APPARATUS OF THE MONTH

By John M. Malecky                                                                September, 2026

TENDER ENGINE WITH FOUR-INCH TANK TO PUMP

    We focus this month on a vehicle that is somewhat unique. The Freewood Acres Fire Company in Howell Township (Monmouth County) has in service a Rosenbauer tender engine on a Peterbilt 389 chassis featuring three rear axles, a 20,000 pound steerable axle plus two 60,000 pound axles. It has a Cummins X15, 600 hp diesel engine, a Hale, 8FG 3,000 gpm pump and a 4850 gallon water tank. There is a four-inch tank-to-pump, four LDH discharges and a rear 10 inch dump valve. It also has a four-inch direct tank fill. It replaced a tractor-drawn tanker that was sold to Daretown in Salem County.  It is called a “Tender Engine” rather than a “Pumper Tanker” because it does not qualify as a pumper as it does not have all of the required equipment to make it one.

    In other photos we stay in Freewood Acres to feature their antique. It is a 1955 Ward LaFrance 120T pumper formerly from the Wilson Fire Company in Peckville, PA. Freewood Acres had one similar to it and they use this one for public relations and other purposes that antiques come in handy for. Remaining in Howell we feature from their sister company, Adelphia, their tractor drawn tanker which has a 1986 Heil trailer with upgraded Kenworth T-880 tractor which was modified by Marco Equipment Sales with a 1250 gpm PTO pump and a four-inch front discharge. The trailer appears to be an MC-312 which among commercial trucks normally carries corrosives. It has ring stiffeners around the tank. It carries 6,000 gallons. The fourth vehicle is also from Adelphia and  is an E-ONE HP-100 platform quint. Specs on this truck include a Cyclone chassis, Cummins X15, 565 hp diesel engine, Hale Qmax 2000 gpm pump, front bumper line, three crosslays (two 1 ¾ and one 2 ½-inch) , UPF 400 gallon water tank, TFT electric platform monitor, Amdor roll-up compartment doors, Smart Power 8 kw generator and both Whelen and Fire Tech lights. Then also in Monmouth County we feature a Spartan ER pumper from East Freehold FC 2 in Freehold Township. Specs include a Gladiator LFD chassis with 20 inch raised roof cab, Cummins L9, 450 hp diesel engine, Hale Qmax 2,000 gpm pump with top mount panel, front bumper 2 ½-inch discharge, TFT Hurricane monitor with an Extenda-Gun, Pro Poly 1,000 gallon water tank, ROM roll-up compartment doors and Whelen scene lights. We then go to Clifton in Passaic County to present Engine 4, a Pierce Enforcer 500/750 pumper and EMS 8, a Ford E-450/P.L. Custom Medallion, Type III ambulance.

    In apparatus news, Kinnelon (Morris County) has received an E-ONE Typhoon pumper. Garfield (Bergen County) has ordered an E-ONE Typhoon 2000/530 pumper. Florham Park (Morris County) has ordered an E-ONE Select Series pumper on a Typhoon chassis. Specs include a Cummins X10, 450 hp diesel engine, six seat cab, Hale Qmax 2000 gpm pump, 750 gallon water tank, 30 gallon Class “A” foam tank, low hosebed, low external ladders and Fire Tech scene lights. Wayne Township Co. 4 ordered an E-ONE Cyclone 2000/780 top mount pumper.

    From Defender Emergency Products,  Aberdeen Township (Monmouth County), District 2, Cliffwood, has received a Rosenbauer Cobra 100 foot mid mount tower on a Commander chassis.  Specs include a Commander chassis with raised roof cab and six seats, Cummins X15, 550 hp diesel engine, Hale Qmax 1500 gpm pump, UPF 300 gallon water tank, 103 feet of ground ladders, Vanner inverter, also, ROM roll-up compartment doors, TFT electric platform monitor, Go Light, Fire Tech brow light, Whelen scene lights, rear five inch hose slide-out tray and Stokes basket tray alongside of aerial. The “Cliffwood” sign on the aerial also lights up. .Montville (Morris County) has ordered a Rosenbauer pumper. It will be on a Commander chassis with a 2000 gpm pump, 1000 gallon water and 30 gallon foam tanks. They have received the following ambulance orders: From On Time Medical Transport in Roselle (Union County) five Medix Type II mid roof Transit vans and two Medix ME 166 Type III balloon pump ambulances on Ford E-450 chassis with gasoline engines. Also RWJ Barnabas Health ordered one Medix MSU 170 Type III pediatric care ambulance on a Ford E-450 chassis with gasoline engine, four Medix Metro Express RP90 Type III on Ford E-350 chassis with gasoline engines and six Medix Metro Express RP 90 factory remounts on Ford E-350 chassis with gasoline engines.

