Thanks for visiting our Truck Company History page.  The Blackwood Fire Company has an extensive history of truck work.  An elderly resident of Blackwood recently provided the fire company with a Fire Defense Map of Blackwood, circa 1908.  Listed on the map was the apparatus currently in service with what was then known as the Hope Fire Company.  Included in the inventory was a 4 wheel hand drawn hook and ladder truck, equipped with a 44' extension ladder, a 24' ladder, a 20' ladder and a 16' scaling ladder.  Based on this document, the company has been in the truck business for at least 100 years!

            The first ladder truck recalled by the current membership was purchased in 1956.  The truck was a small International combination emergency/ladder truck, white in color, with a 50' extension ladder.  It is believed the ladder was raised and lowered via an electrically operated screw type piston.  Extension and retraction was also electrically operated.  However, ladder rotation was accomplished via a hand crank. 

            In 1968, the Board of Fire Commissioners purchased a new International/Sponco 50' ladder, which replaced the 1958 truck.  A one ton chassis with a gas engine and a 4 speed manual transmission, was purchased from Dom’s International of Cherry Hill, NJ.   The Sponco ladder was shipped from the manufacturing plant in the mid-west, then mounted on the chassis by Dom’s.  The outriggers consisted of manually operated screw jacks.  The truck was also equipped with a small gas powered generator, scene lighting, and work truck style cabinetry, which held a minimum compliment of truck company equipment.  The truck also carried a deck gun, which had to be attached to the end of the ladder for use, and 50' of 3" hose for elevated stream operations. 

            The above trucks, identified as Ladder 844, were small and maneuverable.  As they were among the first aerial apparatus in the area, they saw a lot of work.  Bud Pine, who served as the Chief of Blackwood Fire Company, also held the position of Camden County Civil Defense Director.  As a result, Ladder 844 was sent to many mutual aid fires at his request (order).

            In the late 1960's and early 1970's, Gloucester Township experienced a building boom, with the addition of numerous multi-story apartment buildings.  A need was recognized for a full size aerial apparatus.  This need was filled in 1977 with the purchase of a Pierce/Hendrickson 85' snorkel quint, identified as Snorkel 844 (the 1968 ladder truck remained in service as Ladder 846).  The truck carried 5 firefighters, and was equipped with a full complement of ground ladders, a 1250 GPM pump, 300 gallons of water and hose.  This truck serviced the Gloucester Township area for 25 years.  Some of the most memorable fires for Snorkel 844 occurred at the Cedar Ridge Apartment complex (later named Countryside, Fountainview, and most recently Autumn Ridge).   The complex is comprised of 23 four story garden apartment buildings, with a total of almost 1000 rental units.  These buildings were constructed in the early 1970's, and have all the inherent access and fire spread problems common to garden style apartment buildings from that era.

            For the next ten years, the company operated two aerial apparatus (Ladder 846 and Snorkel 844).  The ladder was mainly used to fight residential structure fires, while the Snorkel was primarily used on commercial building and apartment fires.  In 1987, the fire company learned that Underwriter’s Laboratory would no longer certify the ladder truck for fire service use, since it did not comply with modern safety standards.  The truck was removed from service and sold in 1988. 

            By 2000, the fire company recognized the need to start planning for a replacement for the Snorkel, which was now 23 years old.  The Board of Fire Commissioners and fire company members realized that a replacement aerial apparatus would require a major financial commitment.  Fire company members met with the Commissioners, and obtained permission to start the planning process for a replacement apparatus. As the truck committee moved through the research and development phases, the Board budgeted money for the purchase of the new aerial. 

            Truck committee members evaluated the benefits and the shortcomings of the Snorkel.  All agreed that an elevated platform was a safe and efficient area from which firefighters could work while fighting fires in multi-story buildings.  The committee members also recognized the limitations of an articulating device, which severely limits the horizontal reach of the aerial device.  Given the nature of the target hazard buildings in our local, committee members agreed that horizontal reach was much more important than vertical reach, since most of the buildings in our area do not exceed four stories.  After evaluating all relevant factors, traveling to numerous trade shows to examine the different types of aerial apparatus on the market, and speaking with experienced firefighters from around the country, the committee decided that a mid-mount ladder tower, with a minimum height of 95', would be the best suited apparatus for our needs.  This apparatus would maintain the benefits of a platform from which to work, while increasing the horizontal reach from the 43' afforded by the Snorkel, to at least 85'.  This additional reach would prove extremely beneficial for the garden apartment buildings in our area.

