A new California law bans perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, from firefighting equipment, CBS 8 reports.

PFAS do not easily break down in the environment or the human body, and have been linked to cancer and other health risks. Firefighters face heightened exposure to PFAS because it is in their protective gear, and it’s also found in burning materials at fire scenes.

Cal Fire San Diego County Captain Robert Johnson told CBS 8 the department is committed to finding safer gear and promoting a “clean gear culture” to reduce contamination.

Under the new law, Cal/OSHA must develop safety standards and phase out PFAS-containing gear statewide by 2028.

Visit CBS 8 for more.

The post CA Passes Ban on PFAS in Turnout Gear appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

Katelyn Larese
Voice News, New Baltimore, Mich.
(TNS)

Oct. 16—The city of Richmond recently celebrated the 100th birthday of one of its most treasured pieces of firefighting history: A 1925 American LaFrance fire truck.

The historic apparatus was placed into service in 1925, marking the beginning of its invaluable role in emergency response in the city. It served the community for many years, responding to countless alarms, saving lives and symbolizing the bravery and dedication of the city’s firefighters.

The Richmond Volunteer Fire Department celebrated the milestone on Oct. 5, the same day as its annual open house event.

The Richmond City Council passed a resolution recognizing the 100th birthday of the 1925 American LaFrance fire truck. State Rep. Jaime Greene, R-Richmond, also presented a special tribute from the state of Michigan in recognition of the milestone.

“Though it has since retired from front-line duty, this remarkable fire truck remains a beloved part of many parades and community events,” the resolution reads.

“The preservation and celebration of this fire truck honors not only the machine itself but also the generations of firefighters and community members who maintained and supported it.”

© 2025 Voice News, New Baltimore, Mich.. Visit www.voicenews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

The post VFD Celebrates 100th Birthday of a Treasured Piece of FF History appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

NEWARK, New Jersey (October 14, 2025) – Panasonic Connect North America, Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America, today announced that its portfolio of TOUGHBOOK® laptops and 2-in-1 computers has been designated “Verizon Frontline Verified.” The distinction was granted after rigorous testing to ensure the solutions meet the durability, reliability, and connectivity standards required by first responders and public safety professionals using the Verizon network.

To qualify, companies must be part of the Verizon Frontline Innovation Program, in which Verizon brings together technology vendors and industry partners to identify, test, and advance communications solutions across four key areas: Preparation, Response, Recovery, and Mitigation.

“Panasonic Connect designs TOUGHBOOK rugged laptops and 2-in-1s based on the unique challenges first responders face every day,” said Calvin Jackson, Senior Manager for Crisis Response at Verizon Frontline. “We’re proud to strengthen our collaboration with Panasonic Connect as we work together to deliver innovative, critical solutions for those on the front lines.”

For nearly 30 years, Panasonic Connect has been innovating its TOUGHBOOK solutions to support the specific needs of public safety organizations. Purpose-built for reliability and durability, TOUGHBOOK laptops and 2-in-1s are engineered to withstand the harsh environments first responders encounter daily – helping them improve efficiency, enhance situational awareness, and coordinate more effectively. Now, the entire TOUGHBOOK lineup, including the TOUGHBOOK 40, TOUGHBOOK 55, TOUGHBOOK 33 and TOUGHBOOK G2, has been recognized for its ability to power Verizon Frontline’s advanced network and provide the connectivity first responders need to operate seamlessly in the field.

“At Panasonic Connect, we’re proud to support the public safety community,” said Mike Smola, Director, Product Management

Since 1890, Sutphen Corporation has been making products firefighters use every day to mitigate a variety of incidents. When a Sutphen fire apparatus rolls down a street, it is readily identifiable as a Sutphen with its well- known headlight bezels on the front of the cab and its siren mounted through the front grille.

Sutphen has been a family-owned business for 135 years. Originally founded by C.H. Sutphen, the fourth and fifth generations of the Sutphen family are currently at the helm of the 135 year-old business. Leading the company are fourth- and fifth-generation family presidents, Shelby Sutphen Chambers and Julie Sutphen Phelps.

C.H. Sutphen’s son Harry joined the company after World I, and his sons Tom and Bob ran the the company until Bob’s son, Drew, and Tom’s daughter, Julie, became the leaders of the business in the 1990s with Drew overseeing Sutphen Dublin and Urbana and Julie overseeing Sutphen Hilliard and East. It was Tom Sutphen who, in 1958, started developing what has become a staple of Sutphen’s production offering: the Sutphen aerial.

