MIDWEST FIRE EQUIPMENT & REPAIR COMPANY (Midwest Fire) recently announced that the company’s CEO and president, Sarah Atchison, was a finalist along with two other companies for the Executive of the Year Award at the Minnesota Business Manufacturing Awards.

The award recognizes an individual who has made major accomplishments in Minnesota’s manufacturing industry in the past few years. The awards event celebrating the finalists was held in Minneapolis. Winners and finalists will be honored in an upcoming feature story of an all-manufacturing issue of Minnesota Business.

SAFETY COMPONENTS INTERNATIONAL, a subsidiary of International Textile Group, recently hosted its 15th anniversary Charity Golf Tournament. This year’s event raised in excess of $25,000, which will be donated to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. Following the events of September 11, 2001, the company set up the Safety Components First Responder 911 Foundation for the purpose of raising funds to support the firefighter community and other first responders throughout the country. The Safety Component First Responder 911 Foundation sponsors two fundraising events each year and has raised more than $800,000 over the past 15 years. These events include a concert, called Stop, Drop, Rock ‘n’ Roll, held as part of FDIC International, and the annual Charity GOLF Event. In addition to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, funds have been donated to the Wounded Warrior Project and Southeastern Firefighters Burn Center.

GLOBE, DUPONT PROTECTION SOLUTIONS (DuPont), and the NATIONAL VOLUNTEER FIRE COUNCIL (NVFC) have announced the Brindle Ridge Fire Department, Mount Vernon, Kentucky, and the Eastern Douglas County Fire Department, Drury, Missouri, will each be outfitted with four sets of new Globe turnout gear as part of the 2016 Globe Gear Giveaway. The Brindle Ridge Fire Department (BRFD) attempts to replace old turnout gear on a yearly basis, but with 38 members on the roster and only eight sets of gear that are NFPA-compliant, the department has a large number of members who do not have the gear required to fight fires. This gear donation will provide BRFD members desperately needed protective equipment, enabling them to better protect their community.

The Eastern Douglas County Volunteer Fire Department (EDCVFD) has 24 volunteers who have only 14 sets of gear among them, all of which are more than 10 years old.

PHENIX TECHNOLOGY, INC. and Identifire Safety Products are teaming up with the Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance (FBHA) to help address the need for fire and emergency medical services behavioral health awareness. Phenix is creating a handmade “Behavioral Health Awareness” traditional leather fire helmet that will travel with the Phenix team during its 2017 trade show schedule. The helmet will be used as a talking piece along with educational material that will be distributed at each show. At the conclusion of the 2017 season, the helmet will be auctioned off to raise funds for the FBHA. Identifire Safety Products will be creating a special photoluminescent piece that will be available for sale with all profits going to support the FBHA mission. The FBHA will produce a weekly educational piece that all three organizations will be sharing.

Clearspring Capital Partners, a fund manager with a presence at Espace CDPQ, has announced an investment in DEMERS AMBULANCES, a designer, manufacturer, and distributor of ambulances throughout North America. Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and members of the Demers Ambulances management team are also taking part

By Alan M. Petrillo

A fire company in Pennsylvania had such good luck with its first Precision Fire Apparatus rear-mount pumper that it went back to Precision for another nearly identical rig when it came time to replace an aging pumper.

The Langhorne Middletown Fire Company, in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, needed to replace a 1992 3D Manufacturing engine and decided that for the best continuity of operation and training, it wanted “a mirror truck of our engine 21, which is a 2009 Precision Fire Apparatus rear-mount pumper,” says Langhorne Middletown Chief Frank Farry. “But, we did make a couple of changes, especially with regard to foam and the front bumper equipment.”

1 The rear-mount pumper built for the Langhorne Middletown Fire Company, in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, by Precision Fire Apparatus has a 500-hp Cummins ISX 12 diesel engine, an Allison 3000 EVS automatic transmission, and a heavy-duty extruded aluminum body with a stainless steel substructure. (Photos courtesy of Precision Fire Apparatus.)

Pumper Features

The new Precision rear-mount pumper is built on a 2015 Spartan Gladiator ELFD 10-inch raised-roof cab and chassis and has seating for eight firefighters with an emergency medical services medical cabinet and a tool board on the back wall of the extended cab. Powered by a 500-hp Cummins ISX 12 diesel engine and an Allison 3000 EVS automatic transmission, the new rear-mount has a heavy-duty extruded aluminum body with a stainless steel substructure. Wheelbase is 209 inches, overall length is 34 feet 3 inches, and overall height is 9 feet 11 inches.

