By Chris Mc Loone

It’s not often that you get to meet and listen to the inventor of something we see and use every time we are alerted to an emergency.

But, that is exactly what happened recently when a group of press representatives from various industries, including the fire industry, met in the Elkton, Maryland, and Newark, Delaware, W. L. Gore & Associates facilities on November 17 and 18, 2016. The event coincided with the 40th anniversary of GORE-TEX® and the opening of Gore’s Biophysics and Heat and Flame Protection labs. The company is almost 60 years old, and it has endured because of its focus on the end user and an environment that encourages innovation with an emphasis on the long term.

1 The Environmental Chamber of Gore’s new Biophysics Laboratory simulates a range of environmental conditions experienced by end users like a firefighter. (Photos courtesy of W. L. Gore & Associates unless otherwise noted.)

As an associate who spent most of her career with Gore in the Fabrics Division, Terri Kelly, president and CEO, says that the event was a proud moment and served as an example of how “one invention can change the trajectory of a company. GORE-TEX-no one else has it.” It was Bob Gore, Bill and Vieve Gore’s son, who discovered expanded PTFE (ePTFE), the core of GORE-TEX, and he discovered it while trying to create a less expensive plumber’s tape. Sometimes that’s how things happen and, like Kelly says, it only takes one thing to change the trajectory of a company. Now GORE-TEX is 40 years old and is used in countless products throughout the world.

Bob Gore attended the event, having recently retired as chairman of the board at Gore. As he related how he discovered ePTFE, he explained how it wasn’t until 1993 that the company paid back all the investment it made in what became GORE-TEX. But, that is how the company works. It is interested in the long term. As Gore says, it is not patience, it’s persistence. And, the innovation comes from doing things, not talking about things. “Make sure the work we are doing is doing things, not planning things,” he told the audience. “You learn so much more when you start doing things,” he says. Kelly adds, “It’s hard to create a viable business when you are worried about quarterlies. GORE-TEX would have never come about. The nature of innovation is trying a lot of things. Not all work.” However, by focusing on the end user, Kelly says, it helps create the next generation of products.

2 The cone calorimeter of Gore’s new Heat & Flame Protection Sciences Laboratory tests material characteristics under flash fire conditions.

New Labs

The event began with various Gore associates providing a background on Gore, its products, and its new labs at the company’s Elkton, Maryland, EM5 location.

No matter who spoke, everyone always came back to the same phrase: “Fit for Use.” Everything that Gore produces is done with the end user in mind. And, these two new labs are an expression of this philosophy. The ultimate e

By Paul C. Darley

“Big Data” is a term used a lot these days. It basically describes the large volume of data-both structured and unstructured-that inundates us on a day-to-day basis.

But, it’s not the amount of data that’s important; it’s what organizations do with the data that matters. In the business world, big data can be analyzed for patterns and insights that lead to better decisions and strategic business moves. In our world of firefighting, big data can be used to save lives and property while making fire departments more operationally efficient.

I often hear people in the fire service say, “There is so little data available to make decisions.” This actually couldn’t be further from the truth. You just need to know where to look and then slice and dice the data to find trends.

Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association (FAMA) member companies may use data from the Web sites below to develop products that are intended to improve efficiencies and effectiveness of firefighting equipment. Additionally, FAMA has a host of useful data intended to improve the safety of our firefighters and help make decisions when procuring certain firefighting equipment.

Must-Visit Web Sites

If you want to conduct some research on megatrends in the fire service, there are three must-visit Web sites.

• National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS). This system (https://www.nfirs.fema.gov) was created by the National Fire Data Center of the United States Fire Administration (USFA), a division of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), after the 1973 report, “American Burning.” It is the central collection point to gather and analyze information on the magnitude of the nation’s fire problem as well as detailed characteristics and trends. Its uniform data reporting methods assist state agencies in developing and reporting data. Roughly 23,000 of the estimated 30,000 fire departments in the United States report their calls to NFIRS. There is generally a six-month lag as reporting comes through coordinated state efforts.
• United States Fire Administration. Information from NFIRS is organized by the USFA (https://www.usfa.fema.gov/data/statistics/) so that it is discernable and actionable. You can download just about any data relative to U.S. fire service statistics. At this Web site, you can quickly navigate to the data and statistics sections, which include everything from the causes, types, and number of fires to the damage caused and the socioeconomic demographics affected. There are also detailed reports ready for you to download.
• National Fire Protection Association. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA, http://www.nfpa.org) actually conducts its own survey of U.S. public fire departments each year, and the results are similar to what the USFA reports. In September each year, the NFPA publishes its Annual Fire Loss Report. I literally check the Web site daily each September awaiting its release. When you go to the Web site, search for the “2015 Fire Loss Report.” While there, spend some time in the research and library areas.

