Science! How much do you know about seven types of fire engines?

The fire engine is a product of the combination of modern automobile technology development and fire protection. It can not only extinguish fires, but also has other uses such as rescue. This article describes in detail the history of fire engines, the types and characteristics of major fire engines in the global market.

Fire engines, also known as fire engines, are special vehicles that are primarily used to carry out fire response tasks. In foreign countries, fire engines are usually categorized as fire-fighting equipment , fire trucks, and fire fighting equipment. However, it is primarily a type of vehicle that is produced based on fire-fighting purposes. In addition, most fire truck owners ( departments, companies ) also use the fire trucks for other purposes such as emergency medical assistance and rescue. It is worth mentioning that in North America, fire engines are usually referred to as “ fire trucks ” rather than “ fire engines, ” but in other countries around the world, “ fire truck ” and “ fireengine ” refer to fire engines.

In terms of use, the primary purpose of a fire truck is to transport firefighters to the scene of the accident, provide necessary fire-fighting media such as water, foam, and dry powder, and carry some of the tools commonly used by firefighters on board. The tools usually carried by fire engines are mainly used for tasks such as firefighting and rescue, including fire-fighting steel ladders, self- contained breathing apparatus , exhaust ventilation equipment, first aid kits, and hydraulic rescue tools . Many fire engines are based on general truck chassis, but depending on the specific application, the vehicle is equipped with the difference. These vehicles usually have obvious warning systems and visual warning signs. At the same time, there are two-way wireless walkie-talkies and mobile computer systems.

The past of the fire truck

1 Because of the lack of post-kill equipment, the "fire fighting squadron" that artificially transfers buckets to extinguish fire is the early modern fire extinguishing method.

A type of fire fighting equipment commonly used in Germany in the middle of the 217th century

3 These early fire-fighting devices were either very small or needed to be moved by four adults, or they needed to be dragged to the scene of the fire. Later, the fire fighting equipment became larger and larger and needed to be pulled by a buggy.

Today's fire engines usually refer to fire vehicles. Before the advent of internal combustion engine-powered vehicles, people had already begun to try to install special fire-fighting appliances on transportation vehicles so that they could be rushed to the scene in time when a fire broke out. The early extinguishing equipment was relatively simple. It was basically a syringe-like injection system. Until the 2nd century BC, the first fire-extinguishing pump was invented by Cécsius in the time of Alexander the Great. At the same time Herron used this. Fire-fighting pumps created the prototype of early fire-fighting tools.

Fire-fighting Equipment in Edinburgh, UK, 11824 (Reissue Version)

In the 16th century, fire extinguishing pumps were further developed. It has been documented that this improved type of fire extinguishing equipment appeared in Augsburg and Nuremberg in Germany in 1518 and 1657 respectively . According to a book written in 1655 , there was already a fire extinguishing device capable of spraying water to a height of 12 m at that time , but whether the device was portable was not explained in the book. In addition, according to colonial law in the Americas at the time, each household had to put a bucket of water in front of the door to prevent it from being used in the event of a fire at night. Once there is a fire in the area, these buckets will come in handy. The first form of fire fighting in the "fire fighting platoon" is from here. In 1654 , Boston took the lead in introducing new types of fire-fighting equipment. In 1719 Philadelphia also began using a hand-pumped fire-fighting device invented by Joseph Jencks . Before that, New York also introduced two new types of fire-fighting equipment.

21st Knox Motor Company in Manchester, UK, begins sales of the world's first modern fire engine

Steam fire trucks performing fire fighting operations in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA, 31909

1730, Richard Newsham in London invented a new type of fire-fighting equipment, paragraph 1, of the product off the assembly line was put into New York City, New York City six years after the establishment of the New York Volunteer Fire Department. Later, Benjamin Franklin discovered that the fire-fighting work required a lot of manpower and certain skills. In 1737 , he decided to set up an organized fire brigade. In 1743, North America had, paragraph 1, fire-fighting equipment locally produced, its creator is Thomas Lote. However, this type of equipment was also referred to as a “manual bathtub” by the people at the time, because the system consists of a spray pump and a large water tank. The water spray pump needs to be operated manually, and the water inside the tank needs “fire fighting squadron”. supply. When the fire is extinguished, the bottom of the spray pump is connected to the water storage tank and the pump discharges water to extinguish the fire. In 1822 , the new type of fire extinguishing equipment successfully solved the problem of water supply, because it could pump water from the place where water was available, and the “fire fighting squadron” also withdrew from the stage of history. In 1822, the Philadelphia local businesses Sellers and Pennock company produced a fire-fighting equipment called "The Hydraulion", and the equipment is paragraph 1, fire-fighting equipment with water-absorbing function.

