has a federal grant to study a physiological monitoring and indoor tracking system.”

Mordecai notes that IFSI tested WASP in a phase of its project that looked at heat and particulate exposures of firefighters exposed to training fires. “They used different fuel loads and had multiple teams performing fire suppression,” he says, “and used WASP to measure heat flux, gas, and particulate exposures-especially those particulates that got onto firefighters’ turnout gear, their skin, and into their bloodstream.”

Gavin P. Horn, director of research at the IFSI, notes that IFSI is the statutory train