Syracuse Sutphen Aerial Towers

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The long-lasting relationship between the Syracuse Fire Department and the Sutphen Corporation started in the early 1970s. At that time, 7 of the 8 Syracuse truck companies were equipped with mid-mount 100’ aerial ladders. The sole exception was a 1964 American LaFrance Aero-Chief 90-foot snorkel assigned to Truck 6. While this unit had proved its ability to reach places that no straight stick could, on a cold January 14th night in 1971 at a multiple-alarm warehouse fire on Syracuse’s near west side, it suffered a catastrophic failure and collapsed. There were two firefighters in the basket, and one of their life belts broke, throwing the firefighter to the street.  He died on the way to the hospital. The officer’s belt held, although he too was ejected from the basket and struck the boom , causing serious injuries. The operator on the turntable was also thrown to the street, suffering  severe injuries. Here is a shot of Truck 6 after the collapse:

 



 

Syracuse Fire Chief Tom Hanlon, while recognizing the tactical value of the snorkel, vowed that there would never be another articulating-boom apparatus purchased while he was the Chief. He did not like the fact that there was no alternative way down for the members aloft.  Alternative types of apparatus would have to be considered. Here is one of the typical SFD Truck Companies of the time, this one is a 1968 Seagrave 100' mid-mount assigned to Truck 1:

 



 

At the time of this tragic 1971 fire, the same Fire Department Reorganization Plan that I discussed in my article on Syracuse Mini-Pumpers was reaching the point where it was time to do something about it. The plan had been around since 1961, and the need for its improvements  was increasing year by year.  As the Syracuse Fire Department began to look around for new types of fire apparatus, a man in Ohio was looking for new markets for his revolutionary aerial towers. Utilizing a box beam, and featuring aircraft-style Huck-bolted construction, he thought that they might just be what Syracuse was looking for. His name was Tom Sutphen.

A series of demonstrations was arranged in 1972 at the Syracuse Fire Department’s Training Academy.  Taking Chief Hanlon up to the top floor of the training tower, the Sutphen engineer quickly brought the bucket straight down the side by lowering and retracting it at the same time. While Chief Hanlon was impressed, his only comment was “Don’t EVER do that again!”. The two Toms struck up what would turn out to be a life-long friendship, based on mutual admiration and respect.  Chief Hanlon was able to secure funding for a series of three of the new towers, to be delivered in 1973. What would follow was a series of 22 aerial towers over the next 44 years, with two more planned for 2018. There have been many evolutionary changes since that first tower appeared, but the current towers are still very much cast in the same Sutphen mold that Syracuse firefighters have grown to know and trust for so long. Let’s take a look at them through the years.

 

Here is the very first Syracuse Sutphen Tower delivered, Serial # HS-833. It is an 85-foot unit with a 1000 gpm pump, 300-gallon water tank, and a 100-gallon Class B foam tank. The cost new was $129,992. This was the first of the three-truck order delivered and went to Truck 4. The others, when delivered, were assigned to Trucks 1 & 8.

 



 

As I mentioned, there would be many, many more Sutphen towers to follow - but this is the one that started it all in Syracuse.