Rhode Island Fire Department Purchases Nine Pierce Fire Apparatus

Pierce Manufacturing Inc. has secured an order from the Providence Fire Department in Rhode Island. Sold through Pierce dealer, Allegiance Fire and Rescue, the order includes four Pierce Saber Pumpers, four 100’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Ladders on Arrow XT chassis, and an Ascendant 100’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Tower on an Arrow XT chassis. The custom low overall height of the 100’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Ladders is the first-ever of this configuration and will support the department’s maneuverability requirements within the city’s historic firehouses. Additionally, the new apparatus will provide critical fleet updates to ensure the community’s fire and emergency service needs are met for years to come.

“As the process of selecting new fire apparatus began, we knew we needed and wanted heavy-duty ladders that would be maneuverable in our historic firehouses and on city streets,” said Michael Bates, assistant chief of the Providence Fire Department. “We were pleased with Pierce’s ability to reengineer a fire truck to meet all of our requirements. Our department has been fortunate to work with Pierce and the Allegiance Fire and Rescue team, who didn’t take a typical sales approach but rather suggested features that they knew would be best for us.”

The Providence Fire Department’s new fire apparatus will feature:

Four Pierce Saber Pumpers

• Saber custom chassis
• Cummins L9 450 hp engine
• Allison EVS 3000 transmission
• Hale QMAX 1750 GPM single-stage pumps
• Low hose beds and crosslays for easy payout of hoseloads
• Short overall length of 29’ with angled front and rear bumpers
• Full LED emergency lighting system with Hi-Viz scene lighting

Four 100’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Ladders

• Arrow XT custom chassis
• 100’ heavy-duty steel aerial ladder
• Cummins X12 500 hp engine
• Allison EVS 4000 transmission
• Low overall travel height under 11’
• 12’ overall jack spread with short jack capability reducing the footprint for tight city streets, and 18’ ground penetration allowing for easy setup on city hills
• All four sections of aerial ladder equipped with blue LED rung lighting for reliable aerial device placement and climbing safety
• Aerial ladder rated for 500-pound dry / 250-pound wet tip load

One Ascendant 100’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Tower

• Arrow XT custom chassis
• Mid-mount 100’ heavy-duty steel aerial tower
• Cummins X15 600 hp engine
• Allison EVS 4000 transmission
• Low overall length of 43’4” for outstanding maneuverability
• Storage for 220’ of ground ladders
• All four sections of aerial ladder equipped with blue LED rung lighting for superior aerial device placement and climbing safety
• Aerial tower rated for 1000-pound dry / 500-pound wet tip load

Chief Bates added, “We chose the mid-mount tower because it best suits the Providence Fire Department’s needs. It’s shorter than any other tower, has excellent set-up speed, is maneuverable in tight downtown and residential streets, and the below-grade extension is remarkable.”

All of the nine new fire apparatus will include the added safety attributes of Pierce’s Carcinogen Awareness and Reduction to Exposure (CARE) cab customization, including removable and washable seat covers, diamond plate floors, and Line-X coverage on metal surfaces within the cabs for enhanced durability and cleanability.

The Providence Fire Department is made up of 12 stations and 400 personnel, with an annual service call volume of approximately 45,000. Anticipated delivery of the department’s new pumpers will take place in June 2021, the new tower in July 2021, and the new ladders in August 2021.