1110 Oldsmobile brand fire engines, firefighters are standing behind the car, some are sitting in the front seat of the car

The first internal combustion engine fire engine introduced in Boston in 21911

The fire engine produced in 31914, when the vehicle was equipped with all fire fighting equipment, was priced at $2,750.

These early fire-fighting devices were either very small or needed to be moved by four adults, or they needed to be dragged to the scene of the fire. Later, the fire fighting equipment became larger and larger and needed to be pulled by a wagon. The first fire engine recorded in the book was commissioned in 1518 by the city of Augsburg, Germany, and was made by Antena Bratner, a craftsman who works as a metal craft. According to a book in the history of craftsmanship in Augsburg, the fire engine consists of a large pump that is operated by levers. The motivation is to use horses to pull. Later, the fire-fighting vehicle started to use the steam engine to drive itself. Allegedly, John Ericsson North America's first steam engine driven fire-fighting equipment, the inventor, and the United Kingdom are similar products appeared in London in 1829, is the inventor of the steam engine engineer JohnBraithwaite. But the car still pulled by horses, the rear is equipped with a coal-fired station, equipped with a soft water hoses, with 10 PS twin-cylinder steam engine driven fire pump.

In 1835, New York established the world's first a professional fire brigade, the preparation of only four people at the beginning. They receive prepaid wages and specialize in firefighting. The following year, the fire brigade increased to 40 people. It was later named "Fire Police" and included in the sequence of the city police.

Before the middle of the 19th century, most of the fire-fighting equipment was manually operated. Later it was changed to a carriage and greatly improved the response speed of the fire-fighting equipment to the scene. In 1841, New York City, there have been fire-fighting equipment self-propelled steam engine, paragraph 1, Unfortunately, this device can not be used later as the final damage improper operation firefighter. In the early 20th century, mechanized fire fighting equipment finally appeared.

In the exhibition held in Versailles, France in 1898 , Gambier in Lille, France, exhibited the world's first fire-fighting vehicle, although it was primitive and imperfect.

In 1901 , the fire car produced by Loyal Kalidy of Liverpool , United Kingdom, was adopted by the Liverpool fire brigade. In August of the same year , the fire truck was dispatched for the first time. The driver George Beckett started the vehicle without waiting for the firefighters to get on the train. Because of the slow speed, the firefighters who hadn't gotten into the car jumped up from behind and jumped into the car. When the fire truck arrived at the fire scene, even the follow-up fire-fighting carriage arrived. It is said that while walking, it also continued to temper, so people gave it a nickname "Ani Farting".

In 1905 , the idea of ​​combining internal combustion engine cars with firefighting equipment first appeared in magazines, which immediately attracted the attention of many people. Many trucks with integrated fire fighting equipment began to appear in the UK. In the same year, Manchester Knox Motor Company started selling is considered to be the world's first fire engine Hyundai products. One year later, the firefighting team in Springfield, Illinois, USA began to introduce Knox fire engines.

Unlike the now familiar fire engines, fire engines at the time did not provide firefighters with an accessible, enclosed cab or passenger cabin. Firefighters could only stand on the pedals on both sides of the vehicle with the early modern fire engines. , Or standing on the exposed platform behind the vehicle, which also brings extremely high risk to the firefighters. When the vehicle turns sharply, even the firefighters are thrown out, the consequences can be imagined.

To the 1920s, relies entirely on the work of the internal combustion engine fire engines began to appear. The fire truck at this time has a simple structure, and is mostly refitted on the existing truck chassis. The pump is equipped with a water pump and an additional water tank, and fire protection ladders, fire axes, and fire hoses are attached to the outside of the vehicle.

