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Battalion Chief's Command Vehicle
So the adventure continues for me in the Logistics Section for my department. An old Fire Captain, turned loose in the office. What a concept. The latest research I had to do was spec-ing out a new Tahoe and Suburban for our line Battalion Chief's in regard to both communications equipment and emergency lighting. I'm starting from scratch here but have just completed the R&D on the components and it's that info that I am sharing with you today... Failure to prepare is preparing for failure... Hopefully, I've my homework here. Please feel free to send your thoughts on this design which was developed by one of our best field Battalion Chief's. This post includes both the materials listing (sans any labor costs) and what the vehicle looks like using these components. This vehicle is designed to be a working vehicle and in my opinion is a very strong design model for others to copy. TCSS, SB Mike
Santa Barbara County Fire Department Battalion Chief's Command Vehicle
Add On's for Communications, Lighting, Command and Control...
Headliner Mounted Mini-Speaker for Scanner
Havis-Shields Co. Center Console (www.havis.com)
*You need to also order a mounting bracket and trak mount for the console.
Console Add-Ons: Map Light, (2) 12-volt power sources and install two radio heads, unitrol siren control and radio frequency scanner (with 800mHz capability).
Rear Lift Gate Hatch: Installed LED Amber Warning Lights (only visible when hatch is open)
Grill Lights Red/Red Split
Side Lights (2) on Front Fenders
Headlight Flasher Unit
Kenwood Radio 12-volt Charger
Bendix King Radio 12-volt Charger
Cole Hersee Dual Battery Selector and Disconnector Switch
Battery Cables (25-feet estimated for hook-up)
Lug Nut Ends (6) attached to the Cables
Kenwood TK-790 UHF Mobile Radios (2) with Control Heads (Front & Back)
Unitrol Siren and Emergency Lighting Control Unit
Bearcat Trunk Tracker Scanner
and more...
EXTERIOR PHOTOS:
INTERIOR PHOTOS:
REAR COMMAND BOX:
This is what we will be using in the future for command boxes. One important point to consider about these (and why we have to wait and budget for them) is that they cost >$3,000.00 each. But they are worth every penny. You get what you pay for here. I am sure many of you have been using these for years.
Santa Barbara County Fire Department Battalion Chief's Command Vehicle
Add On's for Communications, Lighting, Command and Control...
Headliner Mounted Mini-Speaker for Scanner
Havis-Shields Co. Center Console (www.havis.com)
*You need to also order a mounting bracket and trak mount for the console.
Console Add-Ons: Map Light, (2) 12-volt power sources and install two radio heads, unitrol siren control and radio frequency scanner (with 800mHz capability).
Rear Lift Gate Hatch: Installed LED Amber Warning Lights (only visible when hatch is open)
Grill Lights Red/Red Split
Side Lights (2) on Front Fenders
Headlight Flasher Unit
Kenwood Radio 12-volt Charger
Bendix King Radio 12-volt Charger
Cole Hersee Dual Battery Selector and Disconnector Switch
Battery Cables (25-feet estimated for hook-up)
Lug Nut Ends (6) attached to the Cables
Kenwood TK-790 UHF Mobile Radios (2) with Control Heads (Front & Back)
Unitrol Siren and Emergency Lighting Control Unit
Bearcat Trunk Tracker Scanner
and more...
EXTERIOR PHOTOS:
INTERIOR PHOTOS:
REAR COMMAND BOX:
This is what we will be using in the future for command boxes. One important point to consider about these (and why we have to wait and budget for them) is that they cost >$3,000.00 each. But they are worth every penny. You get what you pay for here. I am sure many of you have been using these for years.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Bob on
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* First thing should be a Fire extinguisher? A fire SUV should be able to do something at a small vehicle fire! I go though about one a year in my own personal vehicle helping others and have stopped every fire from extending, and if your 50 amp welding cable shorts out you may need it...
*Green low profile RH360-MPL Pole Light. This remote strobe head is mounted on an adjustable pole which extends from 30" to 42" and locks firmly into place.- To mark IC vehicle and find it in fire camp after dinner.
*Power management / Battery contoller - Voltage depended priority Auto load shedding
- instead of one big welding cable going to the back use multible fused smaller wires in harness going to each device, If you lose the big one you lose everything!
*A relay installed in order to connect the batteries together in case of emergency start. This is to be controlled from the driver’s position by way of a marked switch.(Stock $15 ford starter relay works great with a $2 switch)
* BK radio clamshell with Ni-Cads in separate charger.
