Coxreels is pleased to offer its customers two upgraded swivel options for the 1125 Series. The medium-pressure (up to 4,000 psi) and high-pressure (up to 5,000 psi) can both be factory installed on the standard 1125 Series. 

The medium-pressure swivel is precision machined from solid brass and features upgraded wall thickness, and upgraded seals and backup rings. When requesting this upgrade, change the model prefix to –MP (example: MP1125-4-200). 

The high-pressure swivel is machined from high strength steel and nickel-plated for corrosion resistance. This ball bearing swivel features maximum flow and enhanced load bearing capabilities. When requesting this upgrade, change the model prefix to –HP (example: HP1125-4-200).

For more information, visit www.coxreels.com.

AXIS Architecture + Interiors designed Station 44 for the Carmel (IN) Fire Department. The first floor houses the apparatus bay, gear room, and office/work space for those on duty. The second floor allows circulation to personal dorms and bathrooms. There is also a large open kitchen, dining, and TV room in the new construction for Station No. 44. Photo Courtesy of AXIS Architecture + Interiors.

The following are 10 station design tips compiled by members of F.I.E.R.O. based on its jurors’ years of experience in designing fire stations as well as judging station designs for F.I.E.R.O.’s Fire Station Design Symposium awards entries.

1. The decontamination area should have large stainless steel sinks and perhaps a shower stall as well.
2. The decontamination room should have an outside entrance, otherwise you will have contaminated the station getting to it.
3. Be familiar with the NFPA requirements for response times when selecting a site for your station. For career departments, the standard is NFPA 1710, Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Career Fire Departments. For volunteer and combination departments, it is NFPA 1720, Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Volunteer Fire Departments.
4. Make sure to accommodate turning radius and weight of trash and recycling vehicles in parking area designs.
5. Don’t forget to seek input from the people who will be working in the firehouse. It will not only boost morale and create pride of ownership but may also create an award-winning firehouse.
6. Incorporate materials that are durable and low-maintenance. Limit painted surfaces when possible. Refrain from floors that need to be waxed.
7. Make sure HVAC systems are designed to be used 24/7/365. This is not a house, and it is not a commercial building—it’s a hybrid that is always working.
8. Design landscaping to be low-maintenance or even maintenance-free. Use native plants that are most likely to survive the test of time.
9. Be aware of security issues and the potential for terrorist threats. Employee access, security cameras, fences, gates, outside lighting, etc.
10. In designing curb cuts, drive turning radii, and the like, be aware that the path of the rear wheel of the apparatus follows a path that is inside the turning radius of the front axle.

Tips courtesy of the Fire Industry Education Resource Organization (F.I.E.R.O.).

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By Alan M. Petrillo

The Santa Cruz River runs through the center of the Tubac (AZ) Fire District, putting 51 percent of the area's population on the west side of the river and 49 percent on the east side. Before a bridge was built over the river, Tubac fire apparatus had to ford the river from the west at low water crossings, but during some months of the year high water prevented that option, meaning a long response to the south through a neighboring fire district.

The solution, says Kevin Keeley, Tubac Fire Department's chief, was to build identical fire stations on each side of the Santa Cruz. "We hired Breckenridge Group to give us the scope of what we needed so we could go to the voters for a bond election," Keeley says. "The Breckenridge people went through our community taking photos of the architecture and came up with renderings of buildings that were extremely functional and fit nicely into this Southwestern community. The $15 million bond passed comfortably and Breckenridge Group was hired as the architect for two stations."

Klindt D. Breckenridge, president of Breckenridge Group, notes that the fire district wanted to engage the community in the stations, so his firm included a community room in the first station built, Tubac Station 3. "The design of the stations also had to blend with the overall look of the community, had to be sustainable with low water and energy consumption, and be made of 'firefighter-proof' materials and finishes," Breckenridge says.

Tubac Station 3 is 9,200 square feet, has three double-deep, drive-through apparatus bays, five dorm rooms, a kitchen, a day room, two unisex restrooms for firefighters, a communications room, EMS storage room, mechanical and storage areas, the community room, and a restroom for visitors. Off the apparatus bays are a hose room, work room, decon room, laundry and turnout gear room, and an SCBA room.

Each of the dorm rooms has a single bed, desk, and three lockers, Breckenridge says. "We chose unisex restrooms because the unisex concept generates a smaller footprint as there are no urinals," he notes. "In the kitchen, we have solid-surface counter tops, wood-faced cabinetry, a high-grade propane gas range, and a lot of counter space."

