When a fire department gets a new fire station, it often takes the opportunity to build in an area or several spaces where training props and equipment can be used to practice various firefighting functions, such as hose and ladder drills, bailout training, rappelling, and confined space work.

Carol Ann Kesler, executive associate for BRW Architects, a firm that specializes in public safety facilities, says the decision to incorporate training props in a fire station usually takes place early in the planning and design process. “A mezzanine over the apparatus bays offers a number of opportunities for training props,” Kesler points out. “We’ve put a manhole cover in a mezzanine floor with space around the hole for a tripod leading to a clear area below that can be used for confined space training. Also, rappelling anchors can be placed on the mezzanine floor or located on the sides facing the bays.”

Kesler notes that several stations BRW has designed have doors in the mezzanine that open out into the bays, with anchors above the door and directly across the bays from the doors, so firefighters can rig lines to raise and lower a Stokes basket. “They can also do ladder training off similar openings in the mezzanine,” she says.

“We’ve also designed an opening on the far side of the bays with an exterior balcony that has a typical residential window which opens into either a storage mezzanine or a staircase landing.”

For the Lewisville (TX) Fire Department, BRW designed a parapet at the top of a three-story stair tower with a flat roof that has several anchor points which can be used for rappelling and high angle work as well as for ladder training, Kesler says. “For Victoria (TX) Fire Department Station 4, we put in a hose tower with a metal staircase and a window in the tower for rappelling and ladder training and a standpipe for making hose connections and advancing hose up stairs,” she adds.

Bob Mitchell, senior architect for Wendel/Mitchell Associates Architects, which also specializes in fire station design, says his firm has designed a variety of props inside fire stations. “We’ve designed openings the size of residential windows on mezzanines with an Ipe wood protective gate, which is the hardest wood available so it’s durable, along with fittings for tie-off points,” Mitchell says. “We’ve also put in metal-covered holes for the pick end of a halligan tool that can be used to simulate the halligan in a residential wall as a tie-off point.”

1 BRW Architects designed window openings cut into a mezzanine wall in Waco (TX) Fire Department Station No. 3 that can be used for bailout training and ladder work. (Photo 1 courtesy of BRW Architects.)

2 A firefighter practices his bailout technique from a mezzanine window and anchor point designed by Wendel/Mitchell Associates Architects for a Schoharie (NY) Fire Department station. (Photo 2 courtesy of Wendel/Mitchell Associates Architects.)

3 Fire Facilities built this live fire training prop for the Bentonville (AR) Fire Department. (Photo 3 courtesy of Fire Facilities.)

Wendel/Mitchell has also designed lots of manhole-covered holes in mezzanine floors for use in bailout and confined space training, Mitchell notes. “We’ve also designed a movable mask maze for a station mezzanine,” he says. “We

Monroeville, Pennsylvania, is a suburb in Allegheny County sitting about 10 miles east of Pittsburgh. The community is a mix of residential homes and commercial properties. The municipality is protected by five volunteer fire companies, which also provide some form of emergency medical services (EMS). Many of the companies also provide volunteers with a live-in program so that there is staff when a call comes in. These types of programs help companies with recruitment and retention. In addition, it allows members to get trained, and should they move, they can become a volunteer firefighter in another jurisdiction or state.

Monroeville Volunteer Fire Company 5 operates quite a few E-ONE apparatus. Engine 51 is a 2020 Cyclone pumper, Truck 5 is a 2009 tiller, and Tanker 5 is a 2017 Cyclone custom pumper-tanker.

Due to the numerous highways and interstate routes running through the town, Tanker 5 is equipped with a 3,000-gallon water tank. This enables it to operate individually or provide other units with a source of water when a water source isn’t readily available.

Tanker 5 is a Cyclone model with a long cab/raised roof with full-height rear doors, making entry and exiting while wearing a fire helmet easier for members. Its powder coated galvanized frame rails carry the extruded aluminum body, which has full-height compartments on the driver’s side and half-side compartments on the officer’s side. Above the half-side compartments is a Zico Quic-Lift storage rack, which holds a portable water tank. The side compartments are equipped with ROM roll-up doors. The rear compartment has through-the-tank storage where the portable ladders and pike poles are stored.

The rig carries a 24-foot extension ladder, a 14-foot roof ladder, and a 10-foot folding ladder. The tanker is painted white with three red reflective stripes running across the cab and body, and the rear of the apparatus has compliant DOT safety chevron reflective markings.

The rig is powered by a Cummins ISX15 600-horsepower (hp) diesel engine with Allison EVS4000 transmission. The motor also powers the Hale Qmax single-stage 1,500-gallon-per-minute (gpm) pump. There is also a 180-gallon Class B foam tank, which operates the FRC Hypro/Foam Pro Model 2002 foam system.

The Lodi Fire Department recently celebrated its brand-new 2025 tractor-drawn aerial truck with a Push-In Ceremony at Fire Station 1, marking an important milestone in the department’s continued commitment to protecting the community, the department said in a press release.

The new ladder truck, a 2025 Pierce Ascendant 107-foot tiller, is powered by a 500-horsepower (hp) engine, and measures 60 feet 9 inches in length and 11 feet 2 inches in height. The truck comes equipped with the latest in advanced firefighting technology. Designed for both power and agility, its extended ladder reach and enhanced maneuverability will allow firefighters to access tight city streets as well as tall commercial structures throughout Lodi.

