Deputy Chief Drew Smith from Prospect Heights submitted images showing the progress on their new squad during a recent visit to the Alexis plant.
Drew Smith photo
Drew Smith photo
Drew Smith photo
Drew Smith photo
In production update – Prospect Heights
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#1 by Drew Smith on September 25, 2013 - 10:41 PM
This new squad will replace the existing Squad 9. Delivery is expected around January 2014. The current Squad 9 (1996 Pierce) was scheduled for replacement in 2017. However, a rust condition on the frame requires it be replaced sooner. This vehicle was originally planned as a special teams squad but when the above condition was discovered in 2012 during scheduled maintenance of the 1996 Pierce the plan (and capital replacement budget) was modified. A State of Illinois no-interest loan is being used to finance the project. In a few words, this is why the chassis is commercial and not custom. This new squad will be a squad pumper and will seat four members. As for cabinet space, it will have more useable cabinet space than the current Squad 9. However, it will not have reels for extrication tools (we are transitioning to Hurst eDraulics which are cord(reel)less). We have also deleted the cascade and here’s why: A four-cylinder/6000-PSI system will only fill about 25 empty 4500-PSI SCBA. Due to current NFPA requirements a Class 2 fill station is required (Current Squad 9 has a Class 4 fill station). To accommodate this type of cascade would require commitment of one large compartment and cost upwards of $25,000. In half the space and for less cost we can simply buy 25 space cylinders. Also, as many know, MABAS-IL bought several compressor cascade trucks with one assigned to MABAS Division 3. An analysis of fires where our cascade was used showed that the refilling of SCBA was generally to return companies to service and not to recycle companies back into actual fire suppression.
Here is a comparison of the current and new squads:
1996 Pierce / 2013 Freightliner/Alexis
Lance cab / 2-door commercial with 2 person crew area in body.
1,500-GPM pump / 1,000-GPM pump
500 gallons water / 500 gallons water
120 gallons AFFF / 60 gallons AFFF
6,000-watt Will-Burt light tower / 3,000-watt Will-Burt light tower (ALL LED = Similar lumens to quartz)
15,000W-watt PTO generator / 10,000-watt PTO generator
Dual 10/3 X 200 ft electrical cord reels
Same attack hose beds (1&3/4 and 2&1/2 preconnects, 600 ft X 2&1/2 main bed)
1,500 ft 5-inch / 500 ft 5-inch
Will carry all equipment of current S9 and remain ALS.
Overall size of new squad is 6 feet less OAL and one foot shorter in height.
#2 by Bill Post on September 25, 2013 - 8:22 PM
Is this new Squad going to be the replacement of the 1996 Pierce Squad/Pumper at Station 9 also known as “Squadzilla”? It seems that this new rig will be smaller then the Pierce. Will this new Squad still be a Squad/Pumper or will it just be a straight Squad?