Fire Engines Photos

Surely it can't be very quick or cost effective to call out something of this size to a medical emergency? Is it not better to send a dedicated ambulance?

Added by Mike G. on 03 April 2012.

I Mike, I thought the same thing. On one Youtube clip it shows the truck turning out, but one crew member jumps out, as it is for a medical emergency. What if they were redirected to a fire? They would be a crew member short. I heard that they are investigating the use of a smaller vehicle, perhaps SUV size, for such an incident, rather than having to use the tiller.

Added by David on 04 April 2012.

I think the author has his apparatus confused. That is a picture of a "truck" not an engine. He states the "engine" goes out on medical calls. It is becoming more common with budget cutbacks for "fire apparatus" mostly engines to respond as first responders for ems calls. If the enigne is out and another ems call comes in AND the truck is closer then yes they probably would respond, but they would not be the first choice as the engine would be first choice.

Added by Todd on 04 April 2012.

Todd, I stand corrected. I did mix up the use of 'engine' and 'truck'. Those terms are not used when describing the fire apparatus where I live in Australia. I'll know better next time.

Added by David on 05 April 2012.

No worries David. I know how confusing the terminolgy can be from one country to another. I am still trying to rememeber the difference between retained, whole time, wrt, alp and such. Also my answer wasn't so much to correct you as to explain to Mike why a fire appratus would be out on a medical call. Stay safe

Added by Todd on 05 April 2012.

Thanks Todd. In Australia the apparatus description is less complicated, in that there are no dedicated ladder trucks in my state that I am aware of. There is a possibility that there might be one or two in reserve only. The vehicles are either a pumper, tanker, car, slip-on, rescue, teleboom or platform. Here too a fire appliance can be dispatched to a medical call and it is a fairly recent move that some ambulances are now based at fire stations.

Added by David on 07 April 2012.

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