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Male Narrator: They're not your standard pickup trucks, they're wildland fire engines; highly
specialized apparatus, with hoses, pumps, and reels. In the ICS classification system,
there are seven "types" of engines, with Type 7 being the smallest and Type 1 being the
largest.
Tavis Sorensen: Of course some engines have more capabilities than others.
Narrator: These incredible pieces of equipment are put in some of the harshest conditions
and navigate some of the roughest terrain there is.
Rebecca Sorensen: They're amazing machines; they can go a lot of places.
Male Narrator: So sit back and enjoy as we take a closer look at the inner workings of
one of the most widely used firefighting tools, The Mighty Engine!
[music playing] [fire siren]
Female Narrator: A
few characteristics of a Type 7, a slip-on tank unit with a capacity between 50 and 200
gallons, a minimum pump rating of 10 gallons per minute at 100 psi. The type 7 is ideally
suited for patrol duties or mop-up on small fires that are difficult to access with larger
engines.
Male Narrator: When a local district or forest needs a new or replacement engine, they submit
specifications to either the national or regional equipment committee. The requirements for
new engines will vary as terrain types and uses for the engine are not the same. These
specifications are carefully reviewed and then sent out to contractors for bid. Government
officials review the bid packages and choose the vendor whose bid best matches the needs
of firefighters and provides the best value. Once the bid has been awarded, the construction
begins.
Male Narrator: The workers begin to cut the metal into pieces, working meticulously to
match the specifications given in the drawing. The welders build the main body structure
and put it on a roll-around cart. They grind down all their welds to make the shell semi-smooth
for the body shop. Electricians and body assembly workers attach doors, lights, and other components.
At this point, they bring the chassis in and lower the body on to the chassis. The workers
then go to work attaching everything they've already installed onto the chassis. The pumps
are then ready to be tested and a complete final inspection is done.
Pump Technician: We have to meet NFPA standards which is the National Fire Protection Association
and then the government sets the pumping standards for us which is 250 gallons per minute at
a 150 psi. Stage two of it is 200 gallons per minute at 300 psi. And the last stage
is 150 gallons per minute at 400 psi. Each of those tests you have to pass without overheating
or, you know, leaks or anything like that.
Female narrator: A few examples of the Type 6 engine - with a capacity of 150 to 400 gallons,
the Type 6 is an extremely effective initial attack resource in light fuels or in remote
areas where access is limited. Minimum pump performance ratings are 30 gallons per minute
at 100 psi. The Type 6 also carries more 1 inch and 1 1/2 inch hose than the Type 7.
Male Narrator: Once an engine arrives at the home unit it's time to train the crew. It's
necessary for the crew to be able operate the engine safely on highways, rural, urban
and mountain roads.
Tavis Sorensen: For most Type 6 engines, the regular state government driver's license
is all that's required. Some agencies and some local units have their own specific training
depending on if it's an emergency vehicle with lights and sirens or anything specific
to that nature. The Type 4 engines and Type 3 engines, the heavier vehicles, larger, are
commercial, so the state requires a class 'B' CDL and you'll need some endorsements
so the airbrake endorsement, possibly the tanker endorsement required. And then also
with your state medical certification.
Male Narrator: Many agency employees attend engine academies or other engine operator
training courses. These programs are designed to expose students to all aspects of wildland
engine operations. The students learn driving techniques, have the opportunity to perform
hands on pump training and troubleshoot engine maintenance problems. Students navigate various
types of obstacle courses, simulating driving conditions that may be encountered during
fire response. The engines are tested to the maximum of their operating capabilities, negotiating
difficult turns and climbing steep slopes. It's through these processes that agency drivers
become proficient at operating their engine safely and effectively in the wildland fire
environment.
Female Narrator: The Type 5 engine has a tank size of 400 to 750 gallons. The minimum pump
ratings are 50 gallons per minute at 100 psi. Even though they have the same hose and staffing
requirements as the Type 6, they are much less common on the fireline.
Male Narrator: When an engine is dispatched to a fire, it is important to understand the
capabilities of each type so you understand the most appropriate one for your fire.
Rebecca Sorensen: I'm Rebecca Sorensen; I'm a Lead Engine Crew for the Boise District
BLM. I'm an engine boss on a Type 4 with two crewmembers. So if you're thinking about what
engine you want to use on a fire, thinking about ordering an engine, if you're considering
a Type 6, they're highly mobile. They're not going to come with a lot of water so you're
going to have about 400 gallons maximum there. But they can get anywhere, tight turning radius,
that sort of thing so if you want something that's going to go scout the fire; they're
really good for that, that sort of position. And if you have a water source for them, a
water tender or some place they can draft, they can get that water a lot of places and
they have a great deal of hose.
