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Chicago Fire Department
[quote name='firepost' timestamp='1341214989' post='490893']

Nozzleman 71. As you probably know American La France owns the rights to manufacture the "Snorkel" but because they refuse to build them, fire departments that use them (such as Chicago and Memphis on their Snorkel Squads) have to rehab old Snorkels and put them on new Chassis such as what the Memphis fire department had done with it's 2 Snorkel Squads.

Even though the Snorkel is no longer manufactured, the Bronto Skylift company of Finland manufactures a wide variety of "Snorkel Like" articulating aerial platforms and that can and have installed on "Squad type" apparatus overseas.

While in America the Pierce corporation is the official distributor of Bronto Skylist platforms and the only ones that they have been marketing for America have been the 100 foot ,114 foot and the 134 foot models, in Europe Bronto manufactures both taller and shorter aerial platforms. The shorter ones which they call the "All arounder" Models are built in from 17 to 28 meter sizes which loosely translates to 55 to 91 feet which would meet the criteria for both Chicago's and Memphis's "Snorkel Squads" which normally are 55 foot models. Here is link to the Bronto's webpage site that talks about their "All arounder model" which would be perfect (in my opinion for Chicago's and Memphis's Snorkel Squads).

[url="http://www.bronto.fi/sivu.aspx?taso=1&id=122"]http://www.bronto.fi...x?taso=1&id=122[/url]



That said, I think that Chicago really should have the rights to the Snorkel's official plans and design rights, as it was the Chicago FIre department shops that had helped to modify and design the first "Pitman" corporation Platform for fire fighting applications, which was the first "Snorkel" and I personally believe the Chicago and other fire departments who still use Snorkels or have a need for them, that , should consider suing American La France to at least sell the rights to build the Snorkel to a manufacturer that is willing to build them . American La France, by holding on to the rights to build the Snorkel but refusing to do so is not benefiting anyone. That's just my opinion, but a case can be made that Chicago should have the rights to an apparatus that they helped to develop.

American La France even acquired the Original 1958 model GMC Pitman 50 foot Snorkel that the Chicago Fire Department shops had modified for fire fighting and rescue applications. That apparatus should be in Chicago as America La France had nothing to do with building it,even though it is now part of "their" historical collection.

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What is even funnier is that if you look at the back of the first snorkel, there is a big plaque that states body by Pierce, Appleton Wisconsin. The body is a Pierce utility body.
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[quote name='firetrucknut' timestamp='1340747771' post='490309']

Moving the big water.... Either the mains are bad or its one hell of a fire. Never seen that kind of evolution before....

[/quote]







I believe that all Chicago hydrants are the double steamer type, There may be a few with a 2-1/2" outlet on them.
John Hinant
Retired Member of Richmond VA Fire Bureau

October 25, 1858 - October 25, 2020 = 162 years old
The sixth oldest paid, documented, Fire Department in the United States
First established in 1782







"In God We Trust - All Others We Take For Granted"
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Firepost, I agree 100% with you on the fact of Chicago having the snorkel rights. I am familiar with the Memphis snorkels as I grew up around the mfd and we are a suburb of Memphis. When I worked in Somerville Tn we purchased the old mfd snorkel 16 which is a 65 ft Pierce. I think it was originally a ford chassis but remounted on Pierce chassis later. It worked great as does the 55ft snorkel I ride. I would love to see the snorkel make a comeback, unfortunately ours will be replaced in jan as our new Pierce pumper was ordered today!! I know MEMPHIS has one bronto but it is a E\-One.
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pp
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ALF only owns the rights to the Snorkel Name. Another company can simply build the aerial and of course name it something else.(RE the Pierce Aerial Tower) Even better if they make their own minor design change. (a patent loop hole) Also I would like to guess that the Snorkel Patent has long since expired, like the Foam pump designed by National Foam that you now see E-1 and Pierce build. Did I hear that NF gave up apparatus production?

Other copies in the industry that I can think of:

The Cincinnati cab (by Hahn)

The Hahn 92' cab(by Ottawa)

The Grove/LTI Aerial Tower (By Pierce, Smeal, Grumman etc.)

Baker Aerial Scope (by Baker)

The Tele-Squirt (also by Redi-Tower)
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Engine 64...als engine


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Truck 31 with the new Crimson


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Grouping


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the whole gang


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Truck 59 with the new rig


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One of the newest in the fleet


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dunno if I like all this reflective stuff


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officer's side


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panel


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grouping


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officer's side of a new Crimson


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als engine 73


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in front of quarters


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one of a kind (in the CFD0 engine 92


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business end


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