Robert Rutterow

In my past two columns, I provided a quote from Glen Usdin, a former magazine publisher, that states, "The fire service is a low-tech market that has zero potential for growth, and the amount of new products and services being introduced each year is very small. We keep our expensive stuff for a long time, don't really embrace much new technology ...."

I found this comment to be humbling as it was something I have never considered.

Personal Protective Equipment

When I step back to my first experiences in the fire service as a kid in the late 1950s, I can easily see changes everywhere. Firefighters had virtually no personal protective equipment (PPE). The only items available were plastic raincoats, thin plastic helmets, and rubber gloves and boots. There was no self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). The objective was to stay dry.

If there is one item that is predominantly a fire service product, it is the PASS device. Other than two-way radios and handlights, it can be said that the PASS device ushered in the era of electronics on the fireground. PASS devices started to emerge in the mid 1980s as standalone products. Today, most PASS devices are integrated into SCBA. Steady and incremental improvements in PASS devices have continued for the past 30 years.

Our SCBA has probably seen the most advancement of any part of our PPE ensemble. Early versions consisted of heavy steel bottles and demand-only belt-mounted regulators. Today, the industry standard is lighter-weight composite bottles, positive-pressure face-mounted regulators, and nose cups. Electronics have led to heads-up displays.

PPE Materials

Our protective fabrics have certainly come a long way. Inherently flame-resistant fabrics and breathable moisture barriers have provided significant improvements in flame and heat protection. We have seen incremental improvements in thermal barriers and improved garment patterns.

Our footwear is transformed from "one size fits all" rubber boots and hip boots to a more athletic fit of leather boots. Our Red Ball rubber gloves have given way to better fitting, moisture-barrier-lined, primarily leather gloves. Helmets, well … that's a story for another time.

Thermal Imaging cameras

Arguably, the most important technological advancement has been with thermal imaging cameras (TICs). Although not considered by most a PPE component, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) requirements for them fall within its Fire and Emergency Services Personal Protective Clothing and Equipment Project. As with most electronic equipment, the pace of advancements and the subsequent reduction in costs have been quite rapid. We must keep in mind that our thermal imaging technology is borrowed primarily from the military and other industries. However, the fire service can be proud that, through the NFPA, it has prompted the industry to develop much more robust TICs than found in other applications. I foresee a fireground where their use is greatly expanded as we learn more about fire behavior.

ROle of Electronics

Electronics will continue to be the venue for technological advancements in PPE. Hopefully, the industry is not too far from having reliable and affordable physiological monitoring (breathing rate, heart rate, blood pressure, body core temperature, and so on) as well as a firefighter locator system. I envision an incident management system that has an on-scene management structure and a supplemental off-scene component of the command structure-perhaps at the communications center. The supplemental off-scene component would be responsible for the "bird's-eye" view of the physiological monitoring, firefighter locator system, and time remaining in the breathing air cylinder. Note that I use the term "time remaining" rather than percenta

By Alan M. Petrillo

Electronics have changed the look of today's fire apparatus in many ways and continue to do so with new ways to control the pump at the pump panel.

Pump makers and apparatus manufacturers are using electronics in ways that continue to satisfy those with traditional tastes in fire pumps, as well as those who trend toward more modern pushbutton and touchscreen technologies.

Class 1/Hale's electronics line includes the Total Pressure Governor Plus (TPG+) that automatically controls discharge pressures, eliminates the need for master and discharge gauges, and monitors engine functions and data. (Photo courtesy of Class 1.)

Gaining Acceptance

David Guynn, business line director of vehicle electronics for Class 1, says that although it's no secret the North American fire industry lags behind the rest of the world in terms of its comfort level with electronics on fire apparatus, the industry has still made large leaps in electronics use. "Twenty years ago an electronic pressure governor was a product that an apparatus maker put on a fire truck only if the fire department said it wanted one," Guynn says. "Today, 90 percent of the fire vehicles being built have an electronic pressure governor on them-so much that it has become the default standard."

Guynn believes that a combination of factors has led to the wider acceptance of electronics on fire apparatus. "A lot of younger firefighters coming into the industry are more in tune with using electronics," he says. "The industry has gained a lot of reliability in its products, and the value of the cost of electronics over the old vernier throttle has risen."

The next evolution of the pressure governor from Class 1/Hale is the Sentry, which uses full color display technology and can control a pump from multiple locations. (Photo courtesy of Class 1.)

