Integral retarder makes handling water tankers a breeze 17 December 2010

Clare County Fire & Rescue Service, in Ireland, is reporting success with Allison transmissions specified on its water tankers for their integrated retarders.

Al Meaney, Clare County's maintenance supervisor, says there are five Allison-equipped water tankers on the fleet – four Hino 500 Series trucks acquired in 2009 and 2010, and a Hino FS 6x4 purchased in 1992. He also reports that, of a total of 24 vehicles on the fleet, 14 have Allison transmissions.

Meaney makes the point that in the countryside, there are very few water hydrants: hence the tankers, which carry 2,000 gallons of water each, escort two fire tenders to incidents.

"The transmission is crucial in ensuring that the 18 tonne tanker arrives to the incident immediately behind its 11 tonne fire-fighting counterpart," says Meaney. "An important feature of the Allison transmission is the integrated retarder, which makes braking under so much weight much easier."

And he adds that narrow, hilly country roads are far easier to negotiate, with the full power-shifting auto box – thanks to the advanced torque converter and constant mesh planetary gearing.

Beyond the transmission though, Meaney says that key features of this brigade's Hino 500 Series water tankers revolves around the pumping equipment.

He cites, for example, an inflatable pool carried by each tanker, which it fills from the tank at the incident while tending to the fire. This allows fire fighters to continue extinguishing the fire while the tanker leaves to extract water from the nearest source.

A water monitor on the roof can also be directed remotely from inside the truck's cab to spray forest fires as the truck drives along adjacent roads. And a further pump located under the front bumper has been configured to spray a mix of water and foam additive to break up oil spills at road traffic accidents.

Author
Brian Tinham

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