There has been a lot of talk lately about recommendations to replace apparatus after a certain age. Once you cut through all the emotions involved with this subject, there are several reasons why departments should consider making the change. Here are 10 good ones.

1. Improved safety

   Safety is absolutely, positively the number-one reason you should replace old apparatus. There have been so many significant safety improvements to fire apparatus over the past 15 years that it simply doesn't make sense to risk the health and lives of firefighters by operating older rigs.

   For example, many apparatus built before 1991 were designed to have part of the crew ride on the rear step or in semi-open seats behind the cab where they were exposed to the weather and risked accidental ejection or impact from road debris. Cabs weren't voluntarily subjected to crash testing to ensure structural integrity, and there weren't any restrictions on the location of sirens and air horns to help protect occupants from long-term hearing damage. Aerials didn't have the current level of performance standards, safety factors and load ratings to offer additional protection for firefighters under a variety of tough operating conditions.

   More recently, anti-lock braking systems to help prevent skids and improve brake performance under slippery road conditions weren't required on heavy-duty vehicles until 1995 or on medium-duty vehicles until 1997. Slip-resistant step surfaces and automatic step lighting to help firefighters avoid falls weren't required until 1999.

   Within the last few years, apparatus manufacturers have introduced even more safety features to address some of the most common causes of apparatus-related injuries. Several manufacturers now offer occupant protection systems that react to side impacts by lowering the seats, tightening the seatbelts and inflating side air bags within a fraction of a second. Another system senses dangerous side forces during turns or sudden lane changes and quickly reduces the engine speed and applies the brakes to help prevent roll-overs.

   See “It's a Matter of Safety” on page 64 for a list of important safety improvements found on new apparatus.

2. Easier operation

   The days of running apparatus that require four-person engine crews and six-person truck crews are a thing of the past. Over the years, reduced crew levels have forced many departments to get rid of their older rigs and purchase new apparatus that are easier to operate with fewer personnel.

   Think about the steps required to set up an older aerial ladder for elevated master stream operation. First, the operator has to carefully position the apparatus to allow full extension of all the outriggers without hitting parked cars or other obstacles. The operator then has to manually level the apparatus, sometime physically pinning each outrigger into place before raising the ladder. Meanwhile, other firefighters have to clamp a ladder pipe onto the upper rungs of the ladder and run several lengths of hose to the nearest pump. When everything was ready, one firefighter has to remain on the ladder as it's raised to direct the master stream, and the operator had to constantly check the weight and aerial position to avoid overloads. The entire process usually requires two or three people up to five minutes to accomplish.

   By comparison, modern aerials have short-jacking capability, automatic leveling and locking systems, remote-controlled monitors with pre-plumbed waterways, and multiplexed electrical control systems with safety interlocks. Most can be put into operation by a single person in less than two minutes — some even faster.

   Other time- and labor-saving devices found on modern apparatus include electronic pump governors and electrical load managers to potentially free the pump operator for other duties, lightweight hard suctions, self-adjusting foam systems, and hot-shift PTO-driven generators.

3. Better ride and handling

   Ride and handling are more than just measures of comfort. They also reflect several important performance factors, including maneuverability, drivability and safety. Many older apparatus were marginal in these areas and often lived up to the unflattering description “drives like a truck.” Modern apparatus do much better.

   For example, 15 years ago many custom apparatus only had limited front wheel cuts with large tires. Today, apparatus manufacturers can achieve inside front wheel cuts of up to 50∞ with large tires, which equates to turning circles that are significantly tighter than older rigs of similar configuration.

   There also have been significant improvements in apparatus suspension systems. Many manufacturers now offer independent front suspensions that improve vehicle ride, handling and stability. Several companies make rear air suspensions that provide a lower center of gravity and less deflection under load for better vehicle stability. These suspensions also significantly reduce the vibration and road shock transmitted to the crew, equipment and body.

   Finally, the anti-lock braking systems now found on all apparatus not only help prevent skids, they also reduce stopping distances and help the driver maintain better steering control during sudden evasive maneuvers in slippery road conditions.

4. More equipment space

   Older apparatus were designed to carry only a limited amount of firefighting equipment. There were no weight or space requirements and no mounting specifications. As departments took on rescue and EMS roles, they stored the additional gear wherever they could — sometimes loose in the cab.

   The changing role of the fire service has resulted in several changes to the way equipment is carried on apparatus. One important change took place in 1996 when NFPA required secure mounting for all equipment carried in the cab to prevent it from flying about and injuring the occupants in case of an accident. Another change came in 2004 when the standard was upgraded to require a larger equipment weight allowance on apparatus with very large compartments.

