Pierce Manufacturing, an Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK) company, delivered four Pierce® Velocity™ pumpers and one Pierce Velocity 105-foot heavy-duty ladder to the Lake Havasu City Fire Department in Arizona. The five apparatus were acquired through a lease-to-purchase program and will join a Pierce Velocity pumper purchased in 2008, making the department’s entire frontline fleet Pierce apparatus.
“An important objective of our department was to standardize apparatus, and every one of our six stations now is home to a Pierce Velocity vehicle,” said John Kowalski, Lake Havasu City Fire Department fire captain and head of the apparatus purchasing committee. “Pierce’s ability to customize the body configuration to provide extra storage was very important. And the Detroit DD13 engine is a big point of difference between Pierce and others we considered.”
“The Velocity chassis, matched with the Pierce exclusive DD13 big block engine, has been an excellent performer for the department since 2008,” said Jim Johnson, Oshkosh Corporation executive vice president and president, Fire & Emergency. “As a rural fire department, and one without nearby mutual aid, Lake Havasu City first responders need to be self-sufficient. Pierce is proud to meet the need.”
The four identical Pierce Velocity pumpers each feature the Pierce-exclusive Detroit Diesel DD13 450 hp big block engine, a Command Zone™ advanced electronics system, a raised roof cab, seating for six firefighters, a 19-inch extended front bumper, two EMS cabinets, and full depth compartments (with LED strip lighting). The firefighting system includes a 1500 gpm single stage pump, a 750-gallon water tank, a Husky® 3 single agent foam system (with a 20-gallon foam cell), a full complement of ground ladders, two crosslays, and a deluge monitor.
Also built on a Velocity chassis, the 105-foot heavy-duty aerial ladder features a DD13 500 hp engine, tandem rear axles, seating for six firefighters, a rear view camera, and a dual module vehicle data recorder. The body is equipped with a 500-gallon water tank, ground ladder storage inside the torque box, and full-height and full-depth compartments.
“Our vehicle replacement program had been delayed for some time, and Fire Chief Dennis Mueller built a plan for the city council and finance department to evaluate,” said Kowalski. “The bottom line is we made an excellent investment for the department and the community. In fact, other departments are contacting us to learn more about how we put this package together.” (Departments are invited to email Chief Muller muellerd@lhcaz.gov to learn more about the plan.)
Lake Havasu City Fire Department provides fire and emergency medical services to citizens and visitors in a 42 square mile response district. The department operates six fire stations and features specialized teams able to respond to hazardous materials incidents, and a wide range of technical rescue operations. Lake Havasu City is located in Mohave County, Arizona and is home to the historic London Bridge. The structure was purchased, dismantled and shipped from England and then reassembled in Lake Havasu in the early 1970s. Today it attracts visitors from across the country and around the globe.
Pierce dealer, Hughes Fire Equipment, provides local service and support.