            Once this issue was resolved, the committee members discussed whether the truck would be a straight truck company or a quint.  The fire company leadership has long accepted the premise that the crew of a single apparatus cannot efficiently and safely perform multiple functions (engine and truck work) on the fireground.  However, since approximately 1995, the Snorkel was designated to respond first out for all reported structure fires.  By responding the truck first out, it was usually guaranteed a spot in front of the fire building, which is the ideal location for an aerial apparatus.  Given that our members respond from two separate stations, the pumper from the Blackwood Road Station (E-842) usually arrived simultaneously with the truck.  Mutual aid engines usually filled the void when the response of our engine was delayed.  This allowed the members arriving on the Snorkel to focus on first due truck work (forcible entry, search, outside vent), while the pumper crew focused on fire suppression.   However, given that we are primarily a volunteer company, the committee agreed the truck should have a tank and pump for those rare occasions when the arrival of a pumper is delayed.  A quint could also serve as a replacement pumper in the event one of our pumpers is out of service, since we have only one pumper in each of our two stations.  For these reasons, the committee agreed the truck would be a quint.  The committee members also agreed the priority would be equipment and features to support the truck company functions, with suppression capabilities added only after the truck company needs were satisfied.

            After researching the mid-mount ladder towers offered by various manufacturers, truck committee members decided the apparatus built by KME would best suit our needs.  As a bonus, KME agreed to build the truck on a Spartan chassis, thereby ensuring uniformity of appearance, training and maintenance with our pumpers and rescue, all of which were built on Spartan chassis’.  Committee members worked for approximately a year on the design phase, in close collaboration with KME salesman Skip Stinger.  Skip brought years of firefighting and fire apparatus design experience to the table, and his input was invaluable.  The committee members realized this apparatus would likely be in service for a minimum of 20 years, and were determined to build the most practical and efficient aerial apparatus possible.  Emphasis was placed on crew safety and comfort during response (Jacobs Engine Brake, ABS brakes, 8 man cab with raised roof), truck company equipment and placement (full complement of tools and hooks mounted in the crew area and a compartment just behind the cab), full compliment of ground ladders (2-35', 1-28', 1-20' roof, 1-16' roof and one 10' attic ladder, all beam mounted for rapid and efficient deployment), and scene lighting (35kw Harrison Hydra-Gen, 9,000 watt elevated light tower, 7,500 watts of body mounted lights, and 3,500 watts of light on the platform).  As it turned out, we were able to satisfy all of our truck company needs, while still equipping the truck with significant fire suppression capability.  The truck is equipped with a 2,500 gpm Hale single stage pump, a 300 gallon booster tank, 700' of 5" hose, one 2 ½" attack line, three 1 3/4" attack lines, and 300' of 3" supply line. The platform is equipped with two master streams, capable of providing an elevated flow of 1500 gpm.  Two pre-piped body mounted deck guns provide additional large flow options.

            In December of 2002, the company accepted delivery of the truck, identified as Ladder 84, at a total cost of just under $800,000.00.  Through sound financial planning, the Board of Fire Commissioners was able to pay almost half of the purchase price at the time of delivery.  The remaining balance was paid over a period of three years, which minimized the impact on the annual operating budget.  The truck was placed in service in April of 2003.  Snorkel 844 was removed from service at that time and sold to a private vendor. 

            Blackwood Fire Company members have been rewarded with an apparatus which has demonstrated its’ value and versatility many times over since its purchase.  The truck has been placed in service at numerous major fires, as evidenced by the attached photos.  The quint capability has also proven beneficial in minimizing the apparatus placed in service on the fireground.  On numerous occasions at major fires, mutual aid companies have stretched handlines off the truck to cover exposures, or to accomplish final extinguishment after the fire has been knocked down by master streams.  Since the tower is usually positioned in the front of the building, and already has a water supply, there is no need for long lines to be stretched from pumpers parked a distance from the building, or for additional apparatus to be tied up for extended periods of time. 

            Dark firegrounds can contribute to firefighter injuries, and can make it difficult to identify hazards or spot trapped occupants.  The lighting capabilities of the truck have proven invaluable in overcoming this problem during nightime operations.

            We hope you have enjoyed the information provided regarding the history of truck work by our company.  Check back in the near future as links, which will provide photos of the truck at work, Apparatus Specs, our Basic Operator Training Program, our Truck Company Riding Assignments, Truck Company Philosophy, and a virtual tour of the apparatus will be added soon.