A quintuple combination pumper is an apparatus that serves five functions: it carries a pump, a water tank, fire hose, a complement of ground ladders, and an aerial device. This versatile vehicle allows a single crew to perform both engine company tasks, like water supply and fire attack, and truck company tasks, like ventilation and elevated rescue.
We're running the quint as the first-due truck tonight.
Because a quint tries to do everything, it often sacrifices water tank capacity and hose bed space compared to a dedicated engine, and has less compartment space than a dedicated truck.
Also heard as
- quintuple combination pumper
Related terms
Triple combination engine
A firefighting vehicle that features an onboard water supply, a powerful pump, and storage for hoses.
Aerial ladder
A mechanically operated, extendable ladder permanently mounted on a fire apparatus.
Apparatus
Any specialized vehicle used by a fire department for emergency response.