Safety Systems

Coverage Starts With the Chassis

Pierce chassis are researched, engineered, tested and built with industry-leading safety features and equipment. Some of these innovations are apparent while others are invisible, but all are essential. From bright exterior lighting to latching interior storage spaces and a mission-critical electrical system on Command Zone™ equipped trucks, Pierce fire trucks provide the safety to match their performance. Below are just some of the ways we ensure 360 degrees of protection.

• Side roll protection system for occupant protection
• Frontal air bags for occupant protection
• TAK-4^® Independent Suspension systems
• Seat belt warning system ensures occupants are properly buckled
• Collision avoidance system warns before accidents can occur
• Lateral g-roll indicator alerts driver to excessive chassis roll
• Interior dome lights enhance nighttime visibility
• 13.38" frame rails reduce frame beaming & improve ride stability
• Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
• Ready reach seatbelts make buckling up one-handed & hassle-free
• Noise insulation & soundproofing provide a quieter interior environment
• Tinted windows reduce solar load
• Roll Stability Control (RSC) auto braking system helps prevent side rolls
• Tire protection system including tire monitoring & tire blowout band protection
• Camera vision systems display obstacles clearly
• PS6^® & PSV^® seats enhance comfort & safety

Bonded, Curved Windshield

With no center post obstruction, the single-piece windshield opens sight lines and reduces risk of accidents with clear views of the road, pedestrians, and traffic. Available on Enforcer™, Impel^®, Saber^® and Velocity^® custom chassis.

Forward-Mounted One-Eleven Mirrors on Impel and Velocity

Pierce’s exclusive one-eleven mirrors make these chassis the only custom OEM fire trucks to meet FMVSS-111 visibility standards for school buses. They minimize body and head movements of the driver, and ensure the officer’s position does not interfere with passenger side mirror visibility. This positioning provides visibility to the front bumper as well as along the sides of the body, and narrows overall width of the vehicle by as much as 8".

Automatic Folding Steps

Pierce air-actuated steps fold out automatically when the door is opened. A large first step is provided as low as 16" from the ground. This makes cab exit and entry easier and safer, especially when suited up and carrying gear. The large-area step height is a consistent 16". And since the steps fold away automatically when the doors close, they stay clear of ice, snow and mud. Available on Impel and Velocity chassis.

Side Roll Protection System

Custom Chassis

We’ve thought of all passengers. Our side roll protection system design was tested not simply for an average occupant but with crash dummies ranging from 5th percentile females to 95th percentile males. The evolution of our PS6^® or PSV^® seats allow for side roll air curtains to be fully integrated into the seating system rather than deploying from the wall, another first in the industry. 

360° Protection From Every Angle℠ starts with minimizing the risks of 90 degree side rolls. But it doesn’t end there. Side roll protection is default on Pierce custom chassis.

Commercial Chassis

Pierce worked with IMMI and CAPE to develop a program to test and certify the side roll protection system and cab structural integrity of the Freightliner cab. This application was the first in the commercial market for multiple cab configurations. 

The integration of the side roll protection system in the Freightliner commercial chassis is exclusively available in Pierce fire apparatus. Our side roll protection systems help protect occupants by allowing for side roll air curtains to be fully integrated into the seating system rather than deploying from the wall in a crash or rollover event.

Frontal Air Bags

We’re never satisfied when it comes to occupant safety in Pierce apparatus. The logical evolution in 360 degree protection was the offering of frontal air bags – an industry first in custom chassis.

Occupant Protection

Pierce goes above and beyond with cab structural integrity standards. Pierce® cabs are rigorously tested to ensure ample survival space is maintained when the apparatus is involved in a crash. 

Every cab model is crash tested at the Center for Advanced Product Evaluation (CAPE), a division of IMMI, to meet or exceed the cab integrity requirements relative to occupant protection. 

Cabs are subjected to static roof and side crush testing, as well as dynamic frontal and side impact testing, to simulate the forces a cab would see in a  rollover accident. To pass these rigorous tests, the occupant survival space cannot be compromised during any of the required test loads.

All Pierce custom cabs passed the dynamic tests at two times the required level of energy. And the static roof test proved that all Pierce cabs can withstand four times the required test loads. 

Electronic Stability Control

An automatic safety management braking system, Electronic Stability Control (ESC) enhances the directional and roll stability of fire apparatus during evasive maneuvers.

