APPARATUS OF THE MONTH

By John M. Malecky                                                                March, 2025

SOME RIGS FROM ATLANTIC COUNTY

The apparatus featured this month include some Atlantic City vehicles and some from their neighbors, namely Brigantine, Ventnor City and Margate. There will be more Atlantic City apparatus in a future column. Atlantic City has been purchasing Rosenbauer apparatus lately similar to the way Paterson purchased Ferrara pumpers. Though Paterson does not have any Ferrara ladder trucks, Atlantic City has a Rosenbauer platform and by the time this column goes to hard copy, they may have their Rosenbauer TDA. So, the present Ladder 2’s Pierce TDA is being featured this month along with Ladder 1, a Rosenbauer mid-mount platform, Engine 1 and Engine 6 are included. Going back to when I first started photographing fire apparatus in 1974, Atlantic City was one of my early stops. At that time, they were running 9 engine and 4 ladder companies. Engine 11 was the highest numbered unit, but there was no Engines’ 2 or 5. The pumper fleet had mostly Great Eastern custom apparatus and just about all if my memory serves me right, each had a second section which was a Great Eastern pumper with a commercial chassis and small pump and tank. These were used for boardwalk operations because they were lighter. Great Eastern is a name for Ernie Day, who owned New Jersey Fire Equipment. He was permitted to use his own plate, however the pumpers were actually built by Oren Fire Apparatus, a cousin to Howe. There was no rescue company at that time, though there is today. Today there are six engines and two ladder companies. There are no two section pumpers, but a mini pumper is presently on order for boardwalk responses. There is a hazmat truck quartered at Engine 1 and manned by personnel from there. Some time ago, engines were renumbered up to 7. At present there is no Engine 4 unless manpower permits. Regarding the other departments, Brigantine’s Pierce platform is featured, Ventnor’s Rosenbauer pumper is featured, as well as Margate City’s Spartan ER and ERV pumpers.

In apparatus news, Carney’s Point Fire & Rescue (Salem County) has ordered a Weis brush truck on a Ford F-550 chassis. 

Fire & Safety Services reports the following Pierce orders: for the Gouldstown FC in Fairfield Township (Cumberland County), a Saber dry side tanker; for Monroe Fire District 2 (Middlesex County) an Enforcer 100-foot mid-mount tower, and for Englewood Cliffs (Bergen County) a Velocity 100-foot mid-mount tower. Pierce deliveries include to Woodbridge Township Fire District 1, a Velocity 100-foot mid-mount tower, as well as to the Iselin FC an Enforcer PUC pumper and to Monmouth Junction FC in South Brunswick Township a Velocity 100-foot mid-mount tower (all Middlesex County); to Tabernacle Fire District, Medford Farms (Burlington County) an Enforcer pumper/tanker; to the Star Cross FC in Franklin Township Fire District 5 (Gloucester County), an Enforcer pumper. The City of Plainfield Police (Union County) received a frontline stock Ford Transit Critical Response Unit (CRU). 

Firefighter 1 has received two Ferrara orders from Monmouth County. One is from Hazlet Township District 1 for an HD 100-foot mid-mount platform on an Inferno chassis, and the other is from Monmouth Beach for a squad pumper on an Igniter chassis.

Campbell Supply Co., LLC has delivered the Spartan ER pumper/tanker to the Middlesex County Fire Marshal’s Office. Specs include a Freightliner 114SD Plus chassis, 263-inch wheelbase, Cummins X 12, 500 hp diesel engine, stainless steel body, Waterous CSU, single-stage 1500-gpm pump, 3000-gallon water tank, three 10-inch dump valves, Zico portable tank rack with 3500-gallon portable tank, two lengths of hard suction hose and a hose bed for five-inch hose. They have received the following Spartan ER orders: for Bayonne (Hudson County), a Metro Star pumper with 10-inch raised roof cab, Waterous CMU two-stage 1500-gpm pump, 750-gallon water tank, extreme duty bumper and low hose bed. Also for Bayonne, a rear-mount UT 100-foot aerial ladder. Specs include a Spartan Gladiator LFD chassis with 10-inch raised roof cab, Cummins X 12, 500 hp diesel engine, 18-inch front bumper extension and Harrison 6 kw generator. It will have a 40-foot six-inch overall length and 10-foot 10-inch overall height. For the River Plaza FC in Middletown Township (Monmouth County), an S-180 pumper on a Metro Star LFD chassis with 10-inch raised roof cab. It will have a Cummins L 9, 450 hp diesel engine, Hale DSD single-stage 1500-gpm pump, 750-gallon water and 25-gallon foam tanks. For Livingston (Essex County), a 75-foot rear-mount aerial quint with Metro Star MFD chassis, 10-inch raised roof cab, Cummins X 10, 500 hp diesel engine, Waterous CSU 1500-gpm pump, 500-gallon water tank and 6 kw Smart Power generator. Lastly, for Breton Woods FC in Brick Township (Ocean County), a pumper with Metro Star EMFD chassis with 10-inch raised roof cab, Hale Qmax 1500-gpm single-stage pump with top-mount panel, 500-gallon water tank, and 30-gallon foam tanks.