Tavis Sorensen: The strengths of the Type 4 in a wildland environment would be it's
one of the largest engines we have for water and capabilities. If you're remote and water
is at a premium, Type 4 would be the better engine for that job. I would think some of
the weaknesses with the Type 4 would just be the size of the vehicle, driving a CDL,
so keeping drivers behind the wheel is hard and difficult in some regions. The size of
the vehicle is also tough when you're in the timber, a lot of low hanging tree branches
and a lot of low hanging hazards make the taller vehicle tougher to drive. I think some
of the limitations of a Type 4 or a Type 6 or even some Type 3s is two-wheel drive and
four-wheel drive, it's common that a lot of engines are still two-wheel drive and if four-wheel
drive is required we should specify that while we're ordering them.
Female Narrator: The Type 4 engine is ideally suited for a range of fuel types and missions.
With pump ratings of 50 gallons per minute at 100 psi, the Type 4 can deliver a lot of
water to the fire. These engines are frequently equipped with options such as four-wheel drive,
foam, and extra personnel that can be utilized in a variety of fire operations.
Male Narrator: Once you determine which type of engine is going to be appropriate for your
needs on the fire, you should know what type of crew to expect and the qualifications they
may be coming with.
Tavis Sorensen: You can expect a lot of quals depending on the engine coming your fire,
depending on the geographical region where they're from, you could have anything from
an engine boss and two firefighter type IIs, up to an IC3 and task force leaders and divisions
with other engine bosses and other CDL drivers for the engine.
Male Narrator: If all or part of the engine module isn't needed for an assignment, consider
breaking the module down, utilizing individual crewmembers for other tasks on the fire.
Rebecca Sorensen: People on engines look forward to getting out, they want to hike; they're
capable of hiking so just ask them to do that. They don't HAVE to be tied to the engine,
they don't necessarily want to be tied to the engine so when you come to a fire if people
aren't asking, if you're overhead isn't asking what your quals are, they're kind of selling
themselves short because you may have an EMT, you may have a 'C' sawyer, you have all kinds
of things that they're looking for and they see you as an engine module and don't consider
that you have any other capabilities.
Tavis Sorensen: We can park engines and put two or three engine modules together and form
a small crew, put ten people together and get a lot of work done on a fire, rather than
ordering a different resource.
Female Narrator: At 500 gallons, the Type 3 engine has a lower minimum tank capacity
than the Type 4 but it has a higher performing pump and increased hose capacity. Another
trait of the Type 3 is the minimum staffing requirement of three people. With the increased
pump performance and staffing, this engine is well-suited for structure protection and
establishing hoselays.
Male Narrator: Although each engine is designed for durability, they're often pushed to their
mechanical limits, sometimes on a daily basis. With each use, there's potential for mechanical
issues. While one cannot prevent these problems from happening, performing regular inspections
and routine maintenance on engines, you can keep major mechanical issues to a minimum.
Rebecca Sorensen: So speaking about the trucks, I mean they're versatile, they're durable,
they're incredible, they can go places that people wouldn't expect and we talk about you
just have to treat them right, you know what I mean, that's how you're able to go out and
do the job that you want to do, so if you abuse it, don't maintain it, don't catch things
early before they become bigger problems, then you're shut down and out of the game.
Tavis Sorensen: With new technology in engines and the engineering of safety into a lot of
the components, we've now had our capabilities increased by being able to use engines in
different terrain than in the past we were unsure. We tilt test the engines now, in the
past that wasn't always done. Using large fire apparatus manufacturers who build emergency
vehicles, I think that we've become safer and use a better product than we did in the
past years.
Female Narrator: Type 1 and Type 2 are NOT classified as 'wildland' engines, they are
considered structure engines. Because of this designation they are best suited to be used
in areas with paved roads and easy access. Tank capacities are generally lower than Type
3 and Type 4 engines but what these structure engines lack in capacity they make up for
with extremely high capability pump performance. The Type 2 minimum is 250 gallons per minute
and for the Type 1 it is 1,000. These structure engines are not typically agency owned and
they are usually operated by municipal departments.
Male Narrator: Innovative ideas come from the field, if you have ideas you'd like to
share, the BLM has a website established where firefighters can provide input. In this module,
we've shown you the design and construction process as well as some capabilities and Types
of engines you may encounter out on the fireline. Now you should be familiar with some of the
key features of various types of engines so the next time you work with one you'll be
confident in the power of the Mighty Engine!
[siren]