In terms of firefighting equipment , early fire engines used water tanks only as a source of fire water. Water flows through wooden pipes to the tanks on the street. Pumps are then simply pumped through a fire hose that is inserted directly into the tank. Later fire truck water supply systems and supercharged fire hydrants can constitute a working system. When the fire siren sounds, the hydrant starts to pressurize, but the reliability of such a system is not high. Today's hydrant system has been equipped with valves to ensure that the hydrant can be pressurized at all times and that it can increase the water pressure as needed. The hydrant booster system has greatly reduced the fire fighting capacity of the fire hose pump. However, many suburban fire engines still use water tanks or other water sources to pump water. In addition, in the aspect of high-altitude firefighting and rescue, at the end of the 19th century, with the increase of high-rise buildings, people began to consider this issue. At first, people used artificially extended ladders. However, as time progressed, the length and quality of ladders began to increase. People could only assemble two large wheels for ladders and hang them behind the fire engines. This design is not only inconvenient. And it's very conspicuous. Soon afterwards, a rotating fire ladder appeared, which not only could be extended longer but also operated by a mechanical system while being mounted on a fire engine, so that it looked very coordinated.

After the Second World War, the rotary fire ladder was provided by the manufacturer of the high-working platform platform. In this way, the ladder ladder fire truck can reach the height rescue fire, and the aerial work platform can also be expanded to the previously difficult to reach high-rise buildings. Dead corner.

The development of science and technology has not only vigorously promoted the development and progress of fire truck technology, but also continuously improved the efficiency of fire rescue operations. After a long period of evolution and development, today's fire vehicles can be subdivided into different types according to specific purposes, and higher. The pertinence also increases the timeliness and effectiveness of fire rescue operations.

Fire Truck Today

As mentioned above, the primary use of fire trucks is to extinguish fires, transport firemen, and equip fire fighting equipment. The tools carried on fire engines rely to a greater extent on the size of the fire stations and the main police response to the fire stations. For example, there are some large bodies of water or rivers around the fire station, and their fire engines need to be equipped with corresponding water rescue equipment. The general equipment that is equipped on general fire engines includes fire-fighting steel ladders, hydraulic rescue tools, searchlights, fire hoses, self-contained breathing apparatus, and thermal imaging cameras. Fire trucks are diverse in type and their functions are complex. They can be classified according to different standards. Among them, the fire truck chassis carrying capacity includes micro fire engines, light fire engines, medium fire engines, and heavy fire engines; and they can be divided into single bridge fires according to the appearance structure. Vehicles, Shuangqiao fire engines, flat fire engines, pointed fire engines; fire extinguishing agent classification can be divided into tank fire engines, dry powder fire engines and foam fire engines. According to the installation position of the water pump on the fire truck, it can be divided into front, middle, rear, inverted pump fire trucks.

The layout of the equipment carried by fire engines is generally determined by the fire station according to their own needs. The picture shows the London Fire Department's fire truck

The layout of the equipment carried by fire engines is generally determined by the fire station according to their own needs. For example, fire stations located in urban areas do not deal with fire accidents in many cases. In most cases, they are non-fire accidents. They may be dangerous goods transfer or cleanup, traffic accidents or technical rescue of buildings collapsed; and fire stations located in non-urban areas More often than not, it is necessary to perform tasks in remote areas or to extinguish forest fires.

Some fire trucks are equipped with fixed fire hoses, which can use a concentrated stream of water to precisely point out where the fire is needed. In addition, the fire trucks will be equipped with small-caliber fire hoses. The water hoses connected to the water tanks on the fire trucks can ensure that the fire trucks can use the concentrated water flow to extinguish the fire at the first time when they reach the scene of the accident. When the water in the on-board water tank is depleted, small-diameter fire hoses can be connected to other fixed fire hydrants or back-up fire engines for water supply. Other water sources such as rivers and reservoirs can also be used to pump water to extinguish the fire.

The tools carried on fire engines rely to a greater extent on the size of the fire stations and the main police response to the fire stations. The picture shows the main battle fire truck in Wagga Wagga, Australia

From a global perspective, in addition to the conventional type of multi-purpose integrated fire engines, there are the following types.

1. Take high-grade fire engines

(1) Fire-fighting ladder rotatable fire engine

There are many kinds of fire engines and their uses vary. In the picture shows a fire in Los Angeles, a variety of fire engines cooperated to extinguish fire

Fire-fighting ladders Rotary fire-fighting vehicles may be the easiest type to be remembered in other types of fire engines because of their special purpose. They are controlled by fire-fighting ladders that are electrically controlled and reach fire points at high altitudes, while on ordinary fire engines. Equipping fire-fighting steel ladders is difficult to reach this height. Fire-fighting ladders Rotary fire-fighting vehicles can help firefighters and victims to enter and exit the fire scene, provide fire-fighting heights, and provide a platform for smoke extraction and on-site investigation.

