The St. Louis Fire Department has placed into service a Hackney Drop-Deck trailer for hazardous materials and mass casualty responses. The low rear deck over the rear axles is only 40" from ground level and is accessible via a drop-down ramp. When the ramp is lowered a secondary conventional hinged door protects the environmentally controlled interior (see drawings).
The tractor is a 2010 International with high torque, 330-hp engine and Allison 3000EVS automatic transmission. The tractor drives both a 25KW generator and 85-cfm air compressor. The generator is inter-connected to the trailer via a 100-amp quick-disconnect umbilical cord (depicted in above photo).
The 37-ft trailer features twelve (12) side-load exterior compartments with roll-up doors for storage of equipment. Each tall compartment features the unique Hackney pneumatic drop-down step platform to provide easy access to the upper reaches. Transverse tunnels in the fifth wheel compartment store four stokes baskets. Tunnels in the top of #3 and #4 compartments store additional long backboards. Twenty-four long backboards are stored vertically to the left and right side of the rear entrance door on the interior of the rear work station (see drawings).
Four (4) 165" long coffin storage compartments are located on the roof along with a NighScan light tower with multi-directional light heads. Two removable tripod flood lights are mounted on the left front of the trailer operational from the cord reel or outlets on the trailer.
Electrically deployed and retracted awnings are provided on both sides of the trailer.
The PTO driven air compressor provides two NST quick couplers for high volume air supply and plumbed to the rear compartment with conventional air outlets on the side of the body and one above the work counter on the interior. It is also plumbed to an electric rewind hose reel with 150-ft of 3/8" air hose.
Besides accommodating the twenty-four backboards, the rear interior compartment also houses the expandable decon roller tables and 95-gallon overpack drum. Once this equipment is removed the interior serves as a command and/or rehab center featuring a two-man bench seat with storage beneath on the left and right side walls. Above each backrest is a storage shelf. Across the forward wall is a full width work counter (above the overpack drum storage area) with stainless steel surface. A dry-erase board is on the back wall behind the counter along with a full width 120VAC power strip. An automatic transfer relay allows power to all interior outlets off both the generator and shorepower connection.
The entire apparatus is multiplexed. All tail lights, marker lights, compartment lights and emergency warning lights are LED.
The rear door drops down and provides a ramp for moving wheeled equipment into and out of the compartment. A separate conventional door is provided behind the ramp to control the interior environment when the ramp is deployed. Note the low floor height due to the drop-deck trailer design.
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