Posts Tagged Oshkosh

Oshkosh purchases Snozzle

A news release from the end of April announced that Oshkosh (parent of Pierce,  Medtec, Frontline Communications and more) purchased Snozzle from Crash Rescue Equipment Services, Inc. There is an announcement HERE and another HERE. Excerpts from both articles include:

Production will be relocated to the Oshkosh Fire & Emergency Campus in Wis. and phased in over the next 6-12 months.

The SNOZZLE apparatus is available with a piercing nozzle that can strategically enter an aircraft’s passenger cabin, cargo compartment or other structure for direct application of firefighting agents. The lightweight, highly flexible extendable turret is able to operate as an elevated water tower through a doorway or over a wing exit without endangering firefighters. The product’s patented ability to shoot a full master stream at ground level allows for quick and effective cooling of burning aircraft tires and hot brakes. In addition, the SNOZZLE will reach down, at or below grade, where it can successfully employ the “seat of the fire” method of attacking a fuel spill fire.

Robert Conley, President of Crash Rescue, stated, “We are very proud to have Oshkosh as the buyer of this critical piece of ARFF technology. Grady North and Bob Relyea were instrumental in developing the market for this product within the ARFF industry and we know they are proud to see it continue with a strong owner like Oshkosh.  We wanted to be a good steward of the Snozzle by finding a great home for it. We decided to do this because we needed to focus our personnel and resources on our core business, which has always been remanufacturing.  Our newly ISO 9001:2008 certified remanufacturing operation provides the total remanufacturing of Airport Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) vehicles worldwide.  Our intent is to grow and further concentrate on this critically needed service for military, industrial, and commercial customers. Crash Rescue has been proud to serve our customers, and we are extremely gratified to know that the SNOZZLE® will continue to save lives, property, and keep our fire fighters safe.”

Mostly in use with ARFF units, the Snozzle has until now been available to all manufacturers.

Chicago Fire Department O'Hare Airport Oshkosh ARFF 6-5-5 with Snozzle

Chicago purchased this 1994 Oshkosh T3000 with a Snozzle for service as 6-5-5 at O'Hare. Larry Shapiro photo

Miami International Airport E-ONE Titan 8x8 ARFF with Snozzle

This E-ONE Titan 8x8 went into service at Miami International Airport in 2002. With the recent Oshkosh purchase, the Snozzle will only be available to Oshkosh subsidiaries. Larry Shapiro photo

Chicago Fire Department Midway Airport Oshkosh Striker 3000 ARFF with Snozzle

In 2010, Chicago placed this Oshkosh Striker 3000 with a Snozzle at Midway Airport. Gordon J. Nord, Jr. photo

Over the years since the Snozzle was introduced, several fire departments incorporated the telescoping waterway for structural applications by having one mounted on a custom pumper.

Orange Fire Department CA Seagrave engine with Snozzle

The Orange Fire Department in California has a large fleet of Seagrave apparatus. One of the engines shown here was built in 1994 and incorporated a 50' Snozzle. Larry Shapiro photo

LaGrange Fire Department Kentucky Seagrave engine with Snozzle

Another engine built by Seagrave with a 50' Snozzle was this unit for LaGrange, Kentucky. It was built in 2000 with a 1,500-GPM pump, 700 gallons of water, and 50 gallons of foam divided into one 30-gallon and one 20-gallon cell. Larry Shapiro photo

Marrero-Estelle Fire Department Louisiana E-ONE Cyclone II with Snozzle

The Marrero-Estelle Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1 in southern Louisiana purchased this 2008 E-ONE Cyclone II engine with a 65' Snozzle to complement their full E-ONE fleet. The tip has dual nozzles with a forward looking camera. Larry Shapiro photo

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Airport fire training

Prospect Heights Fire Department Crash Truck 39

Prospect Heights Fire Department Crash Truck 39. Photo by Larry Shapiro

Prospect Heights and Wheeling firefighters went to O’Hare Airport on Thursday to train with the aircraft props. Both fire departments share responsibility for the firefighting operations at the Chicago Executive Airport (formerly Palwaukee Airport) which resides in both their districts. Both Wheeling Crash Truck 23 and Prospect Height Crash Truck 39 were taken to the airport. Firefighters practiced with handlines for engine fires, brake fires, and full-scale aircraft fires. Then they deployed both ARFF units to attack a simulated crash.

