Engine 5 is the workhorse of the Paden City Vol. Fire Co.
The truck was delivered in the fall of 1992 and was one of the first
apparatus manufactured by pierce that utilized the fully enclosed cab
that is now required on all apparatus. Engine 5 carries 750
gallons of water and can pump 1250 gallons of water per minute, the
truck was designed with a short wheelbase to handle many of the streets
in town as well as those found in our primary mutual aid districts
with-in Sistersville and New Martinsville. This truck is the first
due engine on all fire related assignments and motor vehicle accident in
the Paden City Fire-Rescue District as well as the first due apparatus
on mutual aid assignments.
Fire Hose-Engine 5 carries 1200' of 3" supply hose used by the
department to hook up to hydrants within the city. The 1200' is
carried in split beds of 600' which allows two supply lines to be laid from
the hydrant to the truck. The rear of the truck also contains one
pre-connected line for firefighting, located on the right of the hose bed,
it is known as a "Blitz Line" and is used during heavy fire load situation
where large amounts of water are needed immediately. The line is a 2
1/2" hose and is 200' in length and capable of delivering up to 500 gallons
of water per minute. Engine 5 also carries two speedlays shown below
and are used for general fire ground attack, each are 200' long and can
supply 200 gallons per minute at the nozzle.
Air Packs- Engine 5 carries four Self Contained Breathing Apparatus
(SCBA). These air packs allow firefighters to enter dangerous
environments by providing them with 30 minutes of breathing air. Each
member of the Paden City Vol. Fire Co. is equipped with a personal air mask
which connects to the air packs and contain a "heads up" display which
allows a firefighter to see the amount of air he or she has left without
looking away from there current activity. The packs are also
designed for firefighter safety with a PASS device that alerts all personnel
when a firefighter has not moved for more than 10 seconds as well as a Rapid
Intervention connection that allows a second firefighter to provide air to
an injured firefighter should they run out of air in a dangerous
environment. Additionally Engine 5 can carry up to 6 firefighters
including a Driver/Engineer, an Officer, and 4 Firefighters to the scene
which is the most of any vehicle in the departments fleet
Thermal Imager- This piece of equipment is one of the most valuable
found in the fire service. A thermal imager is used in zero visibility
environments and allows firefighters to located occupants of structures that
may have become trapped or disoriented. The imager is also used to
locate hot spots during overhaul and can be used in search and rescue to
locate missing persons in wooded areas.
Positive Pressure Fan- This fan is powered by a gasoline engine and
forces fresh air into a smoke filled structure to give visibility to
interior attack members and allows trapped individuals a better chance of
survival. Positive Pressure is a relatively new tactic used by
firefighters and requires much training and proper understanding to be
effective.
Speedlays- These hoses are the main firefighting lines utilized by
firefighters. Each line is 200' long and capable of delivering 200
gallons of water per minute. The hose can be easily maneuvered inside
of a structure and can be deployed from a fire truck in seconds allowing a
quick attack to prevent the fire from spreading.