GERMAN
TOWNSHIP FIRE DEPARTMENT
South Bend, Indiana
The German Township Fire Department
in South Bend, Indiana recently took delivery of a
Hackney Light Rescue on a Ford F550 chassis. The unit
is designed for the occasional frigid temperatures
of the Great Lakes region. The four-door cab/chassis
features four-wheel drive, important for this "snow
belt" region.
The front bumper is extended 16"
to accommodate the 12,000–pound Ramsey winch
and chain box on each side of the winch. Mounted on
the forward section of the wheelhouse compartment,
on the roadside, is a 7.5-kw Onan diesel generator
used to power a 6,000-watt Wilburt light tower and
a Hannay cord reel.
In the upper transverse section
of the wheelhouse compartment are tunnel compartments
for storage of a stokes basket stretcher, two (2)
long backboards and folding attic ladder that can
be retrieved from either side of the rescue body.
Beneath the tunnel compartments
are four 6,000–psi DOT air cylinders supplying
the RevolveAir fill station. Also provided is a slide-out
SCBA rack that accommodates four (4) complete SCBA’s
with "backup and go" capability on the curbside.
The rear compartment contains two (2) hydraulic reels
and two (2) 600–pound sliding trays for carrying
hydraulic rescue tools.
The warning system combines halogen
and strobe lights by Federal and the rear contains
a Federal Traffic Detector. Two (2) rear large diameter
chromed tow rings attached directly to the frame rails
are used as both rappelling tie-off points and towing.