Chicago Fire Department O'Hare firefighting

CFD ARFF 657R is deployed by firefighters from Champaign. Larry Shapiro photo

Firefighters from Champaign were also at the training site today and did three evolutions using 657R, a CFD reserve Oshkosh T-3000.

 

Larry Shapiro was invited to the training and took several hundred photos in addition to a video.

Prospect Heights Fire Department Crash Truck 39

Crash Truck 39 attacks the pit fire. Larry Shapiro Photo

Wheeling Fire Department Crash Truck 23

Wheeling Crash Truck 23 moves in to knock down the pit fire. Larry Shapiro photo

Wheeling Firefighters airport training

Wheeling firefighters advance a hand line. Larry Shapiro photo

Prospect Heights firefighter training

Prospect Heights firefighters work on an engine fire alongside brakes that are burning. Larry Shapiro photo

Larry has a gallery with over 250 images HERE.

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Oshkosh moving Medtec and Specialty Vehicles to Florida

Firegeezer.com reports HERE that Oshkosh is closing the Medtec facilities in Pidgeon, MI and Goshen, IN and moving production to the Pierce facility in Bradenton, FL.

Its Medtec Ambulance unit will be relocated and consolidated with Pierce Manufacturing in Bradenton, adding 100 to 150 manufacturing and office employees.

The planned relocations will qualify Oshkosh for up to $1.44 million in economic development incentives, with the state of Florida contributing $1.07 million; Manatee County, $333,732; and Pinellas County, $40,000.

Oshkosh Specialty Vehicles, with plants in Harvey and Calumet City, is also moving to Florida.

Oshkosh Specialty Vehicles, which makes high-tech mobile medical imaging vehicles and transportable trailers, is relocating work from manufacturing plants in Harvey and Calumet City, Ill. It will merge with the Clearwater operation of Frontline, a maker of command and communications vehicles and broadcast vehicles.

For the new Clearwater jobs, Oshkosh has pledged to pay an average annual salary of at least $57,897 — 150 percent of Pinellas County’s average annual wage of $38,598.

The information, which has not yet been posted to the Pierce or Oshkosh websites, comes from the St Petersburg Times HERE.

Brandenton.Com also has an article which states in part …

Pierce Manufacturing is expected to start hiring by March for the positions that are much-needed in Manatee County where unemployment is 12.6 percent with 18,267 jobless.

John Daggett, spokesman for Oshkosh Corp., said the consolidation will result in layoffs throughout its Midwest plants with the companies relocating to Bradenton and Clearwater.

Medtec Ambulances will cut 45 people at its headquarters in Goshen, Ind.; 60 people at its manufacturing plant in Goshen, and 70 at its plant in White Pigeon, Mich. Oshkosh Specialty Vehicles will release 80 employees at its Illinois facilities.

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Classic engine at Darien-Woodridge

On Tuesday, we mentioned the addition of the Darien-Woodridge Fire District to the site. One of the engines that was posted along with the apparatus at Station 2 is an unusual antique with a long history. Jack Connors has provided us with information about the engine as well as a few photos.

The engine is a 1949 Oshkosh/Howe with a 1,000-GPM pump and a 1,200-gallon tank. The Oshkosh chassis is an Oshkosh Model W-2201 carrying serial number 3541. The Howe serial number is HR-10-7961.

Belmont Fire District Oshkosh Howe

This image shows the 1949 Oshkosh Howe engine as lettered for the Belmont Fire District. Jack Connors collection

This engine first saw service at the Argonne National Laboratory, in Argonne, IL. Next it went to Grandview Park, IL which was annexed by Oak Lawn. It was then used by the Belmont Fire District which became part of the Darien-Woodridge Fire District.

Darien Woodridge Belmont Fire District Oshkosh Howe engine

The engine currently has a Darien-Woodridge Fire District decal replacing the Belmont Fire Protection District name on the door. The Belmont name still resides on the hood. Jack Connors collection

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Darien-Woodridge has been added to the site

Darien-Woodridge Fire District patchIn MABAS Division 10, the Darien-Woodridge Fire Protection District has three stations. This is an E-ONE department dating back many years. They currently have an E-ONE quint, three E-ONE engines, and two E-ONE ambulances. This department used to have lime green apparatus with white roofs and has transitioned to replace the green with red over the past several years. There are two vehicles left with the original color scheme.

Their district includes parts of Darien and Woodridge as well as the unincorporated areas of Downers Grove and some of unincorporated Westmont. They are staffed with both full-time and part-time personnel, and in 2009, they ran 2,450 total runs.

