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Posted: Dec 1, 2018

Alexis Combination Vehicle Delivered to Illinois Department

Alan M. Petrillo

The McNabb (IL) Fire Protection District was seeking to purchase a combination vehicle that could be used as a quick-attack pumper, a brush truck, and a first-response rescue vehicle in its primarily rural and agricultural protection area. McNabb firefighters scouted out a number of types of vehicles from several manufacturers and eventually determined that Alexis Fire Equipment was the apparatus maker they wanted to work with.

Alan M. Petrillo

“We went with Alexis because of their sales team as well as their location and the service they provide,” says Bradley P. Popurella, chief of McNabb. “One concern we had was that if any issues developed with the vehicle, we wanted a company that understands the issues facing a small, rural fire department, which Alexis does. Plus, the Alexis factory and service center is only one and a half hours away from us.”

DEMO UNIT ADDRESSES NEEDS

Popurella says he had been talking with Stan Froelich, the Alexis sales representative, about the specifications for a combination vehicle and that Froelich mentioned Alexis was finishing up building a demo unit that had the hallmarks of what McNabb seemed to be looking for. “We went out with Stan and toured the Alexis plant and were able to see the truck he told us about as it was being built,” Popurella points out. “We found they had put together exactly what we needed, so we decided on the Alexis truck.”

Scott Morris, vice president of Alexis Fire Equipment, says that the McNabb Fire Protection District was a past Alexis customer for equipment but not apparatus. “We had come up with a design that had a new personnel carrier behind the cab called Attack Zone, where the firefighters can be seated, belted, and protected by a roll cage and gates,” Morris says. “We had started building a demo incorporating the new personnel carrier when the McNabb firefighters started talking with us. They liked the feature that had the firefighters safely protected while still able to use a hoseline discharge adjacent to them.”

Alexis Fire Equipment built this quick-attack/brush truck/first-response rescue truck for the McNabb (IL) Fire Protection District.

1 Alexis Fire Equipment built this quick-attack/brush truck/first-response rescue truck for the McNabb (IL) Fire Protection District. (Photos courtesy of Alexis Fire Equipment.)

The McNabb quick-attack truck has a Darley 1.5 AGE pump with a 20-hp gasoline engine for pump-and-roll capabilities, a 300-gallon water tank, and a 10-gallon foam tank.

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Posted: Dec 1, 2018

Alexis Combination Vehicle Delivered to Illinois Department

Alan M. Petrillo

The McNabb (IL) Fire Protection District was seeking to purchase a combination vehicle that could be used as a quick-attack pumper, a brush truck, and a first-response rescue vehicle in its primarily rural and agricultural protection area. McNabb firefighters scouted out a number of types of vehicles from several manufacturers and eventually determined that Alexis Fire Equipment was the apparatus maker they wanted to work with.

Alan M. Petrillo

“We went with Alexis because of their sales team as well as their location and the service they provide,” says Bradley P. Popurella, chief of McNabb. “One concern we had was that if any issues developed with the vehicle, we wanted a company that understands the issues facing a small, rural fire department, which Alexis does. Plus, the Alexis factory and service center is only one and a half hours away from us.”

DEMO UNIT ADDRESSES NEEDS

Popurella says he had been talking with Stan Froelich, the Alexis sales representative, about the specifications for a combination vehicle and that Froelich mentioned Alexis was finishing up building a demo unit that had the hallmarks of what McNabb seemed to be looking for. “We went out with Stan and toured the Alexis plant and were able to see the truck he told us about as it was being built,” Popurella points out. “We found they had put together exactly what we needed, so we decided on the Alexis truck.”

Scott Morris, vice president of Alexis Fire Equipment, says that the McNabb Fire Protection District was a past Alexis customer for equipment but not apparatus. “We had come up with a design that had a new personnel carrier behind the cab called Attack Zone, where the firefighters can be seated, belted, and protected by a roll cage and gates,” Morris says. “We had started building a demo incorporating the new personnel carrier when the McNabb firefighters started talking with us. They liked the feature that had the firefighters safely protected while still able to use a hoseline discharge adjacent to them.”

Alexis Fire Equipment built this quick-attack/brush truck/first-response rescue truck for the McNabb (IL) Fire Protection District.

1 Alexis Fire Equipment built this quick-attack/brush truck/first-response rescue truck for the McNabb (IL) Fire Protection District. (Photos courtesy of Alexis Fire Equipment.)

The McNabb quick-attack truck has a Darley 1.5 AGE pump with a 20-hp gasoline engine for pump-and-roll capabilities, a 300-gallon water tank, and a 10-gallon foam tank.

Read more

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Posted: Dec 1, 2018

FDSOA Apparatus Specification and Maintenance Symposium

Richard Marinucci

The expenses associated with fire apparatus are second only to those for personnel in most departments.

I say most because fire apparatus expenses would be the biggest cost in many volunteer departments.

Besides the cost, reliability and functionality are extremely important. Organizations, regardless of size or type, cannot deliver quality service if they don’t arrive in the moments that matter with the proper resources for the emergency. This would include personnel, equipment, and apparatus. Obviously, the apparatus must get personnel to the scene safely, but the work is not done once the operation starts. Fire trucks are essential to successful operations and the safety of firefighters.

