By Carl J. Haddon

Spring is right around the corner; it’s time to train; and your training officers want to bring “something new” into their programs. Have you ever given thought to contacting equipment manufacturers to help with this “something new”?

Many of us typically only contact manufacturers after we complete budget and needs assessments and we’ve appointed our purchasing committees-in whatever form or fashion that happens for your department. Next we call manufacturers or dealers for demos of the stuff we are interested in, right? What if we turned that equation upside down and backward? Why not turn conventional demos into training opportunities as part of your normal training schedules?

Changing the Normal Course

Equipment manufacturers and dealers spend hundreds of thousands of dollars each year trying to develop two major areas of their respective businesses: establishing market presence and making new business contacts. They work toward these goals with tools that include everything from trade shows to print and Web advertising to demos and cold calls. All of these things are done in an attempt to garner interest in their products, with hopes of generating sales. What better opportunity to achieve these goals than to have their equipment or products being used in hands-on applications during actual firefighter/first responder training?

I have been a fire service/technical rescue instructor for many years, and I’m still blessed to be able to travel the world each year teaching brave souls who are dedicated to honing their craft. As an instructor, I am always on the lookout for state-of-the art-as well as tried-and-true-products and equipment that will help my students do a better job for those they serve while maintaining their personal safety and the safety of their crews. With this in mind, I routinely welcome reputable dealers and manufacturers who are willing to bring their goods out to our training events and allow fire-rescue personnel to put these products through our hard core training evolutions.

There is a lot to be said for a professional dealer or manufacturer’s rep who will bring equipment out to training, offer students a safety and instructional briefing on whatever they’ve brought out, and then stand back and let the students and their instructor work through a hands-on training program. These products and equipment need no selling or salespeople because they sell themselves. On the flip side of this equation, I have to caution the reader about those “others” who will want to steer, guide, or control your training for their benefit. Training and selling don’t mix. Selling-if there is to be any-can only happen once the prescribed department’s training has concluded.

Incorporating “new” (which can be defined in a number of different ways) equipment into some of your training events can allow you to see how your existing equipment measures up and perhaps put new equipment on your department’s wish list for future purchases. A classic example of this happened during a recent training trip to Louisiana, where I was doing a forcible entry scenario. One of the departments brought out its rotary saw for use. This saw was in good shape; however, it was an older (quite older), heavier saw, which members found tough to use because of the weight and lack of suspension features. The firefighters from that department were introduced to a line of newer rotary saws that were lighter and ergonomically friendlier than their existing saw. They found the new saws could be safely used by a greater number of members. As a result of seeing the benefits to the department and its community after having used these new saws during a controlled training operation, the commissioners put the new s

By Bill Adams

In “The New Normal” (Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment, October 2012), Paul C. Darley, president and CEO of W.S. Darley & Company, expressed his views on the state of the fire apparatus industry, the municipal financial crisis, and the fire service becoming one of the most affected departments in some communities.

He said, “The days of fire departments being treated as sacred cows in their communities are coming to an end.” He was spot on. Except for those in the emergency services, the ultimate sacrifice of 343 firefighters on 9/11 is sadly becoming a forgotten memory of the past.

1 Engine 8, from St. Bernard Parrish, Louisiana, is one of three 2015 1,500-gpm pumpers. The department’s roster shows KMEs were also purchased in 2003, 2005, 2006, and 2007. Its pumpers have a standardized configuration. (Photo courtesy of KME.)

Except for the few wealthy and affluent fire departments, most make due with whatever limited resources taxpayers are willing to provide. Career departments understandably place monetary emphasis on retaining personnel and fulfilling contractual labor agreements. Budget constraints are forcing volunteers in suburban and nonaffluent areas to become financially astute. Fire departments in economically distressed political subdivisions and rural communities are, by necessity, becoming frugal, miserly, and miserable. When a decision must be made to adequately fund staffing for a career department or to purchase a replacement rig, the rig comes in second place. If the local fire company must decide whether to replace an obsolete rig or replace the broken furnace and repair the leaky roof on the firehouse, the new rig loses again.

When vote-sensitive politicians become vocal in fire department finances, a purchase as expensive as a fire truck becomes an easy and a tempting target. Politicos often unmercifully harangue an apparatus purchasing committee (APC) to write specifications wisely for an economical purchase. In most instances, the APC starts off with that intent. It’s usually lost after the first meeting. It doesn’t have to be.