What Do the Data Show?

When you view these Web sites, the first thing that jumps out is the declining total number of fires and fire fatalities. This is goal one for us in the fire service-whether you are a firefighter or someone building lifesaving equipment. For example, the USFA data show that there were 1.602 million fires in 2005 compar

By Paul C. Darley

“Big Data” is a term used a lot these days. It basically describes the large volume of data-both structured and unstructured-that inundates us on a day-to-day basis.

But, it’s not the amount of data that’s important; it’s what organizations do with the data that matters. In the business world, big data can be analyzed for patterns and insights that lead to better decisions and strategic business moves. In our world of firefighting, big data can be used to save lives and property while making fire departments more operationally efficient.

I often hear people in the fire service say, “There is so little data available to make decisions.” This actually couldn’t be further from the truth. You just need to know where to look and then slice and dice the data to find trends.

Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association (FAMA) member companies may use data from the Web sites below to develop products that are intended to improve efficiencies and effectiveness of firefighting equipment. Additionally, FAMA has a host of useful data intended to improve the safety of our firefighters and help make decisions when procuring certain firefighting equipment.

Must-Visit Web Sites

If you want to conduct some research on megatrends in the fire service, there are three must-visit Web sites.

• National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS). This system (https://www.nfirs.fema.gov) was created by the National Fire Data Center of the United States Fire Administration (USFA), a division of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), after the 1973 report, “American Burning.” It is the central collection point to gather and analyze information on the magnitude of the nation’s fire problem as well as detailed characteristics and trends. Its uniform data reporting methods assist state agencies in developing and reporting data. Roughly 23,000 of the estimated 30,000 fire departments in the United States report their calls to NFIRS. There is generally a six-month lag as reporting comes through coordinated state efforts.
• United States Fire Administration. Information from NFIRS is organized by the USFA (https://www.usfa.fema.gov/data/statistics/) so that it is discernable and actionable. You can download just about any data relative to U.S. fire service statistics. At this Web site, you can quickly navigate to the data and statistics sections, which include everything from the causes, types, and number of fires to the damage caused and the socioeconomic demographics affected. There are also detailed reports ready for you to download.
• National Fire Protection Association. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA, http://www.nfpa.org) actually conducts its own survey of U.S. public fire departments each year, and the results are similar to what the USFA reports. In September each year, the NFPA publishes its Annual Fire Loss Report. I literally check the Web site daily each September awaiting its release. When you go to the Web site, search for the “2015 Fire Loss Report.” While there, spend some time in the research and library areas.

What Do the Data Show?

When you view these Web sites, the first thing that jumps out is the declining total number of fires and fire fatalities. This is goal one for us in the fire service-whether you are a firefighter or someone building lifesaving equipment. For example, the USFA data show that there were 1.602 million fires in 2005 compar

By Paul C. Darley

“Big Data” is a term used a lot these days. It basically describes the large volume of data-both structured and unstructured-that inundates us on a day-to-day basis.

But, it’s not the amount of data that’s important; it’s what organizations do with the data that matters. In the business world, big data can be analyzed for patterns and insights that lead to better decisions and strategic business moves. In our world of firefighting, big data can be used to save lives and property while making fire departments more operationally efficient.

I often hear people in the fire service say, “There is so little data available to make decisions.” This actually couldn’t be further from the truth. You just need to know where to look and then slice and dice the data to find trends.

Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association (FAMA) member companies may use data from the Web sites below to develop products that are intended to improve efficiencies and effectiveness of firefighting equipment. Additionally, FAMA has a host of useful data intended to improve the safety of our firefighters and help make decisions when procuring certain firefighting equipment.

Must-Visit Web Sites

If you want to conduct some research on megatrends in the fire service, there are three must-visit Web sites.

