The Charleston Fire Department in South Carolina has ordered three pumpers for its fleet — two Arrow XT pumpers and one Saber pumper from Pierce Manufacturing, an Oshkosh Corporation. Delivery is expected in August.
The Pierce Arrow XT pumpers feature a heavy-duty design with a short overall length of 29 feet and will be stationed in Charleston’s historic downtown district. The Saber pumper will support Charleston Fire Department’s suburban and rural service areas.
“The Charleston Fire Department has several fire stations built in the 1880s and 1910 with height and length restrictions,” said Joseph Roberts, assistant chief of technical services for the Charleston Fire Department. “Working with Pierce and their dealer, Spartan Fire, we were able to develop specifications for apparatus to fit into these older stations and maneuver through Charleston’s narrow historic streets.”
Charleston Fire Department’s new fire apparatus will feature:
Pierce Arrow XT Pumpers
Arrow XT chassis
500-gallon water tank
Hale 1500 gpm pump
Cummins L9 450-hp engine
Side roll and frontal impact protection
Pierce Saber Pumper
Saber chassis
1,000-gallon water tank
Hale 1500 gpm pump
Cummins L9 450-hp engine
Allison 3000 EVS transmission
The Charleston Fire Department serves a growing and historic port city. The department includes four battalions from 17 fire stations with 401 personnel who responded to 21,165 calls for service in 2021 across a 134 square-mile radius. Charleston is known for its historic architecture, cobblestone streets, and oak tree-lined neighborhoods. The community requires fire apparatus with superior maneuverability for easy navigation on narrow residential and city roadways.