Charlie Beck, Langhorne Middletown’s chief engineer, says that the differences in the two pumpers can be seen in the front bumper and in foam capability. “Our 2009 Precision rear-mount has Class A and B foam tanks, but we decided that wasn’t needed on the new pumper,” Farry points out. “Also, our earlier rear-mount has hosed hydraulic rescue tools located in the front bumper, but the new pumper carries an attack line of 200 feet of 1¾-inch hose off a two-inch discharge, a 2½-inch hoseline in its front bumper, and a Holmatro battery-operated combi tool in an under seat area in a forward-facing seat in the extended cab.”

2 The pump panel on the pumper is located in the end compartment on the officer’s side, protected by a ROM roll-up door. The rig has a Hale RSD 1,500-gallon-per-minute pump and a 500-gallon UPF water tank.

Farry notes that the new rear-mount pumper has a transverse compartment behind the crew cab that’s enclosed by ROM Corp. roll-up compartment doors and holds two 200-foot 1¾-inch preconnects, one 200-foot 2½-inch preconnect, a Stokes basket, a long board, and long tools. He adds that since there is no midmount pump panel, the pumper has approximately 30 percent more equipment space than a typical side-mount pumper.

By Alan M. Petrillo

A fire company in Pennsylvania had such good luck with its first Precision Fire Apparatus rear-mount pumper that it went back to Precision for another nearly identical rig when it came time to replace an aging pumper.

The Langhorne Middletown Fire Company, in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, needed to replace a 1992 3D Manufacturing engine and decided that for the best continuity of operation and training, it wanted “a mirror truck of our engine 21, which is a 2009 Precision Fire Apparatus rear-mount pumper,” says Langhorne Middletown Chief Frank Farry. “But, we did make a couple of changes, especially with regard to foam and the front bumper equipment.”

1 The rear-mount pumper built for the Langhorne Middletown Fire Company, in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, by Precision Fire Apparatus has a 500-hp Cummins ISX 12 diesel engine, an Allison 3000 EVS automatic transmission, and a heavy-duty extruded aluminum body with a stainless steel substructure. (Photos courtesy of Precision Fire Apparatus.)

Pumper Features

The new Precision rear-mount pumper is built on a 2015 Spartan Gladiator ELFD 10-inch raised-roof cab and chassis and has seating for eight firefighters with an emergency medical services medical cabinet and a tool board on the back wall of the extended cab. Powered by a 500-hp Cummins ISX 12 diesel engine and an Allison 3000 EVS automatic transmission, the new rear-mount has a heavy-duty extruded aluminum body with a stainless steel substructure. Wheelbase is 209 inches, overall length is 34 feet 3 inches, and overall height is 9 feet 11 inches.

Charlie Beck, Langhorne Middletown’s chief engineer, says that the differences in the two pumpers can be seen in the front bumper and in foam capability. “Our 2009 Precision rear-mount has Class A and B foam tanks, but we decided that wasn’t needed on the new pumper,” Farry points out. “Also, our earlier rear-mount has hosed hydraulic rescue tools located in the front bumper, but the new pumper carries an attack line of 200 feet of 1¾-inch hose off a two-inch discharge, a 2½-inch hoseline in its front bumper, and a Holmatro battery-operated combi tool in an under seat area in a forward-facing seat in the extended cab.”

2 The pump panel on the pumper is located in the end compartment on the officer’s side, protected by a ROM roll-up door. The rig has a Hale RSD 1,500-gallon-per-minute pump and a 500-gallon UPF water tank.

Farry notes that the new rear-mount pumper has a transverse compartment behind the crew cab that’s enclosed by ROM Corp. roll-up compartment doors and holds two 200-foot 1¾-inch preconnects, one 200-foot 2½-inch preconnect, a Stokes basket, a long board, and long tools. He adds that since there is no midmount pump panel, the pumper has approximately 30 percent more equipment space than a typical side-mount pumper.

By Alan M. Petrillo

A fire company in Pennsylvania had such good luck with its first Precision Fire Apparatus rear-mount pumper that it went back to Precision for another nearly identical rig when it came time to replace an aging pumper.

The Langhorne Middletown Fire Company, in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, needed to replace a 1992 3D Manufacturing engine and decided that for the best continuity of operation and training, it wanted “a mirror truck of our engine 21, which is a 2009 Precision Fire Apparatus rear-mount pumper,” says Langhorne Middletown Chief Frank Farry. “But, we did make a couple of changes, especially with regard to foam and the front bumper equipment.”

