I mentioned in last month’s column about how much better the fire service would be if there was more cross-pollination of ideas among the various fire services around the globe. This thought stemmed from my attending Interschutz 2015 in Hannover, Germany. Interschutz is the world’s largest fire expo and occurs every five years. Fifty-one countries were represented and more than 157,000 people attended-up from 123,000 in 2010. However, it is primarily a European show with a heavy German influence.

The show lasts six days and is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day. Interschutz is not marketed strongly in the United States, and only a very small number of U.S. fire service personnel attend. Yet, those who do attend almost always return.

The show is very different in many ways than shows in the United States. There are no classroom offerings. However, there are product demonstrations. The exhibit spaces are far more elaborate than those found at U.S. trade shows. It is common for the larger exhibits to have complimentary food and beverages (especially beer) for their guests. Some even have live entertainment.

Positive-Pressure Ventilation

I was surprised to see the large number of fans or blowers. They are clearly a big part of fire suppression throughout the world. There were quite a few larger fans on display, including truck-mounted, trailer-mounted, and track-mounted. As noticeable as the number of fans was the fact that the majority had misters attached. Whether or not you are a believer in using positive-pressure ventilation (PPV) during fire attack, one of the benefits of the mister is after knockdown. When you introduce humidity into a structure after knockdown, the heat goes down faster and greatly diminishes the chances of a rekindle. The Kill-the-Flashover project has clearly illustrated this factor. Joe Starnes, who heads this project, makes a valid analogy when he says you can’t strike a match in a sauna.

Cancer Prevention

One of the areas I focused on was cancer prevention. U.S. fire departments are slowly realizing the importance of keeping personal protective equipment (PPE) clean. However, this focus has been primarily on turnout gear. There is little emphasis on helmets, masks, gloves, and boots. A few manufacturers were displaying equipment for cleaning these particular items. For example, one vendor had a machine with clamps to hold helmets or face pieces. There was a boot-cleaning station that looked like a typical footwear brush scraper but also had a handheld brush that was tethered to the scraper. In discussions about PPE decontamination, the experts are saying the most overlooked component is probably the headband of the helmet. In the United States, rarely, if ever, is the headband cleaned, and it is worn at one of the most vulnerable spots for toxins to enter the body.

PPE

Someone once told me that PPE was not “sexy” like fire apparatus when it comes to equipment displays and discussions about equipment. This is true. But, it was most noticeable that the PPE section of Interschutz had more buzz than any of the other “inside” sections. I think it is true that Europeans have more interest in their PPE than Americans.

European PPE basically looks like American PPE, except for the helmet. They use the same materials, and their patterns are basically the same. They do use lighter-weight gear with slightly less thermal protection. It was striking how an American product, PBI, has been accepted throughout the world as a premier protective material.

Many U.S. PPE manufacturers have a presence in the European and world markets. Viking Life Safety Equipment had an interesting design feature. Its coats and trousers had a series of elastic loop ba

I mentioned in last month’s column about how much better the fire service would be if there was more cross-pollination of ideas among the various fire services around the globe. This thought stemmed from my attending Interschutz 2015 in Hannover, Germany. Interschutz is the world’s largest fire expo and occurs every five years. Fifty-one countries were represented and more than 157,000 people attended-up from 123,000 in 2010. However, it is primarily a European show with a heavy German influence.

The show lasts six days and is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day. Interschutz is not marketed strongly in the United States, and only a very small number of U.S. fire service personnel attend. Yet, those who do attend almost always return.

The show is very different in many ways than shows in the United States. There are no classroom offerings. However, there are product demonstrations. The exhibit spaces are far more elaborate than those found at U.S. trade shows. It is common for the larger exhibits to have complimentary food and beverages (especially beer) for their guests. Some even have live entertainment.

Positive-Pressure Ventilation

I was surprised to see the large number of fans or blowers. They are clearly a big part of fire suppression throughout the world. There were quite a few larger fans on display, including truck-mounted, trailer-mounted, and track-mounted. As noticeable as the number of fans was the fact that the majority had misters attached. Whether or not you are a believer in using positive-pressure ventilation (PPV) during fire attack, one of the benefits of the mister is after knockdown. When you introduce humidity into a structure after knockdown, the heat goes down faster and greatly diminishes the chances of a rekindle. The Kill-the-Flashover project has clearly illustrated this factor. Joe Starnes, who heads this project, makes a valid analogy when he says you can’t strike a match in a sauna.