The purchase of the truck was approved in Fiscal Year 2022, with the truck arriving to Lodi from Wisconsin just a couple of weeks ago. The total cost was approximately $2 million ($1.79 million for the truck itself, along with $168,000 for equipment and mounting). Battalion Chief Roger Varwig oversaw the build process to ensure the apparatus met the department’s operational needs.

This state-of-the-art apparatus represents a major investment in the department’s ability to keep the community safe, allowing firefighters to respond to emergencies in both residential neighborhoods and larger commercial areas with greater reach, speed, and efficiency.

Thanks to all who joined us to celebrate the future of fire service in Lodi.

• The Lodi FD performs a Walk-Around the TDA
• See the Push-In Ceremony for Lodi’s new ladder truck

Specifications

Chassis	Enforcer™
Body	Ascendant® 107’ Heavy-Duty Tiller Aerial Ladder
Actual Overall Height	11′ 2″
Engine	Cummins X12
Horsepower	500 hp
Front Suspension	TAK-4® Independent Front Suspension
Rear Suspension	Air
Electrical System	Command Zone™
Generator	Harrison Hydraulic
Generator KW	10 kW

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Via Houston Fire Department

The Houston Fire Department is saddened to announce the loss of Firefighter Paramedic Stephen Scott, who passed away following an on-duty medical emergency on Sunday.

We ask for your continued thoughts and prayers for his family, our brothers and sisters at Station 102, and the department as a whole.

“Firefighter Scott was a dedicated member of this team, and will be missed by the HFD family,” said Fire Chief Thomas Muñoz. “His legacy is one of hard work, honor, and service to his community.”

Firefighter Paramedic Scott entered The Department in 1997. He has been assigned at Station 102 in Kingwood since 2008, and before that, spent many years at Station 9 on Hogan St. Firefighter Paramedic Scott also worked as the manager for HFD’s Base Station services operated by SETRAC, which coordinates ambulance patient traffic for the Houston region, ensuring that patients are matched with hospitals with appropriate resources and availability. Scott is remembered by his wife and three adult children.

The Houston Fire Department’s Firefighter Support Network is coordinating with the Scott family, the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association IAFF Local 341, the crew of Station 102 and the department at large to ensure the family is assisted through each step of honoring their loved-one’s legacy and life.

In addition to the City’s Employee Assistance Program, HFD’s Critical Incident Stress Management program is available to members who are affected by the loss of Firefighter Paramedic Scott. In honor of HFD’s fallen brother, all members will wear Class B uniforms with shrouded badges until Firefighter Scott is laid to rest. Houston Mayor John Whitmire has requested flags at all City facilities to be flown at half-staff until further notice.

Funeral services are pending.

The post Houston (TX) FF-Paramedic Dies in the Line of Duty appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

This month, I want to focus on the “Top 10” of thermal imaging to help users have a better understanding of how helpful this technology is to them. In my travels, I see some pros and cons in some fire departments, and let’s just chalk that up to a lack of education.

1. Mounting of the thermal imagers (TIs): Have these mounted somewhere on the apparatus accessible to all who will be using them—on the front engine doghouse for the officer and rear seat area for the firefighters. The days of carry cases are gone; having TIs charging in the battalion chief’s office is all wrong.

2. Carrying the TIs: All manufacturers have a carry retractable lanyard for their TIs; make sure you have yours attached. Some firefighters prefer a longer seat belt-type carry strap, which works well too, but this is a user preference. Where you have it attached to your gear is another preference. Some prefer to have it on a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) strap, on their turnout gear, slung over their shoulder, or attached behind them to not interfere when crawling or climbing ladders.

3. Turn the TI on: While en route to the call, once you have the TI attached to your gear, turn it on. Even though it boots up quickly, the TI goes through a calibration process for approximately the first minute. This gives the TI time to warm up, and you can check to ensure it is 100% operational and confirm that the battery level is full.

4. Arriving on scene: What is your assignment? What will you be using the TI for—size-up, fire attack, search and rescue? Does your TI have specific user modes? What mode will work best for your assignment? Thermal imaging view vs. naked eye view gives you more detail and better command decision making information. Certain modes are there to help you distinguish between warmer areas of concern like during overhaul, smells and bells types of calls, or victim search and rescue.

5. Scanning with the TI: Scan with the TI slowly and methodically to understand the interpretation of the image you are seeing. The refresh rates on your TI—depending on the make and model—could range from nine to 15 Hz for situational awareness TIs to 25 to 60 Hz for advanced decision-making TIs. The smaller the number, the slower the refresh rates, which means you must scan much more slowly so you don’t miss any important details such as a victim or door/window for means of egress. Regardless, you still need to scan slowly enough for your brain to understand what you are looking at, as this is very important! When entering a room, conduct a seven-sided scan to get your situational awareness up of where you are and what you are entering. Look across the floor for structural integrity. Look straight ahead for the room layout. Look up at the ceiling for high heat and structural integrity. Look left and right in a “Z” pattern from floor to halfway up the wall to the wall and ceiling looking for room layout, victims, fire conditions, doors and windows, and elevated temperatures. Look behind you. Scan around the room.

6. Temperature measurement: Your TI has a feature that shows a digital temperature number in the lower right corner of its display screen. Do not rely on this. If your TI is compliant with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1930, Standard on Fire and Emergency Service Use of Thermal Imagers, Two-Way Portable RF Voice Communication Devices, Ground Ladders, Rescue Tools, Fire Hose, and Fire Hose Appliances (2025 ed., formerly NFPA 1801, Standard on Thermal Imagers for the Fire Service), then it will appear in BASIC PLUS mode only. No TI on the market can provide a 100% accurate temperature because there are too many variables that