According to Dan Sutphen, a fourth-generation family member and the vice president of sales, after the company began developing aerial prototypes, the company’s first-ever Sutphen aerial truck was ready and officially debuted at FDIC 1964. After the demonstrations, Sutphen sold the truck to the city of Norwalk, Ohio. Dan Sutphen says, “Tom saw an opportunity to provide a stronger, safer aerial device for the fire service by developing a four-sided box boom design. Inspired by this vision, he entered the aerial device business and created a product that continues to set the standard for strength, safety, and reliability in the fire service.”

Sutphen’s first aerial product—a 65-foot aerial platform quint—was born from Tom Sutphen’s vision. He sought to create a fire apparatus that prioritized safety for both firefighters and victims. “Rather than requiring individuals to climb a ladder,” says Dan Sutphen, “this new platform allowed them to ‘take an elevator’ directly to the scene, revolutionizing fireground accessibility and rescue operations.”

Aerial Evolution

That original 65-foot quint telescopic platform has seen decades of innovation and refmement, yet many of its core design principles are still evident in today’s Sutphen midmount aerials. These include the following:

• Lightweight, heavy-duty aluminum aerials that reduce wear on the trucks while improving braking and engine performance.
• Huck-bolted aerial devices that provide superior strength, rigidity, and ease of maintenance.
• Self-leveling platforms that function like a Ferris wheel, keeping firefighters and victims safe and upright within the bucket regardless of aerial positioning.

“Despite these consistent design philosophies, today’s apparatus are significantly more advanced than the original,” says Dan Sutphen. “Major improvements have been made in the body and chassis design, including enhanced body compartments, increased cab safety, and greater chassis capacity. Over 60 years later, Sutphen continues to build upon its legacy of innovation, safety, and durability in aerial fire apparatus.”

1 The first Sutphen aerial tower was built on a Ford C-800 cab and chassis and had a 65-foot boom. (Photos courtesy of Sutphen Corporation.)

2 To combat the effects of metal weakening when welded, Tom Sutphen deci

The fireground is dynamic and can evolve rapidly from a single-line fire to a complex water supply system with multiple hoselines and master streams in operation.

Alternative pump operation methods have been shown to provide some simplification, and it might be worth a closer look. After all, if we never challenged the status quo, we might still be fighting fires with buckets. Progress depends on keeping an open mind and being willing to evolve.

This article will walk through the practice of “overpumping,” its origin in my region, how we use it, and why it has become a valuable part of our operations. I encourage you to explore it with curiosity and see if it has a place in your area.

FROM MANUAL RELIEF VALVES TO PRESSURE GOVERNORS

Before electronic pressure governors became common, pump operators relied on more archaic systems like manual throttles and manual relief valves. These older systems required constant attention, as operators manually adjusted the throttle and the valves to produce desired pressures. Every increase here required a decrease there and vice versa.

Around 2003, the Austin (TX) Fire Department began its transition from manual throttles to electronic pressure governors on new fire engines. In 2007, the chief of training directed Captain Kevin Kalmus and Josh Miller (ret.) to build a formalized Pump Apparatus Driver/Operator training program. Prior to this effort, pump operations training had been largely informal and inconsistent across the department. During this time, the department was also transitioning to low-pressure smooth bore nozzles and introducing new pumping concepts like the “tank transfer” (now widely recognized in the fire service as the “booster backup”).

While developing this program, Kalmus clued in on some of the testing procedures that were noted in the Waterous pump manuals and began analyzing these principles and how they may play into our current model. He realized that intentionally creating a differential between the master pump discharge pressure (PDP) and the individual discharges could have some value for troubleshooting various pumping issues while also improving operations on fire scenes requiring multiple handlines. From that idea, overpumping was born, quickly becoming a standard practice for the Austin Fire Department and eventually being adopted by many departments in the region.

1 Before electronic pressure governors became common, pump operators relied on more archaic systems like manual throttles and manual relief valves that required constant attention. (Photos courtesy of author.)

2 Overpumping is intentionally setting a higher PDP than what any potential individual discharges may require.

WHAT IS OVERPUMPING?

At its core, overpumping is the practice of intentionally setting a higher PDP than what any potential individual discharges may require. This creates a purposeful pressure differential between the PDP and the specific line pressures, allowing each discharge to be precisely gated down to its target pressure. Other areas around the country also refer to this practice as “pot of pressure” pumping.

For example, Austin pump operators will often set their PDP to 150 pounds per square inch (psi) or greater. This high baseline ensures that, as the fireground progresses, regardless of what lines are pulled (1¾-inch, 2½-inch, or extended stretch combinations) there is always room to gate each line to its ideal pressure without needing to constantly adjust the pum