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169 points mstngl | 1 comments | | HN request time: 0.2s | source
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mindcrime ◴[] No.45805330[source]
And while we're talking about highly specialized firefighting apparatus... while I don't think Chicago FD ever ran anything quite like the FDNY Mack Super Pumper, they are well known for their use of a piece of apparatus known as a "turret wagon". Basically, it's a big-ass truck with a huge deluge gun (aka "monitor" or "turret") mounted on the back, and with a big intake manifold for receiving multiple supply lines. You could think of a "turret wagon" as being conceptually akin to the "Satellite" units that were part of the FDNY Super Pumper System.

Anyway, one of the best known Chicago Turret Wagons was "Big John" (aka 6-7-3).

https://chicagoareafire.com/blog/2013/04/chicago-fd-turret-w...

https://chicagoareafire.com/blog/2013/04/chicago-fd-turret-w...

Not sure if CFD still maintain any Turret Wagons in contemporary times or not, but variations on the concept are still found, particularly in industrial fire departments that protect high hazard sites like oil refineries, certain chemical plants, etc.

replies(2): >>45805812 #>>45809375 #
1. bombcar ◴[] No.45809375[source]
It's interesting to think about - because Big John obviously takes some time to connect/setup but then can (apparently) deliver 10,000 gallons per minute as long as there's water in the pipes.

Whereas a modern tanker truck can do 1,000 GPM for 2 or 3 minutes, but can do it immediately upon arriving onsite.

https://www.piercemfg.com/fire-trucks/tankers/bx-tanker

It's also relative to how fire-fighting has changed over time, modern buildings that are big enough to NEED the Big John are also much more fire-resistant (concrete instead of wood, etc).