HUDSONVILLE, MI (Oct. 1, 2021) – After final inspections, the Blendon Township Fire Department (BTFD) has received delivery of their fully customized Toyne Pumper Tanker/Tender. Now stationed at its new home, this represents the department’s second Toyne apparatus and a bolstering of emergency response capabilities for their community.
“The firefighters in the Blendon Township Fire Department have an unwavering commitment and dedication to the members of their community. That makes us at Toyne even more proud to have created a customized apparatus for them,” said Mike Schwabe, President of Toyne, Inc. “We are beyond confident that this pumper tanker/tender will enhance the effectiveness of the Blendon Township Fire Department.”
Located on the outskirts of Grand Rapids, MI, the fire department protects a population of 5,800 residents spread out over a 36-square-mile territory. To cover this sprawling area, BTFD employs 35 on-call firefighters and operates out of two stations. The firefighters are trained to respond to a wide variety of fire and rescue emergencies. In 2018 alone, the department responded to 259 calls. To better serve the community, BTFD tasked Toyne with manufacturing a new pumper tanker/tender.
Built to provide heavy-duty support for the BTFD, Toyne constructed the body of this behemoth with bolted painted stainless steel. In this configuration, the apparatus features custom storage solutions that are accessible through painted ROM roll-up doors. In those compartments, the department can store various pieces of equipment on custom slide-out shelves. The passenger side boasts a hydraulic ladder and pike pole rack for effective access to vital firefighting equipment.
The body was mounted on a Freightliner 114SD 2-door, 6x4 chassis. Under the hood is a 450-horsepower Cummins ISL9 engine and Allison 3000 EVS transmission. The front bumper is equipped with a hosewell that has a 2.5-inch discharge point. While the engine is response-ready, the real power comes in the form of the diverse water containment and pumping capabilities onboard this apparatus.
The main water supply comes from the pumper tanker/tender’s massive 3,000-gallon UPF tank controlled by an ICI SL Plus tank gauge. Toyne equipped the apparatus with a portable 3,000-gallon Syntex tank that can be stowed in a Zico hydraulic porta-tank rack for additional water storage needs. The department can fill portable tanks with the apparatus’ three electric dump chutes.
Water on the scene is delivered by a powerful 1,750-GPM Hale Qmax pump and a Task Force Tips Monsoon Monitor with an 18-inch electric riser. Along with a customized pump panel, each side of the pump compartment contains various water discharge and intake points. The left side includes a 2.5-inch discharge and a master intake. On the right side of the pumper tanker/tender are 2.5-inch and 4-inch discharges, along with a master intake.
This apparatus was sold to the Blendon Township Fire Department by The Fire Company, an authorized Toyne dealer located in Allendale, Michigan.
For more information about the BTFD, visit the department’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/BlendonFD.
