Harold A. Schaitberger was re-elected General President of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) during the union’s 53^rdConvention. It marks the fifth time Schaitberger was elected into office by acclamation.

Schaitberger, who will lead the union for another four-year term, is the 9th General President in the IAFF’s 98-year history. He was first elected to that post in 2000.

Beginning his career as a professional firefighter in Fairfax County, Virginia, Schaitberger quickly rose to the rank of lieutenant, organized and served as the first president of Fairfax County Local 2068 and was elected president of the Virginia Professional Fire Fighters, all before he had seven years on the job.

As general president, Schaitberger has transformed the IAFF into a growing powerhouse in politics, legislation, and health and safety issues across the United States and Canada.

 “I know that we have made a difference. But no matter how strong we get, I have vowed to never put this union in neutral. We always need to be faster and stronger. The 302,000 members of this union deserve the very best,” Schaitberger said in keynote remarks to the IAFF convention in Las Vegas.

Edward Kelly was elected by acclamation as the IAFF’s new General Secretary-Treasurer.

The son, grandson, brother, nephew, and cousin of firefighters, Kelly joined the Boston (MA) Fire Department as a firefighter/EMT in 1997. He was elected president of Boston Local 718 in 2005 and in 2011 was elected president of the Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts. During his tenure, Kelly worked hard for improvements in fire equipment and resources and aggressively defended the rights and benefits of Boston firefighters.

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Spartan Emergency Response (“Spartan”), a business unit of Spartan Motors, Inc. (NASDAQ: SPAR), makes acquiring new fire apparatus more accessible than ever for volunteer and paid fire departments requiring multi-purpose fire trucks, with the introduction of Spartan’s new value-priced 75-foot rear mount quint apparatus, here at the International Association of Fire Chiefs’ (IAFC) Fire-Rescue International (FRI) Conference & Expo.

Volunteer and paid departments continue to face challenges with multipurpose requirements, limited personnel, and budgetary restrictions, which require them to do more with less. Spartan’s 75-foot quint offers a streamlined feature set that allows for the integration of an engine and aerial at a lower price point while retaining functionality and reliability.

The 75-foot rear mount quint apparatus combines safety, practicality and functionality with affordable maintenance and serviceability in mind, which all add up to a lower cost of ownership over the life of the truck. It features Spartan’s exclusive, greaseless ladder design and roller-assisted slide pads (RASP) for smoother operation and less downtime for service. Built on a single axle and weighing less than 49,000 lbs., this configuration gives departments the extra reserve capacity to maximize their capabilities without the risk of being overweight. The truck includes a 1,500 GPM fire pump combined with a 500-gallon water tank, 1,000 feet of hose storage, 115 feet of ground ladder storage, full depth rescue-style compartments and a high-strength steel ladder. 

“We are fortunate to have a strong dealer network that understands the needs of today’s fire departments. Front-line insights combined with Spartan’s aerial expertise has allowed us to add this 75’ configuration to our arsenal of aerials,” said Daryl Adams, President and CEO, Spartan Motors, Inc. “Many Spartan dealers encounter municipalities that are interested in the versatility of a quint as an option to replace a rescue truck, as it will transport significant equipment and include fire suppression as well as an aerial device.”

Customized Pumpers

Spartan will also showcase two customized pumpers built for the River Oaks Fire Department and Shiner Volunteer Fire Department, both of Texas. Both pumpers are built on high-strength aluminum bodies and feature Spartan’s Vibra-Torq mounting system that extends the life of the vehicle by reducing vibrations and stress on the body. The Shiner unit is a top-control pumper built on an International two-door chassis with a Waterous CSU 1,250 GPM pump and 1,000 gallons of water. The River Oaks truck is a side control pumper built on a Spartan Metro Star MFD chassis with a Hale DSD 1,500 GPM pump, 750 gallons of water and 30 gallons of foam. It boasts Spartan’s Advanced Protection System® (APS), the #1 firefighter safety system in the industry. The system employs satellite sensors that prompt airbag deployment when an imminent collision is recognized, eight airbags that protec