The Marketplace

Several years back, I recall reading a post in an online forum from a UK firefighter asking why the American fire service builds so many customized rigs instead of standardized ones. Paraphrasing him, he was amazed by the way American apparatus are purchased and questioned why so many are built as one-of-a-kind. While acknowledging conditions vary in each community, he hit the nail on the head when commenting that the American fire service could save money if it left the 19th century behind and followed the example of Henry Ford, using an assembly line with standardized parts. He said the American fire service would benefit by getting less expensive vehicles. That statement might have merit.

2 These two photos depict very basic rigs: a side-mount and a top-mount. Mike Watts, Toyne national sales manager, s Read more 589 0 Article rating: No rating Posted: Feb 11, 2016 Apparatus Purchasing: Stock, Standard, or Demo? Part 1 By Bill Adams In “The New Normal” (Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment, October 2012), Paul C. Darley, president and CEO of W.S. Darley & Company, expressed his views on the state of the fire apparatus industry, the municipal financial crisis, and the fire service becoming one of the most affected departments in some communities. He said, “The days of fire departments being treated as sacred cows in their communities are coming to an end.” He was spot on. Except for those in the emergency services, the ultimate sacrifice of 343 firefighters on 9/11 is sadly becoming a forgotten memory of the past. 1 Engine 8, from St. Bernard Parrish, Louisiana, is one of three 2015 1,500-gpm pumpers. The department’s roster shows KMEs were also purchased in 2003, 2005, 2006, and 2007. Its pumpers have a standardized configuration. (Photo courtesy of KME.) Except for the few wealthy and affluent fire departments, most make due with whatever limited resources taxpayers are willing to provide. Career departments understandably place monetary emphasis on retaining personnel and fulfilling contractual labor agreements. Budget constraints are forcing volunteers in suburban and nonaffluent areas to become financially astute. Fire departments in economically distressed political subdivisions and rural communities are, by necessity, becoming frugal, miserly, and miserable. When a decision must be made to adequately fund staffing for a career department or to purchase a replacement rig, the rig comes in second place. If the local fire company must decide whether to replace an obsolete rig or replace the broken furnace and repair the leaky roof on the firehouse, the new rig loses again. When vote-sensitive politicians become vocal in fire department finances, a purchase as expensive as a fire truck becomes an easy and a tempting target. Politicos often unmercifully harangue an apparatus purchasing committee (APC) to write specifications wisely for an economical purchase. In most instances, the APC starts off with that intent. It’s usually lost after the first meeting. It doesn’t have to be. The Marketplace Several years back, I recall reading a post in an online forum from a UK firefighter asking why the American fire service builds so many customized rigs instead of standardized ones. Paraphrasing him, he was amazed by the way American apparatus are purchased and questioned why so many are built as one-of-a-kind. While acknowledging conditions vary in each community, he hit the nail on the head when commenting that the American fire service could save money if it left the 19th century behind and followed the example of Henry Ford, using an assembly line with standardized parts. He said the American fire service would benefit by getting less expensive vehicles. That statement might have merit. 2 These two photos depict very basic rigs: a side-mount and a top-mount. Mike Watts, Toyne national sales manager, s Read more 586 0 Article rating: No rating Posted: Feb 11, 2016 Apparatus Purchasing: Stock, Standard, or Demo? Part 1 By Bill Adams In “The New Normal” (Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment, October 2012), Paul C. Darley, president and CEO of W.S. Darley & Company, expressed his views on the state of the fire apparatus industry, the municipal financial crisis, and the fire service becoming one of the most affected departments in some communities. He said, “The days of fire departments being treated as sacred cows in their communities are coming to an end.” He was spot on. Except for those in the emergency services, the ultimate sacrifice of 343 firefighters on 9/11 is sadly becoming a forgotten memory of the past. 1 Engine 8, from St. Bernard Parrish, Louisiana, is one of three 2015 1,500-gpm pumpers. The department’s roster shows KMEs were also purchased in 2003, 2005, 2006, and 2007. Its pumpers have a standardized configuration. (Photo courtesy of KME.) Except for the few wealthy and affluent fire departments, most make due with whatever limited resources taxpayers are willing to provide. Career departments understandably place monetary emphasis on retaining personnel and fulfilling contractual labor agreements. Budget constraints are forcing volunteers in suburban and nonaffluent areas to become financially astute. Fire departments in economically distressed political subdivisions and rural communities are, by necessity, becoming frugal, miserly, and miserable. When a decision must be made to adequately fund staffing for a career department or to purchase a replacement rig, the rig comes in second place. If the local fire company must decide whether to replace an obsolete rig or replace the broken furnace and repair the leaky roof on the firehouse, the new rig loses again. When vote-sensitive politicians