Specialized Firefighting Vehicles Overview and Their Operations

OBJECTIVES

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Define specialized vehicle.
• Describe the Aerial Hydraulic Platform & its technical specifications.
• Describe the Turntable Ladder (L-32) & its technical specifications.
• Define the Water Bowser Truck & its technical specification.
• Demonstrate the operation of specialized fire vehicles.

Specialized Vehicle:

A specialized vehicle which is used in firefighting at multistory buildings or high rise buildings and rescue operation (to evacuate the people from multistory & high rise buildings).

Aerial Hydraulic Platform:

The Aerial Hydraulic Platform manufactured on a suitable/appropriate truck chassis.

Specifications:

• Approximate Height: 60 feet.
• Boom: Telescopic.
• Rotation: 360° continuous either direction.
• Hydraulic System: Hydraulic pump with control valve equipped hydraulic oil tank and a filter.
• Bucket/Rescue Cage: Made of suitably reinforced light weight metal.
• Cage Dimensions:
  • Length 5.0 ft, Width 3.0 ft, Height 4 ft.
• Minimum Load Capacity: 500 KGs
• Cage Rotation: 180 Degree (Left-Right) Hydraulically
• Non skid chequered aluminum floor.
• Front opening for easy rescue and a sliding rear door.

Rescue Cage Accessories:

• Monitor Suitable for Water/Foam made of corrosion-resistant material, fitted on the cage manually controlled.
  Specifications:
• Auxiliary Nozzle: (270° horizontal & +80 – 10 degrees vertical nozzle rotation) All weather.
• Intercom system: All weather.
• Small concentrated control panel with emergency stop switch and joy sticks.
• 2 Nos. Search lights turn able 1000 watts each.
• Hydraulically operated diamond cutter/disc of 10”–12” diameter, mounted in the cage with adjustable rod of 6’.

Controls:

• 02 electric panels, 1 in rescue cage & 01 at the bottom of the boom.

Accessories:

• 60 feet emergency escape chute.
• 30 meter rappelling rope.
• 4 Nos. Safety Belts.
• 4 Nos. D Ring
• 4 Nos. Figure of Eight.
• 4 Nos. Seat Harness.
• 4 Nos. Full body harness.
• 8 Nos. Leather working gloves.
• 2 Nos. Fire man Axe with insulated handles.
• 1 No. Tool kit with 2kg hammer.
• 01 No. LED warning light bar with minimum 200dB siren and o PA system with 1 year warranty.
• 02 Nos. Emergency rotation lights at the rear of yellow Color.
• 4 Nos. Torches.

Turntable Ladder-32 (L-32):

Truck chassis:

• Ladder set should consist of sections of high-quality hollow steel profile with a height of 32 meters or more.
• The ladder should have an elevation of 70° and depression of -15°. The ladder must have 360° rotation.
• The rescue cage should have a long working space and should be designed for 3 persons with additional equipment of 270 Kg in total.

Fire Pump:

• Type: 2-Stage Centrifugal pump
• Material: Diffuser, Covers & Impeller of Bronze & Shaft Stainless Steel
• Performance: 3000 LPM at 10 Bar as per NFPA 1901 with control of both side of the vehicles.
• Suction: 4” BSS Threaded with Blank Cap
• Delivery: 2×2-1/2” Delivery outlets
• Location: Should be mounted at mid ship.
• Draft depth: Should draft water from 24 – 25 feet

Priming System:

• a) Type: Rotary Vane Electric.
• b) Drive: 12/24V DC.
• c) Control: Push Switch.
• d) Priming Time: @ 2 Sec per ft.
• e) Suction Head: 10 feet for testing.
• f) Lubrication: Oil bath lubrication (self-lubricant).

• A 500-liter stainless steel foam tank shall also be provided for storage of foam and proper foam mixing, devices should be installed.
• Proper foam proportioning system around the pump to be provided.
• A 2 ½” instantaneous coupling be provided at the cage for laying a hose line from the cage.
• A monitor (500 gal/min at 5 bar nozzle pressure) be provided at the cage for water and AFFF.