• Monitors lateral acceleration (cornering) of the vehicle & activates when the critical roll threshold is met.
• Automatically reduces engine RPMs, applies engine retarder (if so equipped) & selectively applies brakes to individual wheel ends of the front & rear axles to assist in bringing the vehicle back to its intended direction. 
• Reduces the possibility of the vehicle rolling on its side.
• Monitors directional stability through sensors & compares the actual direction of the vehicle versus the direction you travel. 
• Reduces the possibility of spinouts or driftouts, even in poor traction conditions.

The Thickest Firewall in the Industry

It starts with .25" aluminum welded to a .5" thick engine tunnel that is tied to the doorposts with a .5" thick semi-crosscar support, providing a rigid front that holds the cab together. This offers greater occupant protection in the event of a frontal crash plus greater shroud protection should an engine mishap occur.

Pierce Exclusive Seats

The first custom-designed, safer and noticeably more comfortable seats in the industry, featuring built-in side roll protection. PS6 and PSV seats feature double-length seat belts and dual retractors that can be pulled quickly and comfortably over a firefighter in full turnout gear. The seats can also be retrofitted into many existing chassis.

• Side roll protection.
• Dual seat belt retractors & double-length seat belts.
• Hands-free SCBA holders.
• Lumbar support.
• 7.5° (PS6) & 5° (PSV) angles of recline.
• 17" cushion (front to back).

Aeroclave Decontamination Spray System

The system allows firefighters the ability to quickly disinfect the cab surfaces. Simply connect a hose loaded with the cleaning solution to the port on the outside of the cab. It brings it into the cab to clean all the surfaces - even the hard-to-reach places. 

Cab Air Filtration System

The Active Air system sanitizes the cab air and surfaces. It eliminates 99% of germs, microbes, viruses and bacteria. The system is fully enclosed and can be in operation while the cab is occupied. 

The system has a lower overall cost than traditional methods and does not cause damage to surfaces. 

It is available on all Pierce custom chassis including units already in service. 

TAK-4 Independent Suspension Systems

The suspension that raises standards:
Pierce was the first custom fire truck manufacturer in North America to offer proprietary independent front suspension. TAK-4 Independent Front Suspension offers a 45 degree cramp angle, delivering a tighter turning radius, better handling and more vehicle control.

It shortens stopping distance by up to 23 percent, improves ride quality by 340 percent, increases load-carrying capacity, improves durability and simplifies maintenance. With the torsion bar lock system, vehicle lean
can be adjusted within 15 minutes. 

Pierce also offers TAK-4 Independent Rear Suspension as well as TAK-4 T3™, which combines the advantages of independent rear suspension with a 100 percent mechanical rear steering system for enhanced maneuverability.

Tire Protection System

The Pierce Tire Pressure Management System uses sensors to monitor tire pressure and temperature and display them in the cab unit. Proper tire inflation reduces maintenance downtime, fuel costs, tire and tread wear, tire blowouts, tread separation, tandem axle tire wear and heat related tire problems.

Exclusive to Pierce in the fire industry, the Tire Blowout Protection Band features a safety band attached to a recessed drop inside the wheel. This prevents the tire from coming off the wheel during a blowout and assists the driver in maneuvering and slowing down in a safe manner.

360 Degree Backup Cameras

Vehicle mounted camera systems provide another layer of situational awareness and blind spot mitigation around the vehicle. Common options range from a single rear facing camera for safe backing of the vehicle, to multi-camera full 360 degree switched view systems that allow the operator to see the entire perimeter of the vehicle in a single glance. 

Lighting Night Mode 

While bright lights make rescue vehicles visible to motorists from a distance, the lights can be blinding to motorists who are passing by the scene.

Departments can choose a lighting package containing dimmer lights to create a safer environment for motorists. The flash pattern is also slower to improve motorist visibility. 

Collision Avoidance  

Pierce offers two collision avoidance systems. The first operates with a sensor in the bumper of the apparatus. The system detects obstacles ahead of the vehicle and automatically applies the breaks.

The second option is HAAS Alert collision mitigation technology. The system sends motorists real-time alerts to notify them that an emergency vehicle is approaching. The technology is also equipped to send notifications to other emergency vehicles to reduce the likelihood of a collision.