Toronto Fire Department Pumpers Vs. Rescue

[LanceWilberforce]

I have been watching the Toronto Fire Department's active incident site. What is the differnce between a pumper and a rescue i.e R325 and P325.

Also what does it mean when you see CR beside a vehicle i.e. P244CR

Thanks!

LW.

[LFD_FF17]

not 100% sure but i think a rescue is a pumper/rescue and a pumper is just a pumper

[Michael13]

I have been watching the Toronto Fire Department's active incident site. What is the differnce between a pumper and a rescue i.e R325 and P325.

Also what does it mean when you see CR beside a vehicle i.e. P244CR

Thanks!

LW.

If you like looking at the TO CAD site, try www.torontofirepics.com...shows every rig in city and what station and district they are in. A pumper is strictly a pumper I beleive and some of their rescues also have pumps. Their main rescue rigs are the squads, which is a specialty rig. Those I see will always get called to Elevator rescue calls.

[DoubleHelix]

From what I understand (if any of you Toronto guys want to correct me please do so) a pumper is a pumper, a rescue is a pumper rescue with more beefed up rescue tools, and the Squads or Heavy Rescues are the "turn around trucks".

Heavy rescues are the ones that do rope rescue and all that other technical stuff.

That CR beside a vehicle I have no idea.

[mutts252]

yup as helix said, R means rescue-pumper. they have jaws and a bunch more fun stuff on there that a pumper (a P on the cad site) doesn't have. smaller water capacity, too, i think, and perhaps a slightly smaller pump (lower gpm).

S means squad - their heavy rescue units. they get dispatched to things like elevator rescues, as mentioned, as well as any MVA where entrapment is expected (they'll work along with the rescue-pumpers).

the CR... i'm clueless. been wondering the same lately.

billyblazes or red_devil... feel free to correct my ignorance :p (or any other guys on toronto, of course)

[jeffhubb]

P415 would just be a pumper.

R413 is a rescue pumper.

The new orders of pumper/rescue-pumpers the last few years have been the identical truck except shelving set-up within the compartments. Rescue-pumpers are set-up for auto extrication cribbing, cutters, spreaders, rams, chains, airbags, ect. Plus they have a ventilation saw, PPV and they are our RIT trained crews. Same truck, pump and water capacity just more equipment.

Squads (no pump) are set-up for 9 or 10 disciplines/skill sets that they are trained, experienced and equipped to adequately respond to mitigate (i.e. technical rope rescue (formerly high angle), confined space rescue, auto-X, TTC street car lift, trench rescue, elevators, water rescue, structural collapse, etc) as well as special tools/equipment which require specialized training.

P415C means they are running a spare. P413CR (R413 normally) rescue means they are running a spare and aren't rescue capable.

Hope this helps and that I got it all correct.

[BillyBlazes]

What Jeff has just said is true about the differences between our pumpers and rescue/pumpers. The "C" or "charlie" designation is given so that our dispatchers and other crews are made aware that the rescue is lacking certain capabalities when it comes up on the dispatchesr's screen and when other crews look at therir dispatch printout they are aware that this responding rescue is not a fully functional rescue pumper. THis generally means that they are using a spare vehicle.

All of our spare rigs are designated with the number 5. i.e. C5332, S5326. C5332 is a spare chief's van that is stored at Station #332, S5326 is a spare squad stored at Station #326. WHen these rigs are put into service the radio identification is changed to represent the vehicle that they are replacing.