A fire apparatus , fire engine , fire truck , or fire appliance is a vehicle designed to assist in fighting fires by transporting firefighters to the scene and providing them with access to the fire, water or other equipment. In some areas, the terms fire engine and fire truck represent different types of fire fighting apparatus.
A modern fire engine is usually a multi-purpose vehicle carrying professionals and equipment for a wide range of fire-fighting and rescue tasks. Therefore, most fire engines carry equipment such as ladders, pike poles, axes and cutting equipment, halligan bars, fire extinguishers, ventilating equipment, floodlights, hose ramps, self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), and general tools. Many fire appliances are based on standard truck or lorry models with heavy duty suspensions, brakes, tires, alternator, transmission and cooling systems; audible and visual warnings such as sirens, horns, and flashing lights, and a two way radio.
The fire engine may have several methods of pumping water onto the fire, such as passing water obtained from a fire hydrant through hoses or using a pumping "cannon"(also known as a deck gun); some trucks have an onboard water reservoir. Some fire engines have ladders to gain access to fires occurring in high buildings and remove casualties; hooks used to pull walls away to expose hidden fire or break windows. A rescue unit is an EMS (Emergency Medical Services) truck with tools to do technical rescues of people from car accidents or building collapses.
Fire departments covering large metropolitan areas have specialist appliances for dealing with hazardous material spills. Some fire departments may utilise fireboats or airplanes. A paramedic engine carries first responder firefighters, paramedics or EMTs to medical emergencies.
Types
Fire engine
The fire engine may have several methods of pumping water onto the fire. The most common method is to pass water through hoses to the fire, from an array of valves. It may also have a fixed pumping "cannon" (called a "fire monitor", "deck gun", or "deluge"), which can direct the water as pointed by the operator. The horizontal and vertical range of the monitor arrangement usually is limited and appropriate only for specific tasks, such as airport fires. Monitors can also be used as water cannons for crowd control. A fire engine may have an onboard water reservoir, allowing it to fight a fire immediately upon arrival, or may be completely reliant on external sources, such as fire hydrants, water tenders, river, or reservoir by using draft water suction. A development is the use of an impulse fire-extinguishing system (IFEX), in which the water is highly pressurised into a vaporous mist, creating a cooling effect that is more efficient than that of water alone.
A modern fire engine is usually a multi-purpose vehicle carrying personnel and equipment for a wide range of fire-fighting and rescue tasks. Therefore, most pumpers also carry equipment such as ladders, pike poles, axes and cutting equipment, Halligans, fire extinguishers, ventilating equipment, floodlights, hose ramps, breathing apparatus (BA) and general tools. In some areas, a ladder truck may carry some of these tools as well.
Turntable Ladder
Fire equipment goes by many names around the world, the most common being fire engine , appliance , apparatus , or a pumper . The Turntable Ladder , sometimes abbreviated to simply TL is the best-known form of specialised fire apparatus, and is used to gain access to fires occurring at height, where conventional ladders carried on other appliances might not reach.
The name is derived from the fact that the large ladder is mounted on a turntable on the back of a truck or lorry, allowing it to pivot around a stable base, which in turn allows a much greater ladder length to be achieved. In order to increase its length, the ladder is telescopic. Modern TLs are hydraulic or pneumatic in operation. A ladder also can be mounted behind the cab. This is called "mid ship". This arrangement allows a shorter wheel base for the truck, and also can be more stable in some conditions.
The key functions of a turntable ladder are:
- Allowing access or egress of firefighters and casualties at height
- Providing a high level water point for firefighting (elevated master stream)
- Providing a working platform from which tasks such as ventilation or overhaul can be executed
While the traditional characteristic of a fire truck was a lack of water pumping or storage, many modern TLs have a water pumping function to them (and some have their own onboard supply reservoir), and may have a pre-piped waterway running the length of the ladder, to allow the firefighters at the top a stream of water. In some cases, there may also be a monitor at the top of the ladder for ease of use. Other appliances may simply have a trackway which will hold a manually run hose reel securely, and prevent it from falling to the ground.
Some TLs may have a basket or platform (sometimes known as a bucket) mounted at the top of the ladder, as on a hydraulic platform, and these are called Tower Ladders . These can provide a secure place for a firefighter to operate equipment from, and allow multiple people to be carried (including rescued persons).
A tiller truck, also known as a tractor drawn aerial or a hook-and-ladder truck, is a specialised turntable ladder mounted on a semi-trailer truck. It has separate steering wheels for front and rear wheels. This truck is often used in areas with narrow streets that prevent longer single-vehicle trucks from entering. Some cities, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas, Baltimore, Seattle, and Philadelphia rely heavily on them. The hook-and-ladder concept started when larger skyscrapers and more city streets became a problem for fire departments. Larger ladders were needed to get to upper stories of buildings, and the only way to move them was in this format.
Quint and Quad
In some areas, the turntable ladder may be known as a Quad or Quint, as it is capable of performing multiple tasks (pump, water tank, fire hose, aerial device, and ground ladders) with each of these functions making up one of its four (quad) or five (quint) capabilities. The NFPA National Fire Protection Association has certain specification that a turntable ladder truck has to meet to be officially considered a Quint or Quad. (Fire pump capacity, minimum amounts of equipment)
Hydraulic Platform
A Hydraulic Platform , also known as articulating booms , Snorkels , platform trucks , Bronto (used in Australia) or sometimes shortened to just HP , is a specialized aerial work platform designed for firefighting use. They have a number of functions, which follow the same principles as the turntable ladder, providing high level access and elevated water pump positions.
Some hydraulic platforms are articulated, which allows the arm to bend in one or more places, giving it the ability to go "up and over" an obstacle (such as a building roof). There are non-articulated platforms, based on standard aerial work platforms, although the most common type is the tower ladder (mentioned above in the Turntable Ladder section). HPs (articulated or not) may still have a ladder arrangement fitted to the arm, primarily as an emergency measure. In some jurisdictions these can be denoted ladder platforms .
Most HPs are designed to reach a height of around 33 metres (100 feet), although larger models are capable of reaching heights of over 100 metres (328 feet).
Many HPs are fitted with additional equipment in the platform itself, which can include a control panel, lighting equipment, a fixed water outlet or monitor, power outlets or compressed air outlets (allowing the fixing of rescue equipment, such as Hydraulic rescue tools). Many are also adapted or capable of carrying a stretcher. Some units have video systems and remote control in case of dangerous chemical fires.
Some fire departments use aeria
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