1 The rear-mount pumper built for the Langhorne Middletown Fire Company, in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, by Precision Fire Apparatus has a 500-hp Cummins ISX 12 diesel engine, an Allison 3000 EVS automatic transmission, and a heavy-duty extruded aluminum body with a stainless steel substructure. (Photos courtesy of Precision Fire Apparatus.)

Pumper Features

The new Precision rear-mount pumper is built on a 2015 Spartan Gladiator ELFD 10-inch raised-roof cab and chassis and has seating for eight firefighters with an emergency medical services medical cabinet and a tool board on the back wall of the extended cab. Powered by a 500-hp Cummins ISX 12 diesel engine and an Allison 3000 EVS automatic transmission, the new rear-mount has a heavy-duty extruded aluminum body with a stainless steel substructure. Wheelbase is 209 inches, overall length is 34 feet 3 inches, and overall height is 9 feet 11 inches.

Charlie Beck, Langhorne Middletown’s chief engineer, says that the differences in the two pumpers can be seen in the front bumper and in foam capability. “Our 2009 Precision rear-mount has Class A and B foam tanks, but we decided that wasn’t needed on the new pumper,” Farry points out. “Also, our earlier rear-mount has hosed hydraulic rescue tools located in the front bumper, but the new pumper carries an attack line of 200 feet of 1¾-inch hose off a two-inch discharge, a 2½-inch hoseline in its front bumper, and a Holmatro battery-operated combi tool in an under seat area in a forward-facing seat in the extended cab.”

2 The pump panel on the pumper is located in the end compartment on the officer’s side, protected by a ROM roll-up door. The rig has a Hale RSD 1,500-gallon-per-minute pump and a 500-gallon UPF water tank.

Farry notes that the new rear-mount pumper has a transverse compartment behind the crew cab that’s enclosed by ROM Corp. roll-up compartment doors and holds two 200-foot 1¾-inch preconnects, one 200-foot 2½-inch preconnect, a Stokes basket, a long board, and long tools. He adds that since there is no midmount pump panel, the pumper has approximately 30 percent more equipment space than a typical side-mount pumper.

By Alan M. Petrillo

After fire departments have a new fire station built or an older station renovated, they are faced with the issue of furnishing it to make it a usable place where firefighters live and work.

The types of furnishings that fire departments choose for their new or refurbished stations run the gamut of practical, functional, and robust furniture and furnishings aimed at making the fire stations comfortable living spaces.

1 Mackenzie Architecture outfitted the community room at the City of Buckley (WA) Fire Department with tables and chairs often used for conferences and training. (Photos 1-4 courtesy of Mackenzie Architecture.)

Guiding Departments

Ken Newell, senior principal, Stewart-Cooper-Newell Architects, says that furnishings generally fall under a furniture, fixtures, and equipment contract and are typically purchased by the owner of the station or a third party designated by them. “When we design a station, we would show where the various furnishings would fit,” Newell says, “and the owner would use that station planning guide to go out and purchase furnishings.”

Such furnishings would include all furniture for the day room, kitchen, offices, bunk rooms, as well as mobile turnout gear lockers, additional refrigerators, information technology equipment, and loose audio-video equipment, Newell adds.

2 The day room furniture at the City of Buckley (WA) Fire Department consists of comfortable chairs in several groupings.

Bob Mitchell, principal at Mitchell Associates Architects, says he recommends that fire departments purchase “robust and not high-concept furniture. With couches, chairs, and recliners, look at the manufacturer’s literature for the specifications and see what kind and type of construction is under the fabric.”

Mitchell also recommends that fire departments avoid purchasing furniture that is covered in cloth fabric. “You want to choose a fabric that doesn’t provide an area where germs can flourish and that can be readily cleaned,” he says. “Use Naugahyde-type fabrics that have a urethane finish that feels and acts like leather but can be cleaned and disinfected very easily.”

3 Office furniture in the report room (shown) and other offices at the Hillsboro (OR) Fire Department was furnished by Mackenzie Architecture.

Kim Doyle, project manager and interior designer for Mackenzie Architecture, says that no fire station can be called typical when it comes to furnishings because each is a little different-from how it is funded to who chooses and procures the furniture. “We always include a schematic diagram of how furniture might fit in a fire station we design,” Doyle p