Engine 38
'Big Country'

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Big Country (Engine 38) was designed with several tasks in mind:
 

1. Be able to carry a large amount of water to the fire.
2. Have a enough pump capacity to fight the fire once on scene. (Most tankers are designed with minimal pump capacity so as to haul as much water as possible.)
3. Carry hydraulic rescue tools.
4. Be able to reach most of our first due in almost any weather conditions.

To meet the above objectives, we asked Central States Fire Apparatus to build it with a 2500 gallon tank with rear 10" dump and side dump capabilities. It carries a 3000 portable dump tank. The pump is a 1500 GPM Darley that can feed the 1000' of 5" Large Diameter Hose (LDH), the two 1 1/2" pre-connect attack lines or the 2 1/2" pre-connect with the Vindicator nozzle. There is also an Extenda-Gun top-side that converts to a ground-set monitor for high water flow situations.
 
The truck chassis is a Freightliner with a 415 HP Caterpillar and a 10 speed Road Ranger transmission. It has a live front axle and the rear tandems can ALL be locked-in at once. It is a tank.
 
A truck this big presents its own challenges. It doesn't maneuver as well as most and it requires considerable skill and training just to drive.
 

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