I would hope that what I stated above is obvious and you are wondering why it needs to be stated. It reinforces the importance of apparatus and, therefore, stresses the value of gaining the most information as possible regarding vehicles—from purchasing to maintenance and everything in between. Making good decisions requires information and knowledge. Gathering the information for vehicles involves various sources, and one of those should be the Fire Department Safety Officers Association (FDSOA) Annual Apparatus Symposium. Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment and the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association (FAMA) are partners in the symposium.

This conference is unique in that it brings together subject matter experts from the industry, including fire department personnel, apparatus manufacturers, and suppliers (and others with an interest) to discuss the latest trends and various needs in the apparatus world. It is a chance for detailed discussion along with topical workshops that provide the valuable information to help those with responsibilities for fire trucks to make good choices.

Fleet management includes specifications to maintenance and everything in between. It also involves leadership and knowledge of current standards and regulations. A quick look at the agenda for the FDSOA Apparatus Symposium will show you that all aspects are covered. Besides the scheduled workshops, there is ample opportunity to network and share experiences with a wide variety of experts and interested parties. There are sessions on specification writing and newer topics such as “clean cab designs.” Those who participate will get ideas to save money and produce more reliable and functional apparatus. There is no other single place to discuss fire trucks in detail with so many interested parties. Whether you are in the market, developing specifications, looking for ideas for your apparatus committee, or hoping to improve your routine preventive maintenance or other truck repairs, there are sessions to help you.

The 31st annual FDSOA Apparatus Symposium will be held in Orlando, Florida, January 20-23, 2019, at the Wyndham Hotel. There are preconference sessions on Sunday, and the conference will conclude with nationally known body language expert Janine Driver on Wednesday. If you have any responsibility in the procurement or maintenance of your department’s fleet, you should attend.

For more information, visit the FDSOA Web site at Read more

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Posted: Dec 1, 2018

FDSOA Apparatus Specification and Maintenance Symposium

Richard Marinucci

The expenses associated with fire apparatus are second only to those for personnel in most departments.

I say most because fire apparatus expenses would be the biggest cost in many volunteer departments.

Besides the cost, reliability and functionality are extremely important. Organizations, regardless of size or type, cannot deliver quality service if they don’t arrive in the moments that matter with the proper resources for the emergency. This would include personnel, equipment, and apparatus. Obviously, the apparatus must get personnel to the scene safely, but the work is not done once the operation starts. Fire trucks are essential to successful operations and the safety of firefighters.

I would hope that what I stated above is obvious and you are wondering why it needs to be stated. It reinforces the importance of apparatus and, therefore, stresses the value of gaining the most information as possible regarding vehicles—from purchasing to maintenance and everything in between. Making good decisions requires information and knowledge. Gathering the information for vehicles involves various sources, and one of those should be the Fire Department Safety Officers Association (FDSOA) Annual Apparatus Symposium. Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment and the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association (FAMA) are partners in the symposium.

This conference is unique in that it brings together subject matter experts from the industry, including fire department personnel, apparatus manufacturers, and suppliers (and others with an interest) to discuss the latest trends and various needs in the apparatus world. It is a chance for detailed discussion along with topical workshops that provide the valuable information to help those with responsibilities for fire trucks to make good choices.

Fleet management includes specifications to maintenance and everything in between. It also involves leadership and knowledge of current standards and regulations. A quick look at the agenda for the FDSOA Apparatus Symposium will show you that all aspects are covered. Besides the scheduled workshops, there is ample opportunity to network and share experiences with a wide variety of experts and interested parties. There are sessions on specification writing and newer topics such as “clean cab designs.” Those who participate will get ideas to save money and produce more reliable and functional apparatus. There is no other single place to discuss fire trucks in detail with so many interested parties. Whether you are in the market, developing specifications, looking for ideas for your apparatus committee, or hoping to improve your routine preventive maintenance or other truck repairs, there are sessions to help you.

The 31st annual FDSOA Apparatus Symposium will be held in Orlando, Florida, January 20-23, 2019, at the Wyndham Hotel. There are preconference sessions on Sunday, and the conference will conclude with nationally known body language expert Janine Driver on Wednesday. If you have any responsibility in the procurement or maintenance of your department’s fleet, you should attend.

For more information, visit the FDSOA Web site at Read more

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Posted: Dec 1, 2018

Using TIC to Search for Hazardous Containers

Manfred Kihn

One of a fire department’s biggest fears is fear of the unknown when responding to a call. When information is relayed over the radio while en route, firefighters and officers are trained to mentally prepare themselves for what they are about to encounter. When firefighters hear they are responding to a warehouse fire that contains 45-gallon drums of fuel oil and a bulk propane tank is adjacent to the warehouse building, the crew is now preparing their attack plan.

Carl Nix

Using a thermal imaging camera (TIC) can be an effective tool to give firefighters valuable information to help mitigate circumstances such as the example above. The air space in two propane tanks and 45-gallon drums (photos 1 and 2) gives the crew a better understanding of what they are facing, and they can pull a line faster for exposure protection to prevent a catastrophic event.

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1

2

2

Another scenario involves a residential structure with an attached garage. Think about what’s in your garage. Now, think about your next-door neighbor. I’ll bet your neighbor is a handyman who stores lots of hazardous liquids such as gas, oil, propane, and paints in his garage. Photos 3 and 4 show the liquid levels in your typical five-gallon fuel container and a propane tank for use with outside grills.

3

3

4

4

Consider one more scenario: You respond to a residence and find a closet full of chemicals (photo 5). Even worse would be to find these chemicals sitting open in plain sight, which could turn out to be a clandestine lab. If this scenario happens, your day just got a whole lot worse.

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5

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