become vocal in fire department finances, a purchase as expensive as a fire truck becomes an easy and a tempting target. Politicos often unmercifully harangue an apparatus purchasing committee (APC) to write specifications wisely for an economical purchase. In most instances, the APC starts off with that intent. It’s usually lost after the first meeting. It doesn’t have to be. The Marketplace Several years back, I recall reading a post in an online forum from a UK firefighter asking why the American fire service builds so many customized rigs instead of standardized ones. Paraphrasing him, he was amazed by the way American apparatus are purchased and questioned why so many are built as one-of-a-kind. While acknowledging conditions vary in each community, he hit the nail on the head when commenting that the American fire service could save money if it left the 19th century behind and followed the example of Henry Ford, using an assembly line with standardized parts. He said the American fire service would benefit by getting less expensive vehicles. That statement might have merit. 2 These two photos depict very basic rigs: a side-mount and a top-mount. Mike Watts, Toyne national sales manager, s Read more 371 0 Article rating: No rating Posted: Feb 11, 2016 Cyber Security: a Threat for Fleets   Christian P. Koop As most of you have heard in the news and what seems much more frequently in print and social media, “We live in a changing world.” Those six words should not only be a painful reminder of the recent terrorist attack in San Bernadino, California, which left 18 dead, but also a reminder of just how much our country and the world have changed and are changing. Unfortunately, physical attacks of the type that occurred in San Bernadino are not our only vulnerabilities. We are also at high risk for cyber attacks through the highly sophisticated vehicles we drive, which are no longer self-contained and are essentially alive and communicate. It is important for fleet managers to know that commercial vehicles and emergency response vehicle fleets are at a greater risk for cyber attacks because of the commonality of vehicle systems and the increased use of telematics. My main objective with this article is to bring more awareness to this subject by defining some basic terms and sharing information on how your vehicles can be maliciously attacked. I recently attended a meeting with the South Florida Fleet Managers group. The topic was fleet vehicle cyber security for automobiles, buses, trucks, over-the-road trucks, and emergency response vehicles. The founder and organizer of this group is David Motola, a fleet manager from Miami Gardens, Florida. The main objectives for this group were to discuss forefront topics. This past session was no different. Cyber security for vehicle systems is something everyone is rushing to address-or should be. Motola made two important points: First, PCs have malware detection software installed that can be updated to protect from hacking, but most vehicles do not. Second, common hackers can take control of your vehicle from anywhere, yet they don’t even know how to change their own oil! The Lingo Let me define some important basic terminology that all concerned with this issue should be familiar with. Firmware is a set of instructions programmed into a hardware device that essentially provides the basic necessary instructions for how a device communicates with other computer hardware. It is generally stored in a device’s flash read-only memory (ROM). ROM can be erased and rewritten because it is a type of flash memory. Controller area network, also referred to as CAN bus, is a vehicle network standard that is designed to allow microcontrollers and other electronic control devices to communicate between each other without having a host or central computer. It was originally designed for use in automobiles as an electronic-coded-message-based protocol for use with multiplex wiring. However, it now can be found in many other contexts including trucks, buses, and heavy equipment. This includes emergency response vehicles. Telematics is sending, receiving, and storing information (data) via wireless communication from vehicle networks whereby the control of an object can be remotely affected. For example, most reading this are probably familiar with OnStar, a General Motors (GM) subsidiary that offers a service where it is connected to customer vehicles through the global positioning system (GPS) and global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver technology. In the event of an emergency, the driver can immediately communicate with OnStar to request emergency services, such as the police or fire and rescue, and provide them with an exact location. It can also unlock your vehicle if you leave your keys inside and access a host Read more 634 0 Article rating: No rating RSS FirstPrevious7716771777187719772077217722772377247725NextLast Theme picker Filter News Catagories Categories News (193) RSS Expand/Collapse Washington News (11847) RSS Expand/Collapse National News (11518) RSS Expand/Collapse WFC News (109) RSS Expand/Collapse Legislative Announcements (7) RSS Expand/Collapse Flag Lowerings (15) RSS Expand/Collapse Memorial Information (24) RSS Expand/Collapse Sections (6) RSS Expand/Collapse Emergency Medical Services (1) RSS Expand/Collapse Fire Administrative Support (17) RSS Expand/Collapse Fire Mechanics (18827) RSS Expand/Collapse Fire Training Safety & Officers (25) RSS Expand/Collapse Public Fire Educators (4) RSS Expand/Collapse HazMat Committee (0) RSS Expand/Collapse Filter to see National, Washington or WFC News, or filter to the Section News you are looking for! 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