The Roanoke (IN) Fire Department was in need of a new engine and started to look for a new pumper, but its regular apparatus dealer dropped the brand that Roanoke was interested in, and the manufacturer’s sales representative for the brand didn’t correspond with the department, so they started talking to other medium- and smaller-sized apparatus makers.
“We found ourselves talking with Summit Fire Apparatus, and Joe Messmer, Summit’s president, told me the story of the company,” says Brandon Taylor, now Roanoke’s chief and also owner of Taylor’d Equipment Sales & Install. “Summit offered a better price truck for smaller departments, aimed at those working on a tight budget, and I thought they were a good fit for us.”
Taylor says, “So I presented Summit to the fire department as a company to consider, recused myself, and had the department deal directly with Summit’s head of sales, Eric Gausman. I wanted the fire department to make the decision independent of me, and they chose to work with Summit.”
The rig that Roanoke had Summit build is a top-mount pumper on a Spartan chassis and cab with seating for six firefighters and an interior EMS (emergency medical services) cabinet. The pumper is powered by a 380-horsepower (hp) Cummins L9 diesel engine, and an Allison 3000 EVS automatic transmission, and has a 1,500-gallons-per-minute (gpm) Mac One pump, a 1,000-gallon water tank, a Class One Intella tank water level gauge, and two Whelen PSTANK series remote water level gauges mounted externally.
Messmer notes that Roanoke’s firefighters like the idea of a top-mount pump, where the operator is able to see the entire scene. He estimates that top-mounts make up 30-40% of Summit’s pumper market. “While a top-mount gives the pump operator great visibility on a fire scene, it also adds a few feet of length to the pumper, so that’s something a department has to consider,” Messmer observes.
Taylor points out that the rig is set up as a rescue-pumper because the department handles a lot of motor vehicle accidents, as well as low angle and water rescue situations. “We’re an all-volunteer department,” he says, “so we wanted to get one vehicle out the door with all the equipment on it to handle fire suppression, rescue, and EMS calls.” Wheelbase on the pumper is 213 inches, overall length is 35 feet one inch, and overall height is 10 feet 5 inches.
The Roanoke rescue-pumper has Hanson roll-up doors, adjustable slide-out tool boards, three storage compartments in the rear wheel well for SCBAs (self-contained breathing apparatus), four coffin compartments, and an oil absorbent dispenser on top of the rig, with a hinged hose bed cover, a Zico Quic-Ladder, and internal through-the-tank storage for ladders and hard suction hose.
The pumper’s hose bed holds 500 feet of 5-inch LDH (large-diameter hose), 200 feet of preconnect 2-1/2-inch hose with an Elkhart Brass ground monitor, and 300 feet of 2-1/2-inch dead lay. The rig also has two 200-foot 1-3/4-inch hose lines, and 100 feet of 1-3/4-inch hose in a hose well below the officer’s side pump panel.
Taylor points out the rescue-pumper has a Smart Power 10-kilowatt generator, Hannay air reels and electric cord reels, a Feniex LED light bar, Feniex warning lights, a Feniex arrow stick, a Will-Burt Night Scan light tower, and Whelen LED scene and brow lights.
ALAN M. PETRILLO is a Tucson, Ariz.-based journalist, the author of three novels and five non-fiction books, and a member of the Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment editorial advisory board. He served 22 years with Verdoy (NY) Fire Department, including the position of chief.
