Editor’s note: This is the first in a new series where we ask apparatus operators a number of questions about their job in a Question and Answer format.

Meet firefighter Brandon Maurer, age 34, Truck Company 1 chauffeur with the Wichita (KS) Fire Department. Maurer has 15 years of service, 10 as a chauffeur. He operates a ladder tower truck in Wichita’s older downtown district.

What were the circumstances that led you to becoming an apparatus operator? Is it something you always wanted to do?

Truck members assisted throughout my fire academy and one of my lead instructors was a truck officer. This was my first exposure to dedicated truck companies, having previously come from a smaller department. During this time in our department’s history, there were four truck and 22 engine companies. To say the least, truck companies were busy; some much busier than others. After getting assigned on the floor, I continued to watch these companies. They were larger than life and carried themselves well. My first experience hearing the sound of the truck company opening up overhead was incredible to say the least and I was hooked. I went through the next available truck academy and was re-assigned to an engine/truck house. For the next eight years, I had a permanent seat riding the step position of Truck Company 1 and moved up to drive during the chauffeur’s absence. For close to four years now I have been permanent senior chauffeur for Truck Company 1 and love it.

What was the most challenging part of the training process?

There were many challenges to overcome when I was a newly certified truck chauffeur. I recall driving the truck back to the firehouse from our training facility after the break-in process. My boss wanted to grab some fast food on the way back to the firehouse. My mind started reeling as to where I would park this large machine. I sized up the restaurant and chose a spot to park but had to go around the block and come in another way. The next side street was narrow with a car waiting at the stop sign. I was in the outside lane and needed to make a right-hand turn. There were a few concerns that I had at this moment. Driving a rear-mounted platform has many challenges. This circumstance required a very tight, right-hand turn while taking into account the bucket over the front of the cab, and keeping a watchful eye in the mirrors to prevent my rear end from swinging into traffic. I slowed down and contemplated this maneuver then proceeded to the next side street. My boss had a smile, as if he planned it, to see how I would react.

How did you overcome that challenge?

Sometimes the best method is to find a better means to not put yourself in a bad spot. I still stand behind that and would probably make that same decision today for the circumstances above. After years of wheeling the truck through the city I have developed a high level of comfort. Experience is only gained by driving to learn your limitations as well as the truck’s. I always tell the junior members, let’s try it and worst-case scenario we can always stop and back out. When it comes to spotting the truck, I quickly learned to take the time to make time. If unsure, always get out of the truck and check your spot before you commit to setting the jacks and flying the tower to merely come up short or miss your objective. If need be, get out of the truck to look or send a member to scout, estimate or measure (I will expand on this in apparatus checks) back-in, adjust, re-position or make the block in search of a new spot to maximize the capabilities of the truck and accomplish your task. Do so by reading the fire and anticipating the direction it is going, whether that be the spread of or tactics that could be implemented. If you

MEDINA, Ohio (Oct. 29, 2025) – Fire investigators have long worked in a gray area of protection where full structural turnouts are overkill, but single-layer garments may not cover every single hazard they encounter. For decades, there hasn’t been gear built for the unique demands of post-fire scenes. But that’s about to change.

Fire-Dex, a global leader in PPE for first responders, announced today that it is launching its new Fire Investigation PPE, the first protective ensemble designed specifically for fire investigators. The patent-pending Fire Investigation PPE bridges the long-standing gap between heavy turnouts and imperfect alternatives by balancing protection, mobility and breathability in a way that finally gives fire investigators the right tool for the right job.

Built on Real Feedback

Most fire investigators are forced to wear gear made for the wrong environment. Fire-Dex, as part of its long-standing commitment to maximizing first responder safety through game-changing innovations, worked with some of the top fire investigators across the country to design gear from the ground up that doesn’t compromise.

Fire investigators asked for waterproofing, but not so much that the garment isn’t breathable. They asked for a solution that would help them stay cool during hot summer months. They asked for features that would give them easy access to the unique tools they use. The result? Purpose-built gear for fire investigators.

Fire-Dex built gear that moves like fire investigators move, protects where they need it most, limits the risk of heat stress on hot days and won’t weigh them down during long hours on a difficult scene.

“Everything we design at Fire-Dex is designed to help first responders be at their best,” said Todd Herring, Vice President, Product Innovation and Strategy at Fire-Dex. “Being at your best means that you are protected but free to do the work you need to do. For years, Fire-Dex has been at the forefront of PPE fit and function, innovating with unique patterns, radically redesigned garments and utilizing the latest in material science. We brought all that to this PPE to finally give fire investigators the gear they’ve been asking for.”

The Fire Investigation PPE rethinks what protective gear should actually do to make every investigation scene more manageable. This led Fire-Dex to incorporate key features like:  

• Smart waterproofing covers specific areas to provide protection where it’s needed and enhanced breathability where it’s not.
• Integrated knee pads for long stretches spent kneeling and climbing.
• Strategic venting panels, based on the same patent-pending technology found in Fire-Dex’s AeroFlex® turnouts, supercharge the garment’s breathability while still blocking particulates.
• Pass-Through pockets for easy access to firearms, ID or any other tools fire investigators need to carry or display.
• Phone Storage in a specialized waterproof pocket for easy, protected access.

Behind each of these accommodations is TECGEN51® fabric, Fire-Dex’s proven alternative PPE fabric that has been trusted by tens of thousands of first responders across the country for nearly two decades, and is exclusive to Fire-Dex. Lightweight, durable and breathable, it’s the backbone of the new Fire Investigation PPE.

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