    We have additional information on the recently delivered Rosenbauer King Cobra platform quint to Kenilworth (Union County.) Specs include a Cummins X15, 600 hp diesel engine, Commander chassis, Waterous CSC C22, 2000 gpm pump, UPF 500 gallon water tank, Vanner 3 kw inverter, 101 foot articulated platform with Rosenbauer electric monitor, Amdor roll-up compartment doors, crosslays and Whelen scene lighting.

    There have been two apparatus transfers, one from  Cape May City FD (Cape May County) to Pleasantville (Atlantic County.) Cape May City sent a 2008 Pierce Arrow 1500/750 pumper and a 2004 E-ONE Cyclone 95 foot rear mount platform to Pleasantville to use as spare apparatus. The other is the 1995 International 4900/Marion Body rescue from Peapack-Gladstone (Somerset County) to Woodland Township Fire-EMS in Burlington County.

    Campbell Supply Co., LLC reports the following: Camden (Camden County) has ordered a Spartan ER custom squad pumper for Squad 7. Specs include a Metro Star MFD chassis with 10 inch raised roof cab, Hale Qmax 1500 gpm pump and 500 gallon water tank. This pumper was designed to fit in one of their firehouses that is on the NJ historical list and is still operated today with Squad 7. New deliveries include to the Franklin Township Police (Somerset County) a Freightliner M-2, two door walk-in command unit with side and rear entry doors and partition door. It has a Cummins L9 diesel engine, a Quadra Mfg., Big Foot #QE-2 vehicle leveling system, Girard G2000 electric acrylic awning, slide-out/drop down room, four work stations, galley with coffee maker, refrigerator and microwave, climate control. surveillance camera system including a light tower, Winegard #A3-2000 air 360 broadcast TV antenna, Whelen scene lights, 6 kw Onan #12.0 HDKCD2209 Quiet Enclosed diesel generator and a Will Burt #NS 3.0 600 WB 300 2 x 300 120/240 light tower. Middlesex County received a Hi-Water roll off emergency vehicle featuring a Freightliner 114SD chassis with Cummins X12 diesel engine and 22 foot high rescue platform with full length benches on both sides. They are prepping for delivery a hazmat spill recovery truck for Middlesex County. It has a Freightliner M2 chassis with Cummins L9 diesel engine, Morgan Dry Freight 18 foot van body nominal including a side door and steps, a power tailgate and internal up fitting of shelves and storage compartments by Mickey Truck Bodies plus Whelen scene lights.

    NJEV has delivered to the Wanaque FAS (Passaic County) a P.L. Custom Medallion Type III ambulance on a Ford E-450 chassis. Also, the Plainsboro Fire Department (Middlesex County) received a P.L. Custom Classic 170 on a Ford F-550 chassis    

    Fire & Safety Services reports the following Pierce orders: For New Brunswick (Middlesex County) a stock Enforcer pumper, for Point Pleasant Beach (Ocean County) a Velocity 100 foot mid mount tower, for Ocean City (Cape May County) two Enforcer pumpers, for Fredon (Sussex County) an Enforcer dry-side tanker and for Raritan Township (Hunterdon County) an Enforcer 107 foot tandem axle Ascendant ladder. Pierce deliveries include to Perth Amboy (Middlesex County) two Arrow XT pumpers, to Egg Harbor City (Atlantic County) an Enforcer 107 foot single axle Ascendant ladder, to Chester Township (Morris County) an Enforcer tanker/pumper, to Roselle Park an Enforcer pumper and to Clark an Enforcer 100 foot mid mount tower (both Union County.)

    The Sewell Mutual Fire Co. in Mantua Township (Gloucester County) has on order a U.S. Fire Apparatus pumper/tanker. Specs include a Kenworth T480 chassis, PX-9 450 hp diesel engine, Hale Qmax 1500 gpm pump , 3,000 gallon water tank and aluminum body.

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