This from Ryan Lee:
Found this picture from New Orleans just after hurricane Katrina. There was a rumor that this demo rig demo’d a house as a demo for a CFD chief. Anybody know what this is???? Did Ferarra ever sell one??
Ferrara Strong Arm Telescopic/Articulating Boom.
Istanbul orders 10 Strong Arm aerials
From the Ferrara web site:
- Strong Arm fire and rescue vehicle: an articulating and telescopic extreme duty aerial device capable of flowing 1500 GPM and lifting 1,800 to 10,000 pounds. The Fifth Man Nozzle is made from hardened stainless steel. With 50 individual jets, the Fifth Man Nozzle is perfectly suited for aspirating foam and creating a superior blanket of protection. Additionally, the hardened stainless steel nozzle is capable of breaking through concrete walls and roofs, corrugated steel containers, burglar bars and other obstructions routinely encountered by fire fighters. The extreme lifting capacity make the Strong Arm a great tool for collapse or high angle rescue operations.
#1 by Mike L on November 29, 2013 - 6:31 PM
@ Bill- Funny you should mention the Brontos as both Melrose Park and Elmwood Park run them… Unique to have two in the same region let alone right next door to one another.
#2 by Bill Post on November 29, 2013 - 5:56 PM
The Strong Arm is an interesting concept and I can see it being used in some hazardous and tricky situations especially if there may be some hazardous materials involved in the burning structure. I understand that a number of the Strong Arms were sold overseas and about a dozen of them were sold to Turkey and I’m even talking about the one the we just ate on Thanksgiving either.
It may just make sense if some fire departments may purchase them in a regional framework (such as for several Mabas divisions) and the unit would be special called for some Major fires which it may be used on.
Chicago are one time (not that long ago) was known for being a fire department that would try out one a kind innovative apparatus and some time even had more produced. I am of course thinking of the Snorkel the Super Deluge apparatus such as Big Mo and Big John and Chicago’s “Super Aerials” such as the 144 foot Magirus’s and the one of a kind Morita Lift (elevator Ladder). In recent years it seems that other Fire departments have been more willing to try out newer concepts in apparatus. For example Phoenix Arizona and Memphis Tennessee both own a Bronto SkyLIft and I understand that Montreal Canada recently received a new one. Montreal had been using some Bronto Platforms of different sizes in the 80’s and 90’s previously so they seem to have some experience with them.
The point is since Chicago has traditionally run with some extra large “Super Aerial Ladders” in the past it would make sense for Chicago to get one or two 135 foot Bronto Sky lifts or perhaps a Spartan Tel Star 135 foot platform which is just another brand of basically the same thing. As funding is problem these would be apparatus to consider for the future.
Even though funding is most likely a problem while between 1956 and 1966 Chicago didn’t purchase one new Engine company apparatus Chicago did purchase quite a few special purpose apparatus such as the Snorkels , the Magirus Ladders , the Fog Pressures the Jet Boats and even put a Helicopter in service during that period of time. Not to mention the Jeep chassis apparatus of the early 1960’s.
#3 by Robert on November 29, 2013 - 3:22 PM
Eww. Kill it with fire. Glad you don’t see any of these.
#4 by Ryan on November 29, 2013 - 10:42 AM
It was demo’d on a building down at Katrina, witnessed it. From what I remember, it seemed like it was good for a defensive attack through a window or wall, before going interior. Maybe for those departments that do that? Didn’t seem like a big hit.
#5 by Mike L on November 29, 2013 - 10:08 AM
Saw this at FDIC when they debuted it… don’t think anyone in the US ordered one…