Boley fire truck types: whats a attack tanker?

[caboose63]

I just bought several Boley HO scale fire trucks including a spartan custom cab attack tanker. What i am curios is what distinguishes a attack tanker from a regular fire department tanker. Is a attack tanker able to fight fires on its own?

[jeffrey-wimberly]

A regular tanker just transports water to be distributed to other trucks. Many have a small pump to pump the water out. An attack tanker serves the above stated purpose but also has a larger pump that is capable of pumping from 500 GPM to 1000+ GPM (Gallons Per Minute). Many also carry firefighting equipment. The tanker used by the fire dept I work for carries everything needed for fighting grass fires, woodland fires, vehicle fires and house fires. It can also pump and move at the same time, something that many of the pumper truck cannot do.

[ratled]

I'll take a guess at it since I'm not familiar with the prototype.  A typical tanker - tender here on the west coast as "tankers" here are fixed wing aircraft for wildland fire fighting- usually have a smaller pump capacity (+/- 300 gallons a minute) and are used for supply/ resupplying engines/pumpers that have a higher pumping capacity used for fire attack.

 I would guess this is based on a model that has enough water on board to be considered a tanker - usually over 1,000 gallons - and a big enough pump on board that it can be used for active fire fighting.  A typical modern day fire fire engine/pumper typically has a 1500 gallon per minute pump but only typically have 500 gallons in the tank.

This is just a quick overview.  I think these would be great for smaller departments that need an engine/pumper to fight fire but would also need a tanker and not have enough money to get both.

I hope this helps drop me a note if you need more

ratled

[larak]

No such thing in the wilds of upstate NY.  We have pumpers, tankers, pumper/tankers (and a few  use the term tanker/pumpers).

A "class A pumper" Carries certain equipment specified by the NFPA.  City pumpers carry minimal water. Our carry at least 1250 gallons (usually 1500) so we call them pumper/tankers. 

Our plain tankers have at least as much water, but fewer air packs, and no ladders. Otherwise they are nearly the same.  All have 1500+ gallon per minute pumps.  Sounds like this is one of the above and may be a regional moniker.

 

[P&Slocal]

I would venture to say that it is a pumper/tanker. The VFD I belonged to had one until 1994. It had a 1000 gpm pump and 1000 gal. tank. We actually designated it as an Engine since it had the pump capacity, high pressure system, and enough compartment space for SCBA, fittings and nozzles, 1000' of 5", 250' of 2 1/2" and 2 100' 1 1/2" lines, as well as a deluge gun, a fold-a-tank, and a dump valve. This engine rolled on all mutual aid calls outside the borough. When we replaced it in 1994 we opted to just purchase an engine with a 1500 gpm pump and a 750 gal. tank since the borough has a decent hydrant system.