Telesquirts (Telesqurt)

[Big Dave]

Enfield, Nova Scotia  1999 Superior/E-1/Int'l 4900  1250/500/10A/20B/50' Mid-mount Teleboom

[Big Dave]

New Minas, Nova Scotia  T-6   1990 Superior/Ford C 1050/250/55'  Snorkel (taken from a Scarborough, Ontario unit) 

[Big Dave]

Chilliwack, British Columbia  E-4  2012 Hub/Spartan G  1500/500/30/65' Snozzle

[Big Dave]

Sun Peaks Resort, British Columbia  2007 ALF Eagle 1500/400/40/65'   

[fyreline]

 

What were the reasons Syracuse decided to start buying engine companies with the telescoping booms? What are the main reasons they continue to stay relevant in the department today?

 

A fairly extensive study was done in the 1960s regarding a complete reorganization of the Syracuse Fire Department. Taken into consideration were present and future station locations, manpower, water supply and demographics of a changing city. What evolved was the replacement of nearly every existing fire station. Many of those stations had been located to allow for the Erie Canal which then ran right through the center of town, and had bridges that the heavy steam fire engines of the day could not safely cross. Basically, we started with a clean sheet of paper, projections of where the business districts and residential areas would be in the foreseeable future, and the ability to locate as many new fire stations as would be required wherever they could do the most good. In the end, ten new fire stations were built in locations that allowed for minimum response times, easy highway access, and the best coverage for the entire city possible. Few departments ever get the chance to reinvent themselves so completely, and new apparatus was a huge part of the plan as well. It was decided to replace the city's eight truck companies, all equipped with 100' mid-mount aerials, with tower ladders. It was decided that the 21 engine companies could be replaced with 12 two-piece companies utilizing a mini-pumper and a maxi-pumper. The mini could handle a large portion of the company's alarms with two of the four-man compliment, leaving the maxi available in quarters. To increase the usefulness of the maxi-pumpers, they were envisioned with 1500 gpm pumps (quickly increased to 2000 gpm), 4 crosslays, and a 50-foot telescoping boom. The boom made sense due to the typical Syracuse working fire . . . a 2-1/2 story balloon-construction wood frame with asphalt shingles ("gasoline siding"), minimum setback, and less that 10 feet between houses. Entering into the thinking was the fact that Syracuse is blessed with a prolific and abundant water supply grid, with nearly 8000 hydrants all of which provide 80 pounds or better. Our SOP was (and is) to share the front of the building between the first-due tower ladder and the first-due engine, and strip that engine completely as needed. A training program stressing a rapid, aggressive and continuing interior attack was implemented, backed up by the capability of multiple elevated master streams should an exterior attack become necessary. The TeleSqurt is just another tool in the fireground commander's box, and having had that role for a number of years, it's a damned nice one to have. I should stress that although our engines have an aerial device, and our tower ladders all have pumps and crosslays, neither has ever been considered, manned or dispatched as a Quint. They are engines and trucks (as God intended  ) and simply have added dimensions available for use whenever and wherever needed. This configuration has worked very well for us, and now, in these challenging economic times which have seen the SFD further reduced to nine total fire stations (10 including the airport), nine engine companies and five tower ladders, those optimally-located fire stations are more important than ever. So too are the added capabilities that our engines and trucks carry. 

 

So, to answer your question more briefly, Syracuse elected to pursue telescoping-boom engines due to the nature of our buildings, our ability to supply these types of apparatus, and the added flexibility it gives the fireground commander in these challenging times. Hope that explains it.

[firesafe91]

Does Syracuse currently have a Smeal telesqurt about to be delivered? I thought I saw a photo last week on social media. Thanks in advance.

[fyreline]

Does Syracuse currently have a Smeal telesqurt about to be delivered? I thought I saw a photo last week on social media. Thanks in advance.

We do indeed. Should be in town shortly. This 2000 gpm engine also features a 50' TeleSqurt boom. The last couple of engines we received were from KME with LTI-sourced booms. Here's one of them:

 

[fyreline]

2nd-generation SFD engine: 1973 Pierce/Hendrickson 4x4/1500 gpm/500 tank/ 55' Highway Hi-Stream boom. One of six identical units purchased. Any Pierce employees recognize the building?

