Monday, January 03, 2011
(Courtesy Of iberkshire News.com)
Photos: Steve Suriner, HVFD
The Brush/Quick Attack pumper can negotiate narrow roads and long driveways.
HINSDALE, Mass. — The Hinsdale Volunteer Fire Department recently acquired a new Brush/Quick Attack pumper manufactured on a Ford F-550 chassis. Miscellaneous firefighting equipment has been placed on the vehicle, and after initial training the vehicle was placed in service.
The new truck replaces a 27-year-old surplus pickup truck that had been converted for use as a brush truck and was becoming a serious maintenance problem, said Chief Larry Turner.
“The key thing about the new truck," Turner said, “is that this vehicle was designed by members to be used for brush fires but also is geared for use as a quick-attack pumper that can negotiate narrow roads and long driveways.” The chief added that the versatility of the four-wheel-drive vehicle will allow the firefighters to get water on structure fires in hard-to-reach areas much faster than with a larger, conventionally sized engine.
Additionally, this apparatus will also serve as a support piece for operations at vehicle accident and extrication incidents.
A donated 12-year-old Chevy Suburban recently was reconditioned for department use.
The truck was funded by a Homeland Security-Assistance to Firefighters grant that paid 95 percent of the total cost of $125,000. The remaining 5 percent was paid for by a federal matching grant requirement supplied by the town of Hinsdale.
The department also recently replaced its command vehicle, a 25-year-old Army surplus conversion, with a donated 12-year-old Chevrolet Suburban. Several department members invested in excess of 100 man-hours reconditioning the mechanical and interior parts of the Suburban as well as transferring key emergency lights, radios and equipment to their proper placement.
Dalton Auto Body completed some much-needed rust repair and then painted the exterior to match the department’s standard color scheme. This vehicle is not only used as a command center at major incidents, but serves as a manpower shuttle and support piece on auto accident and ambulance calls.
No public funding was involved in the $3,000 cost to place this vehicle in service. All funds were provided through the Hinsdale Volunteer Firemen’s Association.