Breckenridge says Tubac Station 3 "uses materials, forms, and colors indicative of the architectural flavor of the region." Sustainable elements include low-flow plumbing fixtures, he notes, native landscaping and water harvesting to conserve water, cool roof materials and high-performance windows to conserve energy, and photovoltaic roof panels to generate on-site renewable energy from the sun.

Tubac Station 4 is nearly identical to Station 3, but without the community room. Keeley points out that because Station 4 sits on a small site of only 1.94 acres, it was necessary to flip the floor plan 180 degrees so Station 4 is a mirror-imag

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) and Columbia Southern University (CSU) announced that NVFC member Stephanie Humberd of Burkburnett, Texas, will receive the National Volunteer Fire Council Scholarship.

CSU—an online university based in Orange Beach, Alabama, and leader in first responder education—has teamed with NVFC for several years to offer two scholarships to members. Each scholarship will cover up to $13,200 toward one CSU online degree program and will be applied directly to the recipient’s tuition for up to three years or until the student has completed their online degree program.

Humberd, a volunteer firefighter/EMT with the Burkburnett Volunteer Fire Department, is proud to serve her Texas hometown and is enthusiastic about broadening her education with a degree.

“I'm eager to continue my education and give my department more educated personnel to better our services for the community and department,” she said. “This scholarship will open more opportunities in the fire service for me and possible chances for a career position. It will allow me to better myself, which will help me, my family and community.”

Humberd plans to use the scholarship to pursue a bachelor’s degree in fire administration at CSU. The mother of three also hopes to continue to set an example for another group of youngsters, too.

“As the leader of the Fire Explorers junior firefighter program, I am very excited about training and teaching the firefighters of the future,” said Humberd. “It's an honor to be able to help mold them and give them all the knowledge and preparation I can to be great firefighters.”

The scholarship was also awarded to John Sullivan, a volunteer firefighter with the Pegram Fire Department in Pegram, Tennessee.

More: https://www.columbiasouthern.edu/

By Alan M. Petrillo

The personal protective equipment (PPE) needs of emergency medical service (EMS) responders differ from those of structural firefighters, with less emphasis on protection from heat and more on protection from bloodborne pathogens, bodily fluids, and other substances.

As a result, PPE manufacturers are making gear tailored for those specific needs as well as turnouts compliant with multiple National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards.

1 Lion makes the MedPro line of EMS turnout gear with a Westex® DH fire-resistant, breathable outer shell and a CROSSTECH® EMS moisture barrier. (Photos 1 and 2 courtesy of Lion.)

EMS Turnouts

Alysha Gray, product manager of fire PPE for Lion, says that Lion introduced its MedPro™ emergency medical call gear last year and that it is compliant with NFPA 1999, Standard on Protective Clothing and Ensembles for Emergency Medical Operations. Gray says MedPro’s outer shell is constructed of Westex® DH fire-resistant, breathable fabric with a Hydropel Premier finish “that gives both comfortable and durable protection against flash fires.” MedPro gear has a durable CROSSTECH® EMS moisture barrier that protects against blood, body fluid, and water while still remaining breathable, she says.

2 The TR-51 series of TECHRESCUE® turnout gear made by Lion is dual compliant with NFPA standards for EMS and technical rescue work.

Gray points out that MedPro gear, available in both navy and high-visibility yellow colors, has PCA-reinforced elbows, knees, and cuffs; has Lite-N-Dri™ knee cushioning; functional pockets for easy tool access and versatility; and “superior mobility because of a banded crotch, underarm bellows, and bi-swing back,” she adds.

Karen Lehtonen, vice president of innovation and product management for Lion, notes that Lion’s TR51™ technical rescue and recovery ensemble is compliant with NFPA 1999 and NFPA 1951, Standard on Protective Ensembles for Technical Rescue Incidents. “Our technical rescue PPE is a multipurpose garment that is an option for EMS use,” Lehtonen says. “The Nomex® outer shell is tough and durable for extended wear life; the 3M Scotchlite™ reflective material makes sure you’re seen in low-light and daylight conditions; and the CROSSTECH S/R removable liner provides liquid penetration resistance to water, blood, and bodily fluids.”

Rob Freese, senior vice president of marketing for Globe Manufacturing Co., says Globe’s EMSRESCUE™ gear is all-weather, waterproof, breathable, lightweight, windproof, and comfortable. “The gear is compliant with NFP