CFD Apparatus status

Ghostpolice24

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First major apparatus movements of 2022:

Rescue 21 > Station 34 (It now houses an Engine, Aerial and Rescue out of the back bay)

Tender 35 & Boat Tow & Jet boat 35 > Station 21. Tender 21 is parked behind Engine 21.

35 is a single Engine hall now.
 

Ghostpolice24

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Another update:

CFD has acquired a 4th Boat Tow! Running out of Station 19 again. So 19 currently houses: Engine 19, Aerial 19, Bush Buggy 19 & Boat Tow/Jetboat 19. (I believe it's temporary for the summer and Stampede but I could very well be wrong.)

For those unaware; Current stations that house boat tows atm now are: Station 6, 19, 21, 39.
 

Jay911

Silent Key (April 15th, 2023)
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Looks like Pierce might be bringing their Volterra pumper to Calgary. I've seen good things about this platform in other cities. This isn't like the Rosenbauer that LAFD just recently put into service (and promptly ruptured the water tank), it's a custom cab pumper much like the ones CFD has but with a battery pack that can run the truck for up to 24h.

I'm pretty eager to see this thing up close. Even if it has a backup diesel motor, it's part of the future.

 

JABoomer

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Looks like Pierce might be bringing their Volterra pumper to Calgary. I've seen good things about this platform in other cities. This isn't like the Rosenbauer that LAFD just recently put into service (and promptly ruptured the water tank), it's a custom cab pumper much like the ones CFD has but with a battery pack that can run the truck for up to 24h.

I'm pretty eager to see this thing up close. Even if it has a backup diesel motor, it's part of the future.

I am not a proponent of electric vehicles. A surprising amount of folks don't realize that electricity is generated from burning natural gas, or worse, coal, in many regions. And while there is a efficiency of scale at play, to my knowledge, electric vehicles emit only about 40% less emissions versus current model gasoline powered vehicles. All while creating new problems such as lithium mining, battery disposal, and undersized residential power distribution for charging. I'm all for renewables, I just don't think electric cars of today are solving the emissions problem when charged with gas or coal electricity. Will they get there? Maybe.

So I was skeptical when I read this. But I watched this video:

...and boy, what a cool truck!

Although it doesn't make sense to me that the truck can run on batteries for two hours, but can be recharge by the diesel backup and run for another six hours. Unless you're really running on the diesel for four hours while you recharge, and then two hours again from the batteries.

Anyways, the truck has some cool features!
 

Jay911

Silent Key (April 15th, 2023)
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I'm not going to get into the arguments against electrification/EVs except to say that there is a substantial amount of over-exaggeration put forth by the detractors' arguments. Many innovators in the industry are finding ways to generate power to provide to charging infrastructure, and the "total cost of construction" (concerns about lithium mining etc) is always grossly exaggerated - not to mention that there is work underway, including here in Alberta by Imperial Oil, to produce lithium from salt water.

The truck shown in the video above is a Rosenbauer RTX. There are several like that being ordered by various agencies, in the US and Canada, with LAFD's being the first to go into service (not sure if it's back from repairs - the first time they filled it with water, a plumbing issue caused the tank to rupture).

The Calgary truck according to the article will be a Pierce Volterra, which is a much more 'traditional' looking rig, and more correctly a 'hybrid' I suppose. A diesel motor is still in the truck, along with a battery, which are both coupled to an electric motor/transmission that can run the pump or the drivetrain.

Here's Pierce's promo video, based on an in-service truck in Wisconsin (very close to the Pierce manufacturing plant). I wish there was more detailed technical info available to explain the battery size, drivetrain/powertrain components, etc., but maybe I've been spoiled by Tesla and other EV manufacturers being so open with their technology. I'm sure in the fullness of time these things will become known.

 

Ghostpolice24

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Just heard A/L 4 book on-air as R1007. They mentioned, "this is our new rig" and "R1007 will now be known as A/L 4". Sounds like the old Freightliner may have finally broken one too many times.
Little update on this even though it's old; I was at 4 today and they had the old 2004 rig back, so.. I assume they just meant 'new' for that time period, or maybe something changed?
 

RP201

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Not new bush buggies... just new skid mounted/truck mounted removable pumps for the trucks and possibly adjustments to the tanks on board?
The skid mounts are great, in winter the skid can be removed and the truck could preform other functions, or have skids that slide in with different functions like big fans, deluge guns, maybe back up boat tow, the possibilities are interesting.
 

ENGINE_4

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Yes! even small sanders in the winter if CFD really needed tooo. It's nice to see upgrades coming to the wildland firefighting side of operations though
 

RP201

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Hello, I hope everyone had a nice summer.

I noticed 25 Aerial is running Q01 11 - 2011 Spartan Gladiator Classic LFD / Smeal rear mount stick.
 

ENGINE_4

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Yes, one of the five spare Aerials in the fleet. The Bronto is in the shop again....
 

ENGINE_4

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Jay911

Silent Key (April 15th, 2023)
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My department has been a Pierce customer multiple times (though not for aerials) and they are good, robust trucks.

I see there won't be pumps or tanks - I hope they're still going to plumb waterways into these machines. I remember the days of seeing 65mm ground hose lines run up the ladderway of an aerial with a clamp on the tip to hold the nozzle there, and I think those days are past.
 

RP201

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I’m sure it’s safe to say the ladders and platforms will be equipped with waterways. Obviously the CFD is thinking about loading these rigs up with a pile of gear. I’m looking forward to seeing these rigs hitting the streets of Calgary.

Has anyone herd any rumours about the direction the CFD is going with respect to apparatus?
 
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