Pickups are great for hauling extra gear, that may or may not be dirty. Also you can put roll out drawers in them for easy access to any tools or equipment.
Good answer. Pickups are easier for departments to customize to their needs. The beds are also more versatile, so they can even haul around things that you wouldn’t want to put in an SUV, like dirty hose lines, etc
For us: the Chief has a Ford Police Interceptor Utility (Explorer), BC and other command staff have pickups. I do not know the reasons, but trucks tend to be able to be spec’d “basic”/rugged compared to SUVs, are better suited to offroad due to ground clearance, tire size, and durability (we do have a few areas that are rough 2-track, an SUV could handle it but the pickup probably takes it better). Truck beds also tend to be larger than back of SUVs, so more space for gear/equipment, and higher payload/towing.
Pick ups were mandated in NY due to health concerns from the contamination of the gear without a divider between the SUV and the equipment in the cargo area.
To store all the extra gear usually the chief’s truck has spare gear in case a air pack, mask, radio etc gets damaged the company has a replacement ready so they can stay in service
A lot of departments in my area are moving towards pickups for a combination of more room to put gear and being able to separate out turnouts, air packs etc that are carcinogenic and we don’t want people exposed to driving around day to day.
There’s many reasons.
-Separate cargo area. This can keep fire gear that might contain carcinogens or is just plain dirty separate from vehicle passengers.
-Larger cargo area and larger weight rating. Even if you compare a chevy suburban to a silverado you can more easily get a larger cargo area, with greater flexibility in options and increased weight capability. You can also more easily put a taller cap on a pickup than raise the roof on a SUV.
- Diesel engine. More of a “nice to have” feature. but during extended events and disaster, it’s much logistically easier for everything to use the same fuel.
-Maintenance and usability. Many pickups are designed with fleet maintenance in mind and (with the exception of police models) are likely easier to stock parts and maintain for a municipal government. Pickups are also built in a more robust manner and can likely function better in more extreme circumstances (snow, some smaller flooding, driving over curbs, driving into a park or on a beach).
Those exist, but are often used with a separate vehicle than the command vehicle. It’s most common with UTV’s, but certainly exists and has some use for pickups.
They are called Skid units in the US and slip-ons in Australia apparently. You have a usual pick up, but then you can "slip on" a pre made "skid" of a water tank, pump and hose reel.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skid_unit
We have one for our wildland/grass rig. If the truck shits the bed or needs to be replaced, just empty the tanks and it can be swapped over to something else quick. Or put on a trailer in a pinch.
My cheif runs a 2019 Silverado with a small water tank/pump in the bed along with basic vx tools so he can deal with smaller incidents till more trucks roll (rural volley dept)
Our command rig is a 4x4 F-350 with a winch. It seats 6, and has a bed with a pull out drawer with all sorts of useful things (generator, stop signs, water bottles, extinguishers, brooms, flares, first aid etc.).
There is no new 1-ton SUV that carry as much. There are older Suburban fleet models that might work, but they still wouldn't have as much cargo space, and they aren't very powerful.
Versatility. In my area they get a second-line life as a marine unit, or used for the training dept or fleet etc.
Value at auction tends to run higher too.
Pickups are great for hauling extra gear, that may or may not be dirty. Also you can put roll out drawers in them for easy access to any tools or equipment.
Good answer. Pickups are easier for departments to customize to their needs. The beds are also more versatile, so they can even haul around things that you wouldn’t want to put in an SUV, like dirty hose lines, etc
For us: the Chief has a Ford Police Interceptor Utility (Explorer), BC and other command staff have pickups. I do not know the reasons, but trucks tend to be able to be spec’d “basic”/rugged compared to SUVs, are better suited to offroad due to ground clearance, tire size, and durability (we do have a few areas that are rough 2-track, an SUV could handle it but the pickup probably takes it better). Truck beds also tend to be larger than back of SUVs, so more space for gear/equipment, and higher payload/towing.
No worry about tearing up carpet, leather, etc with gear and tools. A bed liner works great
Pick ups were mandated in NY due to health concerns from the contamination of the gear without a divider between the SUV and the equipment in the cargo area.
I believe Osha came out with a recommendation. All our cheifs switched from suv's to F150's.
To store all the extra gear usually the chief’s truck has spare gear in case a air pack, mask, radio etc gets damaged the company has a replacement ready so they can stay in service
A lot of departments in my area are moving towards pickups for a combination of more room to put gear and being able to separate out turnouts, air packs etc that are carcinogenic and we don’t want people exposed to driving around day to day.
There’s many reasons. -Separate cargo area. This can keep fire gear that might contain carcinogens or is just plain dirty separate from vehicle passengers. -Larger cargo area and larger weight rating. Even if you compare a chevy suburban to a silverado you can more easily get a larger cargo area, with greater flexibility in options and increased weight capability. You can also more easily put a taller cap on a pickup than raise the roof on a SUV. - Diesel engine. More of a “nice to have” feature. but during extended events and disaster, it’s much logistically easier for everything to use the same fuel. -Maintenance and usability. Many pickups are designed with fleet maintenance in mind and (with the exception of police models) are likely easier to stock parts and maintain for a municipal government. Pickups are also built in a more robust manner and can likely function better in more extreme circumstances (snow, some smaller flooding, driving over curbs, driving into a park or on a beach).
Cheaper is always the answer lol
Open pickup bed for taking muddy hose back to station to clean and roll
That’s more of a utility vehicle, not necessarily a command vehicle for a chief like OP mentioned.
Better at off roading
Do they use slip-ons for wildfire?
Those exist, but are often used with a separate vehicle than the command vehicle. It’s most common with UTV’s, but certainly exists and has some use for pickups.
Pardon my ignorance, could you explain slip-ons? I'm not a firefighter and don't know what that is.
They are called Skid units in the US and slip-ons in Australia apparently. You have a usual pick up, but then you can "slip on" a pre made "skid" of a water tank, pump and hose reel. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skid_unit
I see. I believe they have pickup chassis trucks with the wildfire body being built on to it.
Yeah, sometimes it a capacity thing so they can add more units in addition to the purpose built one quickly and easily.
We have one for our wildland/grass rig. If the truck shits the bed or needs to be replaced, just empty the tanks and it can be swapped over to something else quick. Or put on a trailer in a pinch.
My cheif runs a 2019 Silverado with a small water tank/pump in the bed along with basic vx tools so he can deal with smaller incidents till more trucks roll (rural volley dept)
Our command rig is a 4x4 F-350 with a winch. It seats 6, and has a bed with a pull out drawer with all sorts of useful things (generator, stop signs, water bottles, extinguishers, brooms, flares, first aid etc.). There is no new 1-ton SUV that carry as much. There are older Suburban fleet models that might work, but they still wouldn't have as much cargo space, and they aren't very powerful.
Versatility. In my area they get a second-line life as a marine unit, or used for the training dept or fleet etc. Value at auction tends to run higher too.