Submitted by Barry Slagle
Slagle’s Fire Equipment Co.

The Culpeper County Volunteer Fire Company of Culpeper Virginia recently took delivery of a new KME rescue pumper. This unit will be the primary responding suppression and rescue apparatus on automobile accidents and fires as well as other rescue assignments within their coverage area. On structural fires it will function as the third due engine apparatus as well as well as a squad company that will be capable of refilling SCBA air cylinders with an onboard high pressure cascade air system. This single apparatus will replace a previously utilized beverage style rescue truck and a traditional pumper apparatus. The fire company apparatus committee was looking for an easy to use, easy to maintain apparatus that resulted in a number of unique features provided which include enclosed pump panel areas, vertically stacked speedlays with easy pack capability, both calibrated foam and water for firefighting, 6000 psi air cascade system, large AC generator system, vertical type light mast, four rescue reels with pre connected tools, electric controlled hinged covers on the primary hose bed area, and over 200 cubic feet of enclosed storage compartments.

The apparatus is built on a Spartan Gladiator custom cab and chassis with a seating for six personnel. For enhanced response capabilities, there is a Detroit Series 60 430 horse power engine for more than adequately powering the vehicle as well as an engine brake and front disc brakes for stopping. The cab has seating for a total of six personnel with five SCBA seat positions having Bostrom “Secure-All” quic-release SCBA brackets, all having Firecom Wireless headsets that permit improved communication both during response as well as on the scene within 1200 feet of the apparatus. For rehab and extended operations, there is a shoreline and generator powered refrigerator / freezer unit in the cab.

The pump system includes a Waterous 1750 GPM single stage midship pump with Detroit “Fire Commander” pressure control system, Trident air primer system, replaceable cathodic protection anodes, and an automatic thermal relief valve for ease of operator use and pump protection. The pump system has three 6” inlets with interior mounted inline butterfly valves on both the driver, officer, and front inlets. For ease of connection, the front inlet has a recessed hose well built into the front hinged bumper with storage for 25 feet of 6” soft suction hose. The pump discharges include two 2” transverse speedlay style hose beds with slide-out hose packing trays in front of the pump, 4” LDH discharge on the officer side pump panel, three (3) 2-1/2” discharges on the side panels, one 2-1/2” hose bed discharge, one 3” discharge with Akron Apollo “Hi-Riser” deck gun above the pump panel areas, and a 2” front bumper discharge. For enhanced firefighting, there is a Foam Pro Model 2002 electronic injection type foam system that provides Class-A foam solution to up to four preconnect discharges. The system receives foam concentrate from the on-board 30 gallon foam cell that augments the 600 gallon water tank. For ease of refilling the foam cell, there is a 12 GPM electronic foam refill system with automatic controls from the pump panel area.

Both the driver and officer side pump panels, as well as the discharges, and inlets are fully enclosed within roll-up door compartments similar to the body compartments that provide protection from the elements as well as affording additional storage areas for cord reels and mounted rescue tools.

The primary hose bed has storage for 1200 feet of 4” supply hose as well as a 2-1/2” preconnect and up to 500 additional feet of attack line. For safer access to the hose bed area as well as the upper coffin compartment and dunnage area above the fire pump, there is a vertical climbing ladder on the driver side rear. The hose bed area is protected by a hinged aluminum cover system that is easily opened and closed by way of 12 volt electric actuators controlled at the rear of the vehicle.

The apparatus body was a special design by KME that afforded 29” deep x 68” high side compartments on each side of the body for specialized storage. The driver side includes an upper integral “coffin” style compartment that runs the full length of the body while the officer side has a Zico hydraulic ladder rack with enclosure for a set of Duo-Safety ground ladders. The fender well areas were also utilized for additional storage of eight high pressure air cylinders that provide ready storage in addition to what can be recharged from the three bank, 6000 psi ASME storage for the refill system that includes a “Space Saver” dual cylinder fill enclosure.

With vehicle extrication being a primary function of the apparatus, there is a Harrison 30,000 watt hydraulic generator system that provides both 120 volt and 240 volt power. This provides power to a 6000 watt Wilburt 20 foot vertical light mast, four 1000 watt recessed halogen lights on the upper sides of the body and two 1000 watt halogen forward cab mounted brow lights as well as two (2) CMW electric rewind cord reels with 200 feet of 10/3 cable and junction boxes. In addition, the generator is capable of powering two TNT 220 volt Simo hydraulic pump units at the same time for providing power to four CMW brand hydraulic reels that have two TNT Combi tools, a TNT full size cutter, and a TNT full size spreader preconnected. Additional rescue equipment carried includes a portable TNT power unit for off-vehicle use, four TNT hydraulic rescue rams, tractor jacks, miscellaneous cribbing, and a full set of Rescue 42 static and dynamic struts.
For fire support functions, there are dealer mounted items such as an electric powered PPV blower, rotary and chain type ventilation saws as well as a full NFPA complement of ground ladders, pike poles, hand tools, adapters, nozzles, etc. With hazard control also being a mission of the vehicle, there is an on-board high capacity “Sta-Dri” bin with output piped below the body for ease of use.

Warning devices include a full complement of Whelen high intensity LED lighting including a rear directional light bar as well as audible devices such as a Federal Q2B mechanical siren, Power Call electronic siren, and dual Hadley Emergency Series air horns.

For increased safety, the apparatus features KME customized lettering and striping with over 70% of the rear of the body being overlaid with high visibility scotchlite material in a chevron pattern as well as NFPA compliant side and front striping. In addition, all lettering is also scotchlite reflective material.

This unit represents over two years of planning by the Culpeper membership and the apparatus committee working thru the KME dealership of Slagle Fire Equipment Co. of South Boston, Va. with design, construction, and final equipment mounting.