• National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS). This system (https://www.nfirs.fema.gov) was created by the National Fire Data Center of the United States Fire Administration (USFA), a division of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), after the 1973 report, “American Burning.” It is the central collection point to gather and analyze information on the magnitude of the nation’s fire problem as well as detailed characteristics and trends. Its uniform data reporting methods assist state agencies in developing and reporting data. Roughly 23,000 of the estimated 30,000 fire departments in the United States report their calls to NFIRS. There is generally a six-month lag as reporting comes through coordinated state efforts.
• United States Fire Administration. Information from NFIRS is organized by the USFA (https://www.usfa.fema.gov/data/statistics/) so that it is discernable and actionable. You can download just about any data relative to U.S. fire service statistics. At this Web site, you can quickly navigate to the data and statistics sections, which include everything from the causes, types, and number of fires to the damage caused and the socioeconomic demographics affected. There are also detailed reports ready for you to download.
• National Fire Protection Association. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA, http://www.nfpa.org) actually conducts its own survey of U.S. public fire departments each year, and the results are similar to what the USFA reports. In September each year, the NFPA publishes its Annual Fire Loss Report. I literally check the Web site daily each September awaiting its release. When you go to the Web site, search for the “2015 Fire Loss Report.” While there, spend some time in the research and library areas.

What Do the Data Show?

When you view these Web sites, the first thing that jumps out is the declining total number of fires and fire fatalities. This is goal one for us in the fire service-whether you are a firefighter or someone building lifesaving equipment. For example, the USFA data show that there were 1.602 million fires in 2005 compar

By Bill Adams

Asking a group of firefighters if they prefer fire apparatus mounted on a custom cab and chassis or a commercial cab and chassis may result in a discourse as contentious as debating the attributes of straight tip vs. fog nozzles, aluminum vs. wooden ground ladders, or what the best color to paint a fire truck is.

The backbone of every fire truck is the combination of its chassis components. Part 1 only addresses the development of custom cabs. Part 2 will address cab construction and the differences between custom and commercial cabs.

A dictionary’s definitions of custom and commercial do not reflect what the fire service considers a custom or commercial cab and chassis. A generally accepted definition of a custom cab and chassis is one that is designed specifically as a fire truck. You will not see one hauling a refuse truck body. A commercial cab and chassis is one designed explicitly for the commercial/industrial market. The same applies to the cab alone and the chassis alone. My definition of a cab is where firefighters sit and a chassis is what’s under the cab. Commercial cabs and chassis can be and are customized (no pun intended) to meet fire service criteria. And, there have been instances where custom cabs have been mounted on a commercial chassis and commercial cabs mounted on a custom chassis.

Early History

The original custom cabs were built by manufacturers of complete fire apparatus including the chassis. Some that are no longer in business include Mack, Maxim, Peter Pirsch, FWD, Ward La France, Oren, American La France, the original Ahrens-Fox, Hahn, Buffalo, Stutz, Sanford, and Crown Coach-a late entry into the apparatus field. The first custom cabs were located behind the motor and were not much more than an open seat sitting on top of a fire pump. In 1928, Peter Pirsch delivered the first custom built, fully enclosed cab on a fire truck to Monroe, Wisconsin. It was on a chassis with the motor located ahead of the cab, commonly referred to then and today as a conventional cab. In 1939, American La France introduced the industry’s first custom cab-forward chassis-the JO/JOX series, a square, unappealing design that no manufacturer copied. Some early cab-forward commercial chassis were referred to as midengine chassis, meaning the front seats were located ahead of the motor and radiator. The definition shouldn’t be confused with today’s fire service understanding that a midengine chassis is one where the motor is not located within the cab at all.

In 1947, American La France introduced its popular 700 Series custom cab-forward design that was the forerunner of today’s custom cabs (photo 1). Other apparatus manufacturers introduced their own designs, although it took most almost 10 years to do so. Each apparatus manufacturer that built its own cab and chassis had a unique design whereby firefighters could readily identify the manufacturer of the rig coming down the street.

1 The Providence (RI) Fire Department purchased this Series 700 American La France 1,500-gpm pumper in 1949. First developed in 1947, the Series 700 design had a 10-year run before it was emulated by other fire apparatus manufacturers. (Photo by author.)

Independent Cab and Chassis Builders

From the mid 1960s to the 1990s, builders that manufactured just a