Roger Mardon fire service history

Fire service historian and author

Roger Mardon

www.romar.org.uk

Many enthusiasts and professional firefighters adhere to the view that Britain's firefighting vehicles are properly called fire appliances. They may be right but, in common with many people I know who build them and most members of the public, I believe fire engines is a perfectly acceptable term. Indeed, 'engins' for the extinguishing of fires were built long before the first 'appliance' rolled off the production line. In America an engine is a pump or pumper but in the UK a fire engine is a generic term for any emergency vehicle operated by the fire service.

For many years the British fire service used standard terminology and abbreviations to identify appliances. Now some brigades seem in competition to find the longest name to denote appliances with similar capabilities. For example, a water tender ladder with rescue equipment can be a rescue water tender ladder (R/WrL), a water tender ladder rescue (WrL/R), a water tender ladder/emergency tender (WrL/ET), or a even fire and rescue tender (FRT), according to where you are. By the way, an FRT is not the same thing as an FRU which is a London Fire Brigade fire rescue unit, called a rescue tender just about everywhere else. Confusing, isn't it?

I will try and guide you through the maze.

After World War 2 the Central Fire Brigades Advisory Council's Joint Committee on Design and Development of Appliances and Equipment issued specifications for different types of fire appliance - the JCDD specfications. These were updated as needs and technology advanced. They are now defunct but still provide a clue to the nature of some appliances.

The following list indicates the main features of each type of appliance now or previously in use, drawing on the JCDD specifications as appropriate. There will still be local variations but anything I have omitted can probably be worked out with a little imagination.

You will see that some of the vehicles we call fire engines are not used for fighting fires at all. This is because the fire service has long been equipped, and therefore recognised, as the main rescue service, even though it was not until 2004 that Parliament imposed a statutory duty on the service to respond to such things as road accidents. And unless you live in Cleveland, Cornwall or London you now have a fire and rescue service not a fire brigade.

Preparation of the list is not an exact science and all additions will be welcome.

