Apparatus updates by Jack Lerch

Re-printed from Fire Apparatus Journal November-December 1999


THE FLEET SERVICES DIVISION HAS COMPLETED a major retrofit of the former 1986 GMC/Carpenter school bus, formerly used as a personnel carrier by the Bureau of Training. It is now in service as Major Emergency Response Vehicle (MERV) 4. MERV 4 is located at the EMS Bureau's Battalion 50 Station at Queens General Hospital and is staffed as needed by an EMT assigned to that location. The four MERV units, which were formerly known as Mobile Emergency Room Vans, are currently special-called to operations as needed, by supervisory personnel. MERV 1, a custom-built 1993 International with Excellence body work, located at Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan, is the only one of the MERVs to have an EMT regularly assigned on each shift. The others now in service are MERV 2, a converted 1970 International school bus stationed at Jacobi Hospital in the Bronx and MERV 3, a converted 1971 Ford mobile clinic stationed in Brooklyn. Specifications for a prebid to replace at least one of the two older units are being prepared. The four Meres carry ALS equipment, semi-automatic external defibrillators, a large quantity of dressings and bandages, airway equipment including multiple oxygen cylinders, immobilization and patient transfer equipment, various drugs in locked cabinets, pediatric equipment, and other medical supplies. In addition to being available for special call at major fires, they are used at various mass casualty incidents when called

Delivery of the three Seagrave/Aerialscope 95 foot towers was expected by the time this is in print, with the five add-on Seagrave 100-foot rear-mounts also expected shortly. The Seagrave 100-foot tillers are now scheduled for early 2000 delivery. The thirteen Seagrave/Aerialscope 75 foot towers will also arrive in early 2000.

Fleet Services has recently improved the appearance and condition of several vehicles of the spare fleet including Rescue 5's former 1985 Mack/Saulsbury heavy rescue, two 1986 Seagrave 100-foot rear-mounts and a 1985 and 1986 Mack/Baker 75-foot tower-ladders. They have been repainted into the current FDNY color scheme, complete with the now standard striping. There is a space on the body for the attachment of magnetic company numbers, issued to each unit. Each of these vehicles has also been given a complete mechanical checkup and overhaul to increase their longevity as spares. Current plans call for similar upgrades to four of the 1986 or later Mack/Ward 79 pumpers, two more 1986 or later Seagrave 100-foot rear-mounts, two more 1986 or later Maclc/Baker 75-foot towers and two more Mack/Saulsbury rescues, one a 1985, the other a 1988. Units receiving these premium spares will be accountable for their appearance and maintenance.


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