Spotlight: ESI Equipment, Inc. dedicated to offering an advanced economical solution to today's high vehicle operating costs

ESI Rapid Response Units are used to serve the emergency service market as an inexpensive first-due apparatus

Company name: ESI Equipment, Inc.
Headquarters: Montgomeryville, Pa.
Signature Product: ESI Rapid Response Units

1. What was the inspiration behind starting your company?
Starting as a one-person operation over 30 years ago, ESI Equipment, Inc. began representing the Holmatro Rescue Tool line. Continued growth and increasing demand from our great customers, ESI has grown to be a reliable emergency resource as one of the largest rescue equipment suppliers in North America and a manufacturer of other types of equipment and services that are distributed worldwide. ESI Apparatus Division has always provided our customers with the ability to design, fabricate and install well-thought-out hydraulic rescue systems on your apparatus.

It is trite to say at this point, but the reality of the fire service today is continual refinement of tactics to fit a reduced workforce, aging apparatus and increased calls for EMS. With this in mind, ESI Equipment, Inc., headquartered in Montgomeryville, Pa., partnered with Fibrobec, based in Montreal, Canada, to develop a small, inexpensive fire apparatus that can handle 80% of the normal responses for which most city and densely populated area fire departments are called. ESI's first concept demonstration unit was an idea based on what was being said by chiefs across North America — that we need to find a more efficient and economical way of delivering our services to the public.

Today, we offer complete fire apparatus custom upfit and installation of all equipment (at your location or ours), in addition to our own game-changing line of Responder Apparatus: Rapid Response Units (RRU) and the mission-build, all-terrain Xtreme Response Units (XRU)

2. What is your signature product and how does it work?
A game-changing solution for today's responders, ESI Rapid Response Units are used to serve the emergency service market as an inexpensive first-due apparatus. ESI Apparatus Division's specialized custom interior configurations and installation options offer a rare opportunity to reduce vehicle operating and maintenance costs while enhancing vehicle capabilities. With transferable bodies that fit any domestic pick-up, ESI Rapid Response Units introduce a more effective and economical way of handling 80% of regular calls.

3. Why do you believe your products are essential to the first responder community?
Our ESI Rapid Response Units offer an advanced economical solution to today’s high vehicle operating costs. With fiberglass weather resistant transferable bodies that fit any domestic pick-up truck, custom interior configurations upfitted with remarkable capability, uniquely engineered wiring harnesses housing all components mounted inside the cap, these units offer a rare opportunity to reduce operating costs while enhance your capabilities. 

Smaller rescue vehicles, such as ESI’s Rapid Response Unit, are filling the need for many departments where a larger fire truck is above budget restraints and staffing requirements. ESI Apparatus Division’s Rapid Response Units are less expensive to operate than a larger fire truck and capable of carrying emergency response equipment, medical supplies in a climate-controlled cabinet and even offer enough space to include water or foam pumps. The RRUs are smaller and therefore can respond to a call quicker with easier maneuverability.

Using the Rapid Response Unit even for non-fire calls decreases the number of crew members required and leaves the larger, more expensive truck for a call that requires its use; extending the life of the larger fire trucks with less wear and tear. The fast and easy transfer of the cap allows the vehicle to be back in service quickly.

4. What has been the biggest challenge your company has faced?
Tradition. ESI Apparatus develops new and cutting-edge products. Despite the number of times we heard the needs of departments/companies and knew that our apparatus was the solution they needed, it was a challenge in the beginning to get departments to go in a new, more modern direction. Although a challenge at first, our Rapid Response Units have proven their value and capabilities to many companies, serving a large variety of functions.

5. What makes your company unique?
There are many things that make our company unique. Where ESI Equipment, Inc. seems to stand apart is in the variety of equipment, apparatus and services that we offer. The divisions of ESI.

Our goal has always been to listen to our customer’s need and ensure we are offering or leading them to the best possible solution to there need. A customer may be interested in a pair of our bifocal safety glasses and learn that we also carry an entire line of Fluorine-Free Foam which then may lead to realizing that we also have an entire line of portable CAFS; given the current climate with COIVD-19 the customer may also find that our EPA approved hospital grade disinfectant proven to kill the virus without any harsh chemicals (so it’s safe to use on electronics, vinyl, food surfaces and more) is a solution for their pain.

Exploring further, a customer will learn that our Rapid Response Units can house all these items, in addition to equipment from our complete line of Rescue Struts and stabilization equipment from JYD Industries, a division of ESI.

For ESI Equipment Apparatus Division’s Rapid Response Units (RRUs), the units are notably unique in of themselves but, ultimately, our dedicated and passionate personnel and their unwavering commitment to ensuring our customers have access to the best products, services, training/education, or apparatus we can offer so they can best serve their community, is what makes our company unique.

In terms of equipping the unit, configurations are only limited by the purchaser’s imagination. What many customers don’t realize at first is that ESI’s lengthy experience in custom-mounting equipment in emergency apparatus means the company can fit much more equipment in the limited space of the RRU than what a customer thinks is possible at first sight.

Additionally, many customers have expressed their appreciation for the ingenuity of our units, the economic advantage our units offer regarding their budgets, and our after-sale care through our service and support. This is evident in the number of returning customers who start with purchasing one or two units and over time end up with an entire fleet of RRUs.

The most rewarding part of serving the first responder community is hearing how our apparatus have aided in making it safer, easier and more effective. To be able to offer a solution that reduced operating costs for our customers while enhancing what they can do for their community is very gratifying. 

8. Do you support any charitable organizations within public safety?
ESI Equipment, Inc. continues to support many local and national organizations. In addition to being the official rescue tool provider, trainer, and on-track safety team for over eight race tracks, ESI is also a sponsor of The Spirit of Courage Awards for the Burn Prevention Network, active supporter of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and a long-time member of FEMSA.

9. Is there any fun fact or trivia that you would like to share with our users about you or your company?
ESI Equipment is the #1 Holmatro dealer in North America and its JYD division has a global footprint.

10. What is next for your company? Any upcoming new projects or initiatives?
For the past 30 years, ESI Equipment Inc. has continued to innovate products and training to help support and protect our emergency response community across the USA. ESI’s Apparatus Division is consistently fine-tuning, inventing, and implementing new, unique, and proven methods to ensure we are providing thoughtfully engineered apparatus using the latest technology and designs.

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