Quint (fire apparatus)
Encyclopedia
Fire apparatus
A fire apparatus, fire engine, fire truck, or fire appliance is a vehicle designed to assist in fighting fires by transporting firefighters to the scene and providing them with access to the fire, along with water or other equipment...
that serves the dual purpose of an engine and a ladder truck. The name quint is derived from the Latin prefix quinque-, meaning five, and refers to the five functions that a quint provides: pump, water tank, fire hose
Fire hose
A fire hose is a high-pressure hose used to carry water or other fire retardant to a fire to extinguish it. Outdoors, it is attached either to a fire engine or a fire hydrant. Indoors, it can be permanently attached to a building's standpipe or plumbing system...
, aerial device, and ground ladders
Ladder
A ladder is a vertical or inclined set of rungs or steps. There are two types: rigid ladders that can be leaned against a vertical surface such as a wall, and rope ladders that are hung from the top. The vertical members of a rigid ladder are called stringers or stiles . Rigid ladders are usually...
.
History and usage
The first quint was patented in 1912 by Metz Aerials, a German-based fire and rescue apparatus manufacturer. Soon after the revolutionary invention, North America-based manufacturers, such as American LaFranceAmerican LaFrance
American LaFrance is an emergency and vocational vehicle manufacturer, currently based in Summerville, South Carolina. Focusing primarily on emergency apparatus fire engines and fire aerial including ambulance and rescue vehicles.-History:...
(1935 or earlier) and Seagrave (1940 or earlier), began to produce quints.
While quints have been used to a limited extent since their invention, they became more popular in the 1990s, especially with smaller departments that were not able to properly staff both an engine and a ladder on many calls. Many fire departments in the United States needed budget cuts in the 1990s, which led to the use of quints. Although quints are more expensive than either apparatus separately, and do require more staffing to carry out all their operations, the fact that they are a combination of ladder and an engine allows some departments to carry out operations more efficiently. Still, many departments find them to be unsuitable for various reasons. The decision to use a quint depends on many factors, including fire department location, size, volunteer
Volunteer fire department
See also the Firefighter article and its respective sections regarding VFDs in other countries.A volunteer fire department is a fire department composed of volunteers who perform fire suppression and other related emergency services for a local jurisdiction.The first organized force of...
/combination/career status, and budget.
NFPA specifications
National Fire Protection Association
The National Fire Protection Association is a United States trade association that creates and maintains private, copywrited, standards and codes for usage and adoption by local governments...
has outlined the requirements for a piece of apparatus
Fire apparatus
A fire apparatus, fire engine, fire truck, or fire appliance is a vehicle designed to assist in fighting fires by transporting firefighters to the scene and providing them with access to the fire, along with water or other equipment...
to function as a quint. The specifications come from the NFPA standard 1901, The Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus. Quint requirements are detailed in Chapter 9 of the standard, and are summarized below.
Aerial device
- An aerial ladder or elevating platform with a permanently installed waterway.
Equipment storage
- A minimum of 40 cubic feet (1.1 cubic metres) of enclosed compartmentation.
Hose storage
- A minimum of 30 cubic feet (.8 cubic metres) of storage area for 2.5 inch (65 mm) or larger fire hose.
- Two areas, each with a minimum of 3.5 cubic feet (.1 cubic metres) for 1.5 inch (38 mm) or preconnected fire hose lines.
Ground ladders
- A minimum of 85 feet (26 metres) of ground ladders, including at least:
- Two extension ladders
- One roof ladder
- One attic ladder
Suction hose
- A minimum of 15 feet (4.5 metres) of soft suction hose or 20 feet (6 metres) of hard suction hose for draftingDraft (water)The term drafting water refers to the use of suction to move a liquid such as water from a vessel or body of water below the intake of a suction pump. A rural fire department or farmer might draft water from a pond as the first step in moving the water elsewhere...
.
Fire hose and nozzles
- Hose
- A minimum of 800 feet (240 meters) of 2.5 inch (65 mm) or larger fire hose.
- A minimum of 400 feet (120 meters) of 1.5 inch (38 mm), 1.75 inch (45 mm), or 2 inch (52 mm) hose.
- NozzleNozzleA nozzle is a device designed to control the direction or characteristics of a fluid flow as it exits an enclosed chamber or pipe via an orifice....
s- One combination spray nozzle, 200 gpm (750 L/min) minimum.
- Two combination spray nozzles, 95 gpm (360 L/min) minimum.
- One playpipe nozzle with shutoff and 1 inch (25 mm), 1.125 inch (29 mm), and 1.24 inch (32 mm) tips.
Miscellaneous equipment
- One 6 pound flathead axeAxeThe axe, or ax, is an implement that has been used for millennia to shape, split and cut wood; to harvest timber; as a weapon; and as a ceremonial or heraldic symbol...
