By Robert Tutterow

Many veteran firefighters may remember the 1971 Iowa State University film titled, “Where’s the Water?”

The film opens with a firefighter on the end of a nozzle waiting for his line to be charged. With a degree of frustration, he turns and yells, “Where’s the water?” The film illustrates the hydraulics of water with great clarity. If you haven’t seen it, look it up on YouTube.

The fire service has come a long way since the days of the bucket brigade to get water on a fire. Underground water systems, hydrants, fire hose, rural water sources, fire pumps, and sprinkler and standpipe systems have made water readily available for most fire suppression operations. But, what about air supply? Have there been advances in getting breathing air to firefighters? In reality, no. Certainly, steel bottles have been replaced with lighter weight bottles and high-pressure self-contained breathing apparatus and air cylinders have lightened the weight of a firefighter’s air supply.

However, readily available replenishment air inside large big box, warehouse, manufacturing, and high-rise buildings has not been on many radar screens in the fire service. Think about it-what are the two most important expendable things a firefighter needs inside a large structure? Water and breathing air. Isn’t there a better way to get air to firefighters than lugging air cylinders up multiple flights of stairs? What about an air standpipe-similar to a water standpipe?

A short case study: In 1988, the 62-story First Interstate Bank Building caught fire in Los Angeles, California. The fire started on the 10th floor. More than 600 air cylinders were used by 383 firefighters who fought the fire. Air replenishment was a major issue as you might imagine.

I readily admit that I had never given the concept any thought until being at a luncheon presentation at the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation’s Technology Summit earlier this year in Oakland, California. Today, we generally think of technology as electronic computer-driven applications, but an air supply standpipe is also a technological advancement. Yet, the collective fire service has never given such technology much thought.

Supplied Air in Buildings

Such a system is available. It must be firefighter-related because it already has an acronym: FARS, or firefighter air replenishment system. FARS is a permanently installed air system that delivers safe breathing air to firefighters. It can be used in immediately dangerous to life or health atmospheres and can refill an air cylinder in less than two minutes. The cascade-based system is constantly pressurized and is constantly monitored for breathing air quality. It can be integrated into a building’s fire alarm system and command control center. An audible and a visual alert will activate if there is a breach in air quality. The system is recharged by the fire department’s mobile air supply unit.

Many may argue that extending breathing air supply can be a hazard. It might cause firefighters to get too deep in a structure and get lost or overexert themselves, causing cardiac issues. That is understood, but sound air management principles should nullify this argument. This system is designed for structures that will likely cause firefighters to expend all their air just getting to the point of attack. Pause for a moment and think about the structures in your jurisdiction where firefighters might have a need for an air replenishment system. Now think about the all the structures in all of your neighboring departments that might have such structures. You’ll likely be going in those should there be a working fire. Major urban fire departments should lobby strongly for the installation of FARS from a legislative angle as well as independently with property owners. Smaller departments should band together and do likewise. In addition to firefighter health and s

By Robert Tutterow

Many veteran firefighters may remember the 1971 Iowa State University film titled, “Where’s the Water?”

The film opens with a firefighter on the end of a nozzle waiting for his line to be charged. With a degree of frustration, he turns and yells, “Where’s the water?” The film illustrates the hydraulics of water with great clarity. If you haven’t seen it, look it up on YouTube.

The fire service has come a long way since the days of the bucket brigade to get water on a fire. Underground water systems, hydrants, fire hose, rural water sources, fire pumps, and sprinkler and standpipe systems have made water readily available for most fire suppression operations. But, what about air supply? Have there been advances in getting breathing air to firefighters? In reality, no. Certainly, steel bottles have been replaced with lighter weight bottles and high-pressure self-contained breathing apparatus and air cylinders have lightened the weight of a firefighter’s air supply.

However, readily available replenishment air inside large big box, warehouse, manufacturing, and high-rise buildings has not been on many radar screens in the fire service. Think about it-what are the two most important expendable things a firefighter needs inside a large structure? Water and breathing air. Isn’t there a better way to get air to firefighters than lugging air cylinders up multiple flights of stairs? What about an air standpipe-similar to a water standpipe?

A short case study: In 1988, the 62-story First Interstate Bank Building caught fire in Los Angeles, California. The fire started on the 10th floor. More than 600 air cylinders were used by 383 firefighters who fought the fire. Air replenishment was a major issue as you might imagine.

I readily admit that I had never given the concept any thought until being at a luncheon presentation at the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation’s Technology Summit earlier this year in Oakland, California. Today, we generally think of technology as electronic computer-driven applications, but an air supply standpipe is also a technological advancement. Yet, the collective fire service has never given such technology much thought.

