One question frequently posed to
firefighters by a visitor to the fire station is “Why are your trucks plugged
in?”
Modern fire engines come equipped
with various electronics. Many of these electronics are required to stay
operational when the truck has been shut down.
Even smaller fire department vehicles, like Car 3, are equipped with numerous
electronic devices, such as laptops and GPS units.
While these electronics serve a
vital role in the modern fire service, they take electricity to run just like
any other device. Fire engines have large banks of batteries in them and can
handle sitting for several hours without needing to be charged, but plugging
them in eliminates the need to periodically send someone to start the apparatus
up.
Externally, the charging units,
known as a ‘Kussmaul’, are composed of only a few parts; the plug, the
receptacle and the charge indicator. When the truck is started, the plug is
automatically ejected and the vehicle is immediately ready to drive away.
Should the auto ejection feature
of the Kussmaul ever fail, the power cords are fitted with breakaway
connectors. These prevent damage to either the fire station or the fire engine
by unplugging when tugged on. Only a short piece remains connected to the fire
engine and the rest stays safely out of the way in the apparatus bay.
Once the cord has been ejected
from the rig, a special cover closes over the now exposed plug. This prevents
dirt and moisture from causing damage. Once the truck returns from a call, the
engineer will flip up the cover and plug the truck back in, ensuring it is
ready to respond to the next emergency.
Brentwood Fire and Rescue
apparatus are plugged in, fully charged and ready to respond!