New truck for Highland Park (more) « chicagoareafire.com

New truck for Highland Park (more)

From Max Weingardt:

Highland Park Fire Department new tower ladder

New Pierce Ascendant mid-mount platform aerial for the Highland Park FD

Max Weingardt photo

Tags: Ascendant 100’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Tower, chicagoareafire.com, Chicagoareafire.com/blog, Highland Park Fire Department, Max Weingardt, new truck for Highland Park FD, Pierce Arrow XT 100' Ascendant

This entry was posted on August 27, 2021, 3:30 PM and is filed under Fire Department News, Fire Truck photos, New Delivery. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

13 Comments (and one trackback)

Pingback: New truck for Highland Park (more) « chicagoareafire.com
#1 by Tim on August 31, 2021 - 7:50 PM

Correct B, Sutphens should be lighter as they are aluminum.
#2 by B on August 31, 2021 - 9:55 AM

Pierce’s mid mount towers are lighter than their rear mounts. Typical GVWR for an Ascendant 100′ mid mount quint like this one is 76,000-78,000 lbs. Typical GVWR for a 100′ rear mount Pierce tower quint is 84,000 lbs.

Mid mounts — think Aerialscope — can be heavier. But not necessarily. The lightest weight aerials are Sutphen, and they are largely mid mounts. So to say that mid mounts are always heavier isn’t true.
#3 by Tim on August 28, 2021 - 7:56 PM

Comparing a midmount to a rear mount is similar to comparing a straight stick to a tower ladder. Guys think you bolt on a bucket and that’s it. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

A midmount is much heavier. As RJ said it is a 5 section ladder. Now you have a different outrigger footprint, different axle capacities, different cramp angle, different tire size/rating, etc.
#4 by Daniel on August 28, 2021 - 7:50 PM

What are the metal plates with carabiners on them for on the compartment doors. I also noticed FDNYs new rigs have them too. Look like somewhere for a padlock or something along those lines.
#5 by Mike hellmuth on August 28, 2021 - 6:25 PM

Thanks for the info RJ makes sense……….
#6 by Rj on August 28, 2021 - 6:20 PM

Midmounts definitely can do shorter wheelbase and overall lengfth than rear mount but the ass end extends and swings out when you turn. Usually heavy because of five section ladder and less compt space too. Give and take depends in its still.
#7 by Mike hellmuth on August 28, 2021 - 2:02 PM

When you compare a mid mount to a rear mount are the dimensions similar or do have a shorter apparatus with the mid mount???
#8 by Mike C on August 28, 2021 - 1:52 PM

Localguy – I’ve been trying to get the bad taste out of my mouth from Pierce for about 20 years. I actually suspect Pierce staff members watch this page. After all the times I mentioned the biodegradable frame rails, Pierce comes out with their “E-Coat Corrosion Protection”. I also mentioned multiple times that the Enforcer should be available with the 13″ frame rails which they recently started offering. If they keep watching this page and our comments maybe they’ll fix the lousy TAK-4, Ascendant aerials and Command Zones.

Tim – Definitely appears to be a Federal Signal speaker behind the grill but the Federal speakers don’t differentiate between EQ2B and other sirens. The sound is primarily determined by the amplifier.
#9 by Localguy on August 28, 2021 - 12:16 PM

I’m still not completely sold on the ascendant line of aerials. But this is a good-looking truck. Pierce is putting out a LOT of nice rigs. Personally it will take a few more years for me to get the bad taste of my ENTIRE fleet rusting out. But I’ll look at pierce again.
#10 by Tim on August 28, 2021 - 7:05 AM

Looks like a EQ2B siren speaker back there.
#11 by Bill Post on August 28, 2021 - 1:53 AM

I understand that the new tower ladder will become a full time company at Station 33 with 3 to 4 men assigned. I doubt they will run will 4 very often as I understand the pumper/squad didn’t run with more then 3.

When the tower ladder goes in service, the pumper/squad will be relocated to Station 34.

Is the new tower ladder a quint? If so does it have lines to fight a fire or will they split Tower 33’s district between Engine 32 and Squad 34 for engine company?

As the squad will now be at 34’s house, will it be 2-man company like Engine 34?
#12 by Mike hellmuth on August 27, 2021 - 8:58 PM

What is that square object behind the bottom section of the front grill? Would that be an electric siren maybe?
#13 by Mike C on August 27, 2021 - 8:29 PM

Where is the siren? I don’t even see a speaker.