Smaller Emergency Vehicles
Over the years, there has been a shift for fire departments to utilize and prioritize smaller emergency response vehicles, over using big tankers, to help save resources, improve emergency response times, and more efficiently navigate busy, high pedestrian areas. There are a variety of benefits in using smaller vehicles for emergency fire response and Ward Apparatus is proud to offer a complete line of smaller emergency vehicles and trucks for fire departments to help them achieve their standards.
4 Benefits of Fire Departments Using Smaller Vehicles for Emergency Response
Fire departments are no longer bound to using a large, traditional pumpers for all emergencies. Now, there are a range of more compact, but still fully equipped emergency response vehicles that fire departments can take advantage of. And, switching to those smaller vehicles has shown to provide several benefits for firefighters and fire departments across the country.
1. Smaller Emergency Vehicles Help Cut Costs
Giant tanker trucks can easily cost more than one million dollars. For volunteer fire departments or even career stations, trucks of that scale are a major investment. Ward Apparatus provides smaller apparatuses like Mini Pumpers, Quick Attacks, Super Squads, and Rescues that are an ideal investment that cost less to purchase and maintain, saving valuable resources for fire departments and their budgets. Watch a YouTube video about the Ward Apparatus Super Squad.
2. Smaller Emergency Vehicles Offer Faster Response Times
As with any large vehicle, giant pumpers are more difficult to maneuver and take longer to get up to speed and subsequently stop again. In high traffic areas with intersections or high pedestrian populations, constant vigilance is required while driving and emergency vehicles need to continually adjust their speeds.
Smaller emergency response vehicles are easier to drive and have faster acceleration and stopping times, allowing for quicker and more efficient arrival on the scene when minutes count. Smaller fire emergency response vehicles can be equipped with medical and/or fire suppression equipment so they can be used initially for any emergency situation. These smaller vehicles allow firefighter crews to arrive on-scene quicker to analyze the emergency and start taking appropriate action until a large truck arrives if needed.
3. Smaller Emergency Vehicles are Easier to Maneuver in High Traffic Areas
Because big pumper trucks are expensive and more difficult to maneuver, bringing them out increases the risk of damage that is costly to repair. In urban areas with narrow streets and tight turns, busy commercial areas, or even parking garages or bridges with low clearance, smaller fire emergency vehicles are ideal. When a fire station gets an EMS type call, a small contained fire, or anything that’s not a large structure fire, it is much easier and more cost effective to use a small vehicle.
4. Smaller Emergency Vehicles are Multi-Purpose
Like large tankers, smaller emergency vehicles can still be equipped with all the same tools and equipment firefighters need to secure an emergency scene, whether it is a medical or a fire emergency.
There are a variety of smaller emergency vehicles Ward Apparatus provides like the Quick Attack, the Spitfire, and the Mini Pumper that all come equipped with water pumps, but because they are traditionally built on pickup truck chassis, they are much smaller than the 25’-35’ ladder trucks. However, they carry enough water and hose length to respond to most fire emergencies.
Ward Apparatus’ Rescues and Super Squads do not contain water tanks, although most carry some length of hose to hook up to a fire hydrant. In most situations, these vehicles would be ideal for transporting crew and tools primarily as support vehicles. Other effective uses for the non-water trucks are as a Fire Chief’s command center during fire emergencies, set up for decontamination stations at the scene of the fire, or even as Hazmat trucks.
Smaller Fire Emergency Response Vehicles
Utilizing and investing in smaller fire emergency response vehicles is proving to be a beneficial choice for many fire stations. While larger tanker trucks are still prioritized for large scale fires, fire stations are leaning more on smaller emergency response vehicles to handle more manageable fires or medical emergencies, saving valuable resources and improving response times in the process.
Want more information on Ward Apparatus’ smaller fire emergency vehicle options? Request a quote to get started!