The Grand Rapids Fire Department spent three years designing and specifying Engine 114 and when it went into service, it replaced two other apparatus, a tanker and a rescue.
The new rescue/pumper was built by KME Fire Apparatus from Nesquehoning, Pa. and it incorporates innovative and contemporary designs including an elevated platform for the pump operator. The design is sometimes called “top-mount side mount” offering the advantages of a top-mount pump panel while reducing the overall wheelbase by eliminating the traditional cross platform behind the cab.
Second Assistant Chief Michael Liebel said in his annual report; “The truck design has allowed us to put all our equipment on the truck in an organized manner and we still have room for more items. The truck has been a great addition to our department.”
The new rescue pumper is built on a Predator 100-inch four-door XLFD cab and chassis with a 16-inch raised roof. It’s equipped with H.O. Bostrom Seats, David Clark Model 3800 intercom system, TOP rollover protection system, an in-cab EMS compartment, and a 27-inch front bumper extension with a 12,000-pound electric winch and two hose wells.
It’s powered by a Cummins ISL9 450-hp engine and an Allison 3000EVS transmission.
To fight fire, it’s got a Waterous CSU 1,500-gpm single-stage pump with a 1,000-gallon polypropylene tank with an integrated 40-gallon foam cell. It also has a Waterous Advantus 6 Class A and B foam system. The elevated platform has a fold out step and a deployable safety bar offering the pump operator fall protection.
The KME Pro Series body features Amdor rollup doors, a Lock-N-Load hose bed cover, full-height and full depth storage compartments, and enclosed slide-in ladder storage. It has a wheelbase of 19.4 feet and an overall length of 36.5 feet, including a 27-inch extended bumper.
Other features include an Onan 8,000-watt mobile pto/hydraulic generator, Whelen warning lights, Fire Research scene lights on a Command Light brand light tower.
Grand Rapids responded to 176 emergency calls in 2013, plus 86 service calls, including carbon monoxide alarms, requests for burning permits and other services not requiring the turnout of the entire department.
According to KME, the manufacturer, the Pro Series stands for Pumper Rescue Optimized and it is a multi-purpose response vehicle designed to meet the needs of today’s fire service with a focus on maximizing storage space.
The pump house is minimized to consume less space and the pump controls are place in an ergonomic location for simplified operations. It is available in a traditional side mount configuration or, as an elevated side mount configuration, as Grand Rapids specified, which places the operator up out of the street and away from hoses while affording improved visibility.