   Modern apparatus have a variety of specially designed storage spaces for all the equipment carried. Sensitive drugs and EMS gear can be stored inside the cab where they are secure from theft and protected from temperature extremes. Heavy items can be stored low on roll-out trays to speed deployment and reduce firefighter strain. Long items can be stored in transverse compartments with access doors on either side of the apparatus.

5. Improved fire suppression

   Water is still the primary means to fight fires, but now it has some helpers to make fire suppression faster, easier, safer and more effective.

   Modern apparatus offer a variety of foam devices to attack fires directly or to protect exposures. These range from eductors that can supply a single handline to injection systems that can supply several handlines or monitors. Their reliability is excellent and their effectiveness makes them worthwhile additions to any apparatus. Most people agree that naturally aspirated Class A foam can knock down fires two times faster than plain water for more effective attacks.

   When you add air bubbles, the resulting compressed-air foam can cling to surfaces, seal off oxygen and absorb heat even better. Instrumented tests show that using compressed-air foam for interior attacks can knock down fires four times faster than plain water. It also can penetrate surfaces to prevent rekindles and reduce interior air temperatures to help avoid flashovers. For exterior structure protection during wildland-urban interface fires, compressed-air foam can cling to surfaces for several hours while firefighters withdraw to more protected locations until the fire front passes.

6. Additional support systems

   Power, lights, air, hydraulics, communications — with modern apparatus, firefighters can get whatever support they need quickly and easily.

   Older apparatus usually relied on vehicle power and a couple of small lights to illuminate incident scenes. If they carried a generator, it had to be removed from a compartment and manually started to power a few portable lights. Most modern apparatus have built-in generators with PTO drives or electric starters to instantly provide power to a variety of lights mounted on the cab and body. Light towers can provide illumination over a wide area.

   For rescue operations, built-in hydraulic power and utility air systems can provide power for tools. Breathing-air cascades or compressors can provide a constant supply of refilled air bottles for extended incidents. Built-in command and communications equipment can help manage large-scale incidents.

7. Better parts and service availability

   Sources of parts and service for older apparatus are becoming harder to find. At the same time, these apparatus are nearing the ends of their useful service lives, and face the need for major overhauls.

   This problem is especially critical for departments with apparatus or components built by manufacturers that are now out of business. Even simple repairs like a broken windshield or an inoperative warning light can put an apparatus out of service because the parts aren't readily available.

   Add to that the problem of finding trained mechanics to maintain these apparatus. Older mechanics retire or move away, and newer mechanics aren't familiar with the components and systems used on old rigs.

8. Longer life

   Older apparatus with painted steel bodies, one-piece welded construction and hard-mounted steel tanks may have been inexpensive to build, but often they rusted out or broke apart in service. Modern apparatus use better materials and better construction methods to provide much longer life.

   For example, modern apparatus used galvanized-steel, aluminum or stainless-steel bodies for excellent protection against corrosion. Some use high-strength polymer bodies that resist corrosion and impact with equal ease. Modular body construction allows each section to move independently of the others to reduce stress and simplify repairs.

   Modern water tanks are made from a variety of corrosion-resistant materials and are often mounted to move independently of the frames and the bodies to reduce stress and cracking. Modern pumps and piping systems can be specified in stainless steel for excellent corrosion resistance.

9. Higher resale value

   Look at any listing of apparatus for sale and you'll see a sharp drop in the asking price for apparatus built before 1979. At the other end of the scale, apparatus built after 1999 still command a very high price despite the fact that they're now up to seven years old.

   NFPA 1901 Annex D recommends that all apparatus built before 1979 be refurbished or taken out of service. This may turn into a requirement in the future. Based on that possibility, many departments are selling their older apparatus at reduced prices while there's still a market for them.

   At the same time, apparatus built since 1999 have many of the improvements found on current apparatus, but they don't have the higher prices and special fuel requirements predicted with the upcoming 2007 engine changes. This potentially gives the current generation of apparatus a much higher resale value.

10. Capacity for future growth

    Things wear out, towns grow and apparatus technology improves. Most apparatus have useful service lives of about 15 to 20 years. After that, departments should purchase new ones.

Departments that still are running older apparatus need to ask themselves some hard questions. Do our older apparatus have all the safety features to protect our firefighters? Do we still have the required number of firefighters to operate them properly? Are the apparatus still in good condition? Do we still have a readily accessible source of parts and service? Do they meet our future needs?

If the answer to any of these questions is no, it's time to replace your old apparatus with new ones that better meet your needs both now and in the future.

It's a Matter of Safety

More than anything, replacing your old apparatus is a matter of safety. Here is a look at some important safety features that weren't available on old apparatus, but are standard or optional on new units.