Standard Equipment:

• 4 ground blocks for the jacks.
• 1 emergency operation lever.
• 2 guy lines for the ladder set.
• 1 set of tools for the ladder superstructure.
• 1 warning triangle.
• 2 warning lights.
• 1 first-aid kit.
• 2 wheel wedges.
• 2 floodlights, each 230 V / 1000 W.
• Wireless communication between ground control & the cage control.
• 3–Way collecting head with non-return valves (light weight).

Water Bowser Truck:

Truck chassis:

Standardized (6 x 2) Truck Chassis approved by S&GAD and the Service with minimum load capacity of 21 Tons and minimum GVW of 27 Tons and minimum 200 HP Diesel Driven Engine 4 Stroke, 6 Cylinder, Water Cooled engine (quote separate price).

Power-Take-Off:

Compatible PTO of suitable power with valid warranty of the Chassis Manufacturer.

Water Tank:

• Capacity: 18000 Liters capacity tank.
• Material: Mild Steel of minimum 4mm thickness with Epoxy Coating after Sand Blasting (with a minimum life of over 10 years, certified by a third party).
• Suspension: Torsion free mounted on Rubber/Steel elements.
• Baffle Plates: Suitable No of baffle plates with access holes for maintenance and cleaning of minimum 500mm (as per NFPA standards).
• Tank Level Indicator: Glass tube visual level indicator for trouble-free level indication.

Fire Pump:

• Type: Centrifugal pump with self-priming system (with pump performance curves).
• Material: Diffuser, Covers & Impeller of Bronze & Shaft Stainless Steel.
• Performance: 4500 LPM at 10 Bar as per NFPA 1901 with control panel.
• Suction: 100 mm BSS Threaded with Blank Cap and chain rear of the vehicle.
• Delivery: 4 x 65 mm delivery outlets at rear of the vehicle.
• Location: Should be mounted at rear ship.
• Draft: Should draw water from 24 – 25 feet depth at 2 sec per feet rate.

Monitor:

• Stainless steel water/foam monitor fitted on the top of the vehicle with minimum discharge of 4500 Lpm and throw of 70 meters.
• Rotation 360 degrees.
• Elevation +70 to -15 degrees.
• Adjustable nozzle 1100-2600 Lpm with range of 70 m at 10 bar (imported).
• Monitor branches should be interchangeable.

Standard Accessories:

7. LED Warning light bar with PA system: 01 No.
8. Heavy duty siren system (panel A): 01 No.
9. Suction Wrenches: 04 Nos.
10. Heavy duty adjustable search lights (2 in front, 2 at rear): 04 Nos.
11. Suction Hose 4” x 10’ with gunmetal coupling (size to be compatible to pump’s suction mouth): 02 Nos.
12. Copper / Brass Suction Strainer With NRV (foot valve) covered by Basket Strainer tied with clamp: 01 No.
13. Selectable gun type imported Nozzle 2.5 inch dia (range 115-230-360-475 LPM) – 02 Nos.
14. Inspection Lamp 12V With 100′ Cord (50,000 candle lights) with suitable tripod – 01 No.
15. Double lined Rubber embedded Delivery Hose 2.5″ x 100′ with aluminum coupling of 2.5 inches (Panel-A) – 10 Nos.
16. Fire Hook – 02 Nos.
17. Fire Crow Bar – 01 No.
18. Fireman’s Gloves Nomex – 5 Pairs.
19. Fire Man Axe with insulated handle – 01 No.
20. Hammer 10 Pounds – 01 No.
21. Rope Nylon 150 feet length diameter ½ inch (with covering bag) – 01 No.
22. Collecting & Dividing breaching hand-controlled gun metal of 65 mm instantaneous couplings – 01 Each.
23. DCP Fire extinguisher (ABC E type) 6 Kg capacity – 02 Nos.
24. Standard tool kit of the truck – 01 Set.

Emma Lee

Emma Lee, an expert in fire safety with years of firefighting and Rescuer experience, writes to educate on arescuer.com, sharing life-saving tips and insights.