New brush truck extends Pierce Contender Series

Nov. 1, 2002
PIERCE Manufacturing announced the addition of an all-wheel-drive wildland firefighting brush truck to its popular Contender Series value line of fire

PIERCE Manufacturing announced the addition of an all-wheel-drive wildland firefighting brush truck to its popular Contender Series value line of fire apparatus. The Contender Series NFPA 1906 Brush Truck, named that because it meets NFPA 1906 specifications, was unveiled at Fire-Rescue International in Kansas City, Missouri.

Wildland firefighting, which has always been a concern in large open country found in the Midwest and western United States, is now a problem for many municipal departments as cities get larger and the amount of urban interface area grows.

“Our Contender Series all-wheel-drive Brush Truck is designed so two firefighters can get to the fire quickly — including going off road — and gives them the tools they need to put that fire out,” said Mike DuFrane, director of sales and engineering at Pierce's Florida Division, where the Contender Series apparatus are manufactured.

The Contender Brush Truck comes with a 400-gallon polypropylene tank and a rear-mounted Waterous PB-18 2515 pump that runs off its own electric-start 18-hp engine. Hose and tools are easy to grab from aluminum trays between the body compartments and the cab. Lift-up doors provide easy access to 22-inch-deep side compartments. A Hannay electric rewind hose reel for 150 feet of one-inch line is mounted atop the water tank or at the rear of the vehicle.

The firefighting equipment is mounted on a two-door 4×4 Super Duty F550 XL Ford chassis that combines ample ground clearance with a low profile. A lower profile means easier entry and exit, plus provides visibility out of the rear window at all times. A convenient center console puts maps, switches and siren control at the firefighters' fingertips.

Other standard features include:

  • Aluminum compartments with two doors on each side.

  • An aluminum flatbed with channel borders and a one-inch extruded floor with non-skid deck.

  • Front 45-degree flatbed miters for easy cab access.