Understanding Tankers, Helicopters & Engine Types (Structural & Wildland) - Do you know how to "Type" your engine?

If you are going to discuss fire apparatus, then it's important to know what you are talking about. There are (2) structure engine types and (5) wildland engines that are defined based on the following federal engine typing criteria. You should know the differences. This appendix data was taken from the National Wildlife Coordinating Group (NWCG) which can be purchased through the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) in Boise, ID.  Order NFES #0065



Note: Water tenders are NOT called water tankers according to the standardized wildland terminology referenced above.


Want more information on aircraft typing, including videos? Wildland season is right around the corner.  Know what you are requesting.


http://www.firefighternation.com/forum/topics/889755:Topic:2401939?...


CFA's (Australia's range of trucks: http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/about/equip/trucks.htm


NIMS Note:  This is the latest online FEMA Resource Typing terminology now used to describe things that are on the ground verses things that fly...


Page 3 of 33

Table of Contents

Background..........................................2
Resource Typing ....................................2
Web Site............................................2
Supersedure.........................................2
Changes.............................................2
Area Command Team, Firefighting.....................4
Brush Patrol, Firefighting (Type VI Engine).........5
Crew Transport (Firefighting Crew)..................6
Engine, Fire (Pumper) ..............................7
Fire Boat...........................................8
Foam Tender, Firefighting ..........................9
Fuel Tender (Gasoline, Diesel, AvGas, aka Gas Tanker).10
Crew................................................11
HazMat Entry........................................12
Helicopters, Firefighting...........................17
Helitanker (firefighting helicopter)................18
Incident Management Team, Firefighting..............19
Interagency Buying Team, Firefighting...............22
Mobile Communications Unit (Law/Fire)...............25
Portable Pump.......................................26
Truck Company.......................................27
Strike Team, Engine (Fire)..........................28
U.S. Coast Guard National Strike Force..............29
Water Tender, Firefighting (Tanker) ................33

The terminology for FIRESCOPE's ICS system and NIMS are now the same.


CBz

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thanks captain always wondered how this worked
Thank you Captain,

This list really gets one to sit down and think about the different apparatus' in the stations and determine where they fit in. Additionally, your "note" is quite informative...after all, it would be quite a shock to need a tender, but request a tanker and have a helicopter show up...LOL.
request a tanker and have a helicopter show up...

This made me want to clarify air resource terminology and typing. Things that fly and have wings are called tankers. Trucks that carry water are called water tenders to prevent confusion over the radio.

And yes, we still have gasoline tankers, not gasoline tenders, Go figure...

CBz
Total different animal Down Under. Here are our vehicle classes: http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/dsp_content.cfm?cat_id=1118
I read an interesting article in Firehouse several years ago regarding this. I don't remember the exact numbers, but it was something along the lines of: there are 500 tankers (planes, helicopters) that are referred to as tankers, but there are 5000 tankers (the truck variety) in the US, maybe for the sake of ease and common sense the air tankers should be renamed.

Seems to make a lot of sense to me. All tankers (truck variety) are referred to as tankers around me as well.
We have both around me, the fire depts who send their water trucks on wildland fires have changed thier names to tenders and those who don't send them on wildland support call them tankers.
I will always call or "on Ground tankers" tankers, and leave california to themselfs.

Be safe
Thank you Captain, that is exactly what I was referring to. This subject opened up a pretty good debate in my FF Cert. class, especially since air resources for wildfires are not usually utilized in this half of our state.
Chief- That sounds pretty much like our area where we have tankers, pumpers, and brush units that are all wheeled with nothing aerial other than ladders.
A good discussion.

Having just returned from North Texas with a Strike Team, we were the only Type 6 engines in our division. There were a few Type 3 from the USFS, but a whole lot of Type 1 Structural Engines.

They hardest part was remembering to say "tender" instead of "Tanker" as we call them here.

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