Hickory Fire Department Engine Company 7

HICKORY – The City of Hickory has received a new fire truck. The Rosenbauer fire /rescue pumper replaces a 1993 Emergency One pumper, which will be placed in reserve status for the next several years. The cost for the new apparatus was $485,575.

Safety during response and at the scene is essential. The truck features intake and discharge lines at the front, right side, and rear, leaving the entire left side typically facing traffic fully accessible and free of hose connections. This provides more efficient and safe operations for the crew and apparatus operator.

The apparatus has the latest in Light Emitting Diode (LED) emergency lighting and reflective stripping that is critical during night operations. As the apparatus approaches the scene, exterior cowl mounted scene lighting can be turned on from inside the cab illuminating the front, left side and right side of the apparatus. This feature provides initial high intensity lighting at the scene of an auto accident, to aid in locating a numerical address or lighting the surrounding area at a structure fire. For additional scene lighting, a Night Scan Light Tower System is mounted on the cab roof. The light tower can be extended six feet above the cab roof, rotated and directed to a specific area or flood the area with light.

Vehicles approaching the rear of the apparatus will see quite a change from the normal vehicle marker and tail lighting system mandated by federal highway requirements. The entire rear section of the apparatus has been covered with diagonal highly reflective red and yellow chevron striping that adds substantial warning and safety illumination when vehicle lights shine upon the striping. Firefighters working at the rear of the apparatus will now become more visible.

Typical blind spots on the right side and rear can now be observed due to the placement and installation of two digital color camera systems. In the cab, the operator has the capability to see the entire right side and rear depending upon the need. A second screen has been mounted at the pump panel on the left side of the apparatus, allowing the operator to view the right side and rear hose lines connected for constant surveillance.

The new apparatus, Engine #7 is built on a Spartan chassis, powered by a 445 horsepower Detroit diesel engine and an Allison five-speed automatic transmission. The cab features a fully enclosed four-door cab. The cab was lengthened to accommodate a transverse compartment at the rear portion of the cab for allowing greater storage capacity. Rosenbauer America a Wyoming, Minnesota manufacturer installed the fire rescue body, consisting of equipment storage compartments for ground ladders, hose, rescue equipment, and vehicle extrication equipment.

The apparatus body has 750 gallon water tank and a 1500 gallon per minute single-stage Waterous fire pump with 6 inch master intake valves, providing the capability to draft or relay water. It also has the department’s standard Feecon 1400 gallon per minute around-the-pump foam system and an inline foam eductor on the front discharge to provide rapid deployment for foam application at auto accidents or vehicle fires. The pumper also contains a hydraulic powered 8,000-watt generator to power emergency scene lighting equipment.

Engine #7 is stationed at Fire Station #7 located at 465 Catawba Valley Boulevard SE and will service the Southside district.

The unit was delivered by C.W. Williams & Co., LLC.