The Future of ARFF
KME displays modern-looking Force 1500 ARFF vehicle
Story & Photos by Bob Vaccaro

I’m sure that most of you who attended FDIC and the Harrisburg Fire Expo exhibit halls stopped by the KME booth and saw its new Force 1500 ARFF vehicle. It was definitely worth a look. At first glance it appeared quite futuristic in nature, and after taking a closer look, I can see that a lot of great engineering went into the design of this vehicle.

To give you a little history about KME’s involvement in the ARFF area of fire suppression, KME purchased the Walter Motor Truck Corporation based in upstate New York in 1997.

Dave Krajnak, KME’s airport products manager, explains that when they first got into the ARFF segment after the Walter purchase, they basically built what Walter was building and added some of their own ideas. “We kind of took a low-key approach, with no heavy emphasis on the product line,” he says. “It was a little over 2 years ago that we decided to get proactive and began to research the market.”
Krajnak says they wanted the vehicle to be unique and something that everyone would take a serious look at. “Proven performance is the most important aspect,” he adds. “Engineering it properly and having it fit into the marketplace is also important to us.”

It took about a year and a half to design the vehicle. Krajnak notes that KME feels the vehicle has an innovative design, great acceleration with good stability. “We also reduced the weight 15 percent to improve acceleration and maneuverability, gave it better visibility up and down with a curved windshield, and wanted to minimize body roll and make it more stable than previous vehicles offered in the past,” Krajnak says.

The company then built some demos to take to various airports for testing, review and feedback from potential customers.

The present version is available with various options for scene lighting, roof and bumper turrets, generators, etc. For ease of maintenance, the hinged engine enclosure opens completely from both sides to allow excellent access for maintenance and service. The pump compartment was also designed for ease of maintenance.

KME is currently planning to have larger versions with added tank capacities.

Bottom line: If you haven’t already seen this apparatus and you’re planning to attend an upcoming fire service show, take a look at this new and innovative ARFF vehicle from KME or access their Web site for more information on the Force 1500.

Bob Vaccaro has more than 30 years of fire-service experience. He is a former chief of the Deer Park (N.Y.) Fire Department. Vaccaro has also worked for the Insurance Services Office, The New York Fire Patrol and several major commercial insurance companies as a senior loss-control consultant. Vaccaro is a life member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs.


Force 1500 ARFF Specs
• 4 x 4 ARFF, available in 6 x 6 and 8 x 8
• Caterpillar C-18 engine
• Roll-up doors with LED compartment lighting
• 1,500-gallon water tank
• 200-gallon foam tank
• 500 lbs. of dry chemical system
• 2,000-gpm Hale pump
• Glass Reinforced Polyester construction
• Reduced weight resulting in superior equipment storage capacities
• High power-to-weight ratio resulting in improved acceleration performance
• Coil spring over live rigid-axle suspension
• Outboard disc brakes standard for improved stopping distances
• Superior cab visibility exceeding NFPA 414 field of vision requirements
• Twin Disc integrated transmission system
• Twin Agent handline
• Cab seating for four
• Lifetime corrosion warranty