The Springfield Fire Department has placed an order with Alexis for two small squad on Ford F-550 chassis to chase the ambulances and reduce wear and tear on the larger apparatus. The StateJournal Register has an article which includes the following excerpts:
The Springfield Fire Department plans to add smaller rescue vehicles to its fleet this year to respond to medical calls.
Fire Chief Ken Fustin said the smaller vehicles, called “squads,” will extend the life of the department’s larger, more expensive fire engines and trucks. About 60 percent of the department’s calls are medical-related.
Aldermen approved the purchase of two rescue vehicles during last year’s budget process. The department bought two 2012 Ford F550chassis from Landmark Ford and is having custom-built rescue bodies installed by Alexis Fire Equipment, which submitted the lowest bid. Total cost: $200,822.
Fustin has requested $125,000 in next year’s budget for an additional rescue vehicle. He hopes to have all three in use by the end of December.
Fire trucks and engines will then respond to 4,000 to 5,000 fewer calls annually, he said.
The fire department answered 16,431 calls for service in 2011, according to a recent fire station relocation study. About 58 percent, or 9,527, were medical calls.
The entire article is HERE.
Small rescue body being built for the Springfield Fire Department by Alexis. Alexis photo
#1 by MABAS 21 on August 17, 2016 - 11:27 AM
Looks like these squads were a failure as the Battalion Chief’s are utilizing them now as their buggies. Anyone have any insight?
#2 by Joel Hallstrom on January 8, 2013 - 10:09 PM
The first two mini’s will be housed with the two outlying quints in the city. Interestingly, the quints were purchased as such, had their pumps removed and served alongside engines. Now they’re quints again, having had the pumps and tanks added again. Haven’t heard if the quints are officially quartered without engines yet or not, but I’ve heard that is rumored to be in the works. The minis will run medicals in place of the quints saving wear… There will be no additional staffing.
#3 by Big Moe on January 8, 2013 - 4:00 PM
Hmmm. How are they going to staff the new mini-squads? I don’t suspect they are going to hire extra manpower to do it, so the crews will come from existing companies. Then the “frontline apparatus” will NOT be available for other fire/rescue calls. I never understood how Phoenix spends a million dollars on a truck and $500,000 on a ladder tender to save money. Let the truck crew ride on the big rig and save the half million in a sinking fund to replace the truck a year or two earlier. I would hate to arrive at a working incident with a little squad or a ladder tender and roof work or rescues need to be made beyond the reach of ground ladders. Syracuse NY spends money on mini-pumpers as well and I have to wonder if the hundred grand each couldn’t be used to fund a better full size rig replacement program? Like Evan said , alot of people are doing it, so I must be off the beam. Hmmm
#4 by Evan Davis on January 8, 2013 - 1:58 PM
I wish more departments would start doing this. You see a lot of these squads going on medic calls in the southeast U.S. and leaving front line fire apparatus ready for other fire/rescue related emergencies. I know Batavia and Arlington Heights uses squads as first response vehicles for med calls.