Our recent success in garnering bond funds to address fleet needs is starting to take hold in genuine fashion. Plans for a new pumper, a new ladder, and two new Squrts, are in process and there are dates firming up for expected deliveries in 2008.
In early October, we found CHFD Mechanic, Keith Smith, working on the Squrt unit we will be sending to Pierce Manufacturing to be outfitted on a new chassis and with a new body. A “Squrt” is an aerial device used to direct firefighting master streams (large volume streams) on large fires. They are also very applicable in a suburban setting, like Cherry Hill, for their ability to get the streams close in to a building easily, without the need for personnel at the tip of a ladder or in a bucket. The device is operated entirely on the ground by the Driver/Operator. Also, the articulating (sections are hinged, elbow like) Squrts concept that CHFD uses, with two sections, can also be directed to work “below grade”, like in a basement window for instance. And according to Captain Parks, “is much easier to rebuild than many other aerial devices. Basically, with the exception of a few NFPA regulations, the Squrts of today are nearly identical”. The used Squrt unit Smith was working on was purchased with this idea from the beginning. According to Captain Parks at the CHFD Motor Maintenance Shop, “We planned on using two refurbished Squrt devices, instead of two new, expensive and more heavily regulated Squrts, from the beginning”. The 54 foot, 1971 Squrt device seen was purchased via a vendor from the Colwyn Fire Co, in Delaware County, Pennsylvania for a mere $5,000. New Squrt devices can cost as much as $170,000 and can only be placed on American LaFrance fire apparatus. A refurbished Squrt only has to meet the requirements of the year it was built, and can be placed on any manufacturer’s fire apparatus allowing fire departments to shop for the best unit for their money.
The CHFD Motor Maintenance Shop will be entirely removing the Squrt device from the chassis and sending it to the Pierce Manufacturing plant in Appelton, Wisconsin to be placed on a new Pierce fire truck chassis and outfitted with a new body. Parks elaborated; “We anticipate re-building costs to be less than half that of purchasing a new Squrt apparatus”.
CHFD plans include using this refurbished Squrt, and that of their own 1987 Squrt device, also set to be refurbished, expanding their fleet to 2 Squrts, and re-utilizing them for about 15 more years. A “pre-construction trip” to Wisconsin, for discussions on all these fleet changes, is expected during the week of October 22nd, 2007. Expected delivery of the new pumper and ladder trucks is currently for late March or April of 2008, and late May or early June for the two refurbished Squrts. “Of course, these dates are subject to change”, added Captain Parks.
