The 75-Foot Quint: Know What It Can Do

Quint debates can be partial, biased, and downright emotional. Traditionalists cannot accept the idea that the traditional pumpless ladder truck, equipped with large amounts of ancillary equipment, an aerial device, and numerous ground ladders, may be a thing of the past. They cannot understand why today’s firefighters and administrators believe that multitasking apparatus with fewer personnel is the cure-all on the fireground. This article does not discredit the quint or pit the old against the new. Instead, it objectively illustrates the diminishing capabilities of the traditional ladder company and limitations that purchasing a quint—and, in particular, a small one—imposes on fireground operations. The quintuple apparatus may not be the cure-all for budget cuts, consolidation, downsizing, and inadequate staffing.

A big quint has an aerial device, fire pump, booster tank, hose, and ground ladders mounted on a tandem rear axle. A small quint has similar features mounted on a single rear axle. Big quints carry large amounts of equipment and are usually Insurance Services Office (ISO)-rated ladder trucks. Quints may have rear-mounted or mid-mounted aerial devices. Although each has similar limitations, this discussion concerns only the rear-mount quint with a single rear axle.

Many departments use this small quint with a 75-foot ladder as a first-out engine with ladder truck capabilities. But it may unintentionally reduce fireground efficiency, jeopardize firefighters assigned to it, and convey a false sense of security. Although it carries and does a little of everything, can it carry enough of any one thing to safely and proficiently accomplish the tasks assigned to it? The discussion below considers a typical Smalltown USA fire department, without an ISO-rated ladder truck, opting to run a small quint first due from a single company station with a couple of engines responding from different locations. It also reflects one that may combine engine and ladder company capabilities into a small quint.