Appliance Type	Abbreviation	Description
Accident rescue unit/vehicle	ARU, ARV	Vehicle equipped for rescuing people trapped in road traffic accidents.
Aerial appliance		Generic term for any appliance such as a turntable ladder, hydraulic platform or aerial ladder platform.
Aerial ladder		American term for a turntable ladder.
Aerial ladder platform	ALP	Appliance with extending booms and ladder running alongside, with a rescue cage at the head, such as a Bronto Skylift.
Aerial rescue pump	ARP	A pumping appliance fitted with an aerial platform such as the Magirus Multistar or Vema. The modern equivalent of the pump hydraulic platform.
Airport rescue and firefighting vehicle	ARFFV	Modern term originating in America for an airport crash tender.
All-terrain vehicle	ATV	A light multi-wheel-drive or tracked vehicle for crossing rough ground, such as the Crayford Argocat or Scot-Trak.
Ambulance	Amb
Animal rescue unit	ARU	Appliance, usually 4-wheel-drive, equipped for rescuing large animals from precarious situations.
Auxiliary towing vehicle	ATV	AFS/NFS appliance introduced in 1941 to tow trailer pumps. There is no evidence to suggest this was known as the ATV until after the war.
Bikini unit	E/TWU	Popular name for the AFS transportable water unit.
Breakdown lorry	BL	Recovery vehicle sometimes equipped with heavy rescue equipment for emergency response.
Breathing apparatus control van	BACV	Vehicle with equipment to provide BA control.
Breathing apparatus support unit/vehicle	BASU, BASV	Vehicle carrying spare BA cylinders and equipped to clean and recharge BA sets at the scene of an incident.
Breathing apparatus tender	BAT	Same as a breathing apparatus support unit. The first pumps in London to carry BA were called BA tenders.
Bridging parts carrier	E/BrC	AFS appliance carrying 6-inch piping and fittings to build six water pipeline bridges over a road.
Bulk foam carrier/unit	BFC, BFU	Longer name for a foam carrier.
Bulk water carrier	BWrC, BWC	Longer name for a water carrier.
Canteen van	CaV	Vehicle equipped to provide hot food and drink to crews at protracted incidents.
Chemical incident unit	CIU	Appliance equipped for dealing with chemical spillages etc.
Cliff rescue unit	CRU	See also line rescue unit and rope rescue rescue unit.
Combined aerial rescue pump	CARP	Four word name for an aerial rescue pump.
Combined ladder platform	CLP	Another name for an aerial ladder platform.
Command car	E/CmdCar	AFS light 4-wheel-drive vehicle used as staff car, reconnaissance vehicle or towing vehicle for field telephone trailer.
Command support unit/vehicle	CSU, CSV	Usually a smaller version of a command unit, often providing the initial command and control facility at an escalating incident.
Command unit	CU	Another name for a control unit.
Communication unit (stores and service van)	E/CommsS	AFS vehicle fitted to maintain and carry spare parts for radio equipment.
Communications unit layer (line layer)	E/CommsL	AFS 2-wheeled trailer equipped to lay cable and provide field telephone system. Usually towed by a command car.
Compact water tender ladder	C/WrL	A smaller than standard water tender ladder. At least one brigade has/had two sizes of vehicle with an identical equipment inventory.
Control unit	CU	Mobile HQ and communications centre for the officer in charge of a large fire or incident.
Control unit	E/CU	AFS control unit.
Crash tender	CrT	Appliance specially equipped to deal with aircraft crashes and fires in aircraft.
Dam lorry		Improvised wartime appliance comprising a lorry carrying a water container (dam) generally of 500 or 1,000 gallons. See also mobile dam unit.
Damage control unit	DCU	Another name for a salvage tender.
Damage limitation unit	DLU	Another name for a salvage tender.
Decontamination unit	DCU, DecU, DeconU	Appliance equipped to decontaminate personnel engaged in chemical incidents.
Deluge set trailer	DST	Applicable to Scotland.
Detection, identification and monitoring unit	DIM	New Dimension appliance equipped to detect, identify and monitor hazardous materials at an incident.
Disrobe module	MDD	A New Dimension appliance with equipment to replenish incident response units.
Driver training vehicle/lorry	DTV, DTL
Dual purpose appliance	DP	Appliance equipped to run as a pump escape or a pump, or as a pump ladder or a pump.
Emergency catering unit	ECU	Long name for a canteen van.
Emergency pump	E/P	AFS rear-wheel-drive or 4-wheel-drive pump popularly known as a Green Goddess.
Emergency rescue tender	ERT	Long name for an emergency tender.
Emergency salvage tender	EST	Appliance combining the functions of an emergency tender and a salvage tender.
Emergency tender	ET	Appliance carrying special firefighting, rescue and other equipment not available on a standard fire engine. Would have carried breathing apparatus before this was available on pumping appliances. Type-A ETs were designed for larger towns and cities and had a built-in generator. Type-B ETs were intended for smaller towns and did not have a built-in generator. Term not now in general use.
Enhanced command support vehicle	ECSV	New Dimension appliance for command and control.
Escape		Extending ladder mounted on a wheeled carriage, originally hand-pushed, later horse-drawn and finally vehicle mounted. The last vehicle mounted escapes were taken out of use in 1994.
