Fire Engineering - June 2017

Apparatus Supplement waives the required red/yellow chevron striping on the rear of the apparatus or decides that other colors “look better,” he doe so at his own risk! If the apparatus is involved in a rear-end collision on the highway, even if a distracted driver who was texting hit you while you were stopped, you will be hard pressed to explain to a jury why your apparatus did not meet the requirements of the NFPA standards. The fact that you didn’t like the color selection will probably not support your case!

Apparatus By Type

Chapter 4 contains a chart that defines which chapters of the standard pertain to each type of apparatus. The apparatus types identified are as follows: • Pumper Apparatus (Ch. 5). • Initial Attack Apparatus (Ch. 6). • Mobile Water Supply Apparatus (Ch. 7). • Aerial Apparatus (Ch. 8). • Quint Apparatus (Ch. 9). • Special Service Apparatus (Ch. 10). • Mobile Foam Apparatus (Ch. 11).

When you identify the apparatus type that you are specifying, you look down the column to determine which chapters apply. Each chapter is listed as follows: 1) Required, 2) Not/Applicable (N/A), or 3) If Specified.

Chapters required for all apparatus types include the following: • Chassis and vehicle components (Ch.

12).

• Low-Voltage Electrical Systems and Warning Devices (Ch. 13).

• Driving and Crew Areas (Ch. 14).

• Body Compartments and Equipment Mounting (Ch. 15).

Chapters 5 through 11 below de-
scribe the minimum requirements for
each apparatus type. The purchaser
can exceed the specifications for fire
pump, water tank, foam tank, hose
storage, preconnected hoselines,
equipment storage, suction hose,
ground ladders, and miscellaneous
equipment requirements. Pay attention
to your specific needs rather than com-
pliance with the standard’s minimum
requirements.

Chapter 5, Pumper

A pumper is identified as an apparatus
with a fire pump, water tank, and hose
body whose primary purpose is to com-
bat structural and associated fires. The
basic requirements particular to a pump-
er are not very extensive and include the
following:
• Minimum 750 gallon-per-minute (gpm)
fire pump.

• Minimum 300-gallon water tank.

• 40 cubic feet (cu. ft.) for equipment storage.

• A minimum of 30 cu. ft. for 2½-inch or larger hose storage.

• Two areas, 3. 5 cu. ft. each, to accommodate 1½-inch or larger preconnected lines.

• Ground ladders: one straight roof ladder, one extension ladder, and one folding ladder (or stepladder or multipurpose ladder).

• A minimum of 20 feet of suction hose (and strainer) or 15 feet of supply hose.

• Equipment lists of fire hose and nozzles and miscellaneous equipment and adapters that shall be on the pumper before it is placed in service.

Chapter 6, Initial Attack

An initial attack apparatus has a
pump, water tank, and hose body whose
primary purpose is to initiate a fire
suppression attack on a structural, ve-
hicular, or vegetation fire and to support
associated fire department operations.
The requirements particular to an initial
attack apparatus include the following:
• Minimum 250-gpm fire pump.

• Minimum 200-gallon water tank.

• 22 cu. ft. for equipment storage.

• A minimum of 10 cu. ft. for 2½-inch or larger hose storage.

• Two areas, 3. 5 cu. ft. each, to accommodate 1½-inch or larger preconnected lines.

• A 12-foot or longer combination or extension ladder.

• A minimum of 20 feet of suction hose (and strainer) or 15 feet of supply hose.

• Equipment lists of fire hose and nozzles and miscellaneous equipment and adapters that shall be on the apparatus before it is placed in service.

Chapter 7, Mobile Water Supply

A mobile water supply apparatus
(tanker/tender) is designed primarily for
transporting water to fire emergency
scenes to be applied by other vehicles or
pumping equipment. The basic require-
ments particular to a mobile water sup-
ply apparatus include the following:
• Fire pump (not required, only if
specified).

• Minimum 1,000-gallon water tank.

• 10 cu. ft. for equipment storage.

• A minimum of 6 cu. ft. for 2½-inch or larger hose storage.

• If equipped with a fire pump, storage for a minimum of 100 feet of 1½-inch or larger fire hose for a protection line.

• Ground ladders (not required, only if specified).

• If equipped with a fire pump, a minimum of 20 feet of suction hose (and strainer) or 15 feet of supply hose.

( 5) Bleeding moisture from the air brake system is extremely important. Locating all bleeder valves remotely will help accomplish this maintenance task.