Suburban Fire Chief's rig

[rhvfd10]

While roaming the internet I came across this picture of a Los Angeles County Fire Department Battalion Chief's rig. I'd guess it's a special order police package. I think it's pretty sweet looking. Have any of you seen any GMT-900 Tahoe/Suburbans in Police or Fire service?

http://www.code2high.com/lacofd_106.htm

(can't post the picture )

[Uzzy]

The first EVER Tahoe I saw in person was on Jefferson Ave in Detroit, right near the Cobo Center (home of the NAIAS) the day before I was going to the show to see the GMT-900s in person for the first time. It was pulling someone over, it was a black unmarked Detroit Police truck! That was so cool.

Then just yesterday I saw one all dressed up as an OPP (Ontario Provincial Police) truck sitting outside of a Wink's Convenience in my town. It was in the new colours, black with the white front doors. It looked awesome.

[GMCSonoma]

My sister's local fire department in near Milwaukee has a Chevy 900 Series 2500HD Duramax crew cab pickup with a match fiberglass cap...

[doh]

I won a tender in 2001 for a Fire Rescue Yukon XL. I had to use the GMC side for the chrome wheels (Chebby didn't have them) 6.0L 3/4 ton, rollout cargo bed, 300 amp Alternater. It turned out sweet red with white reflective striping and chrome lettering, I'll try to get a shot of it the next time I see it.

1998 I won a local First Nations Community tender for a GMC 3500 C+C 454, which they had a "Snuffer" body installed on. We lost money on that 1 because the tech that did the PDI filled it with diesel (thinking all cab and chassis's are diesel) we had to drain the tank, change all the filters etc.

[Uzzy]

Originally Posted by doh

1998 I won a local First Nations Community tender for a GMC 3500 C+C 454, which they had a "Snuffer" body installed on. We lost money on that 1 because the tech that did the PDI filled it with diesel (thinking all cab and chassis's are diesel) we had to drain the tank, change all the filters etc.

The nozzle fit? Isn't the Diesel nozzle bigger and the gas ones smaller, so that can't happen?

[Slack]

Our BC ride is a Ford Excursion. I think Litlle Rock uses Tahoes for their BCs. Haven't seen a 900 though. The one in the link looks sweet.

[ctaylorzl1]

Originally Posted by Uzzy

The nozzle fit? Isn't the Diesel nozzle bigger and the gas ones smaller, so that can't happen?

Nope, same size.

I have seen quite a few GMT-900 fire trucks/SUV's, they are quite popular since the decline of the Expedition and Explorer. But I have only seen 1 or mabey 2 police 900's. 1 of them was a Tahoe cruiser and the other I think was a Suburban patty wagon or K9 unit or something like that, because it looked to only have the front seats with a mesh grate/cage behind it.

[DuraMax Hammer]

Originally Posted by rhvfd10

While roaming the internet I came across this picture of a Los Angeles County Fire Department Battalion Chief's rig. I'd guess it's a special order police package. I think it's pretty sweet looking. Have any of you seen any GMT-900 Tahoe/Suburbans in Police or Fire service?

http://www.code2high.com/lacofd_106.htm

(can't post the picture )

The Suburban in those pics is pretty sweet. Looks like a 2500 Sub. My town got a 2007 1500 Suburban for the chief to repalce the '99 Tahoe. But there Suburban looks more like a base model. Unlike the Suburban in the picture that has the panited grille, ours has the black plastic grille, like the Silverado WT. Still pretty cool looking. We are the only town around me that I know of that has one of the 900's for city use. Our police dept. just got a Expidition instead of a Tahoe which sucks. My wife's uncle makes all the city purchases when it comes to cars and truck for city use. And he's a Ford guy. I guess he hasn't learned since the just bought about 10 more of the 6.4L Ford diesels. He'll have fun working on those. I keep telling him to just get the Chevys and he'll have a lot less work. Though all of our towns unmarked police cars are Impala's.

