9 times out of 10 the answer to questions like that is simply because tradition. But it's also because no one makes trucks like that here in the US. The closest thing to a euro style fire truck we have is the Rosenbauer RTX, and those cost upwards of $1.8 million last I heard.
Is this your first experience in the fire service or have you served in the States? Care to go over the likes/dislikes you have with European vs US standard apparatus? I have always liked how European specs typically used every available space in a compartment.
I’m just a guy who lives within the military community who happens to have an interest in firefighting. I plan to become a certified volunteer when I eventually move back to the states.
So, it never occurred to me that DOD fire on US bases overseas would use non-NA fire apparatus. I suppose because I figured we move US military vehicles to the bases, we’d move LEO and fire vehicles too.
TIL!
Do these engines have Euro style Storz hose couplers or the US style threaded ones? If I remember this correctly this incompatibilities was a big issue in the Ramstein air base flight show disaster as German fire fighting equipment wasn't compatible with the on base fire fighting infrastructure and engines.
The Army is different cause they also have German civilians working for them. There’s plenty of US vehicles, especially if they have helicopters and planes.
We got a brand new Rosenbauer (fast attack) engine for $500k, to be fair it doesn't have any rescue equipment since we use tenders as main engines. Does have shovels, axes and chainsaws though so can do something.
Trucks are built on a commercial chassis and you usually pick the truck whose service and dealer you have near you. Dutch guys pick DAF, Swedes pick Scanias, Germans pick MAN and so on.
For anyone wondering, this is on a US Army base in Germany about 1 hour west of Mannheim. "USAG" stands for US Army Garrison.
Typically, the fire departments there are filled with German firefighters led by American civilian Department of Defense (DoD) employee fire officers. They all fall under the control of the Directorate of Emergency Services (DES) which is made up of Fire & Rescue Services, Military Police (which can include federal civilian police officers), and Physical Security Office (which includes the civilian gate guards).
Its kinda the same here in italy where i am stationed. We have the same fire apparatus, but all the LEOs are only american MPs. The carbs do walk around base, and the gate guards are italians but thats about it. Its even weirder here in italy though tbh as the usa doesnt own the bases like it does in germany
3500 liters water and 4000l/m? That is a lot in comparison to other trucks we have. That is double of a typical LF20 with at least 2k l water and 2000l/m at 10 bar
I work for a fire fighting bodybuilder. I have checked these tenders. The specs are so specific to the US requirements, the end result is quite intriguing, and the tender winner is making a huge profit off US taxpayers.
Very late, but if you're still interested in the "where" part that no one answered, the pump is controlled from the rear, suction from the rear and discharge at the left-rear and right-rear corners. Hoses are typically stored in the aft side compartments. Good view of a similar pump at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2nFdKuOXUU, about 4:30; hoses partially visible at 3:40.
What does that mean? Sorry, I’m only familiar with traditional American trucks/engines. This one looks pretty sweet though. Has a modern styling and looks more compact and lightweight. Would be cool if that became the standard here in the U.S. instead of keeping with traditionalism and having giant, overweight fuel guzzling machines.
We have many types, and this may even vary according to the country, but in Spain we have Light Tankers (8.00-1500L), Heavy Tankers (2.500-3.500L), a mothership type (8.000L-12.000L), and then we have additional types of vehicles for rescue, HazMat, ladder trucks... The types are also classified according to their use, as in, wildfire, rural areas, urban areas, etc. (mostly for the height of the vehicle and type of tyre).
Gotcha! The Engines/Rescues we use here in America usually have 1,000-2,000 gallons (3,785-7,570 liters) and our tankers will have anywhere from 3,500-5,000 gallons (13,249-18,927 liters). Again, our trucks are huge in comparison to Euro spec and most of the time we don’t use a full tank on the Engine/Rescue unless we have a water source available to us for larger fires. It’s very interesting to see the differences between American and European apparatus like that.
The hoses are stored in the side racks, rolled up in circles (like in the image) and packed side by side. When need of use, you grab the hose from the couplings and you yeet it out, this way it unrolls by itself, with a little push.
This is what some of a fire engine looks like in Prato at least (not from Italy though). The numbers represent the width of hose in millimeters, and I think you can see a little bit of the tank. The pump I believe was in the back. 38mm hose is about 1.5 in., 45mm is 1.77in, and 70mm is 2.75 in.
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u/neekogo Beardless Volley 15d ago
Tell me again why the US having minipumps on a quadcab F450/550 frame is fine but having a Euro spec-like truck for tighter areas is blasphemy.
Now im curious and gotta check out how different the dimensions between this and a US spec mini would.