Cancer Prevention

One of the areas I focused on was cancer prevention. U.S. fire departments are slowly realizing the importance of keeping personal protective equipment (PPE) clean. However, this focus has been primarily on turnout gear. There is little emphasis on helmets, masks, gloves, and boots. A few manufacturers were displaying equipment for cleaning these particular items. For example, one vendor had a machine with clamps to hold helmets or face pieces. There was a boot-cleaning station that looked like a typical footwear brush scraper but also had a handheld brush that was tethered to the scraper. In discussions about PPE decontamination, the experts are saying the most overlooked component is probably the headband of the helmet. In the United States, rarely, if ever, is the headband cleaned, and it is worn at one of the most vulnerable spots for toxins to enter the body.

PPE

Someone once told me that PPE was not “sexy” like fire apparatus when it comes to equipment displays and discussions about equipment. This is true. But, it was most noticeable that the PPE section of Interschutz had more buzz than any of the other “inside” sections. I think it is true that Europeans have more interest in their PPE than Americans.

European PPE basically looks like American PPE, except for the helmet. They use the same materials, and their patterns are basically the same. They do use lighter-weight gear with slightly less thermal protection. It was striking how an American product, PBI, has been accepted throughout the world as a premier protective material.

Many U.S. PPE manufacturers have a presence in the European and world markets. Viking Life Safety Equipment had an interesting design feature. Its coats and trousers had a series of elastic loop ba

By Alan M. Petrillo

Fire departments are faced with a number of challenges when getting aerial devices to a fire scene and sometimes even placing the vehicle at the scene.

Low bridges, narrow streets and alleys, tight cul-de-sacs, and limited access to the front of tall buildings are only some of the issues facing aerial apparatus operators. Aerial manufacturers have responded to these issues by designing or redesigning aerial apparatus that can get into tight spots and do the job they were made for.

Reduced Travel Height

Joe Hedges, product manager for chassis and aerials at E-ONE, says E-ONE launched its Metro 100 rear-mount aerial ladder in response to calls from fire departments for a vehicle with a reduced travel height that was designed to get into tight spots more easily. “Our Metro 100 is a 100-foot extruded aluminum aerial ladder built on a 220-inch wheelbase single-axle chassis,” Hedges says. “It’s designed with a lighter gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 20,000 pounds on the front axle and 33,000 pounds on the rear axle and uses an integral box chassis as its foundation.”

Hedges points out that the Metro 100 features a jack spread of 11 feet, only 1½ feet wider than the truck’s body. “The truck can get into tight spots, be set up, and be fully functional with no short jacking in the 11-foot spread because it has four underslung criss-cross outriggers,” he notes. “It sets up in 45 seconds and has no operational restrictions or envelope control because it doesn’t need them. It’s designed to be fully stable with no limiting of the aerial environment.”

The E-ONE Metro 100 aerial ladder is designed with a jack spread of 11 feet using four underslung criss-cross outriggers that allow it to be set up in tight spaces. (Photo courtesy of E-ONE.)

Other elements designed into the Metro 100 to allow it to function well in congested environments, Hedges says, include a 45-degree cramp angle that results in a turning radius of 36 feet, “approximately six to eight feet less than larger tandem axle units on the market today,” he says, along with a slightly raised body at the rear for an improved departure angle. “It’s available in a 96-inch body width, which is good for congested areas,” Hedges adds, “and can be built on our Cyclone low-travel-height aerial cab.”

Jason Witmier, product manager for aerials at KME, says travel heights often are a concern for fire departments, so KME offers both a standard and low travel height in its aerials. “Our standard is 136 inches for a rear-mount aerial, and our typical low travel height is 134 inches,” he says, “although we have gone down to 128 inches on a rear-mount. On a midmount aerial, we are able to get down to a 119-inch travel height.”