[DuraMax Hammer]

Originally Posted by Uzzy

The nozzle fit? Isn't the Diesel nozzle bigger and the gas ones smaller, so that can't happen?

The only place you will find the bigger nozzles for diesel pumps are at a highway truck stop in the lanes for the 18 wheelers. Otherwise at any gas station or the car/light truck lanes of a truck stop will have a regular sized nozzle for diesel.

[rhvfd10]

I've seen 900 Tahoes in service with a sheriff's office in NV but I haven't been able to get a picture. The 900s sure do seem to have the road presence that is an essential part of a good emergency vehicle and I'm sure that many more will be seen as time passes. That was the first FD one I've seen though. The one thing that would make the 900s better IMO is a diesel powerplant, preferably the 6.0 dmax for the Subs. The reason is that most FDs run almost exclusively diesel fleets anymore and that would help keep the books straight. It's the same reason, I believe, that FDNY runs exclusively Excursions right now for its chiefs.

[DuraMax Hammer]

Originally Posted by rhvfd10

I've seen 900 Tahoes in service with a sheriff's office in NV but I haven't been able to get a picture. The 900s sure do seem to have the road presence that is an essential part of a good emergency vehicle and I'm sure that many more will be seen as time passes. That was the first FD one I've seen though. The one thing that would make the 900s better IMO is a diesel powerplant, preferably the 6.0 dmax for the Subs. The reason is that most FDs run almost exclusively diesel fleets anymore and that would help keep the books straight. It's the same reason, I believe, that FDNY runs exclusively Excursions right now for its chiefs.

You'll get that later this year when the Suburban and Tahoe get the 4.5L Duramax. It'll have the same power number as the original LB7 but with much better fuel economy. I think a year from now, a town looking to get one of the new 900's, you will see them getting the diesel powered versions for the reasons you stated. Plus no more Excursions anymore and Ford might be a year behind on its diesel for the Expeditions.

[King Riffle]

When filling up in Lomira I saw an '07 Tahoe that belonged to the Menominee Nation Tribal Police. Pretty cool. I'm not sure what they were doing so far South.

I've also seen an unmarked police Tahoe.

The 900's are some good looking suvs. Too bad the pickups don't look as good.

[Hose1cook]

When I was picking up my Suburban last year there was a "Chicago" paint style Suburban getting set up for a local F.D. here. I haven't seen it on the road yet but I did take some photo's, I'll try to post them later. Most of the 150 Vollie Dept's on Long Island use Suburban's as their Chiefs cars, and most departments have 4 Chief's, each with his or her own truck to use.

[Uzzy]

Originally Posted by DuraMax Hammer

The only place you will find the bigger nozzles for diesel pumps are at a highway truck stop in the lanes for the 18 wheelers. Otherwise at any gas station or the car/light truck lanes of a truck stop will have a regular sized nozzle for diesel.

Actually around here even the local Pioneer station has them different sizes. I thought they were all like that, since it makes sense...

A bunch of us were coming back from a road trip one day and we stopped to get gas. The notoriously ditzy blonde of the group offered to pump the gas and she grabbed the nozzle with the big yellow handle (the driver had stopped in front of a pump that dispensed both regular and diesel). She could not get the thing in the hole (hehe) and eventually realized that when she followed the hose back tot he pump it said diesel. She grabbed the other one and all was well. That Ford Focus almost got a tank ful of diesel, good thing we were close to home.

[member12]

Originally Posted by Uzzy

Actually around here even the local Pioneer station has them different sizes. I thought they were all like that, since it makes sense...

A bunch of us were coming back from a road trip one day and we stopped to get gas. The notoriously ditzy blonde of the group offered to pump the gas and she grabbed the nozzle with the big yellow handle (the driver had stopped in front of a pump that dispensed both regular and diesel). She could not get the thing in the hole (hehe) and eventually realized that when she followed the hose back tot he pump it said diesel. She grabbed the other one and all was well. That Ford Focus almost got a tank ful of diesel, good thing we were close to home.

Yellow is E85. Diesel pumps have green handles.

At least at my local station....