Darien-Woodridge Station 1 is also home to the Southwest United FIre Districts Fire Training Academy which has three rigs of their own.

Darien-Woodridge FPD Station 1

Darien-Woodridge FPD Station 1 houses fire department headquarters and the Southwest United Fire Districts Fire Training Academy. Larry Shapiro photo

Darien-Woodridge FPD E-ONE quint

Darien-Woodridge FPD E-ONE ambulance

Southwest United Districts Fire Training Academy engine 1

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O’Hare ARFF deliveries

Yesterday we posted photos of 6-5-3 and 6-5-5 being delivered to O’Hare. Evidently we missed one. Here’s a shot of 6-5-6 which also arrived at O’Hare for a total of three new 3,000-gallon Oshkosh Striker ARFFs.

Chicago Fire Department O'Hare Airport Oshkosh Striker 3000 ARFF

6-5-6 was the third of three new Oshkosh Striker 3000 ARFFs that was delivered last week to O'Hare Airport. This unit features an extendable and elevated piercing nozzle.

It appears since these three units were delivered over a week ago, two have gone back to Oshkosh to address a punch list of items that required attention.

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New ARFFs delivered to O’Hare

We received several delivery photos of 6-5-3 and 6-5-5 arriving at the O’Hare Fleet Service garage last week.

Chicago Fire Department O'Hare Airport Oshkosh Striker ARFF unit

6-5-3 was delivered to O'Hare Airport last week.

Chicago Fire Department O'Hare Airport Oshkosh Striker ARFF unit

6-5-5 was also delivered to O'Hare. Both units are 2010 Oshkosh Striker 3000 models.

Chicago Fire Department O'Hare Airport Oshkosh Striker ARFF unit

The Striker units were driven from Oshkosh, Wisconsin on these drop-deck lowboy trailers.

Chicago Fire Department O'Hare Airport Oshkosh Striker ARFF unit

6-5-3 is a 2010 Oshkosh Striker 3000

Chicago Fire Department O'Hare Airport Oshkosh Striker ARFF unit

6-5-5 is shown insdie the garage with a spare ArFF and the spare O'Hare engine visible

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New ARFFs for Chicago

The Chicago Fire Department is expecting to receive three new Oshkosh Striker ARFF units by the end of the year. The first of these units was due in August and has not yet arrived. On a recent trip to Pierce, a reader took the photo which is shown here that shows all three of the ARFF units completed, one which has a Snozzle articulating boom with a piercing nozzle.

The closest of these units can be seen numbered for 6-5-5 which runs out of Rescue 2 currently with a 2000 Oshkosh TI-3000. This is the ARFF Commander’s unit.  The others are probably 6-5-3 at Rescue 1 (now operating with a 1992 Oshkosh T12) and 6-5-6 which currently has a 1994 Oshkosh T-3000 with a Snozzle out of Rescue 2.

Pierce factory final inspection

Three Oshkosh Striker 3,000-gallon ARFF units are seen here in the final stages of completion at the Pierce factory last week.

As an added bonus, the heavy rescue shown in the foreground of this photo is the new unit for the Northern Illinois Police Alarm System Emergency Services Team (NIPAS EST) on a Velocity chassis.

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CFD O’Hare apparatus updates

Several new rigs are expected at O’Hare Airport and others are in the planning stage.

  • A new ambulance has been put into service as ambulance 26 at Rescue 1. New ambulances for #16 and #59 are due at the airport soon.
  • The Aviation Department has a 5-year contract with Oshkosh for up to eight Striker ARFF units. The first one is due in August and will be a 3000 gallon 6×6 similar to several already in service at O’Hare. A second, similar unit is due before the end of 2010. Depending on FAA regulations that are possibly changing, two future units might be 4500 gallon 8×8 units.
  • A large fan (mobile ventilation unit) is in the process of being ordered for the airport.
  • A new mobile command post (2-7-8) is also on the drawing board.
  • There is a new rehab unit (5-7-3) at O’Hare at Rescue 3.
  • Mass Casualty Unit 8-8-1 at Rescue 1 is running with a new (used) Bluebird bus
  • Battalion 6 has a new 2010 Ford Expedition
  • 2-9-9 and 2-9-11 both have new 2010 Ford F150 4dr pickup trucks with bed covers
CFD O'Hare Mass Casualty Bus 881

Chicago Ambulance 26

CFD 2-9-11

CFD Rehab Unit 5-7-3

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