- One 6 pound pickhead axe
- One Halligan barHalligan barA Halligan bar is a special forcible entry tool commonly used by firefighters and law enforcement. It was designed by and named after Hugh Halligan, a First Deputy Fire Chief in the New York City Fire Department, in 1948...
- One 6 foot (2 metre) pike polePike polePike poles are long poles usually 4-12 feet in length used by firefighters to search for fires hidden behind the sheetrock in the walls and ceiling. These days they are made out of fiberglass with metal hooks on the end, and are used to pull items from an area of intense heat and flame, and...
or plaster hook - One 8 foot (2.4 metre) or longer pike pole or plaster hook
- Two portable hand lights
- One dry chemical fire extinguisher with a minimum 80-B:C rating
- One 2.5 gallon (9.5 L) or larger water extinguisher
- One pump intake connection with supply-hose compatible threads
- One SCBASelf contained breathing apparatusA self contained breathing apparatus, or SCBA, sometimes referred to as a Compressed Air Breathing Apparatus , air pack, or simply Breathing Apparatus is a device worn by rescue workers, firefighters, and others to provide breathable air in an IDLH Atmosphere...
for every seating position (minimum four) - One spare SCBA cylinder for every SCBA carried
- One first aid kitFirst aid kitA first aid kit is a collection of supplies and equipment for use in giving first aid, and can put together for the purpose , or purchased complete...
- Four spanner wrenchWrenchA wrench or spanner is a tool used to provide grip and mechanical advantage in applying torque to turn objects—usually rotary fasteners, such as nuts and bolts—or keep them from turning....
es - Two hydrant wrenchHydrant wrenchA hydrant wrench is a tool used to remove fire hydrant caps and open the valve of the hydrant. They are usually adjustable so as to fit different sized hydrant nuts.-In France:...
es - Two double female adapters
- Two double male adapters
- One rubber malletMalletA mallet is a kind of hammer, usually of rubber,or sometimes wood smaller than a maul or beetle and usually with a relatively large head.-Tools:Tool mallets come in different types, the most common of which are:...
- Four salvage covers, each a minimum size of 12 feet x 14 feet (3.7 m x 4.3 m)
- Four ladder belts
- One 150 foot (45 meter) light-use safety ropeRopeA rope is a length of fibres, twisted or braided together to improve strength for pulling and connecting. It has tensile strength but is too flexible to provide compressive strength...
- One 150 foot (45 meter) general-use safety rope
- Two wheel chocks
Manufacturers
There are many apparatusFire apparatus
A fire apparatus, fire engine, fire truck, or fire appliance is a vehicle designed to assist in fighting fires by transporting firefighters to the scene and providing them with access to the fire, along with water or other equipment...
companies who currently manufacture quints. Below is a list of many of those companies.
- American LaFranceAmerican LaFranceAmerican LaFrance is an emergency and vocational vehicle manufacturer, currently based in Summerville, South Carolina. Focusing primarily on emergency apparatus fire engines and fire aerial including ambulance and rescue vehicles.-History:...
- Crimson
- E-OneE-OneE-One or Emergency One Incorporated is an emergency services manufacturer and marketer based in Ocala, Florida.- History :Founded in 1974, E-One has a staff of roughly 900 in four plants in the United States. In 1993 E-One purchased Superior Emergency Equipment and in 2004 bought Saulsbury Fire...
- Ferrara Fire Apparatus
- KME Fire Apparatus
- Metz Aerials
- Pierce ManufacturingPierce ManufacturingPierce Manufacturing is an Appleton, Wisconsin based manufacturer of custom fire and rescue apparatus and a wholly owned subsidiary of Oshkosh Corporation. Pierce was acquired by Oshkosh in 1996. The company was originally founded in 1913 by Humphrey Pierce and his son Dudley as the Pierce Auto...
- Rosenbauer
- SeagraveSeagrave Fire ApparatusSeagrave Fire Apparatus LLC is a manufacturer of fire apparatus that specializes in pumper and rescue units, as well as aerial towers. In addition to manufacturing new equipment, they refurbish, repair and upgrade older Seagrave apparatus, including National Fire Protection Association updates to...
- Smeal Fire Apparatus
- SutphenSutphenSutphen is an emergency services manufacturer and marketer based in Amlin, Ohio.- History :Sutphen began in 1890 by C.H. Sutphen and now has 5 manufacturing plants in Amlin, Hilliard, Springfield and Monticello, New York.- Products :...
- VolvoVolvoAB Volvo is a Swedish builder of commercial vehicles, including trucks, buses and construction equipment. Volvo also supplies marine and industrial drive systems, aerospace components and financial services...