The name of this fire truck is mainly because a large fire-fighting ladder is installed above the rear of the chassis of the fire truck and can be rotated on a fixed base. In order to increase the length of fire ladder extensions, these ladders are usually electronically controlled, and now most electronically controlled fire ladders are hydraulic or pneumatic. Through the optimization of the mechanical structure, modern fire ladder ladders for firefighting fire engines are longer and more robust. Some fire escape ladder fire trucks are also equipped with fire hose or other equipment.

In this type of vehicle, some fire escape ladders are also arranged behind the cab. This centrally arranged method is mainly used on fire engines with shorter wheelbases. In some cases, this arrangement can make fire fighting possible. The ladder is more stable.

Nowadays, many fire-fighting ladder rotators are equipped with pumping systems. Some models even have water tanks, and then use their matching extension pipes to direct the flow of water directly to the firefighter's position at the remote end of the fire ladder. In some cases, the top of the fire ladder may also be equipped with a monitor to facilitate observation. There are also some such fire trucks equipped with simple water pipe fixtures and equipped with manually operated hose trays to secure extended fire hoses.

Five-in-one functional fire truck in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA

In the United States, fire-fighting ladder rotators can be classified into four-in-one or five-in-one firefighting vehicles depending on the function used ( including five main functions: pump, on-board water tank, fire hose, high-altitude equipment, ground Fire ladder ) and will be equipped with other extra equipment.

(2) Traction type high altitude fire truck

Los Angeles Fire Department traction high altitude fire truck, produced by A merica nLaFrance

There are many types of traction fire engines, of which the common ones are traction type high-level fire engines, towed ladder fire engines, and hook ladder ladder fire engines. These types of fire engines generally have a special rotatable ladder mounted on a semi-trailer Car. Unlike semi-trailers on commercial vehicles, the tractor and trailer parts of a traction fire truck are very securely connected. To separate them, special tools must be used. The traction fire truck is operated by two drivers and can operate the front driving system and the rear fire equipment separately.

One of the indicators for measuring the main performance of a traction fire truck is the mobility of the vehicle. The all-wheel steering system of the tractor ensures that the vehicle can be steered at high angles in narrow streets and high-rise residential areas. Another measure is the length of its semi-trailer. In general, the length of the semi-trailer will exceed 15 m and additional tools and equipment will be provided. At the limit length, the rear semi-trailer of a traction fire engine has a maximum of 14 to 18 m3 of usable space. Even the tractor cabin in front can have a storage space of 1.1 to 1.7 m3 .

In the United States, some fire stations will use five-in-one traction fire engines so that vehicles can be equipped with on-board water tanks. This design of the vehicle is particularly suitable for fire stations where there are not many people, and the multifunctional integration enables the fire fighting vehicles to function to the maximum extent.

(3) Climbing platform fire truck

Denmark's Roskilde's climbing platform fire truck

The salient feature of this kind of fire truck is that it has a fire ladder platform, and a basket-like or barrel-mounted device is installed at the top of the fire ladder, which provides firefighters with a platform that can be operated at a height, and some vehicles are also equipped with Pendant hooks and ropes used for rescue.

There are also some climbing platform fire trucks that do not use a combination of a ladder and an ascent platform, but rather a scissor-type platform that can be folded to extend the arm. The latter has a distinct advantage over the former: when there is an obstacle at a height, the scissor platform Can go straight up and down, avoid obstacles interference.

2. Rescue fire truck

MAN MAN chassis new multifunctional rescue vehicle

Rescue fire trucks are usually purchased by professional rescue agencies, rescue teams, and technical rescue agencies. Such vehicles are equipped with special fire fighting equipment. In design, it must first meet the various technologies used to respond to vehicle accidents in traffic accidents, narrow space rescue, rope rescue, water rescue, and building collapse rescue.   Rescue equipment .

In addition to fire fighting and rescue agencies owning rescue fire trucks, many rail transit and railway units also have their own specific fire rescue teams. For example, the rescue fire trucks of a railway rescue team may be equipped with hydraulic jacks to handle train accidents , so that the malfunctioning locomotives can be lifted or translated. These vehicles may also be equipped with relevant equipment for handling tanker accidents.