Supplied Air in Buildings

Such a system is available. It must be firefighter-related because it already has an acronym: FARS, or firefighter air replenishment system. FARS is a permanently installed air system that delivers safe breathing air to firefighters. It can be used in immediately dangerous to life or health atmospheres and can refill an air cylinder in less than two minutes. The cascade-based system is constantly pressurized and is constantly monitored for breathing air quality. It can be integrated into a building’s fire alarm system and command control center. An audible and a visual alert will activate if there is a breach in air quality. The system is recharged by the fire department’s mobile air supply unit.

Many may argue that extending breathing air supply can be a hazard. It might cause firefighters to get too deep in a structure and get lost or overexert themselves, causing cardiac issues. That is understood, but sound air management principles should nullify this argument. This system is designed for structures that will likely cause firefighters to expend all their air just getting to the point of attack. Pause for a moment and think about the structures in your jurisdiction where firefighters might have a need for an air replenishment system. Now think about the all the structures in all of your neighboring departments that might have such structures. You’ll likely be going in those should there be a working fire. Major urban fire departments should lobby strongly for the installation of FARS from a legislative angle as well as independently with property owners. Smaller departments should band together and do likewise. In addition to firefighter health and s

By Robert Tutterow

Many veteran firefighters may remember the 1971 Iowa State University film titled, “Where’s the Water?”

The film opens with a firefighter on the end of a nozzle waiting for his line to be charged. With a degree of frustration, he turns and yells, “Where’s the water?” The film illustrates the hydraulics of water with great clarity. If you haven’t seen it, look it up on YouTube.

The fire service has come a long way since the days of the bucket brigade to get water on a fire. Underground water systems, hydrants, fire hose, rural water sources, fire pumps, and sprinkler and standpipe systems have made water readily available for most fire suppression operations. But, what about air supply? Have there been advances in getting breathing air to firefighters? In reality, no. Certainly, steel bottles have been replaced with lighter weight bottles and high-pressure self-contained breathing apparatus and air cylinders have lightened the weight of a firefighter’s air supply.

However, readily available replenishment air inside large big box, warehouse, manufacturing, and high-rise buildings has not been on many radar screens in the fire service. Think about it-what are the two most important expendable things a firefighter needs inside a large structure? Water and breathing air. Isn’t there a better way to get air to firefighters than lugging air cylinders up multiple flights of stairs? What about an air standpipe-similar to a water standpipe?

A short case study: In 1988, the 62-story First Interstate Bank Building caught fire in Los Angeles, California. The fire started on the 10th floor. More than 600 air cylinders were used by 383 firefighters who fought the fire. Air replenishment was a major issue as you might imagine.

I readily admit that I had never given the concept any thought until being at a luncheon presentation at the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation’s Technology Summit earlier this year in Oakland, California. Today, we generally think of technology as electronic computer-driven applications, but an air supply standpipe is also a technological advancement. Yet, the collective fire service has never given such technology much thought.

Supplied Air in Buildings

Such a system is available. It must be firefighter-related because it already has an acronym: FARS, or firefighter air replenishment system. FARS is a permanently installed air system that delivers safe breathing air to firefighters. It can be used in immediately dangerous to life or health atmospheres and can refill an air cylinder in less than two minutes. The cascade-based system is constantly pressurized and is constantly monitored for breathing air quality. It can be integrated into a building’s fire alarm system and command control center. An audible and a visual alert will activate if there is a breach in air quality. The system is recharged by the fire department’s mobile air supply unit.

Many may argue that extending breathing air supply can be a hazard. It might cause firefighters to get too deep in a structure and get lost or overexert themselves, causing cardiac issues. That is understood, but sound air management principles should nullify this argument. This system is designed for structures that will likely cause firefighters to expend all their air just getting to the point of attack. Pause for a moment and think about the structures in your jurisdiction where firefighters might have a need for an air replenishment system. Now think about the all the structures in all of your neighboring departments that might have such structures. You’ll likely be going in those should there be a working fire. Major urban fire departments should lobby strongly for the installation of FARS from a legislative angle as well as independently with property owners. Smaller departments should band together and do likewise. In addition to firefighter health and s

By Chris Mc Loone

Pierce Manufacturing is a very busy place.

The company’s Ascendant aerial has proven to be the most popular aerial product it has ever produced, and it has been working hard to keep up with the demand for its Enforcer chassis, introduced at FDIC International 2014. I recently made the trip out to Appleton, Wisconsin, to catch up with what the company has been up to. This wasn’t any ordinary visit though. The folks at Pierce had a pretty packed agenda for me while I was there, including a trip to the Pierce Industrial Park Plant (IPP) facility to demo the Striker simulation system, tour the plant, and get a ride on a Striker-not something I had ever done before-and to go to the Oshkosh proving ground for a ride in some of the company’s military vehicles. Although you might wonder what military vehicles have to do with anything, read on.