Pierce Manufacturing Inc. makes the Ascendant 107-foot aerial ladder on a single rear axle with a 39-foot overall length and a wheelbase of 224 inches, which allow it to function in Read more 671 0 Article rating: No rating Posted: Dec 2, 2015 Designing Aerials to Get into Tight Spots By Alan M. Petrillo Fire departments are faced with a number of challenges when getting aerial devices to a fire scene and sometimes even placing the vehicle at the scene. Low bridges, narrow streets and alleys, tight cul-de-sacs, and limited access to the front of tall buildings are only some of the issues facing aerial apparatus operators. Aerial manufacturers have responded to these issues by designing or redesigning aerial apparatus that can get into tight spots and do the job they were made for. Reduced Travel Height Joe Hedges, product manager for chassis and aerials at E-ONE, says E-ONE launched its Metro 100 rear-mount aerial ladder in response to calls from fire departments for a vehicle with a reduced travel height that was designed to get into tight spots more easily. “Our Metro 100 is a 100-foot extruded aluminum aerial ladder built on a 220-inch wheelbase single-axle chassis,” Hedges says. “It’s designed with a lighter gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 20,000 pounds on the front axle and 33,000 pounds on the rear axle and uses an integral box chassis as its foundation.” Hedges points out that the Metro 100 features a jack spread of 11 feet, only 1½ feet wider than the truck’s body. “The truck can get into tight spots, be set up, and be fully functional with no short jacking in the 11-foot spread because it has four underslung criss-cross outriggers,” he notes. “It sets up in 45 seconds and has no operational restrictions or envelope control because it doesn’t need them. It’s designed to be fully stable with no limiting of the aerial environment.” The E-ONE Metro 100 aerial ladder is designed with a jack spread of 11 feet using four underslung criss-cross outriggers that allow it to be set up in tight spaces. (Photo courtesy of E-ONE.) Other elements designed into the Metro 100 to allow it to function well in congested environments, Hedges says, include a 45-degree cramp angle that results in a turning radius of 36 feet, “approximately six to eight feet less than larger tandem axle units on the market today,” he says, along with a slightly raised body at the rear for an improved departure angle. “It’s available in a 96-inch body width, which is good for congested areas,” Hedges adds, “and can be built on our Cyclone low-travel-height aerial cab.” Jason Witmier, product manager for aerials at KME, says travel heights often are a concern for fire departments, so KME offers both a standard and low travel height in its aerials. “Our standard is 136 inches for a rear-mount aerial, and our typical low travel height is 134 inches,” he says, “although we have gone down to 128 inches on a rear-mount. On a midmount aerial, we are able to get down to a 119-inch travel height.” Pierce Manufacturing Inc. makes the Ascendant 107-foot aerial ladder on a single rear axle with a 39-foot overall length and a wheelbase of 224 inches, which allow it to function in Read more 603 0 Article rating: No rating Posted: Dec 2, 2015 Prognosticating   Richard Marinucci Each year, the theme of the December issue of Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment is a fire service forecast. This is an opportunity to look ahead to see what may be coming so fire departments can prepare to adjust and adapt to the new world. This is a fun view of the short-term future, and I certainly do not claim to be able to accurately predict the future, even if it is just around the corner. I am reminded of something that Steve Ballmer, Microsoft CEO, said in 2007 when asked about the iPhone. He is reputed to have said that there was no chance the iPhone was going to get any significant market share. I just heard that on the first day of the release of the iPhone 6S that millions were sold. So much for predictions! But, I am guessing that submitting just one paragraph for this month won’t be acceptable, so I will do my best in the spirit intended. Regardless of what anyone thinks about 2016, it will be different. There will be changes, and it will be up to those who want to succeed to adapt and adjust. It is from this perspective that I will continue: the need to be ready, willing, and able to change as an individual and as an organization. The reaction to change is more important than being able to predict the future. Look Back One way to approach the upcoming year is to evaluate the previous year. In many ways, past performance is a good indicator of future expectations. This is very true in the short term and can be very helpful in determining what lies ahead. Based on this, we can expect more technological advances and continued financial condition improvement for many organizations. There can be better funding of fire departments. On the opposite side of this, we could see the continued trend of reduced volunteer firefighter numbers as more organizations find it very challenging, if not impossible, to find adequate numbers of firefighters to fill their rosters. These are more global issues, but departments should look closer to home to see if there are certain tendencies in the business that will affect their organizations. Look Outside Another way to view the future is to look at what has happened outside the service and what will be coming. The past few months have seen a rather volatile stock market. Some may say that this is the new norm, while others caution that a more conservative approach is needed. Consider how your organization has been impacted, if at all. One would be prudent to expect a continuation at least during the early part of 2016. Another important event in the coming year that will affect much more than the fire service is the presidential election. I can predict that we will have a new president. That is about as far as I can stick my neck out! Seriously, while it is way too soon to even know the nominees, we don’t know if we will have a Democrat or Republican. But, the change will mean that things will be different. On the fire side, we can expect new leadership on the national level for programs that are part of the emergency services. If there are elections in your state and municipality, the winds of political change could be blowing, and you would be best served to have some idea of what you can expect if there are significant modifications in the political philosophies in your community. Look Inside Look inside your organization. Do you anticipate any significant changes? Perhaps there are some key retirements ahead or possibly some promotions. There could be changes in labor le Read more 544 0 Article rating: No rating RSS FirstPrevious7944794579467947794879497950795179527953NextLast 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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