Richmond, Va

[mikext]

What happened to the Air Horns on the 1998 Quints?

[Truckman]

[quote name='mikext' post='275721' date='Jan 21 2009, 14:16 ']What happened to the Air Horns on the 1998 Quints?[/quote]





There weren't any!





All the 1998 rides, 31, of them had a Q2 and a Vector Electronic voice and digital sound type system. This system had sounds that mimic or sounded like the Q and air horns. It was something the Chief wanted to try. It wasn’t that bad but lacked the depth of true Grover’s!! Everything now has the Grover’s.

[mikext]

[quote name='Truckman' post='275723' date='Jan 21 2009, 14:29 ']There weren't any!





All the 1998 rides, 31, of them had a Q2 and a Vector Electronic voice and digital sound type system. This system had sounds that mimic or sounded like the Q and air horns. It was something the Chief wanted to try. It wasn’t that bad but lacked the depth of true Grover’s!! Everything now has the Grover’s.[/quote]



Thanks, Inquiring minds wanted to know. <img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cool.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='B)' />

[alex3610]

[quote name='mikext' post='275726' date='Jan 21 2009, 14:45 ']Thanks, Inquiring minds wanted to know. <img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cool.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='B)' />[/quote]



The talking part is the strangest. All the original quints say things like "Warning - Vehicle Backing Up", or when a turn signal is on along with the warning lights "This vehicle is turning left!". The truck also will loudly announce to everyone in the vicinity when the booster tank runs out of water.

[Guest]

Nice pics. Always interested in the Richmond FD, probably because of the Maxims <img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> . A couple of questions though. Why would a major metropolitan city require tankers? Is there some areas where they are needed, or are they used in case of a water main break, just curious. The next question is about the Tactical Squad. Was that a man-power rig? What was the concept behind it? Finally, now that the quints are getting up in age, is there plans to replace them all at once or a few at a time. Thanks in advance.

[alex3610]

[quote name='firetrucknut' post='275758' date='Jan 21 2009, 18:14 ']Nice pics. Always interested in the Richmond FD, probably because of the Maxims <img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> . A couple of questions though. Why would a major metropolitan city require tankers? Is there some areas where they are needed, or are they used in case of a water main break, just curious. The next question is about the Tactical Squad. Was that a man-power rig? What was the concept behind it? Finally, now that the quints are getting up in age, is there plans to replace them all at once or a few at a time. Thanks in advance.[/quote]



Think I can try and shed a little light on some of these questions.



A big part of the tankers is the fact that they carry 500 gallons of foam concentrate. There are still a number of large industrial facilities in the city that this is needed for. Also along the interstates water supplies can be few and far between I guess for a truck fire or something of that nature. They don't run much but I think when they do they are invaluable.



The latest I've been hearing about the apparatus replacement was that they are trying to do some sort of lease-purchase plan and over the period of a few years replace the entire fleet. The new rigs would then have a service life of 7 years at which point they would be returned to the manufacturer. That's at least how I understood it. This is just rumor at this point as I've seen nothing in writing at this point although it sounds like this is the plan.

[Truckman]

[quote name='firetrucknut' post='275758' date='Jan 21 2009, 18:14 ']Nice pics. Always interested in the Richmond FD, probably because of the Maxims <img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> . A couple of questions though. Why would a major metropolitan city require tankers? Is there some areas where they are needed, or are they used in case of a water main break, just curious. The next question is about the Tactical Squad. Was that a man-power rig? What was the concept behind it? Finally, now that the quints are getting up in age, is there plans to replace them all at once or a few at a time. Thanks in advance.[/quote]





The Maxims was the best apparatus that we ran for years. We had 12 pumpers and 2 trucks. Tankers were first bought back when the city annex 23 square miles and had very little hydrants in the aera. There were two factory built tankers, 1970 GMC/Oren 400/1500 replacing two that were built by the city shops that were 150/1500. The city also ran two fully equipt foam pumpers, GMC?National 1250/1000. They jusr replaced those with new tankers that carry water and foam. Most of the operations is on the limited access highways, but some area that are wodded gets a tankers for brush operations. The Tactical Squads ran a fully loaded class pumper and operated as a man power company but later as another engine company on most runs. All the quints except the 5's are over 10 years old and had had the dickins ran out of them and are in need for replacement. The orginal plan was for 10 years replacement, but as funds are and the fire department in the pecking order things get pushed back. They will all probably be replaced in the next year or two.

[MFD76]

[quote name='Truckman' post='275809' date='Jan 21 2009, 22:50 ']The Maxims was the best apparatus that we ran for years. We had 12 pumpers and 2 trucks. Tankers were first bought back when the city annex 23 square miles and had very little hydrants in the aera. There were two factory built tankers, 1970 GMC/Oren 400/1500 replacing two that were built by the city shops that were 150/1500. The city also ran two fully equipt foam pumpers, GMC?National 1250/1000. They jusr replaced those with new tankers that carry water and foam. Most of the operations is on the limited access highways, but some area that are wodded gets a tankers for brush operations. The Tactical Squads ran a fully loaded class pumper and operated as a man power company but later as another engine company on most runs. All the quints except the 5's are over 10 years old and had had the dickins ran out of them and are in need for replacement. The orginal plan was for 10 years replacement, but as funds are and the fire department in the pecking order things get pushed back. They will all probably be replaced in the next year or two.[/quote]



Ah the grand Quint Concept looks great on paper but wear and tear on the quints is brutal espically in a major urban city. Any thought to returning to Trucks and Engines or some version? KCFD dumped their three Squad Midi's with 100ft Quint Companies becuase of wear and tear and went to three 75ft quint compnies with no Squad and even bigger disaster. So now the three quints are pumpers again as orginally opened and two truck companies were reopened.



