30 Jul 2019

Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation company, in partnership with its Quebec, Canada exclusive Pierce dealer, L’Arsenal, has secured an order for five Ascendant 100’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Towers for the City of Montreal Fire Department.  

The apparatus will be built on the Pierce Arrow XT custom chassis known for its rugged and dependable characteristics that meet the demands of high-volume departments. 

The City of Montreal Fire Department faces unique challenges as the second most populous city in Canada with unique geographic attributes and infrastructure design,” said Jean Thibault, president of L’Arsenal.  

Ascendant Heavy-Duty Aerial Tower 

The need for excellent maneuverability along the city’s narrow roads and alleys made the 100’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Towers the ideal apparatus to support the critical work of the department.” 

Thibault continued, “The configurations offered by the apparatus address the need for a more compact and maneuverable fire truck with lower travel height, shorter overhang, and lighter weight, without having to compromise on aerial performance.” 

Key Features 

Since its introduction by Pierce in 2018, the 100’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Tower has brought voice of customer feedback and market-disrupting attributes to the forefront of the industry by offering features including superior maneuverability, drivability, operator functionality, and serviceability. Other key features include: 

  • Mid-mount configuration that can also satisfy the needs of the traditional rear-mount market 
  • Length under 42’ and lower overall height (as low as 10' 8") 
  • 1,000 lb. dry / 500 lb. wet payload capacity 
  • Up to 20-degree below grade operation and 50-degree below grade scrub area 
  • Integrated ground pads for rapid aerial operation setup 

With the City of Montreal Fire Department’s primary focus on safety, noise reduction, maneuverability, visibility, and overall performance, the Ascendant 100’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Towers will be an essential resource for the community’s firefighters who cover 166 square miles and serve 1.7 million citizens.