* Large Red overhead light for night map reading combined with switch to control interior lights and buzzers very easy to install and one switch stops all the key in ignition bells and turns off overhead white lights.
* Rear night vision back up cam (less than $60 bucks nowadays) great for safety and surveillance.
* You also have a very large government body to work with go down to the County Corporation yard find the carpentry shop and have that rear box custom built by your own County employees save money and you will get just what you want.
* After market fire resistant air cleaner - More than one Fire SUV has burned up in Cali from sucking in embers...
The front box between the seats has got to go! everything in front compartment should be bolted down, and not interfere with the driver at all! I know my right elbow would already be intimate with that dang thing sticking out, Should be a wire cage installed behind drivers head to stop that loose SCBA, Helmets and such from coming forward in a accident...
CHP and OSHA would agree but we will wait till someone gets killed won't we.
How much money you got chief? I could go on and on...
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Permalink Reply by Mike Schlags (Captain Busy) Retd on
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OMG
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"Since all radios are configured for ignition switch control, the 4th switch position turns the radio equipment on and off without the need for a key in the ignition."
My department has been discussing whether all the vehicles should be wired to require the ignition activated with a key because we've been having issues with vehicles having dead batteries due to folks leaving the radio turned on. My discussions with our county garage folks and radio shop technicians pointed toward the installation of one main on off switch in lieu of rewiring radios to only work when the ignition key is turned on. What's your take on this? Anyone else have this issue? Thanks in advance!
Wow, to live somewhere where it actually snows. You don't have to drive six and one-half hours to get to the snow like we do. I don't know Joe, I think your going to have to come out to Santa Barbara to warm up and have a Margarita with us on the beach. Maybe Ted might join us... : )
Mike
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Bob, You have some valid points and some outstanding suggestions that I did not think about.
A. We do have extinguishers on all of our vehicles, including the BC's but I did not include a photo of where it was located, along with EMS stuff. I was purely focusing on communication and lighting.
B. *Green low profile RH360-MPL Pole Light" Where exactly did you mount this on a Suburban? Who's the vendor. Got any photos? I really like this idea of being able to mark where the IC is located for crews at an incident or while in camp.
C. The Power Management / Battery Controller concept sounds spot on for dealing with the battery issues. Vendor? Description? Where is this located? Under the hood? Need more info here. Excellent concept and thought process...
D. The relay / jump start capability thing is cool. A just in case jump start feature is right on. I have it in my Ford RV and never thought much about it.
E. One of the latest issues I've discovered is that we are having difficulty convincing our garage folks that we need to have more than one battery installed in these command vehicles. They insist that the Sheriff's Department has not required two, so why should we. They have MDT's and emergency lights as well as a ton of radios. So what's up with the fire department. This mindset resulted in the last Chevy Suburban purchased to include only one battery. Any justifications you or other readers can provide me would be appreciated. Common sense and the ability to "jump start" your vehicle sure seems the way to go. Our mission is nothing like the law enforcement side of things. We end up in remote rural backcountry areas, not sitting in an urban area for day or night shift assignment. We also cannot plug the vehicle in somewhere to charge the batteries.
F. I have spec'd a Bendix King 12v Radio Charger for the vehicles as well as the Kenwood Portable Radio Charger. We have not pin pointed where they will be mounted yet but it could end up looking like this:
G. Large Red Overhead Light - Vendor / Model No? Please explain how this is wired in terms that I can share with my radio shop buddies. They would be doing the wiring and are happy to help out and do what we need, I just have to provide them with useable information. My goal is to standardize how these vehicles are put together and have been really enjoying spending time with the folks who work on our vehicles and communications equipment. Finding a resource like yourself, Joe and Ted makes accomplishing this task a lot easier for me.
H. Rear vision backup cam. Where's the tv screen located? Size? Good idea and it sounds cost effective for not just a BC vehicle but an engine. Vendor? Photos?
I. We have been doing our own wooden command boxes for years as noted above in the photos I posted. This is a cool way to get what you want and the folks we have had making the command boxes have been quite skilled with their craftsmanship.