Class 1's electronics line includes the Total Pressure Governor (TPG), used to automatically control the impact on discharge pressure as firefighters open and close various hoselines rather than an operator manually adjusting engine speed. The TPG also accommodates preset pressures and monitors engine oil pressure and temperature, battery voltage, as well as intake and discharge pressures on all valves.

Guynn says the Class 1 TPG Plus adds more diagnostic features and eliminates the need for six-inch master and discharge gauges because all that information is shown in a display window. "The next evolution of the pressure governor is the Sentry, which uses full color display technology," he points out. "With Sentry, you can control the pump from various locations so that if you have a side-mount pump, you can have the same Sentry display on each side of the truck and can dictate which side controls the vehicle."

Steve Toren, director of North American sales and marketing for Waterous, says he sees electronics continuing to become a bigger part of the fire service. "As electronics became more efficient, reliable, and durable, they were better accepted in the fire service," Toren notes. "I'm surprised the use of electronics hasn't moved faster but think the economy slowed down the use of electronics in fire vehicles."

Most of the products that Waterous makes are electronically contro

By Raul A. Angulo

Appearances are important. Our conduct sends a message. A sloppy uniform sends a message. A dirty fire apparatus with body damage sends a message. How we carry our tools sends a message. What message do we want to convey when we show up at a structure fire? Hopefully it is one that demonstrates our mission of saving lives and property.

Look at the condition of some of the scabbards that sheathe one of our primary tools-the chainsaw. Many fire departments cut up sections of old 2½-inch hose for chainsaw scabbards. That is a great way to recycle and get the most out of an old piece of fire hose, but we often forget to change it out. The hose absorbs the oil and dirt and, after awhile, the saw looks like it belongs in Jed Clampett's tool shed. If you're going to use fire hose, change it out so it at least looks clean.

Many fire departments recycle old fire hose and use them as scabbards. They get extremely dirty and look very unprofessional. This saw was probably taken off the back of Jed Clampett's truck-otherwise known as Ladder 10. (Photos by author unless otherwise noted.)

But in our line of work, the real statement of class and professionalism lies in leather. The iconic symbol of our industry that is internationally recognized is the fire helmet. And, the most expensive helmets on the market are the Cairns natural leather "New Yorker" and "Sam Houston" models. They range between $500 and $600 apiece. Some say there isn't a nicer, classier helmet on the market. A firefighter who wears one of these helmets is definitely making a statement. If you look at the finer things in life-car interiors, furniture, brief cases, purses, wallets, shoes, or jackets-they're all made of fine leather.

Paul Davenport is the inventor of the SawGuard™ and owner of SawGuard, LLC, based in Yakima, Washington. The SawGuard is a custom leather bar cover for chainsaws. This scabbard is based on a design he created back in 1978 when he acquired his very first chainsaw, a Homelite Super XL with a 20-inch bar. He was always worried about the blades being uncovered. The exposed bar was something that could damage or become damaged. It could also cut, scratch, or become dull because of hard surface contact. What we typically refer to as the teeth of a chain are actually individual knife blades.

SawGuard covers are made from time-tested harness leather, a thick oily leather that has great strength and durability and resists tearing and cuts. The cover soaks up excess oil from the bar, which hydrates the leather and keeps it pliable and water- resistant.

The exposed bar was also a safety concern for him because he had young children. So, he asked his grandmother, who worked with leather, if she could make a scabbard to cover the bar. It had to be something that would not be cut or damaged by the blade itself, and the sewing, which would hold the case together, would have to be protected from the saw's sharp cutting blades. She told him she would play around with his design. Several months later, she presented him with the first prototype. It was two pieces of heavy duty harness leather laminated together with leather spacers and held together with stitching and rivets.

SawGuard Materials and Stitching

Harness leather is time-tested, rugged leather designed

Mohawk's four-post lifts for fire apparatus repairs range in capacity from 19,000 to 75,000 pounds and can accommodate all fire trucks and other emergency vehicles. The four-post design provides full under-vehicle access with no obstructions and features direct-drive lifting cylinders at each post, which means no cables to stretch. Mohawk's four-post lifts are available with rolling "wheels-free" jacks to raise the tires off the tracks for tire and axle service. www.mohawklifts.com, 800-833-2006

Scott Safety Air-Pak X3 SCBA and Air-Pak 75 SCBA have received National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1981, Standard on Open-Circuit Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) for Emergency Services (2013 ed.), and NFPA 1982, Standard on Personal Alert Safety Systems (PASS) (2013 ed.), approvals and will begin shipping immediately. The Air-Pak X3 features a user-friendly sweep gauge with an external HUD to provide air status to other team members. The Air-Pak 75 (AP 75) offers redundancy of safety features, ease of use, and low cost of ownership. www.scottsafety.com, 704-291-8300

