APPLETON, Wis. (October 12, 2023) – Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK) company, announced authorized dealer MacQueen Emergency has secured a four-year contract with the Indianapolis Fire Department (IFD) for the purchase of Pierce fire apparatus. This marks the second consecutive multi-year agreement between the parties since their successful contract established in 2015.
"Over the past few years, our department's Apparatus Specifications Committee, in collaboration with our Health & Safety Committee, have made a thorough evaluation of vendors and visited several facilities nationwide," said IFD Chief Ernest V. Malone. "Ultimately, the quality of Pierce apparatus and their ability to tailor-make apparatus to suit Indianapolis’ urban environment and call volume, led to MacQueen Emergency and Pierce Manufacturing being awarded the bid.”
The first order in the contract is comprised of 20 Pierce apparatus, including one Ascendant® 107’ Heavy-Duty Tiller, two 105’ Heavy-Duty Steel Aerial Ladders, three 100’ Heavy-Duty Rear-Mount Platforms, two 100’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Towers with mid-mount configuration, and 12 top control custom pumpers. All new fire apparatus will be built on the Pierce Enforcer™ custom chassis.
The new fire trucks will be designed to address the unique requirements of the Indianapolis Fire Department, offering features which accommodate Indianapolis’ varying terrain and temperate climate with fluctuations from high-heat summers to snowy winters, which lead to road wear and hazardous conditions. Additionally, Indianapolis has some older firehouses which limit the size of apparatus.
Some of the essential features of the department’s new fire apparatus include shorter overall length and height, heavy-duty frame rails and TAK-4 Independent Suspension system for rough road conditions, PACCAR MX-13 engines to meet the demand of a heavy run load, and superior climate control for extreme weather conditions. Deputy Chief of IFD’s Logistics Division, Kevan Crawley, added, “This order is an important step towards uniformity, which not only presents a visually consistent fleet but also enables us to standardize our operations and reduce our fleet expenditures. We are excited to integrate the new apparatus into service and appreciate the unwavering support from our city's administration and elected officials in realizing this purchase.”
Indianapolis Fire Department, with 44 fire stations,1,270 sworn personnel and 65 civilian personnel, responds to 170,000 calls annually. The new fleet will be front-line apparatus serving diverse Indianapolis neighborhoods.
"We are proud of our longstanding relationship with the Indianapolis Fire Department," said Garry Davis, sales representative with MacQueen Emergency. "It's our honor to support them with superior apparatus to meet their high demands and handle extreme conditions. We look forward to their continued trust and partnership."
The four-year contract was made possible with the assistance of the Indiana Bond Bank, which facilitated the financing. The Indianapolis Fire Department also utilized an upfront payment option from Pierce, resulting in significant taxpayer savings.
For a comprehensive review of Pierce pumpers, aerials, and other products, visit www.piercemfg.com.
