Traditional side-mount pump panels are designed to put the operator close to the pump controls and gauges. Unfortunately, in many situations they also put the operator close to passing traffic in a noisy environment, on slippery or uneven ground surfaces, and with limited sight lines.

Based on these negatives, many fire departments have considered the operating conditions in their areas and decided to specify top-mount pump panels instead. By doing so, they have discovered that these high-rise pump panels offer several advantages over the traditional side-mount designs.

Top-mount benefits

By far, the most important reason to specify a top-mount pump panel is to give the operator a safer place to work. Whether the pumper is working at a structure fire on a city street or positioned at a motor-vehicle accident on a busy highway, a side-mount panel often places the operator dangerously close to passing traffic. To move about, the operator has to step over and around charged hoselines. Other personnel need to pass back and forth through the area around the panel to retrieve tools and equipment. These problems are further compounded on rough terrain or during wet or cold weather, when the operator could slip and fall on uneven, muddy or icy ground.

With a top-mount pump panel, many of these problems go away. The operator stands safely off the ground on an elevated walkway or floor surface, usually near the center of the apparatus. Traffic, hoselines and busy incident scene activities are farther away, and the standing surfaces are level, free of obstructions and slip-resistant.

Visibility is another safety factor. With a side-mount pump panel, the best the operator can hope for is a 180° view of the surrounding area. If the incident is on the side of the apparatus away from the panel, the operator may have little or no visibility of the activities at all. The lack of good visibility reduces the operator's ability to survey the incident scene and anticipate needed actions. It also restricts the operator's ability to spot and communicate dangerous situations that others may not see, such as the extension of a fire into an adjacent structure or a sagging exterior wall that may signal an imminent building collapse.

A top-mount pump panel solves these problems by placing the operator high above the activities with an excellent view of the surrounding area. Without leaving the panel, the operator can see clearly along both sides of the apparatus, as well as look forward and backward over the cab and body. Direct line of sight also allows the operator to react to hand signals, rather than rely solely on radio or voice communications.

Top-mount panels increase efficiency, too. With a side-mount panel, the operator has to stand next to the panel to operate the pump. To perform other tasks — such as changing the stream tips on the monitor, aiming area lights or retrieving equipment — the operator usually has to leave the pump panel and either climb up on the apparatus or walk around to the opposite side. That's not very efficient and can potentially cause the operator to miss critical radio communications.

With a top-mount panel, the monitor is usually positioned within arm's reach of the pump panel and the area lights are mounted on either side. The operator can easily put these devices into operation and make necessary adjustments without moving away. If the operator has to leave the panel to get equipment, or even to respond as part of a rapid intervention team, a top-mount panel allows easy and quick egress from either side of the apparatus.

Health and comfort

Standing next to a side-mount pump panel in cold and wet weather, the operator is subjected to prolonged exposure that reduces performance and can become life-threatening under extreme conditions. In hot weather, the additional heat load of the engine fan and exhaust discharges coming from underneath the apparatus can contribute to fatigue and heat-related illness.

To provide a more protected environment in harsh climates, some departments have taken the top-mount pump panel concept one step further and specified totally enclosed pump panels in the rear of the crew compartment. These designs combine a seating area for the crew with a stand-up space surrounding the pump panel. The enclosure is heated and air-conditioned and has windows on several sides to allow visibility of the surrounding area. The gauges and controls are protected from the elements and are easier to read and operate. Enclosing the pump panel also results in a significant reduction in noise to allow improved radio communications and more effective operations.

Whatever the reason — safety, visibility, efficiency, or health and comfort — top-mount pump panels can provide departments with real value. They are available from many apparatus manufacturers in both open and enclosed versions. While you're at a trade show, check out the feeling, function and view of a top-mount design.