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Posted: Mar 31, 2023

San Jose (CA)’s $8.8M Fire Station 37 Meets Zero Net Carbon Standards

By Alan M. Petrillo

San Jose (CA) Fire Department’s new Station 37 is designed and built to the city of San Jose’s Zero Net Carbon (ZNC) standards, which eliminates the use of natural gas, and has energy efficient electric appliances for its heating and cooling systems, water heater, and kitchen stove.

Aaron Freyler, San Jose’s deputy chief of support services, says that in addition to the ZNC, Station 37 has 82 photovoltaic (PV) panels over the roof of the fire station and an adjacent parking structure that generate a total of 25-kW in solar power to augment the station’s electricity use.

“The area where Station 37 is located is growing in population with a lot more high-density housing,” Freyler observes. “It is an area that was hard for us to reach from our surrounding stations in the four-minute travel time that we set for runs, so we located the new station in roughly the center of that growth area.”

Station 37 is a two-story structure with 8,100 square feet of space, Freyler says. The station has two back-in apparatus bays with fast-opening four-fold doors, with an adjacent decon room, work room, and turnout gear storage room. The living spaces in the station include a captain’s office, crew office, an open-plan kitchen, dining and day room plan, and five two-bed dorms each with private bathroom and shower facilities. The station was designed for energy efficiency through the use of numerous occupancy sensors.

The $8.8 million station was built with funds from a Disaster Preparedness, Public Safety and Infrastructure Bond approved by voters.

San Jose Fire Department serves the tenth largest city in the United States and the third largest in California, as well as unincorporated areas of Santa Clara County totaling approximately 1.2 million residents. The department provides emergency services for a number of high hazard occupancies including an international airport, a municipal airport, seven major hospitals, the SAP Center (home to the NHL’s San Jose Sharks), San Jose State University, three super regional malls, 108 high rise structures, and the US Patent and Trademark Office. Freyler points out that the department responded to 103,000 calls in 2022.

The department runs 33 Type 1 engines, nine aerial ladders, two Type 3 engines, three rescue squads, a hazardous materials truck, a foam truck, a command truck, four ARFF (aircraft rescue and firefighting) vehicles, and two USAR (urban search and rescue) trucks.


ALAN M. PETRILLO is a Tucson, Ariz.-based journalist, the author of three novels and five non-fiction books, and a member of the Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment editorial advisory board. He served 22 years with Verdoy (NY) Fire Department, including the position of chief.

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Posted: Mar 31, 2023

Resolving Incompatible, Damaged Fire Department Connections

Fire Industry Today

The reasons for encountering incompatible fire hose threads on structures equipped with fire sprinkler and standpipe systems are numerous. They include contractor installation error, fire inspector and building official error, firefighter failure to verify thread compatibility, and brass theft.

It is believed by some in the fire protection business that building and fire officials are not communicating as well as they should. The communication disconnect between firefighters, building officials, and fire prevention inspectors is a concern.

SUPPORT THE FIRE ATTACK, CONNECT TO THE FDC

Regardless of the circumstances surrounding a working fire in a high-rise structure, water application and fire control will always be a high priority. If there’s one common denominator for success on the fireground, it’s the ability for fire crews to quickly put water on the fire. Rapid extinguishment seems to solve almost everything, regardless of the size of the structure. However, when it comes to high-rise fires, rapid water application is a much bigger challenge than at the average residential structure fire. Most sprinklered multi-story buildings have combination standpipe/sprinkler systems. Therefore, connecting and pressurizing the fire department connections (FDCs) will ensure that firefighters have sufficient water and nozzle pressure needed for a fire attack.

Regardless of the occupancy type, the fire officer’s priority is always rescue and civilian life safety. The tactical considerations for rescue and fire attack will differ significantly with the building occupancy type, the size, height, the occupancy load, and the specific fire protection features provided in the structure.

Civilian life safety is always a fire officer’s first strategic priority. This can be achieved with two tactical fire attack options/actions: 

  1. Single-family/low-rise multi-family residential housing: Vent-enter-isolate-search (VEIS); the tactics must support the fire attack and effort to remove occupants from harm.
  2. High-rise multi-family: It is practically impossible to remove occupants from harm in a timely fashion. Therefore, firefighters must remove the harm from the occupants—that is, getting water on the fire as quickly as possible.

Firefighters and command officers must consider that pumping into the FDC and supporting the standpipe and fire sprinkler system with water and pressure is not just a precaution in the event of fire pump failure. Supporting these fire systems is a necessity and the right thing to do. If a FDC hookup is ignored by the fireground commander and things do not go well, it could be very hard to explain.

It may be much wiser to explain why we pumped the FDC and supported the fire attack than why we chose to ignore advise from fire professionals as found in National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 13-E, Recommended Practice for Fire Department Operations in Properties Protected by Sprinkler and Standpipe Systems. Always preplan an alternative means for water supply (NFPA 13-E 4.2 #6).

 

 Brass thieves have stolen both female swivels from this FDC, making the hose incompatible. (Photos by author.)

 

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Posted: Mar 31, 2023

Fire Apparatus of the Day: March 31, 2023

Smeal—Lebanon (MO) Fire Department 75-foot rear-mount aerial ladder quint. Spartan Gladiator LFD with 10-inch raised roof cab and chassis; Cummins X12 500-hp engine; Waterous CSUC20 2,000-gpm pump; UPF Poly 300-gallon water tank; 50-gallon foam cell; FoamPro 2002 Class B foam system; Harrison 6-kW generator. Dealer: Lloyd Dewald, Leo M, Ellebracht Company, Wentzville, MO.


