I bought a Fire Truck

[RobertN]

We live 3/8 of a mile off the dirt road 8 miles from the local volunteer fire dept. No hydrants around my area, but there is a sizeable creek about a mile down the road from me, but no permament stand pipe. And we were having trouble getting a water well for the house build. Was thinking we would have to truck in water for domestic use. Having a working fire truck for domestic water plus the benefit of using it for a fire would be a plus. Luckily we finally hit water after 5 attempts of drilling. Jon

We never drank form the tanks on our Engines. Sometimes water sat in the tank, sometimes it was drafted from creeks, rivers or ponds. It was considered Non-Potable.

If you wanted to filter and treat it, would be ok.

 

[RobertN]

A fire engine has a pump and a fire truck has ladders.

I don't see any ladders.

So engine it is I guess.

But don't both have an engine under the hood and sit on a truck chassis?

Anyhow....

Big red loud machine... life is good.

Correct to a point. An Engine has a pump. A Truck has BIG ladders as well as a lot of tools. But, a Truck can have a tank and a pump. A quint is like a fire truck in that it carries an elevating ladder and all of the equipment of a fire truck, but also carries up to 500 gallons of water and can pump water from the hydrant like a fire engine.

 

[RobertN]

“pumper truck”

Engine

Although there are some regional naming variations, like East Coaster calling a Tender a Tanker (it' a Tender )

 

[RobertN]

So this is not to debate anyone, I respect all comments, but when everyone was debating over if it's a fire truck or fire engine or apparatus....is this a regional thing?
Because like where I grew up, there were three common fire units.....the ladder truck which was the one with the big powered ladder on it. (I'm not sure if they pump water or not?)
Then there is the tanker truck. And then a pumper truck which is what I have.

Yes, for all of the standards in the Fire Services, there are still regional naming differences.

For instance, the East Coast US dept's call a Water Tender a Tanker. Here in the west if you order a Tanker, you're going to get a DC10 Jet making a drop of 9000 gallons of retardant... If you just want water you ask dispatch for Tenders.

An Engine is an Engine, not a truck or a pumper. But, there are multiple types. Most city Engines are Type-1, Wildland Engines typically Type-3.

There are variations on Trucks. Many do not have tanks or pumps, and rely on an Engine to pump water to the. Some are a "Quint", which in addition to big ladders, have a pump and a tank. There is a mix of Trucks in the departments in my area...

 

[RobertN]

But the tanker trucks around northern MI have pumps on them to pump water into the tank from lakes, rivers. Jon

All of the Tenders I have seen have pumps on them. Some have PTO pumps, some have separate diesel or gas booster pumps.

Pump is used to Draft water, or supply water or hoseline. Some have dump chutes on them to dump water in to a temporary tank.

 

[D&D]

Engine

Although there are some regional naming variations, like East Coaster calling a Tender a Tanker (it' a Tender )

Also differences between career and volunteer service. Career people are always trying to make the volunteers conform

 

[repete]

Also differences between career and volunteer service. Career people are always trying to make the volunteers conform

Goes both ways. In our county we tried to move to consistency with naming of apparatus by type such as engine, tender, ladder, Medic, aid or support vehicle.
An example would be Engine XX for what station it was assigned to. The career members made the switch to common terminology but other volunteer departments held an old four digit code that was known only within that department. We finally (after years) got about 95% compliance. Some have yet to fully embraced the system after about 12 years.
Like in about everything organization, new members easy and old members a challenge.

 

[RobertN]

Also differences between career and volunteer service. Career people are always trying to make the volunteers conform

Was one of the last volunteers in our mixed District. It was hard to find volunteers in my area that would dedicate the time for the training, as well as changes instate requirements. Most are good, changes for FF safety, but those changes and local changes, volunteers are gone at the 5 local districts I had experience with.

Funny thing is, our current Chief started as a volunteer, went paid and worked thru the ranks. He's an awesome FF/Chief.

 

[RobertN]

Goes both ways. In our county we tried to move to consistency with naming of apparatus by type such as engine, tender, ladder, Medic, aid or support vehicle.
An example would be Engine XX for what station it was assigned to. The career members made the switch to common terminology but other volunteer departments held an old four digit code that was known only within that department. We finally (after years) got about 95% compliance. Some have yet to fully embraced the system after about 12 years.
Like in about everything organization, new members easy and old members a challenge.

In my area, they moved away from four digit. All our apparatus were named/numbered for their respective Station. Everyone switched and it worked well.

Funny thing is, Cal Fire still uses 4 digit codes.

We had St-29
E-29 Engine 29, first out
E-229 Engine 229, second out/volunteer
WT-29 Water Tender 29
M-29 Medic 29
U-29 Utility 29

 

[RobertN]

Kind of funny, the Engine I was on got surplused off when new Engines were bought. Someone converted it to a taco truck