Pierce Manufacturing unveiled the latest in fire apparatus safety innovations at the Fire Department Instructors Conference in Indianapolis today at the Lucas Oil Stadium. The DASH CF (cab forward), offers greater space in the driver and officer area, more shoulder and elbow room in the back of the cab and greater visibility on all three sides of the cab.
The vehicle's one-piece windshield has been dropped about 10 inches and offers greater visibility across the entire front of the cab. On each side, windows open the space behind the drivers and the firefighters in back of the cab, offering an unencumbered view on approach to an incident.
The engine also was lowered and set further back, allowing for added storage space in the cab. Wider stair-steps are lower to the ground, reducing the chance of ankle injuries on entry or exit.
Keeping a focus on ease of maintenance and the importance of regular morning checks, the apparatus — which is built on the Pierce Ultimate Configuration (PUC) pumper body — features easy access to checks and fills, as well as common filter locations.
According to Michael Moore, Pierce's vice president of business development, roughly 12,000 visitors that come through its facility every year, which offers the opportunity to get valuable customer feedback on a daily basis.
"We really want to be partners with the fire industry, not just suppliers to the industry," Moore said. "One of the things we like to do is have our 'big ears' on when talking to a fire department, and what we hear is 'we need more room and space in the cab,' typically for the officers and drivers. We recognize the officer has responsibilities, so we took it upon ourselves to fix this situation."
In designing the apparatus, Pierce started with its legacy PUC platform but then took it to another level, Moore said.
"With our new product … we leveraged [PUC] to dramatically improve space for the driver and officer in the cab," he said. "We have dramatically improved visibility, we dramatically improved the communication and set new benchmarks for the serviceability of the vehicle."
Chief James Walsh, of Winter Park, Fla., one of the evaluators for the new apparatus, said that the additional space around the officer's seat, combined with the deeper windshield, made him feel like he had to wear his seatbelt. "Sitting in the back seat, you don't feel cramped either," he added.
Pierce's booth at FDIC is located in the Lucas Oil Stadium.
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Promotional video from Pierce Manufacturing for the for Dash CF
