[quote name='MFD 61 KS' post='273950' date='Jan 14 2009, 19:53 ']Quints were orginally designed for small communities where and were adapted to large cities during tight budget times. Normally your three to four guys on an engine and three to four on a truck, so six or eight. Most quints run with three or four but are suposed to preform the functions of both the engine and truck. Quint people can work the numbers where it looks like advantage, but really it is not. Richmond VA comes to mind on their web site it shows Qunits as an advantage but if you break down the staffing and staffed companies it really was not advantage. You gamble that fires are down which they are nationwide. However fires burn hotter now and are faster moving, so you really do need more staffing now more than ever. It is safer having two seperate companies do the the fire ground functions of supression, vent, and search. We send the engine for suppression two officer and fireman, the Truck splits two search officer and fireman and two for vent FAO and fireman. You can save money with Quints, less staffing. However the cost of upkeep is much greater on a Quint IE weight and equipement. It was noted in a St. Louis NIOSH LODD report that a lack of truck work contrubited to the LODD a few years ago. I have seen and have experince when you place a pump on a truck your truck work suffers. The Quint starts bringing the hydrant or pumps the fire and all of a sudden your truck is out of postion or the truck crew has a hose. The standard fire ground assigments that are predetermined are now a roll of the dice at each fire. It just does not work for structural firefighting. Now pumps are great on Qunits for car fires and dumpster fire. But we still send two companies to cars and dumpsters even with our Quint for safety.
Now before everyone throws me to the meat grinder. I understand that in tough times you have to make tough decisions and Qunits are an option. However it is safer to have seperate fire ground functions and have personel trained in that speciality instead of being the swiss army knife's or jack's of all trades. This is just my thoughts and is not ment to offend anyone.
Stay Safe, Rick[/quote]
Now before everyone throws me to the meat grinder. I understand that in tough times you have to make tough decisions and Qunits are an option. However it is safer to have seperate fire ground functions and have personel trained in that speciality instead of being the swiss army knife's or jack's of all trades. This is just my thoughts and is not ment to offend anyone.
Stay Safe, Rick[/quote]
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