Fire Engines Photos

Looks like a 4X4, which is rather unusual for Seagrave. Is the Unified Fire Authority a rural fire department?

Added by Rob Johnson on 26 October 2013.

Just the largest FD in Utah with 15 engines, 6 ladders, 2 each of heavy rescues and haz-mat units, plus other special units, along with 21 medic ambulances. Google is your friend, Rob, and yes that is an All-wheel drive Seagrave, nice to see some of the FWD influence remains.

Added by Warren W. Jenkins on 27 October 2013.

Yes, I had almost forgotten that Seagrave bought up AWD.

Added by Rob Johnson on 27 October 2013.

I did check this department out on Google, but their information did not really explain why they would specify 4X4 drivelines on their structural pumpers. Is this part of Utah subject to heavy snowfalls?

Added by Rob Johnson on 28 October 2013.

Google?! I used Yahoo. :) Yes, the snowfall is heavy, there are four popular ski areas in the vicinity. In addition, Emigration is a canyon, in the rural portion of the county. They had a major brushfire there, in 1988, which spurred what was then the county fire department to start a wildland fire division.

Added by David L on 28 October 2013.

S.L.C. averages 58 inches/snow yr., double US average. (googled)
Much of S.L.C. is 4-5000 ft. above sea level, there are higher snow-covered peaks of the Wasatch Mountains visible in several of the station photos. This is also shown on their service map, as Emigration Canyon is located in this range.
I think you are expecting a bit much of FD websites if you wish an explanation of their apparatus philosophy/preferences.

Added by Warren W. Jenkins on 28 October 2013.

Actually, it was FWD (Four Wheel Drive) that bought Seagrave Corp. of Columbus, Ohio, in 1963 and moved it to Clintonville, Wisconsin. By 1990, FWD-Seagrave was renamed Seagrave Fire Apparatus and FWD phased out. Seagrave did not offer an AWD option from the late 1990's thru the 2000's, but that has apparently changed.
I would really like to know this rigs year of manufacture...

Added by Warren W. Jenkins on 28 October 2013.

Thanks to both of you for your very well-informed added comments!

I find it really interesting to understand the background when a fire department places into service an unusual or unique piece of apparatus - and this 4X4 Seagrave engine is certainly a bit unusual.

In Germany, a great majority of all structural pumpers which are operated by small town and volunteer fire companies are 4X4 - but this is the only country in the World that I know of where this is the case. In other places - as in the US - 4X4 is usually confined to brush, forestry and airfield units.

Some fire service websites do explain in detail why and how they specify their apparatus, including a few I have visited in the US. But this is very much more the case on many French and German websites, which can be very comprehensive.

Added by Rob Johnson on 29 October 2013.

I work for UFA. We have two of these 4x4 Seagrave's. The one pictured is used in Emigration canyon. The other is at st. 113 up Little Cottonwood Canyon by Snowbird and Alta ski resorts. believe both units were made in '08. Possibly newer.

Added by Chad on 15 March 2014.

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