3. Wild fire truck

Heavy rescue fire truck in Sapporo Fire Bureau, Japan

Field fires need to face complicated road conditions and steep roads. Vehicles can get out of trouble when they encounter stuck vehicles. They also need to be able to respond to emergencies in areas with complex road conditions that other vehicles cannot. Therefore, such vehicles need to match high-passability wheels and suspension systems. Four-wheel drive systems are generally standard on this type of vehicle. The engines used in field fire trucks are generally smaller than standard fire engines. Most of the conditions they face are wild fires or forest fires. Wildfire trucks can spray water while driving, which is very different from conventional fire trucks, which can only perform sprinkler operations when stationary. The way of walking can play a big role in forest fires and effectively control the burned area.

4. Back-up fire truck

The function of back-up fire engines is very rich. Some vehicles provide fuel for fire-fighting vehicles, some provide fire-fighting equipment such as foam, dry powder, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen, and some can provide special-purpose or special-purpose fire-fighting and rescue equipment. Some can provide basic livelihood protection for firefighters who have been extinguishing or fighting for a long time. In short, different back-up fire engines have different specific and specific uses.

However, the back-up fire engines also have a combination of modular functions. Some back-up fire trucks use a replaceable carriage lifting system. Different carriages have different professional uses. Even if some carriages are rarely used, they are indispensable. The modular design of such replaceable carriages is not only reduced to meet different requirements. Function and purchase the cost of the vehicle, at the same time meet the fire needs of various special purposes. For example, the Helsinki Fire Department in Finland has a large number of fire engines that can be replaced in this compartment. At the same time, they also have more than 40 compartments for different purposes, including communications command, mobile emergency rooms, etc. These compartments can also be used to store water and fire. Foam, carrying fire hoses, water rescue tools, field pump systems, etc.

5. Communication command vehicle

Fire Service Command Vehicle of London Fire Station

With the advancement of science and technology and the need to improve the handling capacity of major accidents, more and more fire departments have begun to use fire-fighting communications command vehicles. The biggest advantage of the communications command vehicle is that it can cooperate with various fire engines and rescue equipment in the handling of major accidents to improve the efficiency of fire rescue operations. In order to increase the efficiency of radio use, the top commander usually needs a variety of communication systems such as terrestrial communication lines, satellite communications, closed-circuit television systems, etc. to fully understand the latest situation of the accident scene. The communications command vehicle can also be used as a temporary meeting room to plan and coordinate the accident rescue to ensure that the rescue operation is effective.

6. Tank fire truck

Japanese miniature fire truck

As the name implies, the primary purpose of a tank fire truck is to transport a large amount of water to the fire site to ensure the smooth implementation of fire fighting. Fire trucks can come in handy when fire hydrants are not available in remote areas or when field water is difficult to pump.

In addition to equipped with fire-fighting pumps and equipment, water tanker fire trucks also have large-capacity water tanks and fire water cannons. It can not only send water and firefighters to the scene of a fire to save the fire, but also can directly save water from the water source, or supply water to other fire engines and fire-fighting injection equipment.

Most tank fire trucks are equipped with an onboard pump system. These pumps are generally not used directly for fire extinguishing , but instead pump water from a fire hydrant or other source of water into the tank. In some places where flooding occurs, water tank fire trucks can also provide domestic water.

Most tank fire trucks have quick drains on the side or back. With this drain, thousands of liters of water can be drained in a short time. In terms of capacity, tank fire trucks are generally able to hold at least 3 800 L of water .

7. Airport fire truck

Airport fire truck at Long Beach Airport, California, USA

The airport fire trucks were designed specifically for airport fires. These vehicles are generally very passable in order to carry out firefighting operations on rough roads in and around the airport. Large-capacity foam storage tanks are essential equipment for airport fire engines, and high-pressure pumps and water / foam volume monitoring systems are also essential. The new airport fire trucks have begun to use the foam dry powder combined system and potassium bicarbonate dry powder fire extinguishing agent, and through the liquid film to form a foam fire extinguisher jet, the adoption of new technologies has greatly reduced the extinguishing time. These fire extinguishing features have enabled the airport fire trucks to handle various accidents such as the forced landing of aircraft and the occurrence of fire after a forced landing.

In addition to the several types of fire engines described above, there are many other types of fire engines in the global fire engine market. For example, fire-fighting vehicles, fire-fighting reconnaissance vehicles, military fire engines, and fire-fighting equipment such as rescue and fire-fighting robots.

At present, it seems that the breakdown of types of fire engines and technical development are still continuing. With the enhancement of various performances, the rescue capability of fire engines is also becoming more powerful. With the advancement of science and technology, the extent to which a future fire engine can be developed can be difficult to predict accurately.

The information in this article comes from the Internet and was reorganized and edited by China Rescue Equipment Network.