Too Many Choices
The wildland engine has been ordered and is on its way. Now you need to get the right firefighting equipment. But first, just how do you plan to use your engine? Is it going to be used mainly from the road, or does your district have a large off-road area? Will the engine be going out of district during the fire season?
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When you start choosing the tools and gear to equip your engine, put it all on paper to see what the list looks like. Don't say no to anything at this point, but be realistic regarding what you write down. Don't be surprised if the list is as long as last year's call sheets. You'll also find that the bigger the committee, the longer the list. Once the list has been written, you can start to look at what you really need and what can fit on one engine.
The engine's type will determine its capacity for gear. For example, if your department chooses a 4×4, make sure that the operators are correctly trained and skilled on how to use the engine when it is fully loaded with gear and water. The approach and departure angles are just as important as what you are loading on the engine. A 4×4's turning radius will be about 20% to 30% less than a traditional engine, so you might need to look at an extended cab instead of a crew cab, as well as a shorter cargo area, to get back some of the turning radius.
The truck itself may need some options before you consider piling on the goodies. Perhaps the truck may need to have a lift kit added, different tires, an extra battery or even non-stock seats. And if this engine is going to be sent out on deployment during the fire season, you need to consider the crew's comfort when living out of it for up to 14 days on a deployment. If your wildland engine is going to be going off-road, think of installing the right winch on the truck — one that can actually pull the truck with a full load of gear and water, or even one that can be used from the front or back of the receiver hitch. This engine may stay with your department for up to 20 years, so it should be set up correctly from the beginning.
The compartments on your engine are just as important as the tools that will fill them. It is a great idea to have a specific home for each tool. You can use prefabricated mounting systems for as many of the tools that will fit, or you can tap the skilled members of your department and use your imagination to get some tools mounted. If you are building a Type 4, 5 or 6 engine and are using a flat deck as the platform for all of the components, consider a compartment that can be bolted down and choose a configuration that fits all the tools. This is a very cost-effective way to set up this type of engine. If you have a bigger budget, you can use a Plastisol body, which will cut down on weight while still being a very durable body for use with roll-up doors.
When it comes to the light package, think about how you are going to be using the engine. Remember that NFPA 1906, Chapter 4, Section 8, lists the optical warning devices for your wildland engine. This component can be very expensive or not — it all depends on where you feel the money needs to be spent.
Does the pump need to be removable, or can it be bolted down to the engine body? For the former option, firefighters need to be able to take the pump off the engine and put it back on safely and quickly. Do you need a top-of-the-line foam proportioner, or can you get away with a cheaper version that uses an analog dial instead of a digital display? Do you need 100psi or 300psi, and will you need a hose reel? The discharge configuration also can be supplied with a manifold, which makes it very easy to maintain.
Nozzles come next. Because this is a wildland engine, consider tools made from reinforced plastic. You need a fog nozzle, penetrating nozzle and a selection of foam nozzles. Because they can be used with 1- and 1½-inch hose as well as adapters, this will allow each nozzle to be much more versatile. Don't forget the Econoflo nozzles — it is a good idea to have a number of these as they are easy to lose — and a couple of backpack pumps are a good idea to have on hand for mop-up. You might want to have a portable tank on your wildland engine to make it more effective when responding to an incident. A folding tank is a great idea, and they come in sizes ranging from 500 to 2,500 gallons.
For foam, the new Foam Fast from Scotty Firefighter takes it to a new level by transforming 5 gallons of foam into tubes that look and feel like a bar of soap. Storing and using such foam is easier and safer than in the past — 25 to 30 gallons worth of tubes take up the same space as a 5-gallon bucket of foam, and there's no risk of spills with a stick of foam.
You need to have a good selection of hand tools on any wildland engine, and they need to meet your needs. It's a good idea to have at least two of each. Every wildland engine should have a minimum of two shovels, two Pulaskis, two Macleods, as well as any specialty tools. For example, one drip torch is an excellent tool to have on any wildland engine, and it is a great idea to grab a drip torch mounting bracket, too. Take a good look at all of the hand tools available — even call your local supplier to see what might work for you.
Of course, some tools and options look cool and work well, but should they be on a wildland engine? What about a front-mount remote turret? You will be using this engine off-road, so there's a high probability that branches and sticks will hit it — not good for something mounted on the bumper. This does not mean that you should not have one mounted on your engine. You just need to be very aware of how the engine will be used.
When looking at the bells and whistles, take a step back and really look at how you will use the engine. In some cases these tools are needed and can be justified, as long as you look at how much the engine is going to be used. If the engine has the potential to be used most of the year as in the southern United States — versus British Columbia where a long season might be five months — the need to have more expensive tools on the engine is no longer a "nice to have" option.
Finally, consider the high-tech tools such as thermal imagers for checking hot spots around homes and in attics. If the engine is going to have a laptop terminal in the cab, you should look at the software that will allow you to be more effective in getting information such as maps or data from a community wildland protection plan.
When you are equipping your wildland engine, look at how you are going to be using the engine and for what. That way you can get what you really need to make the engine as useful and cost-effective as possible. With the economic crunch that we are all feeling these days, it is even more important to have the right tool on your engine.
Darren Hutchinson is president and COO of Quintech Fire Services Ltd.
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