Whats your preference on Pump Panel location?

We have 2 side mounts and 1 top mount. I've loved the top mount from the start. It gives you a clear 180 degree view from side to side, as well as keeps you out of the road. A few have suggested the rear mounts, but we have a good bit of highways and a 10 mile stretch of interstate in our response area, and personally behind the truck is somewhere I don't feel comfortable being on the highway.

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Permalink Reply by T.J. on August 26, 2008 at 5:27pm

A Men to that, we have top mounts on all our engine's

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Permalink Reply by LT Lake on September 3, 2008 at 3:37pm

Our new engine in a top mount and the one it replaced was a side mount. I am far enough out that I usually don’t get to run the pump but I do train on it and like the view from the top mount. You can see all four sides of the truck without leaving the pump panel and couldn’t do that with the side mount for obvious reasons.
stay safe

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Permalink Reply by Asst Chief Tim Cook on February 3, 2009 at 9:11pm

We've had side mounts for a half a century.We just angle the rig for safety and to get the best vantage point.In the early stages of an incident the D/O can be kinda busy.For our ops,the side mounts work best.Our neighbors have top mounts,and after being around them,none of our group has asked for one.

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Permalink Reply by Robert on February 3, 2009 at 9:17pm

We have a older side mount and a newer top mount. The top mount is our primary and I speak from personal experiance that top mount will be our next choice as well. Top all the way for us. Oh And I also have to add that due to the many rural long driveways that are not very wide a top mount pump with rear suction works the best for us. Mostly due to the fact that we try to set up with the drop tanks on the edge of the roadway and have our 4000 gallon tanker be able to dump from one side or the other.

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Permalink Reply by Justin Buck on February 3, 2009 at 9:25pm

i think the top mount pump panel location is better because you can see most of the fire sence and see all the way around the truck

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Permalink Reply by Lt. Hanks on February 3, 2009 at 9:33pm

Top mount all the way, just gives a better overall picture.

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Permalink Reply by Robert on February 3, 2009 at 9:34pm

Heres a pic of out top mount pumper on a scene as well as our 2000 and 4000 gallon tankers

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Permalink Reply by CHRIS STIMMELL on February 3, 2009 at 9:42pm

Mid pumps are the best. It keeps the operator safe and he can see what's going on both sides.

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Permalink Reply by Don Vuletic on February 3, 2009 at 9:54pm

My old station had a top mount and I loved it. Its benifits are many. But with todays world alot of departments either cannot afford it or it makes the truck two foot longer than you want.

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Permalink Reply by Jason Koontz on February 19, 2009 at 12:19pm

I like the side mount panels, just because thats what I've always worked on, and its what I'm used to. I can read a fire by watching the gauges and listening to the radio, but I still step out in front of the truck. Mid-ships are awesome, just because you can see everything, and you're not getting run over by hoses, people running back and forth for bottles, tools, ladders, etc.a My only issue has been the extra space. I can save 6-8 feet on a rig just by moving the panel to the side. I've been on front mounts, and they do very well, but they're LOUD!! Even with a headset on, its almost impossible to hear whats going on, and forget about talking on the mic.

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Permalink Reply by RESCUE67SQUAD on February 22, 2009 at 6:06pm

im a top mount person because it maxemizes operator saftey

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Permalink Reply by Boyd Robinson on February 22, 2009 at 6:22pm

I like the top mount pumps, The department I run in has several mid-ship pumps most of which are on the drivers side, then we have one that the mid-ship is on the officers side ( it sucks )