| The Pierce booth showcases the company’s history of innovation and highlights its 100th anniversary |
Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation company, recently desplayed six custom fire and rescue vehicles at the 2013 International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) Fire-Rescue International (FRI) Conference and Exhibition at McCormick Place in Chicago, Ill. The Pierce booth #4431 showcased the company’s history of innovation and highlights its 100th anniversary.
The booth featured the new Pierce Hawk Extreme wildland, as well as a vintage, bicentennial-themed, 1976 Pierce custom pumper. In addition, Pierce showcased the custom, one-of-a-kind Ford F-150 pickup for its Support for the Long Haul sweepstakes to benefit the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF).
“Pierce’s 100th Anniversary celebrates the rich history of our company as we conclude our first – and begin our next – one hundred years,” said Jim Johnson, Oshkosh Corporation executive vice president and president Fire & Emergency. “Along with an excellent display of apparatus – including the Dash CF chassis – we are showcasing a century of Pierce milestones and achievements.”
The six custom fire and rescue apparatus on display included the game-changing Pierce Dash CF pumper with its innovative tilting cab-forward design, (featuring a 70-inch cab, seating for five firefighters, 600 gallon water tank and a 189-inch body) shown courtesy of the Wichita Fire Department in Wichita, Kan. A Pierce Quantum 75-foot aerial ladder with a PUC pump, three-section aluminum aerial device, and the Pierce exclusive DD13 500 HP big block engine is shown courtesy of the Clark County Fire Department in Las Vegas, Nev. Alongside is a Velocity pumper, featuring the forward roof cab design, a 70-inch cab and a DD13 450 HP engine, on display with permission of Polk County Fire Rescue in Polk County, Fla. A Pierce Saber pumper, featuring the PUC and a 450 hp engine, is on hand courtesy of the Rockford Fire Department in Rockford, Ill. Finally, a Pierce Arrow XT 105-foot heavy duty ladder, featuring TAK-4 independent front suspension and a 500 HP engine, shown courtesy of the Milwaukee Fire Department in Milwaukee, Wis.
Also on display was a DD13 engine which, through a recent five-year extension to the original agreement between Pierce and Detroit Diesel Corporation, remains available exclusively on Pierce custom chassis including the Dash CF, Quantum, Velocity, and Arrow XT.
The 1976 vintage Pierce custom pumper on display was a piece of living history, with roots reaching back to America’s bicentennial year, when it was unveiled at FRI in Las Vegas. “As part of Pierce’s living history, we are proud to display a red, white and blue custom pumper from Jonesboro, Indiana originally displayed at this very show in 1976,” added Johnson. “It’s even more amazing when you understand this truck is still on duty at its department...as is one of the firefighters who first drove it to FRI during America’s bicentennial celebration thirty seven years ago!”
Pierce also showcased its Support for the Long Haul initiative to benefit the NFFF. Through October 1, 2013, participants who make a $10 donation to the NFFF will automatically be entered for the chance to win the firefighter inspired, customised Ford F-150 4 x 4 SuperCrew pickup truck seen at booth #4431. The sweepstakes winner will be announced in November 2013.