Apparatus Ideas Bob Vaccaro
The Seaford (NY) Fire Department is an all-volunteer department located on the south shore of Nassau County, Long Island. Its fire district is relatively small, covering 2.3 square miles with a population of roughly just over 15,000.
Its response district, like most on Long Island, has a great number of shopping areas, schools, and businesses. It also has one of the main lines of the Long Island Railroad and a considerable amount of waterfront on the Great South Bay.
According to Captain Joseph Pignataro, “Our department looks to replace apparatus on a 20- to 25-year cycle. However, it really depends on our budget, the condition of the apparatus, and the money in our apparatus reserve fund. Back in 2015, we started looking to replace an older aerial that we had in service. It was beginning to show signs of wear, and we decided to start the process of looking at what was out there as far as what different manufacturers had to offer.”
He continues: “We eventually chose Rosenbauer because of the ease of operation and the overall maneuverability of the truck. Our fire district has a great number of tight streets, and this vehicle was easy to handle for our drivers to maneuver around. By going with the Rosenbauer Viper Model, it gave us an additional 9 feet of reach compared to a standard 100-foot rear-mount aerial.”
The department usually only allows two members to be on the apparatus committee, to make it easier to make decisions. Members found in the past that too many opinions were too much of a distraction for getting anything done in a timely manner.
In 2020, the committee was challenged to work on the design of a pumper for the fire district. This time, it would be replacing a 1994 pumper that had served them well.
Since the department had a good experience in the past with Rosenbauer, it decided to go that route again. It took 1½ years to work on the design and specs because of COVID-19; there were a lot of Zoom meetings. “Since we went with the Source Well Consortium, we didn’t have to go to bid and could choose who we wanted for the build. The local dealer for Rosenbauer had changed since we took delivery of our ladder, but both offered us great service and helped us with the design and operation of both vehicles as far as training and service after the sale,” Pignataro adds.
“For the engine design specs, we wanted a basic type of apparatus. We went from a top-mount to a side-mount this time around to gain more compartment space. Also, a low hosebed in the rear makes it easier for our firefighters to stretch hoselines,” Pignataro says. “Our committee decided a generator wasn’t necessary since the 12 Volt V-Mux Electrical System was enough to handle our needs.”
1 The Seaford Fire Department’s Rosenbauer Commander side-mount pumper. (Photos by author.)
2 The Seaford Fire Department’s Rosenbauer Commander Viper 109-foot rear-mount aerial.
3 A simple side-mount pump panel with vertical pump control handles.
Specs for Ladder
Specs for Engine
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4 Basic engine company and truck company tools.
5 Side-mounted ladders with rollup 2½- and 1¾-inch hose.
6 Front swivel suction and 100 feet of 1¾-inch trash line.
Fire Station – 2170 Southard Avenue
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7 The ladder truck’s saw compartment.
8 The ladder truck’s large rear cab.
A side-mount ladder rack was designed, and 1-inch forestry line replaced rubber booster. A Speedy Dry hopper was also installed.
“Our committee decided not to make it a rescue-style pumper like so many other departments have done. Our engine carries basic engine company fittings and tools, fans, and saws as well as some forcible entry tools. We kept it as simple as possible for our needs to operate efficiently,” Pignataro concludes.
The Seaford Volunteer Fire Department designed two vehicles that would be able to operate on the fireground in a simple manner and be highly functional as well. The Rosenbauer Viper 109-foot ladder gave the members greater reach while providing them with more maneuverability around tight streets in their response area. The new engine was set up with a low rear hosebed to make it easier and safer for firefighters to stretch hoselines, more compartment space by going from a top-mount pump panel to a side-mount, and carrying basic engine company and some truck company tools for operation on the fireground.
Being proactive is something the Seaford Fire Department prides itself on. Preplanning and working with a manufacturer the fire district felt comfortable with, having dealt with them in the past, made this apparatus purchase go smoothly for them. In return, they received two highly functional pieces of apparatus that should serve them 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.