J. After Market Fire Resistive Air Cleaner - Who makes them and where can you purchase them? Cost? Availability?
K. We are looking at both Troy Products and Havis-Shields for the up-front communications and lighting console.
L. We may not have all the money to do all of these things but the concepts are sound. What you did not mention is the need to have a factory installed upgraded heavy duty alternator, and a second battery even though I think it was inferred. I'm looking at the Cole-Hersee Battery Isolation Switch (1-Both-2-Off). What I thought would be cool would be to have a LED display that shows the voltage in 1, 2 or both batteries. Do you know where I could find this? I know that some of the engine manufacturers like Pierce offer this in their cabs but have not seen it used elsewhere.
So don't worry about "going on and on..." I am encouraging you to continue right along with me... going on and on...
Thanks so much for taking your time to share your intel with us.
TCSS, Mike
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Chief, I was designing fire SUV's on paper when I was 8 yeas old!
Also worked for awhile building Fire SUV's for a well know builder out in Florida.
Two thought's before they go away...
* 12 volt coffee pot($15 Big 5, Pilot truck stops ) - Nothing more impressive than a BC waking you up in the drivers seat of your rig and handing you a cup of fresh coffee as the sun comes up in the middle o' nowhere wild land fire, as thanks for pulling a single resource double shift pumping that line all night.
* Ice Chest/small refrigerator/Mini Bar- Should be built into that box with built in drain, would have real "COOL' appeal and might be more important than your radio on a wildland fire - Hard to communicate and You ain't helping if you are throwing up...So Food safety and hydration is the fiscal excuse those double lunch's they gave you are scary even when kept cold....and once again when the Alpha troops now Golf's come dragging they're sorry butt's up a line and then the BC hands them his Ice Cold water right at the top, those impressions never go away....
I also remember SF engine with a full real bar for ST Duty but those days are long gone...I think
Oh and Chief I am available for Consulting work in California..
Happy Thanksgiving to be continued...
Just never
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Hey Bob, Thanks for the additional "cool" ideas. Paying attention to hydration is important and the burbs to include an ice chest but to actually think about it ahead of time and build it into the system is another good concept to think about, including the coffee maker... Sure wish we had the kind of budget where we could hire you as a consultant but trying to buy toilet paper is enough of a challenge these days with all of the cutbacks. And finally and most importantly Bob, I am a Suppression Fire Captain / Hazmat WMD Specialist Instructor, not that I wouldn't enjoy getting a chief officer's salary! Have a wonderful family-filled Thanksgiving with exceptional desserts!
Mike
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I should of noticed that Red helmet...Damn you look familiar I wonder If I had the pleasure of working a large fire with you in the last last few years...You would remember I can be a character you don't forget on a fireline...I worked with a lot of So Cal LG Strike teams in the past especially this year and last...Currently driving a ERD contract water tender out of Tracy, Ca also editor of California Fire News - http://calfire.blogspot.com/
That's a good point do not forget the emergency TP!
p.s Sis is a Hazmat WMD Specialist for a Bay Area Dept.
You have a great dinner too Capt.
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Permalink Reply by Joe Stoltz on
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Mighty tempting, Mike. Mighty tempting. The coldest it has been here so far was 10 degrees, a few nights ago. And, it's not even winter yet!
My experience with radio equipment draining the battery is somewhat limited, although in my previous car the siren was a relatively large draw even when turned off, and killed the battery after a FEW days. I can't see where leaving a couple of modern-day radio sets on overnight would do any harm if the battery is in good condition.
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Ted, another reason for having the siren wired to an "ignition bypass" switch as I have done is to be able to use the PA function. On occasion, I place the siren in RADIO position and the siren amplifies the fire radio's audio to a fare-thee-well. I do this when I'm out of the car investigating and portable coverage is iffy. Of course the new cross-band repeat function has made this unnecessary...
And you make a good point about the radios being on a timer relay. Well, there is good news: The Kenwood 90 series radios as shown in Mike's pictures have a timed power off feature. The radio can be programmed to turn itself off up to 8 hours (in 1 hour increments) after the ignition is turned off. This is easily set up via radio programming software.
Mike, you might just consider that in your future vehicle designs.
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HEY - Did anyone else catch where SB carries their epi-pen?
Self contained in its own sharps container. Nice.
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Doesn't everyone carry their epi pens in a PVC container? This was a bigger deal way back when the africanized honey bee's were considered to be a major issue. We also do a lot of wildland and the chances for bee and wasp nest disturbance is always there... Also, this provides some degree of protection from extreme heat even though I don't recall any issues with temperature and storage of the epi pens.
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