They said good-bye to the old and hello to the new pumper truck at the Fire Station here on June 10 when Centre Wellington Township took ownership of its new fire vehicle.
It cost $500,000 and it is loaded with high tech features that Fire Chief Brad Patton said will enhance the safety of the community and also of the firefighters using it.
Township Fire Safety Officer Tom Mulvey acted as master of ceremonies, and said the township is welcoming a new member to the department. He added the retired pumper is 21 years old.
Wellington Halton Hills MPP Ted Arnott thanked the firefighters for “their outstanding bravery and devotion for what you do,” and also thanked their families.
Mayor Joanne Ross-Zuj said the truck is “a big purchase” and it took a long journey to arrive in Elora, but she said, “It’s very very important to recognize that this purchase is making Centre Wellington a safer place to be in.”
She said with the new pumper, township firefighters are on the leading edge of fire and rescue technology, but she noted the hours they spend working for the citizens is “phenomenal.”
She said of the old pumper, “Every time you went out, it was with fingers crossed.”
John Metz, the owner of Metz Fire and Rescue, which built the truck, said his American company took on the job last August and, after going through several committees to determine what it needed, the company “built it from the ground up. Countless hours go into something like this.”
He said the truck was demonstrated at a Fire Chief’s convention last month and, “It was looked at a lot. You will definitely get 21 years out of this truck – or more.”
Patton said the truck is “a fast moving tool box that protects and delivers our firefighters to emergencies.” He added it is “the greatest tool firefighters bring to an emergency.”
Patton said when the department determined it needed a new pumper, it checked with the firefighters and tried to consider what the community will need for the next 18 years or so, how many calls it would face, and what type of emergencies those would be.
It took a year to design, and another year to build. The truck meets:
– the Society of Automobile Engineers crash tests;
– The European standard for series of load and impact tests;
– The KME Fire Apparatus (the builder’) total occupant protection system, a design to help protect firefighters in case of a roll-over accident;
– The National Fire Protection Association’s hundreds of standards from vehicle performance, emergency lighting, tread design, safety standards, required loose equipment and more; and
– Ministry of Labour regulations regarding the design, maintenance and use of the vehicle.
Patton added the vehicle is also built to the U.S. Department of Defence standards for design, specifications and quality control during construction, and he said KME is one of the few North American truck builders that are sole source. All parts are assembled at its plant, from frame rails to paint.
Some of the features include an enclosed cab for crew safety, electronics with a manual override, an ABS braking system, automatic traction control, roll stability, automatic secondary braking control, all lighting meeting various high standards; a 10,000 watt hydraulic generator, a class A foam system and power fill, a command light, tow hooks that are accessible to use as rope anchors when needed, a trash and small fire line, and multi water gauges to reduce radio communication.
Patton said, “The electrical multiplex system is a computer that controls electronics that reduce the amount of wiring and allows for better control of all truck functions.
A sequencer will turn on or off any number of programmed switches needed in the fastest possible way not to overload the system. In the event of any failures the sequencer will shed power or reroute power to priority items while shutting down non-priority items.
Patton explained a hard wired laptop provided and programmed by the township’s information technology department is in the truck and it is loaded with maps, urban and rural water supplies, bridge details, and “information on just about every car manufactured, data on hazardous materials and much more.”
The truck also has a vehicle data recorder the equivalent to an airplane’s black box, which records all primary functions of the truck every half second including speeds, braking pressures, emergency lighting and even seat belt use.
It is also equipped with enclosures to protect valves and electronic systems. The engine produces 350 horse power.
Patton thanked council for its support in making the purchase possible and said it will help maintain insurance ratings for home owners and commercial businesses alike.
“It’s a capital expense that will service our entire ratepayers equally whenever needed for many years to come. I ask God to bless this vehicle, its occupants, and the people they serve,” he said.
Patton also saluted the old pumper, which was used at hundreds of fire calls and rescues.
Ross-Zuj was pleased the old pumper was displayed on the scene beside the new one. She noted her father, Vic Ross, had been on Elora council when that one was purchased 21 years ago.