1 The Oshkosh Striker Simulator is engineered to depict a nearly endless array of emergency situations and scenarios. (Photo by Scott Anderson.)

The IPP Floor

My day began at the IPP facility. Before I toured the facility, Sam Lowe, marketing representative for Oshkosh Airport Products, walked me through the Striker Simulator. I had seen the simulator at Interschutz 2015 in Germany but hadn’t had an opportunity to go through a simulation. Actual Striker aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) apparatus operators I’m sure would do much better than me on these simulations. I managed to put out an engine fire and a cabin fire with a Striker. Having operated fire apparatus for many years of different sizes, I figured, how difficult could this be? But, operating a Snozzle and piercing nozzle from inside the cab of a Striker is a lot different than hopping out and going to a pump panel and engineer’s compartment to operate everything. So, not only did I do a little simulated driving and firefighting, I also learned a little more about the steps it takes to generate foam on these rigs.

When you sit in front of the simulation screens, you’re basically sitting in a Striker cab. All the controls for generating foam and operating the boom are to your right, and there are a number of steps to go through to produce foam. Aiming the front bumper turret so the foam mixture actually hits your target takes some getting used to as well. Bottom line: I walked away with newfound respect for ARFF truck operators.

2 Pierce’s IPP facility is where cab fabrication takes place for all its fire apparatus. (Photos by author unless otherwise noted.)

After the simulator, I met with Jason Shivley, director of engineering at Oshkosh Airport Products, who filled me in on some of the upcoming Striker products. Expect to see a number of enhancements to Striker 8x8 rigs. According to Shivley, the big changes are to the body and the driveline. The updates are almost a relaunch, as there haven’t been major changes since 2001. Currently, Striker 8x8s feature a 950-horsepower (hp) Caterpillar engine. Upcoming, however, will be units featuring two engines side by side (dual Scania D16 engines deliv

By Chris Mc Loone

Pierce Manufacturing is a very busy place.

The company’s Ascendant aerial has proven to be the most popular aerial product it has ever produced, and it has been working hard to keep up with the demand for its Enforcer chassis, introduced at FDIC International 2014. I recently made the trip out to Appleton, Wisconsin, to catch up with what the company has been up to. This wasn’t any ordinary visit though. The folks at Pierce had a pretty packed agenda for me while I was there, including a trip to the Pierce Industrial Park Plant (IPP) facility to demo the Striker simulation system, tour the plant, and get a ride on a Striker-not something I had ever done before-and to go to the Oshkosh proving ground for a ride in some of the company’s military vehicles. Although you might wonder what military vehicles have to do with anything, read on.

1 The Oshkosh Striker Simulator is engineered to depict a nearly endless array of emergency situations and scenarios. (Photo by Scott Anderson.)

The IPP Floor

My day began at the IPP facility. Before I toured the facility, Sam Lowe, marketing representative for Oshkosh Airport Products, walked me through the Striker Simulator. I had seen the simulator at Interschutz 2015 in Germany but hadn’t had an opportunity to go through a simulation. Actual Striker aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) apparatus operators I’m sure would do much better than me on these simulations. I managed to put out an engine fire and a cabin fire with a Striker. Having operated fire apparatus for many years of different sizes, I figured, how difficult could this be? But, operating a Snozzle and piercing nozzle from inside the cab of a Striker is a lot different than hopping out and going to a pump panel and engineer’s compartment to operate everything. So, not only did I do a little simulated driving and firefighting, I also learned a little more about the steps it takes to generate foam on these rigs.

When you sit in front of the simulation screens, you’re basically sitting in a Striker cab. All the controls for generating foam and operating the boom are to your right, and there are a number of steps to go through to produce foam. Aiming the front bumper turret so the foam mixture actually hits your target takes some getting used to as well. Bottom line: I walked away with newfound respect for ARFF truck operators.

2 Pierce’s IPP facility is where cab fabrication takes place for all its fire apparatus. (Photos by author unless otherwise noted.)

After the simulator, I met with Jason Shivley, director of engineering at Oshkosh Airport Products, who filled me in on some of the upcoming Striker products. Expect to see a number of enhancements to Striker 8x8 rigs. According to Shivley, the big changes are to the body and the driveline. The updates are almost a relaunch, as there haven’t been major changes since 2001. Currently, Striker 8x8s feature a 950-horsepower (hp) Caterpillar engine. Upcoming, however, will be units featuring two engines side by side (dual Scania D16 engines deliv