 

[fyreline]

3rd-generation SFD engine: 1975 Pierce/Hendrickson 4x4/2000 gpm/500 tank/ 50' TeleSqurt. One of seven identical units purchased.

 

[Monrovia1]

Montebello Engine 56.

[Monrovia1]

South Pasadena Engine 781.

[SrFireOfficial]

3rd-generation SFD engine: 1975 Pierce/Hendrickson 4x4/2000 gpm/500 tank/ 50' TeleSqurt. One of seven identical units purchased.

 

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Chief...is that a bell located on the A-frame boom support just above the first crossly?

[SrFireOfficial]

Engine 332 from the Woodlawn Volunteer Fire Company in Baltimore County, MD.  Mack CF with 54' Squrt, year/capacities unknown.  Credit to the original photographers.

[e11ramfireman]

 

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The more I get into buffing fire apparatus, the more I find myself drawn to the telesquirt. I know there are many that don't like them for various reasons, but I think when used correctly, they can be a very functional engine company. Unfortunately, I have zero pictures in my collection of any of these fine pieces of machinery. I plan to change this, but in the meantime, I'm turning to my peers in the photography world.

 

Anyone have any photos they are willing to share of any telesquirts (69' boom or less)?

 

(This photo of is of the only Telesquirt in my area courtesy of the Lincoln Fire Company website) 

 

Lincoln Fire Company (Lancaster County, PA)

Engine 16-1

1992 Pierce Lance

1750 GPM / 500 GWT / 54' Boom

 

That isn't a TeleSqurt - it's just a Squrt. Only the telescoping-boom rigs were TeleSqurts, not the articulating boom ones.

 

The Syracuse Fire Department has used telescoping booms on its engines for over 44 years, including booms from nearly every manufacturer that offered them. Our preference has always been - and continues to be - the TeleSqurt boom. Here is a photo of one of the rigs that started it all . . . one of the very first two SFD "Maxi-Pumpers":

 

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1973 Ward LaFrance Ambassador #80-732

50' TeleSqurt - 1500 gpm - 500 tank

4x4 chassis

 

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Fyreline.....do you know if this was the only Ward like this that Syracuse bought in 73'?   From you other posts I saw that the Hendrickson/Pierce rigs were bought in large groups, not sure if that was also done w/ the Ward or this was a one off unit?  Thanks

[atlanticfiretrucks]

Glace Bay, Nova Scotia

1984 King CM-1

(1500/200/75' telesquirt)

King Serial # 840007

 

[atlanticfiretrucks]

ex: Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

1989 Ford C/Thibault

1050/500/55' teleboom

 

MacKay Photo

[fyreline]

Chief...is that a bell located on the A-frame boom support just above the first crossly?

 

 

Yes, but not in the traditional "fire bell" sense. It was part of the Automated Engine equipment - at that time, Syracuse engines were all outfitted with automatic governors and radio-controlled crosslays. The red alarm bell would ring under certain circumstances to alert the pump operator that a particular action was taking place - such as the "Emergency Alarm" button being activated on the crosslay handset. The Automated Engine idea did work, but was extremely expensive to engineer, install and maintain.  Eventually it was eliminated, except for the automatic governor feature which was retained.

[fyreline]

Fyreline.....do you know if this was the only Ward like this that Syracuse bought in 73'?   From you other posts I saw that the Hendrickson/Pierce rigs were bought in large groups, not sure if that was also done w/ the Ward or this was a one off unit?  Thanks

 

There were twin Ward LaFrance/TeleSqurts purchased in 1973, #'s 80-731 & 80-732. Originally assigned to Engine 3 & 17, they served at several different SFD companies throughout their service life. Both rigs still exist - one in Andy Lieder's collection.

[fyreline]

We'll call this one a "3.5 generation" Syracuse engine - it is a 1980 Sanford/Hendrickson 4x4 2000gpm/500 tank/50' Reading Techmatic "Redi-Tower" boom. A complete one-off, is was built by long-time local apparatus manufacturer Sanford to show that they could compete for SFD business. They could not. 

 

[atlanticfiretrucks]

North Sydney,Nova Scotia

1988 Ford C8000 / Thibault

(1050/1000/75' teleboom)

Thibault Serial #T88-117 (ex-Grand Lake Road Fire Department, Nova Scotia)