Beyond the Flames – Mini/Pumper One of the Most Pivotal Pieces of Fleet

As our overview of different fire apparatus types continue, this week’s edition brings us to one of my personal favorites: the mini-pumper/brush truck. One of the most pivotal pieces of any Cape May County department’s fleet, this versatile truck is one of the most highly utilized types of apparatus for our area.
Normally resembling anywhere from an oversized pickup truck, to a smaller version of an engine/pumper (hence “mini-pumper”), the brush truck usually consists of somewhere in the range of 200-300 gallon water tank, usually equipped with smaller-diameter hoses which are more easily used to battle forest/brush fires, the original purpose of the trucks.
Initially, the brush trucks were first used by the Forest Fire Service, and were first seen in large quantities following the surplus of U.S. Army jeeps following the Second World War. This unit could simply be equipped with a small water tank, a portable water pump, and a small amount of hose line to battle fires.
These vehicles were ideal for forest firefighting because of their off-road capabilities. Today, many of these apparatus are indeed four-wheel drive and are used to ravel over tough terrain to battle remote fires that may not be accessible by the larger, heavier fire apparatus commonly used.
Despite being originally designed for use against brush fires, the apparatus has seen a wide variety of usage on different types of incidents in recent years. On of their main uses, specific to our area in particular, is that of the initial responding unit to incidents within one of the areas numerous campgrounds. Campgrounds, due to their tight, closely-knit layout, are not friendly locations for the larger engines and other apparatus used by local departments.
Therefore, for anything from activated trailer smoke alarms and small brush fires to even fully engulfed trailer/small structure fires, it’s not uncommon to see a mini-pumper/brush truck as the first responding fire equipment on scene. The trucks utilize their small size to lay larger hose line for water supply from larger trucks, while gaining close access to the fire scene.
Another function of these trucks specific to our area is the utilization of their off-road and rough terrain capability. Not only are these trucks useful for travel through the forest and other remote areas located in Cape May County, they are also extremely useful in rough weather, such as snowstorms and heavy rains.
Departments, especially those with rural roads and areas within their jurisdiction, might choose to utilize a mini-pumper/brush truck during a period of heavy rains to minimize the risk of larger apparatus getting stuck in soft areas. Also, the apparatus’ four-wheel drive capabilities make it a valuable piece during large amounts of snow that our areas has grown accustomed to over recent years.
As well as storm usage, this particular type of apparatus is of high use to our area’s island towns as well. Again, due to it’s off road capability, these trucks are often utilized on the beach in the island towns for various types of emergencies that require a fire response. Some departments choose to use their mini-pumper/brush truck to tow their water rescue equipment, allowing the vehicle’s all-terrain driving capabilities get crews closing to the scene of a water emergency.
Finally, in addition to its numerous uses on fire-related calls, many area departments are now utilizing their mini-pumper/brush trucks as “First Responder” vehicles. Departments which take part in the “First Responder” program are departments that offer their services to assisting area rescue squads on medical emergencies that fire departments aren’t always dispatched to.
Firefighters trained in basic “first responder” curriculum respond along with EMT’s and assist the medical crews on their calls.
Many departments use this type of apparatus for a response due to its smaller size and easy response capabilities. In fact, many mini-pumpers/brush trucks now contain a number of medical supplies on-board to help assist the medical personnel on incidents.
Without the use of the mini-pumper/brush truck in our area, firefighting would become much more difficult, due to the great magnitude and range of use this apparatus gets. Next week, we’ll wrap up our five-week series by taking a look at some of the specialized types of apparatus located in our area.
Knoll, 18, of Eldora, can be contacted by email at bknolljr4cmcherald@ yahoo.com. He is a student at Rowan University.
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