POWER HAWK Technologies Inc. C-1604 Shredder rescue tool slices through the high-strength construction materials that are used in today's new cars and trucks. The Shredder cutter is a plug-and-play add-on to the POWER HAWK® P-16 Rescue System, a patented battery-powered and gear-driven (nonhydraulic) rescue tool that provides interchangeable spreader and cutter attachments. The C-1604 Shredder was developed to handle the increasing challenges rescue personnel face during vehicle extrications because of new car designs and the tougher materials used that provide greater protection to its passengers in a crash. The Shredder attaches to the P-16 Rescue Tool in seconds. www.powerhawk.com, 800-PWR-HAWK

Streamlight® Inc. industrial-duty, high-lumen portable scene light enables fire and rescue personnel to use it almost anywhere for scene lighting purposes-from wide, open places to tight, confined work areas. The light uses six C4® LEDs and wide-pattern parabolic reflectors to provide two selectable beam widths and three levels of light intensity ranging from a super-bright flood beam to a low setting with ultra-long run times. The light features a rotating head that can be extended on a telescoping pole to an overall height of 72 inches. The light also features a 90-degree swivel neck. On the high setting, the light delivers 3,600 lumens, 31,000 candela, and a five-hour run time over a beam distance of 352 meters. On medium, it provides 2,400 lumens, 20,000 candela, nine hours of run time, and a beam distance of 283 meters. On low, the light runs for 18 hours and offers 1,100 lumens, 11,000 candela, and a beam distance of 210 meters. www.streamlight.com, 800-523-7488

Cutters Edge and TheFireStore Vent Boss rescue saw is reliable, fast, and tough so

Richard Marinucci

As I write this, many parts of the country are finishing one of the most severe winter weather seasons in many years. There has been extreme cold and a lot of snow.

This has created operational challenges for many fire departments. In some cases, fire hydrants have been covered with snow and the cold weather has made other hydrants inoperable because of freezing. Of course, some folks think there is a simple solution-just dig out all the hydrants and test the hydrants regularly. If it was only that simple!

The point of this article is not to discuss the specific challenges of weather extremes but the need for redundancy in water delivery should the first option fail. As an example, a few years ago an entire water system went down during the summer months because of a power failure. Obviously, many departments were scrambling to come up with an alternate water source.

Have a Backup

Departments should have choices if the first option doesn't work, regardless of why there is a failure. In areas served by fire hydrants, this could be as simple as knowing all the options available for hydrant selection. There should be a procedure that calls for responding units to take alternate routes to approach the scene from different directions. This would generally allow for multiple choices and a backup plan should the first hydrant fail for some reason. This seems so simple and logical that you might wonder why you would even need to tell anyone that this should be a standard operation. But there are some considerations, including organizational discipline, for responding appropriately on each call. Occasionally departments become complacent and don't always remember their basics, especially if a department, a specific station, or even a shift doesn't respond to many structure fires.

There is more to preparation than just driving a different route to the scene. Those who arrive first must leave space if they need subsequent responding units' water supplies. The first-arriving crews also need to be efficient and able to determine early whether or not their first water supply option will work. Departments that are prepared for the second or even third option can transition smoothly. And, very often the public will not even know there was a problem. On the flip side, if you put all your eggs in one basket, everyone will know there was a problem. Not only will this negatively impact your suppression efforts, it could create a political issue long after the fire has been extinguished.

The most important reason for a smooth transition is relative to firefighter safety. Many departments initiate operations with tank water and rely on establishing a water supply from the fire hydrant quickly so that it is seamless for the operation. Firefighters initiate interior attacks, and as long as the continuous water supply is established before the tank water is depleted, there is no issue. However if there is any significant delay, it could place interior units in peril and expose them to additional risk.

Staffing Impact

Redundancy is easier with adequate staffing by dispatching enough units on the first alarm. This can be challenging for many departments that have seen reductions in these areas in the past few years. In this time, the perceived success of many departments may have led to complacency or overconfidence. They have not had any fire hydrant issues or difficulties supplying water. They, and too often those that fund the department, look at this as an opportunity to reduce costs through less staffing and apparatus. Like so much of what occurs in the emergency business, it isn't a problem until something unusual occurs. Then someone is asked to explain.

There are other options to help with creating backup plans. Some areas have access to tanker trucks or water tenders-different terms for the same thing, depending