Stay Safe Brother, Rick

[Truckman]

[quote name='MFD 61 KS' post='275829' date='Jan 22 2009, 02:26 ']Ah the grand Quint Concept looks great on paper but wear and tear on the quints is brutal espically in a major urban city. Any thought to returning to Trucks and Engines or some version? KCFD dumped their three Squad Midi's with 100ft Quint Companies becuase of wear and tear and went to three 75ft quint compnies with no Squad and even bigger disaster. So now the three quints are pumpers again as orginally opened and two truck companies were reopened.



Stay Safe Brother, Rick[/quote]





Actually wear and tear isn't any more than running pumpers and ladders trucks on calls. You are going to get wear and tear on anything that a department runs. On paper it looks this way, but in real life every thing is always diffrent. St. Louis is making them work. Ft. Worth did, Richmond is also doing the same. Everyone works in some diffrent manner, but it all gets done. Last I heard the city is remaining with this concept. At large fire operations they work well with as many quints on the scene with their aerials up and flowing.

[Truckman]

Richmond, VA



Going through some old photos that I have archived on a disc, I found several that I will post.





Truck Co. 5



1946 Mack 19LS 1046 with a 75 foot Peter Pirsch Aerial, H416, and trailer





Photographer unknown.



My collection













   

[Truckman]

Richmond, VA





Truck Co. 5



1946 Mack 19LS 1046 with a 75 foot Peter Pirsch Aerial H416 and trailer





Photographer unknown





My collection













   

[ffemtwakeman]

Correct me if I'm wrong because I would like to understand more about this. Richmond's primary suppression units are Quints in all houses and the reserve units are the Engines (only when the Quint is out of service or does staffing levels play into this?). The 3 Rescue companies also have pumps and water on them and each specialize in a certain area (water/technical rescue/haz-mat). Am I in the right ballpark?

[VFN102]

The original idea as I understand it was to run the engines/FRVs on incidents that do not require an aerial device (car, dumpster & brush fires, EMS calls, etc) to help save the quint from running up and down the road as much. I think some officers prefer to just stay on the quint and run it on every call rather than jumping back and forth from one piece to the other. If you listen to Richmond fire dispatch, however, you will often hear engines as part of structural assignments. That most likely means the quint for that particular company is either out of service or they had taken the engine on a call and were not yet back in quarters when the structure call was dispatched.

[Truckman]

[quote name='VFN102' date='05 December 2009 - 01:17 AM' timestamp='1259992644' post='350858']

The original idea as I understand it was to run the engines/FRVs on incidents that do not require an aerial device (car, dumpster & brush fires, EMS calls, etc) to help save the quint from running up and down the road as much. I think some officers prefer to just stay on the quint and run it on every call rather than jumping back and forth from one piece to the other. If you listen to Richmond fire dispatch, however, you will often hear engines as part of structural assignments. That most likely means the quint for that particular company is either out of service or they had taken the engine on a call and were not yet back in quarters when the structure call was dispatched.

[/quote]





That is the original plan of operation.



Some apparatus, Quint or Engine may be at the shop for maintenance, so this leave the other for the company to operate. As Paul said, sometimes a company may be on the street in one piece or the other and cleared and a new call is dispatched. They have to respond in what they are in.



Now with GPS and a company(s) clears right after the new call is dispatched, the other companies marked back in service my MDC and the CAD sees this, it will recommed to the FAO that Company X is available and the FAO can and should make the change and sent the company that just cleared or one that is the nearest to the new call.





Each piece, Quint and or Engine has a complete set of tools, hose, scba's, ems gear and other items. They only thing the company has to do is to take their turnouts and board either piece, Quint or Engine.

[maxim]

Don't you have to change portables, or at least the case and the PASS Tags when you jump from one rig to another?

[Truckman]

[quote name='maxim' date='05 December 2009 - 03:12 PM' timestamp='1260042766' post='350939']

Don't you have to change portables, or at least the case and the PASS Tags when you jump from one rig to another?

[/quote]



The portables stay with the members turnout coat and the pass tags are on both rides.

[ffemtwakeman]

Thanks VFN102 and Truckman on the explanations. I was at station 10 in october and the quint was out of service and the engine was running so I assumed that it was only a reserve piece, but I never asked. What are the pumps on the rescues used for?

[alex3610]

Pumps on the rescue are basically never used anymore. They are still there, although they aren't really maintained, and theoretically could be used if necessary. All proposals for replacement rescue's have no pump or booster tank. All 3 rescues are at or beyond their useful life depending who you ask and are frequently out of service. As there are no reserve rescues, they are forced to ride in an engine borrowed from a quint company with whatever equipment they can fit on them. Hopefully in the next year or two we will see some replacements ordered.

[Truckman]

The following are images of one of the current Battalion Cars.



All my photos.



2007 Chevrolet Suburban, with slide out rear cabinets.

[Truckman]

The following are images of one of the current Battalion Cars.



All my photos.



2007 Chevrolet Suburban, with slide out rear cabinets.