LAFD KME Water Tender

[seagrave7]

[CCCFire09]

6x6? front fenders look high...

[Capt387]

talk about a high center of gravity. wow

[islandfire03]

No side or rear dumps ???? Looks more like an engine with a giant tank.

[npfd801]

I would be very curious how this was figured to meet the NFPA center of gravity requirements. That chassis does not have electronic roll stability control, and I seriously doubt that configuration could pass a tilt table test.

Nice looking rig though. Mean.

[charlie82]

Does that meet NFPA lighting requirements for the upper zone in the rear and sides?

[seagrave7]

6x6? front fenders look high...

Yes 6x6. With a remote control water turret right behind the cab. Rear Backup Camera. 2500 tank.

Its replacing this:

http://www.emergencyrigs.net/viewphoto.asp?PhotoID=205

http://www.emergencyrigs.net/viewphoto.asp?PhotoID=206

[2008TNFHS]

That is a pretty standard rig for California. At least what I have run into. Dumps aren't used that much in my experience, especially not in the city.

As for the center of gravity, I have seen alot of Water Tenders like that. But then there was this rig that rolled after losing control. I tried to attach a photo we will see if it will work.

[CCCFire09]

wonder if they are selling the model 89 tenders...

[LaFireEducator]

Without quick dumps, I am curious of how it meets the definition of a tanker.

Under our state's rating system, it would not.

Of course, CA amy be quite different.

[FireMedic049]

Without quick dumps, I am curious of how it meets the definition of a tanker.

It's not a tanker. It's a water tender.

[Just a new name]

I thought these were used to fill the helos?

[LaFireEducator]

Ok, tender.

Though here, the rating service still calls them tankers.

Though it looks like I may have misspoke. Upon looking at it again, it appears there may be some type of an open discharge, just to the right of the ladder. it looks awfully small however, and I have a question as to if it would qualify as a "quick dump".

[Bowbreaker]

First, nice tenders LAFD. What are they doing with the old units?

Most of the tenders used in wildland fires are to refill engines or in this case to also wet down roads and area next to roads. It also has limited firefighting and offroad capabilities. The engines they support are mostly type 3, 4, 5, & 6 with 300 gal to 750 gal water tanks. The water is pumped from the tender that is staged on a road or trail somewhere close to the part of the fire the engines are working. A dump valve is very seldom used and is not required by the land management agencies. The tender does not have to meet NFPA standards to meet federal wildland fire agencies standards.

Many of the NFPA's requirements are in direct contrast with the principle of keeping an apparatus simple so it is durable and anyone can work on it in the field. Federal wildland agencies and several western states have their own standards that are dictated by function and price, not the latest gadgets that the industry is trying to sell, unlike the NFPA. Some forests are even removing the emergency lights and sirens from all fire units to prevent related accidents. Most roads in or close to a wildland fires are closed to the general public but I personally think emergency lights help us keep from banging into each other in the smoke.

The picture of the wrecked tender is a North Tree tactical tender. North Tree is a wildland fire contractor. The tender driver drove it off of the road into a canyon. There are lots of the wildland fire tenders around and they are operated on some challenging roads with very few accidents. The thing that prevent many wildland tender accidents compared to structure tender accidents is most drivers of the wildland tenders are truck drivers first and firefighters second. Most structure tender drivers are firefighters that are driving a tender. There is a huge difference between being a truck driver and just having a CDL with some driving training. Also most wildland tenders are driven much slower, due to the poorer roads, than structure tenders, that tend to stay on paved roads. Just my opinion.

Brad

[confire]

No side or rear dumps ???? Looks more like an engine with a giant tank.

Looks like it might have side dumps behind the compartment aft rear axel.

Now I see a 2.5 inch direct tank fill but what’s the larger pipe coming down from the top of the tank? Perhaps it just a safety bumper?

[FireMedic049]

Ok, tender.

Though here, the rating service still calls them tankers.

Though it looks like I may have misspoke. Upon looking at it again, it appears there may be some type of an open discharge, just to the right of the ladder. it looks awfully small however, and I have a question as to if it would qualify as a "quick dump".

I don't know, but unless you're looking to buy one for your are, does it really matter?

I'm under the impression that these units are not used like tanker/tenders in other areas where you set up dump tanks and shuttle water to be drafted from the dump tanks in order to fight a structural fire. So, if they aren't unloading into a dump tank, they probably don't need any sort of "quick dump".

[2008TNFHS]

I don't know, but unless you're looking to buy one for your are, does it really matter?

I'm under the impression that these units are not used like tanker/tenders in other areas where you set up dump tanks and shuttle water to be drafted from the dump tanks in order to fight a structural fire. So, if they aren't unloading into a dump tank, they probably don't need any sort of "quick dump".

Your right. Alot of the tenders are used as some would call "nurse tenders", they fill the engines then go back and get more.
Also alot of times in wildland fires we don't have a 'static' fire like a building. We don't want to put dump tanks down and have them possibly get burned over. Not to say we don't use them, they used alot but not quite in the same situation.

[LaFireEducator]

Thanks for the info.

A very different purpose than here or in the northeast, which explains the variances.

[joeyk46]

hey guys, here in la city we use the water tenders to fill the engines on brush fires.there will be a water tender dispatched on all brush responses. most times we will have a water source nearby and the engines can hook up to it, but if your back on a canyon road with no water source these rigs come in real handy. these water tenders are not used to fill the coptors at the helispots, there is a water source at all helispots and an engine will be sent to the spot to assist in filling the coptors