APPARATUS OF THE MONTH

By John M. Malecky                                                               August, 2023

FOCUS ON BURLINGTON COUNTY

This month we cover three fire stations in Burlington County. Burlington County is the largest county land wise in the state (820-square-miles) and spans from the Delaware River on the west to Great Bay on the east (which separates it from the Atlantic Ocean). The three stations featured in this issue are Cinnaminson, Woodland Township and Southampton Township. Cinnaminson has a second station not featured.

In the photos are Cinnaminson’s Engine 20, a 2020 Pierce Impel PUC, pumper which is their third Impel, one of which is a rescue pumper. Then to Chatsworth in Woodland Township in which is featured a 2023 Freightliner/M2--106/Alexis pumper/tanker and a Spartan Advantage/Rosenbauer/Central pumper. Alexis is a manufacturer from Alexis, IL. There is another Alexis apparatus at Beverly Fire Co. 1, a 2003 Ford F-550 rescue. As far as I am aware these are the only two Alexis apparatus in our state. Chatsworth also has a second station which was not visited. The rest of the apparatus is from Hampton Lakes FC in Southampton Township which features a new Spartan ER pumper/tanker, a Freightliner/KME pumper, a KME Excel pumper and a Freightliner/Lifeline air/light truck which was a former ambulance out of Aetna, Delaware. The new pumper/tanker replaces a 4 Guys elliptical tanker on a 1986 Ford L Model chassis. The last time this fire company bought a new apparatus was 20 years ago. There are other apparatus photographed from this county, but space would not permit their appearance so they will be featured in a future column. 

In dealer news, Blaze Emergency Equipment has received an order from the Mays Landing FC in Hamilton Township (Atlantic County) for a Sutphen pumper/tanker. Specs include a Monarch chassis, Cummins X 15, 605 hp diesel engine, cab with capacity for eight seats, Waterous CSU 2000-gpm pump with top-mount panel, front intake, three crosslays/speedlays, booster reel, 2500-gallon poly water tank, 10-inch rear dump valve, Zico electric ladder rack, LED scene lighting, Onan 8 kw hydraulic generator and Will Burt NS-15 4000 light tower. Blaze has also added Alexis Fire Apparatus to their products. 

First Priority Group has made the following ambulance deliveries: to St. Clare’s Health a Crestline CCL150 on a Ford F-350 chassis; to the Bergen County EMS a Braun Liberty on a Ford F-450 chassis and a Crestline CCL150 on a Ford F-350 chassis; to the Rumson Volunteer EMS (Monmouth County) a Demers MXP150 on a Ford F-350 chassis; to Atlantic Ambulance three Demers/Ford Transit Type II’s. There were three FPG ambulance remounts; one on a Ford E-350 chassis to the Summit Volunteer EMS (Union County), one on a Ford F-550 chassis to Morris County EMS and one on a Chevrolet G4500 chassis to Capital Health. 

Fire & Safety Services reports the following Pierce orders: for Roxbury an Enforcer 100-foot mid-mount tower with T3 rear steer and for Pequannock a Velocity 100-foot mid-mount tower (both Morris County). Scotch Plains ordered a Saber pumper and Cranford an Enforcer heavy duty walk-in rescue (both Union County). Little Falls (Passaic County) and Phillipsburg (Warren County) each ordered a Saber pumper. Pierce deliveries include an Arrow XT 100-foot mid-mount tower to the Woodbridge Township Fire District 4, Keasbey (Middlesex County) and an Impel pumper to the White Meadow Lake Co. 5 in Rockaway Township (Morris County).

Emergency Equipment Sales & Service reports from their Apparatus Division, the delivery of an HME mini pumper to the Glendora FC in Gloucester Township Fire District 1 (Camden County). It is on a Ford F-550 4x4 chassis and has a Hale DSD 1500-gpm pump, 300-gallon water tank FRC Turbo foam system for Class “A” foam and has a stainless steel body. HME is completing an 1871 Silver Fox custom pumper for the Seaside Park FC (Ocean County). It has a stainless steel body, Hale Qmax 1500-gpm pump, 1000-gallon water tank and a Cummins L9 engine. The Ambulance Division received an order for two Type III custom bariatric ambulances built by Excellance for the Gloucester County EMS. They also received orders for Type II F R Conversion ambulances built on Dodge Promaster chassis for the following NJ agencies: FastCare, Metro and Global Medical Transport companies.

Defender Emergency Products has delivered to the North Bergen EMS (Hudson County) a Medix RP-90 Type III ambulance on a Ford E-350 chassis. Specs and features include a full graphics package, full camera system, Ferno stat track cot mounting system, EVS child seat, RUS reverse alert back up system and a full Whelen lighting package.