PREVIOUS PHOTO OF THE DAY >>

MORE FIRE APPARATUS ARTICLES >>

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Posted: Mar 31, 2023

PA Fire Departments Have Been Repaid $1M by Norfolk Southern So Far: Gov. Shapiro 

PRESS RELEASE

Harrisburg, PA – Today (March 30), Governor Josh Shapiro announced that Norfolk Southern has completed its first $1 million in reimbursements to Pennsylvania fire departments, first responders, and Beaver County Hazmat. This initial $1 million from Norfolk Southern is part of the funding Governor Shapiro secured in reimbursements for equipment that was damaged or contaminated during the response and remediation to Norfolk Southern’s train derailment in East Palestine. Fire companies from Beaver, Lawrence, and Washington Counties responded to the derailment and the controlled vent and burn – and Governor Shapiro is working to ensure they receive any and all funding they need.

Governor Shapiro continues to deliver on his promise to hold Norfolk Southern accountable for any and all impacts to the Commonwealth. Last month, Governor Shapiro secured an initial commitment from Norfolk Southern to pay for millions in damages to Pennsylvania and impacted residents in Beaver and Lawrence Counties, including covering costs to local responders.

“Norfolk Southern’s train derailment hurt communities in Western Pennsylvania, put our first responders at risk, and has taken up immense local and state resources,” said Governor Josh Shapiro. “Norfolk Southern must do better – and the entire cost of this derailment and its impact on the Commonwealth must be picked up by them, not the people of Pennsylvania. This critical funding will help make fire departments and first responders whole, and my Administration will continue to hold Norfolk Southern accountable for any and all impacts on our Commonwealth.”

“Our fire companies and first responders put their health and safety on the line for Pennsylvanians each day – we are proud of the good work they do and we thank them for their service,” said Acting Pennsylvania State Fire Commissioner Thomas Cook. “In order to continue doing their jobs safely and effectively, our firefighters need the right gear. We urge Norfolk Southern to continue to swiftly reimburse our departments and their local partners for any damaged equipment.”

In addition to securing this critical funding for Pennsylvania fire departments and first responders, Governor Shapiro has led the way to ensure that Pennsylvania residents are receiving reimbursements for losses they incurred as a result of Norfolk Southern’s train derailment. Governor Shapiro is fighting for Pennsylvanians like those he met with in Darlington Township – who just this week received reimbursements for 20 dozen eggs they lost after the derailment. Pennsylvanians who want to apply for reimbursements should visit&nb

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Posted: Mar 31, 2023

Fredericksburg (VA) Fire Departments Paying More, Waiting Longer for New Ambulances

“The cost increases, the number of them and the delays are something I have not witnessed before in my time.” — Chief Mike Jones, Fredericksburg Fire Department

Cathy Dyson
The Free Lance-Star, Fredericksburg, Va.
(TNS)

Mar. 29—Fire and rescue departments across the Fredericksburg region — and the nation — are dealing with the double whammy of higher costs and longer wait times for new ambulances and fire trucks.

Here’s a situation that played out recently in King George County: Fire Chief David Moody requested a replacement ambulance in September and initially put in a “placeholder of $300,000 with the disclaimer” that he didn’t know the exact price because the manufacturer hadn’t provided it.

When he got the final cost, Moody came back to the Board of Supervisors because he needed another $34,000.

“Just to give you a little bit of context,” Moody said last week, “this is the same model that we purchased in 2020 for $285,000 … and now the price today is $333,957.”

Wait times for new equipment are going up along with costs. Departments used to get new ambulances or fire apparatus three to six months after they placed an order. Now, the process is taking two to three years.

“It’s a big mess,” said Brian Frankel, deputy chief of EMS for Stafford County Fire and Rescue. “Pretty much every jurisdiction in the commonwealth is dealing with the same challenge.”

Four American and international groups, representing various fire and rescue officials, spelled out the problems with rising costs and wait times, and the risk they pose, in an October letter to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg.

“This issue is a rapidly emerging threat to public safety,” the letter stated. “The lack of proper equipment puts additional pressure on an EMS system that is already over-stressed.”

The groups included the American Ambulance Association, International Association of Fire Chiefs, International Association of Firefighters and National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians. They said that when an ambulance is totaled in a crash or has put in too many miles, the long wait for a new one makes it harder to ensure timely responses to 911 calls.

Most of the problems are tied to supply chain issues including the global shortage of microchips that’s impacted all automotive production. But the production of the chassis used for ambulances has been particularly hard hit, according to a June article on the Firehouse website.

Manufacturers, such as Ford, GM and Chrysler, typically provide chassis to companies that then assemble ambulances with specifications requested by local fire and rescue departments.

But the companies that assemble the rescue squads have gotten only “a fraction of their orders” in the last 18 months, according to the letter from fire and rescue officials. To compound the problem, the ambulance industry is getting more requests for new equipment.

Before COVID, North American companies were receiving about 6,000 requests a year for new ambulances, according to the letter from fire and rescue associations. In 2021, orders increased to 8,500 a year.

“These are extremely difficult times for buyers, dealers and the manufacturers,” Bob Reilly, owner of one of the largest ambulance dealers in the United States, said in the Firehouse article.

Chief Mike Jones with the Fredericksburg Fire Department has been in fire trucks or ambulances for almost 40 years, and worked to procure them for decades.

“The cost increases, the number of them and the delays are something I

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