By Alan M. Petrillo
Cleaning turnout gear to rid it of contaminants and toxins has become a regular facet of the firehouse routine.
Some departments have specialized machines in their stations designed to wash turnouts and remove contaminants. Departments that don’t clean their gear in-station send turnouts out to independent service providers who inspect, clean, and repair personal protective equipment (PPE) to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1851, Standard on Selection, Care, and Maintenance of Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting.
Gear Cleaning Equipment
Gary Gauthier, regional sales manager for Milnor Laundry Systems, Pellerin Milnor Corp., says his company makes industrial-grade washer-extractors that are preprogrammed for washing turnout gear to meet NFPA 1851. “We make 40-pound, 45-pound, 60-pound, and 80-pound Gear Guardian washer-extractors for washing turnout gear,” Gauthier says. “The 80-pound model will wash about six to seven garments at a time, the 60-pound will do four to five, the 45-pound about three, and the 40-pound about two to three.”
Gauthier says the various models have 30 programmable wash formulas, including 10 preprogrammed for decontaminating firefighter gear; have solid industrial bearings inside the machines so the equipment will last a long time if properly maintained; and are easy to use by pressing a couple of buttons to do a wash load. “Most fire stations have solid foundation requirements that allow lower-cost, rigid-mount machines to be used,” he adds, “which is more desirable than a soft-mount washer that can reach high G-force extracts.”
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| 1 Milnor Laundry Systems makes industrial-grade washer-extractors capable of handling loads from 25 to 160 pounds. Shown is the model 30015 T6X washer-extractor that has a capacity of 40 pounds. (Photo courtesy of Milnor Laundry Systems.) |
Milnor’s washer-extractors use a low agitation speed during the wash process, Gauthier points out, with water temperature not exceeding 100°F. Milnor uses a low extract speed, Gauthier says, “to eliminate the potential of hydro bursting the fabric of the garment. Water can get soaked in the garment after the wash process, and if you spin out the water too fast or use too much G force during extraction, you can damage the garment’s fabric and make it unsafe to use for the next time it needs to be employed to fight a fire.” Milnor also makes a dryer cabinet to dry the garments after extraction. The cabinet hangs a couple of turnouts and uses warm air to dry them, not exceeding 100°F.
Another maker of washer-extractors used in the fire service is UniMac®. Bill Brooks, UniMac’s North American sales manager, says UniMac’s most common model used in the fire service is the UW design, which is an industrial-strength washer. Brooks says the UW has an “overbuilt frame and heavier bearing and shaft design, giving it increased strength.” That’s important, he adds, because “the distribution of weight inside a washer for a load of turnout gear is not perfectly balanced and requires extra strength to assure a very long machine life.”
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Posted: Feb 11, 2016
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
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- Article rating: No rating
Posted: Feb 11, 2016
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
Read more
- 3274
- Article rating: No rating
Posted: Feb 11, 2016
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
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Posted: Feb 11, 2016
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.
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| 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.
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2 These two photos depict very basic rigs: a side-mount and a top-mount. Mike Watts, Toyne national sales manager, s
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