By Alan M. Petrillo
There's been a quiet revolution in lighting on all types of fire apparatus, and light emitting diodes-better known as LEDs-are leading the charge.
LEDs have many advantages over other types of lighting devices: They draw less current, burn cooler, and last inordinately longer.
Although LED lighting fixtures are more costly up front than other types of lighting, they still are being chosen more frequently to light up fire apparatus, from scene lighting to light towers to warning lights, and interior lighting for compartment illumination.
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Whelen Engineering makes a wide variety of LED lighting for fire
apparatus, including its Pioneer line, such as these standard and
surface mounted models. (Photo courtesy of Whelen
Engineering.)
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Widespread Acceptance
Andy Olson, vice president of fire, rescue, and EMS for Whelen Engineering Co., says his firm "has experienced a huge acceptance of LED lighting on fire apparatus. It is pretty much accepted across the board so that it has become the norm, a standard in the industry."
Olson says that if there's a type of lighting needed on a vehicle, Whelen makes it. "Emergency warning lights, brake and tail lights, backup lights, flood lights, and scene lights-we make them all," he says. "Ninety percent or more of our products now are LEDs, which we make in a whole range of products, from standard units to top-of-the-line offerings. Halogen-based products have virtually disappeared."
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The Rota-Beam introduced by Whelen Engineering is a solid
state LED that mimics a rotating beacon. (Photo courtesy of
Whelen Engineering.)
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Olson notes that last year Whelen introduced the Rota-Beam, a solid state LED that mimics a rotating beacon. The benefits, he points out, are the longevity and brightness of LED lighting and that there are no gears or motors in the light.
Toh Meng, president of FRC, a division of ROM Corp., says his company has seen his LED products used by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and dealers for about 80 percent of the vehicles they are building or selling. "Whether it is for scene, interior, compartment, or warning lighting, people love LED technology," Meng says. "They like the color of the light. It's whiter and closer to sunlight than other types of illumination; the quality of the light is better; the LEDs have a much longer life, lasting between 50,000 and 100,000 hours; and they are more reliable and trouble-free, making their cost of ownership less."
Dave Cotsmire, Will-Burt's marketing manager, points out that for the past few years, LEDs have been the majority of the lights Will-Burt has installed on its towers. "LEDs are the buzzword in the fire industry when it comes to lighting," Cotsmire says. "They use less power, don't need an onboard generator, and can plug straight into a 12-volt system. The demand is out there and is growing year by year."
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Los Angeles County (CA) firefighters load hose in a pickup truck
lit
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