The Huber Heights Fire Division is located in Montgomery and Miami counties in Central Ohio. Huber Heights is the third largest suburb in the Dayton area by population, behind Kettering with 57,862 and Beavercreek with 46,549.
The population of Huber Heights was 43,439 in the 2020 census. This was a 14% increase since the 2010 census, making it the largest growth in Montgomery County in the past decade. The division covers 23 square miles in its response district.
The Huber Heights Fire Division consists of 53 full-time personnel. The fire department provides fire suppression, emergency medical services (EMS), fire prevention, inspection, and public education. It operates out of three stations and responds to more than 6,000 calls for service a year.
Battalion Chief Mike Muhl, who oversaw the design of the department’s new ladder truck, states, “The division was looking to replace a 2007 105-foot ladder that was bought as a demo. The apparatus was starting to show its age, and we were running out of space in the compartments.” He explains that there was major development going on in the response district, and the division needed a ladder truck that was more maneuverable, could carry more ground ladders, and featured more compartment space for added truck company tools and extrication tools.
“The new truck has 300 feet of ground ladders, which exceeds NFPA standards, and 600 feet of compartment space,” says Muhl. “Our division went with the Sourcewell program so we didn’t have to go out to bid. This made for a quicker transition before we chose a manufacturer. Even though we purchased this way,” Muhl adds. “This made it easier for factory visits for our six-person truck committee. Our committee comprises two battalion chiefs, two company officers, and two firefighters. This gave everyone a say in the construction process. Overall, it was looked at several manufacturers for comparison.” The division already had a Sutphen in its fleet and ultimately decided to go with that company again for this purchase. “Our firefighters were accustomed to their products, and their factory was only one hour away,” Muhl adds. “This made it easier for factory visits for our six-person truck committee. Our committee comprises two battalion chiefs, two company officers, and two firefighters. This gave everyone a say in the construction process. Overall, it was a great experience for all of them, and Sutphen’s new factory was phenomenal. What was also great was a two-year delivery time, compared with what is going on these days.”
Aside from the larger compartments, the department added battery-powered tools and fans and a 150-foot cord reel. Muhl says the rig’s 12-volt electrical system is more than enough to handle the load on the vehicle.
According to Muhl, this is the first tractor-drawn aerial (TDA) that Sutphen manufactured as a quint. “The quint has a Hale Qmax 1,500-gpm pump, a 300-gallon water tank, two 1%-inch hose crosslays, two 2½-inch discharges on the left of the rig, one 3-inch and one 2½-inch discharge on the right, and a Task Force Tips (TFT) Typhoon electric monitor with a TFT M-ERP-1500 nozzle,” Muhl says. He adds that the TDA has almost 600 cubic feet of compartment space; has a combination of roll-up and hinged doors; and carries a 10-kW Smart Power hydraulic generator, a Hannay electric reel with 200 feet of electrical cord, and an FRC inView TrueSight™ camera.
The Huber Heights Fire Division needed a new aerial that would be more maneuverable for its tight streets and parking areas in the response district as well as have the ability to carry more ground ladders and more equipment for its operations. It was able to design a new TDA that met all of its needs and should serve it well into the future.
BOB VACCARO has more than 40 years of fire service experience. He is a former chief of the Deer Park (NY) Fire Department. Vaccaro has also worked for the Insurance Services Office, the New York Fire Patrol, and several major commercial insurance companies as a senior loss-control consultant. He is a life member of the IAFC.