Escape carrying unit	ECU	Wartime appliance equipped with 130-gal (approx) water tank and hose-reel carrying a wheeled escape. Designed to tow a trailer pump but later appliances were fitted with a front-mounted pump.
Escape tender		Pre-war appliance equipped with 40- or 60-gal water tank and hose-reel, but no main pump, carrying a wheeled escape.
Escape van		Obsolete appliance with no pump carrying a wheeled escape, sometimes used synonymously with escape tender.
Exhibition unit	ExU	Vehicle used for staging fire safety and recruiting exhibitions.
Extra heavy unit	EHU	Wartime pumping appliance with 6-delivery 1,100gpm pump.
Fire and rescue tender	FRT	Another term for a rescue pump used by Dumfries & Galloway Fire & Rescue Service.
Fire float		Obsolete term for a boat or barge equipped for firefighting, not usually self-propelled.
Fire fogging unit	FFU	Light 4-wheel drive vehicle equipped with a hgh pressure pump for generating a water fog.
Fire investigation unit	FIU	Vehicle with technical and administrative facilties for investigating the cause of a fire.
Fire rescue unit	FRU	London FB term for a rescue tender.
Fireboat	FBt	Self-propelled vessel specially designed or adapted for firefighting.
First strike appliance		Light appliance with hose-reel or small pump to provide some form of attack pending the arrival of heavier equipment. Often used by works fire brigades. Term no longer in general use.
First-aid tender		Obsolete appliance with basic firefighting tools and possibly a hose-reel.
Foam carrier	FoC	Tanker or vehicle carrying large quantity of foam compound in containers.
Foam salvage tender	FST	Appliance combining the functions of a foam tender and a salvage tender.
Foam tender	FoT, FT	Appliance carrying foam and foam-making equipment, sometimes with a built-in pump.
Foam tender	E/FoamT	AFS general purpose lorry adapted to carry 100 5-gallon drums of foam compound.
Foam trailer	FoTr, FTr	Trailer carrying foam and foam-making equipment.
Food & drinking water carrier	E/FoodC	AFS general purpose lorry fitted to carry portable cooking equipment and food and water for mobile fire columns.
Forced entry and lighting unit	FEL	A London appliance of the 1970s.
Fork-lift truck	FLT	Vehicle used for loading and unloading containerised or palletised equipment from e.g. operational support units and incident response units. Carried piggy-back style on the rear of such appliances.
Forward control unit	FCU	A light vehicle that can be used as a control point closer to an incident than would be practical with a main control or command unit, similar to a command support unit.
General purpose lorry	E/GP	AFS dropside lorry with canvas tilt for carrying general loads.
General purpose lorry/vehicle/van	GPL, GPV
Green Goddess	E/P	Popular name for the AFS emergency pump.
Hazardous materials unit	HazMat, HMU	Appliance equipped for dealing with hazardous materials similar to a chemical incident unit.
Heavy demountable chassis	HDC	London Fire Brigade term for a large prime mover.
Heavy rescue tender/vehicle	HRT, HRV	Term used by some brigades for a large rescue tender with extensive range of equipment.
Heavy unit	HU	Wartime pumping appliance with 4-delivery 700gpm pump.
Height vehicle		Term used by Kent Fire & Rescue Service for an aerial appliance.
Hi-ex (foam) unit		Appliance designed to generate and deliver high expansion foam.
High volume pumping unit	HVPU	New Dimension appliance with demountable pump and hose laying facility.
Hose carrier	HoC, HC	Appliance whose principal purpose is to carry hose.
Hose foam tender	HFoT, HFT	Appliance combining the functions of a hose layer or carrier and a foam tender.
Hose layer	E/HL	AFS hose layer.
Hose layer, hose laying lorry	HL, HLL	Appliance designed to pay out hose as it travels.
Hose-reel escape		Same as escape tender.
Hose-reel tender	HRT	Largely obsolete appliance with water tank and hose-reel but no main pump.
Hydraulic platform	HP	Aerial appliance with two hinged booms, and sometimes a third fly boom, with a cage at the head mounted on a turntable and typically extending to a maximum working height of between 65 and 90 feet. Popularly called a 'Snorkel' after the original platform by Simon Engineering.
Hydraulic platform pump	HPP	A hydraulic platform with a pump to provide water for the monitor (water cannon) mounted on the cage. Not the same as a pump hydraulic platform.
Incident command and control unit	ICCU	Long name for a control unit.
Incident command unit	ICU	Another name for a control unit.
Incident response unit	IRU	New Dimension appliance with decontamination equipment for use at chemical, nuclear, biological and conventional terrorist incidents. It's a big decontamination unit.
Incident support unit	ISU	Appliance carrying special firefighting and other equipment not available on a standard fire engine. See also operational support unit.
Inflatable rescue boat	IRBt	Carried on some rescue tenders or towed on a trailer.
Light 2-wheel-drive vehicle with hose-reel	L2T	Similar to a hose-reel tender or first strike appliance.
Light 2-wheel-drive vehicle with pump	L2P	Similar to a first strike appliance.
Light 4-wheel-drive rescue tender	L4R	Light rescue tender with off-road capability.
Light 4-wheel-drive vehicle	L4V	Vehicle with off-road capability such a Land Rover for general use.
Light 4-wheel-drive vehicle with hose-reel	L4T	Similar to a hose-reel tender or first strike appliance with off-road capability.
