At a time when departments are trying to get the best value for their budgets, multi-use apparatus can be a real bargain. In some cases they can double or triple the number of functions a department can handle without buying two or three rigs. If your department needs to carry more equipment or provide more services, here are some ideas you may want to consider when specifying your next apparatus.

Pumper/rescue

This is one of the most common multi-use apparatus configurations. It allows departments to operate traditional pumpers with all the normal firefighting equipment but adds sufficient compartments to carry an assortment of rescue gear as well. Depending on a department's specific situation, the rescue gear can be designed to handle motor-vehicle extrications, over-the-side or high-angle rescues, or urban search-and-rescue operations. Departments that respond to a lot more rescue calls than fires sometimes turn this configuration around and specify a heavy rescue equipped with a pump, tank and other firefighting equipment. Departments need to consider both NFPA 1901 requirements and the Insurance Services Office rating system when specifying pumper/rescue apparatus.

Pumper/tanker

This is another common multi-use configuration and that's especially valuable for rural departments or those without hydrants. With proper specifications, it gives departments full credit for a pumper combined with enough water for sustained operations. To gain full ISO water supply credit, departments also must be able to set up a tanker shuttle or hose relay, but using a pumper/tanker for the initial attack can buy valuable time. Again, departments need to consider both NFPA and ISO when writing the specifications. They also need to consider the weight, length and center-of-gravity restrictions if they plan to operate on narrow, high-crowned rural roads.

Pumper/aerial

Don't confuse this with a quint. A pumper with an aerial device may give a department some ISO credit as a ladder company, but its primary purpose is to put an elevated master stream into operation with a minimum of personnel. In that application, it can be a real asset to smaller departments that have to tackle fires in lumberyards, packing sheds, strip malls, and 2- or 3-story apartment buildings. Placing the aerial controls at the pump panel allows the operator to handle both jobs. Preplumbed waterways and remote-control monitors on the aerial are a must for efficient operation.

Medic/rescue

If you're loading down your engine with a lot of equipment for everyday rescue and EMS calls but don't have the budget for a new rig, you may want to keep the pumper in the barn and run a medic/rescue instead. Many departments have found that a light rescue squad equipped with EMS gear is less expensive to buy, less expensive to maintain and better able to gain access where larger engines cannot. It's also a better solution if many of the calls are outside the city limits. ISO wants at least half of your pumpers to be available for fire calls, and it will deduct points if they are out of town too often.

Service/rescue

A lot of departments could benefit by having a service/rescue unit, but many have never thought about it. Combining some basic salvage, ventilation and forcible entry tools with a normal complement of rescue gear produces an apparatus that can handle rescue incidents and gain ISO credit at fires as well. Departments should consult ISO for restrictions on where these units can be used and the types and quantities of equipment they need to carry.

Air/light

This is another common apparatus combination that can be valuable in departments where there's no way to quickly refill breathing-air bottles and where most of the apparatus don't have generators or scene lighting. Air/light units are useful at major fires, prolonged rescue operations, hazmat incidents and a variety of other situations. Some departments have joined with neighboring departments to purchase a single air/light unit that responds throughout the region.

Equipment support

This jack-of-all-trades unit is starting to get some attention in departments across the country. It's designed to carry equipment to handle many different types of incidents without taking up space on existing apparatus or having to purchase separate rigs for each function. For example, it can provide traffic control and area lighting at motor vehicle accidents, carry service company equipment and spare air bottles at structure fires and bring bulky absorbents and containment dikes for hazmat spills. It can also tow a rescue boat or a mass-casualty incident trailer. Most support units are small, low-cost and tailored to meet the specific needs of individual departments.

Logistic support

This is like an equipment support unit, but it's designed to carry supplies instead. It can bring food, drinking water and medical supplies to personnel involved in large-scale incidents such as wildland fires, floods or hurricane search-and-rescue operations. Because it isn't directly involved in the incident, a logistic support vehicle is able to move about freely wherever it's needed. Specifying a four-door cab allows the unit to shuttle personnel or transport ambulatory injured patients as well.

A lot of fire departments are viewed as multifunction emergency responders and are expected to handle a lot of new responsibilities. Before you specify your next apparatus, consider all the jobs you have to do. A multi-use apparatus may be just the ticket to let you do more with less.