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A news release from late April revealed that Oshkosh Corporation, the parent company of brands like Pierce, Medtec, and Frontline Communications, has acquired Snozzle from Crash Rescue Equipment Services, Inc. You can read more about the acquisition here and here. Here are some key excerpts:
"Production of the Snozzle will be moved to the Oshkosh Fire & Emergency Campus in Wisconsin and will be phased in over the next 6–12 months."
"The SNOZZLE apparatus features a piercing nozzle capable of entering an aircraft’s passenger cabin, cargo area, or other structures to apply firefighting agents directly. Its lightweight, highly flexible extendable turret can function as an elevated water tower through a doorway or over a wing exit without putting firefighters at risk. The product's patented ability to deliver a full master stream at ground level allows for rapid and effective cooling of burning aircraft tires and hot brakes. Additionally, the SNOZZLE can reach down, at, or below grade, enabling the "seat of the fire" method for fuel spill fires."
Robert Conley, President of Crash Rescue, said, “We are very proud to have Oshkosh as the buyer of this critical ARFF technology. Grady North and Bob Relyea were instrumental in developing the market for this product within the ARFF industry, and we know they are proud to see it continue with a strong owner like Oshkosh. We wanted to be good stewards of the Snozzle by finding a great home for it. We decided to do this because we needed to focus our personnel and resources on our core business, which has always been remanufacturing. Our newly ISO 9001:2008 certified remanufacturing operation provides total remanufacturing of ARFF vehicles worldwide. Our intent is to grow and further concentrate on this critically needed service for military, industrial, and commercial customers. Crash Rescue has been proud to serve our customers, and we are extremely gratified to know that the SNOZZLE® will continue to save lives, property, and keep our firefighters safe.â€
Until now, the Snozzle was available to all manufacturers, but with Oshkosh’s acquisition, it will now only be offered through its subsidiaries.
Several fire departments have used the Snozzle in various applications, including structural firefighting, by mounting it on custom pumpers. Below are a few examples of how the Snozzle has been used across the U.S.
One notable example is the Chicago Fire Department’s 1994 Oshkosh T3000 at O’Hare Airport, equipped with a Snozzle. Another is the E-ONE Titan 8x8 ARFF unit at Miami International Airport, which was delivered in 2002. With the recent acquisition, these units will now be part of Oshkosh’s portfolio.
In 2010, Chicago also deployed an Oshkosh Striker 3000 with a Snozzle at Midway Airport. Other departments, such as the Orange Fire Department in California and LaGrange Fire Department in Kentucky, have also used Seagrave engines with Snozzles. In Louisiana, the Marrero-Estelle Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1 purchased an E-ONE Cyclone II in 2008 with a 65' Snozzle featuring dual nozzles and a forward-facing camera.
The Snozzle has proven to be a versatile tool, enhancing the capabilities of emergency response units across different scenarios. With Oshkosh now owning the technology, its future development and integration into their fleet look promising.