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Pierce_NewOrleans_BannerNew deliveries reinforce the department’s commitment to top-tier firefighting apparatus and enhanced maneuverability on the city's narrow streets.

APPLETON, Wis. (November 19, 2024)Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK) business, is pleased to announce the delivery of four Ascendant® 107’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Ladders on Enforcer™ chassis to the New Orleans Fire Department. These four identical trucks, built on a single rear axle chassis, were chosen for their exceptional maneuverability on the city's historic, narrow streets, further strengthening the partnership between the New Orleans Fire Department, Pierce, and Pierce dealer Siddons-Martin Emergency Group. The New Orleans Fire Department has a long history with Pierce Manufacturing, including the purchase of 21 Pierce pumpers in 2018. The department then added three additional Pierce aerial trucks to their fleet, resulting in a fully Pierce-equipped frontline firefighting operation. This latest delivery marks a further investment in advanced firefighting capabilities, with the new aerials designed to meet the unique demands of New Orleans' urban landscape.

“We fell in love with the first Pierce Ascendant aerial we added to our fleet, so it made sense to expand with four more,” said Charlie Howley, fleet manager for the New Orleans Fire Department. “These trucks are perfect for maneuvering around curbs and navigating the tight, brick streets of New Orleans. With Pierce’s TAK-4® Independent Suspension, they handle the rough conditions in our older city very well. Our team appreciates their reliability and ease of maintenance.”
The four Ascendant aerial ladders are identical, equipped with advanced technology and performance features, including a 107' steel ladder with 100' horizontal reach, a 500-gallon water tank, and the robust TAK-4 Independent Suspension system. 

Additional Features Include:

  • Waterous 1500 GPM pump
  • Telma retarder for advanced braking
  • Rosco Drive Cam system for enhanced incident logging and safety
  • Tip control system for operating the aerial from the ladder tip

“These trucks were designed with practicality and durability in mind, which is crucial for navigating New Orleans’ challenging streets,” said Kirk Givler, vice president of sales for Siddons-Martin Emergency Group. “The customization and attention to detail reflect our commitment to delivering the best possible equipment for the department’s needs, and we look forward to providing the highest level of service throughout the lifespan of the apparatus.”

The New Orleans Fire Department maintains a prestigious "Class 1" rating, serving the greater New Orleans area spanning 199,000 square miles with a population of approximately 391,000 residents. Operating out of 31 stations across six fire districts, the department responds to around 65,000 calls annually. The department is uniquely positioned to handle the city's rich historical architecture and vibrant culture, including large-scale events such as Mardi Gras and the Louisiana Jazz & Heritage Festival, as well as numerous conventions and special events throughout the year.

"We’re thrilled with the results we’ve seen from Pierce," Howley added. "Our aging fleet needed an update, and the new apparatus have exceeded our expectations. They’ve held up well in the humid climate and handle the city's unique challenges with ease."

In addition to this latest delivery, the New Orleans Fire Department has recently placed an order for a Pierce Snozzle® and a rescue truck, further expanding emergency service capabilities.

For more information on Pierce's Ascendant aerial ladders and other innovative fire apparatus, visit www.piercemfg.com for specs, videos, and images.


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Topics: Apparatus Orders


About Pierce Manufacturing
Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation [NYSE: OSK] business, is the leading North American manufacturer of custom fire apparatus. Products include custom and commercial pumpers, aerials, rescue trucks, wildland trucks, mini pumpers, and homeland security apparatus. In addition, Pierce designs its own foam systems and was the first company to introduce frontal airbags and the Side Roll Protection system to fire apparatus. To learn more about Pierce, visit www.piercemfg.com.

About Oshkosh Corporation

At Oshkosh (NYSE: OSK), we make innovative, mission-critical equipment to help everyday heroes advance communities around the world. Headquartered in Wisconsin, Oshkosh Corporation employs over 18,000 team members worldwide, all united behind a common purpose: to make a difference in people’s lives. Oshkosh products can be found in more than 150 countries under the brands of JLG®, Pierce®, MAXIMETAL, Oshkosh® S-Series™, Oshkosh® Defense, McNeilus®, IMT®, Jerr-Dan®, Frontline™ Communications, Oshkosh® Airport Products, Oshkosh AeroTech™ and Pratt Miller. For more information, visit oshkoshcorp.com.

®, ™ All brand names referred to in this news release are trademarks of Oshkosh Corporation or its subsidiary companies.

Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains statements that the Company believes to be “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, statements regarding the Company’s future financial position, business strategy, targets, projected sales, costs, earnings, capital expenditures, debt levels and cash flows, and plans and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. When used in this news release, words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “should,” “project” or “plan” or the negative thereof or variations thereon or similar terminology are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors, some of which are beyond the Company’s control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors include the Company's ability to successfully integrate the AeroTech acquisition and to realize the anticipated benefits associated with the same; the risks associated with international operations and sales, including compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act;  the Company’s ability to comply with complex laws and regulations applicable to U.S. government contractors; cybersecurity risks and costs of defending against, mitigating and responding to data security threats and breaches impacting the Company; the Company’s ability to successfully identify, complete and integrate other acquisitions and to realize the anticipated benefits associated with the same; and risks related to the Company’s ability to successfully execute on its strategic road map and meet its long-term financial goals. Additional information concerning these and other factors is contained in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this news release. The Company assumes no obligation, and disclaims any obligation, to update information contained in this news release. Investors should be aware that the Company may not update such information until the Company’s next quarterly earnings conference call, if at all.

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