Light 4-wheel-drive vehicle with pump	L4P	Light pump with off-road capability.
Light 6-wheel-drive rescue tender	L6R	Light rescue tender with off-road capability.
Light 6-wheel-drive vehicle with hose-reel	L6T	Similar to a hose-reel tender or first strike appliance with off-road capability.
Light 6-wheel-drive vehicle with pump	L6P	Light pump with off-road capability.
Light demountable chassis	LDC	London Fire Brigade term for a light prime mover.
Light fire appliance	LFA	Light van-based appliance mainly used in the more remote areas of Scotland.
Light portable pump	LPP	A pump carried on a water tender or other appliance that can be used away from the vehicle.
Light portable pump carrier	E/LPPCr	AFS general purpose lorry adapted to carry six E/LPPs and associated equipment.
Light rescue tender	LRT	Light vehicle equipped for rescuing people trapped in precarious situations such as road traffic accidents.
Light strike appliance		Term used by Guernsey Fire Brigade for a first strike appliance.
Light water tender	LWrT	Usually a water tender with less than a 400-gal (1,818 litre) water tank, i.e. a pump.
Lighting unit	LU	Appliance equipped to provide lighting at the scene of an incident.
Lighting unit trailer	LUTr	Trailer equipped to provide lighting at the scene of an incident.
Lightweight portable pump	E/LPP	Specially designed light portable pump for the AFS emergency pump (Green Goddess).
Line rescue unit	LiRU	See also rope rescue unit and cliff rescue unit.
Maintenance vehicle	E/MV	AFS general purpose lorry fitted and equipped as a service vehicle to maintain appliances in a mobile fire column.
Major pump	MP	Term once used in some brigades for a pump that was bigger than the 400/500gpm appliance provided for in the JCDD specification.
Major rescue tender	MRT	Same as a heavy rescue tender.
Manual pump		Obsolete reciprocating pump operated by working levers up and down by hand. Came in various sizes and the larger ones were horse-drawn.
Mass decontamination unit		Generic term for the New Dimension disrobe and re-robe modules.
Medium demountable chassis	MDC	London Fire Brigade term for a medium prime mover.
Mobile dam unit	MDU	Dam lorry either towing or carrying a pump. The forerunner of the modern water tender.
Mobile display unit	MDU	Same as an exhibition unit.
Mobile kitchen	E/KT	AFS vehicle equipped to provide and serve hot meals for 300 personnel.
Mobile workshop	MW, MWS	Vehicle equipped to repair appliances on station or even on the fireground.
Motor pump	MP	Term used for early petrol-driven pumps to distinguish them from horse-drawn engines.
Motor tender	MT	Obsolete term for a vehicle carrying basic firefighting tools and often used as a towing vehicle for trailer pumps.
Motor-cycle	Mc
Motor-cycle	E/Mc	AFS solo motorcycle used to assist in the control of mobile fire columns and for dispatch riding.
Motor-cycle combination	MComb	Motor-cycle with sidecar, equipped with simple firefighting tools or used for general transport of small items.
Multi-role vehicle	MRV	Appliance able to load containerised or palletised equipment according to need.
Operational support unit Operations support unit	OSU	Appliance carrying special firefighting and other equipment, often containerised or palletised, not available on a standard fire engine. See also incident support unit.
Personnel carrying vehicle	PCV	Personnel carrier, i.e. a vehicle used for transporting personnel between locations, usually a minibus.
Personnel carrying vehicle	E/PCV	AFS general purpose lorry fitted with removeable bench seating for 28 personnel in the back.
Petrol carrier	PetC	Vehicle carrying petrol to refuel appliances on the fireground. Modern appliances are diesel-powered and fuel is generally transported in cans by general purpose lorries.
Petrol carrier	E/PetrolC	AFS general purpose lorry adapted to carry 144 20-litre cans of petrol to refuel appliances.
Pipe carrier	E/PipeC	AFS lorry designed to carry 1/3 mile of 6-inch plastic or light alloy piping.
Portable pump	PP	Applicable to Scotland.
Prime mover	PM	A vehicle fitted with a system to load and transport different specialised bodies or pods according to need.
Pump	P	A fire engine with a built-in main pump. The postwar JCDD specification provided for a water tank of at least 80 gallons, a 400/500gpm (1,820/2,270 l/min) pump, an extension ladder and acceleration from 0-40mph in 25 seconds. See also major pump. Now used to indicate a pumping appliance with a water tank of less than 400 gallons (1,818 litres) carrying a 30- or 35-ft.(9 or 10.5m) ladder.
Pump escape	PE	A pump carrying a wheeled escape ladder usually extending to 50 feet. Replaced by the pump ladder/water tender ladder and no longer in use.
Pump escape with breathing apparatus	PE(BA)	Once applicable to Scotland.
Pump foam tender	PFT	A foam tender with a built-in pump.
Pump hydraulic platform	PHP	A pump fitted with a 50 foot (usually) hydraulic platform conceived in 1962 to combine the roles of a pumping appliance and small aerial appliance. Not the same as a hydraulic platform pump.
Pump ladder	PL	A pump carrying the 3-section 45 foot, or metric equivalent 13.5 metre, ladder which replaced the wheeled escape.
Pump ladder rescue/rescue pump ladder	PRL, RPL	A pump ladder equipped with accident rescue equipment.
Pump salvage tender