By Alan M. Petrillo

The Southwest Emergency Response Team (SERT), based out of the greater Cleveland, Ohio, area, has placed a VT Hackney technical rescue vehicle in service outfitted with a cache of equipment that encompasses every rescue discipline firefighters might face.

SERT's mission is to combine shared regional resources in the event that specialized teams are needed during an emergency incident, according to Pat Finneran, assistant chief of the Parma Heights (OH) Fire Department, who is in charge of the technical rescue part of the team. "The vehicle is housed in a Brooklyn, Ohio, station and provides service to 19 communities in four counties in northeastern Ohio, south and southwest of Cleveland," Finneran says. "We handle all kinds of technical rescues, including high- and low-angle rope, confined space, trench, collapse, swift water, ice, and dive rescues."

The Southwest Emergency Response Team (SERT) technical rescue built by VT Hackney provides service to 19 communities in four counties in northeastern Ohio. (Photos courtesy of VT Hackney.)

Storage Challenges

Before purchasing the Hackney technical rescue, Finneran points out that for a technical rescue, resources were pulled from a large geographic area. "We responded with a hodgepodge of vehicles and trailers and the rescue equipment was spread out on multiple vehicles," he says. "If one or more of those vehicles didn't get to the scene, we might not have the equipment needed for the rescue."

Finneran says the fire department chiefs received approval for a shared rescue vehicle and put together a six-person committee to develop specs based on the area's needs. "We reviewed a lot of the vehicles on the market and went on the road to see some of them firsthand," Finneran notes. "For us, the issue of equipment storage was huge, so we needed a vehicle that would be a large tool box."

He adds that the group had very particular needs regarding compartment depth, as well as some unusual ideas about storage of shoring timbers and trench panels. "Hackney was the only manufacturer who could meet those needs," Finneran says.

The Hackney-built technical rescue for SERT is crafted with an interior compartment, accessed from the rear of the vehicle, that can accommodate timbers up to 16 feet long, as well as 12-foot long FinForms.

Ed Smith, director of Emergency Vehicles Group for VT Hackney, says his company designed the SERT technical rescue with a rear tunnel so it could carry 16-foot-long shoring timbers and rakers on the right side and 12-foot-long FinForms with preattached StrongArms on the left. "That much timber and cribbing takes up a lot of space and is heavy, so we had to find a way to contain it all but still make it easily accessible," Smith says.

Smith points out that the compartments on the driver's side, forward of the rear wheels, are 42 inches deep from floor to ceiling and feature drop-down step platforms for full access. Access to the upper storage areas in the wheelhouse compartment is through removable wheel step bars, he adds.

"The first compartment has a transverse tunnel at the top for

By Raul A. Angulo

Technical rescue incidents that require rope systems can occur in your jurisdiction whether you have a technical rescue team or not.

They don't only happen on mountains or cliffs. Take a good look around-a technical rope rescue potential exists in every city. Are you ready? How can you perform a technical rope rescue when you don't have a technical rope rescue team and you only have two or three rescuers at your disposal? One way is to use the Amkus ARRS1 Rope Rescue System.

The ARRS1 slides onto an extension hitch, which slides into a 10,000-pound-rated, Class IV trailer hitch, which is attached to the apparatus. The apparatus serves as the bombproof anchor for the system. The motorized capstan runs off a power unit from the rig or from a portable generator. It requires 115 to 120 VAC/20 amps. This system can be set up in less than two minutes. Four wraps around the capstan increase the friction on the mainline for a controlled lower. (Photos by author.)

One Scenario

Whenever I'm looking for a challenging drill for me and my crew, I look at areas within my district and ask myself, "If this were to happen here, what would I do?" In this case, I have a bridge in my district that crosses a deep ravine. From the top of the bridge deck to the bottom of the ravine is 80 feet. The ravine has steep slopes and is wooded with thick thorny vegetation. Access to the bottom is not a walk in the park. The ravine is a great hideout for teens who don't want to be discovered. For younger kids who want to explore and play Indiana Jones or Army, it is irresistible. The end game for Ladder 6 was to see how fast we could get an injured patient at the bottom of the ravine up and onto the bridge deck for emergency transport using an aerial stokes/negative stokes evolution. For realism, I lowered a 150-pound training dummy, which would require the rescue firefighters to go down and actually package a patient into the Stokes basket.

Note that a standard aerial Stokes evolution is used to rescue a victim from a roof or elevated position down to street level. A negative Stokes evolution is used to reach a patient below grade in areas such as a large building excavation. The range is limited to a depth of approximately 50 feet, depending on how close the aerial apparatus can safely position to the edge.

The anchor plate swivels in the direction of the load so it's always aligned. The ARRS1 has a 1,000-pound work capacity and can pull 40 feet of rope per minute. The capstan is designed for ½- to 5⁄8-inch rope, and knots easily pass around the capstan. Two wraps provide less friction for a quicker descent.

Since this evolution would require me to lower two firefighters over the edge of the bridge, I invited our technical rescue team to coach us through the evolution. And since the department gets nervous anytime we have firefighters dangling from heights, I also invited the battalion chief. For training purposes, I wanted one firefighter to rappel down off the bridge and the other firefighter to be lowered on a rope from the aerial ladder. The evolution was a success. After that, we wanted to repeat the drill using a ladder gin or a gin pole in case the edge could not support the weight of a ladder truck. These cantilevered tools allow for a

By Robert Tutterow

Is there a changing landscape in fire service trade shows?

In the past 30 years, there have been annual broad product-line trade shows with national appeal, and there have also been some "semi-regional" trade shows through this time. With one notable exception, the number of exhibitors at many shows seems to be trending downward-state shows and conferences excluded. Ask 10 trade show attendees why they think this is happening and you will likely get a dozen different answers. As the old saying goes, "I can't describe it, but I know it when I see it."

Without a doubt, the extended economic downturn is a contributing factor. I recently read 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 and don't really embrace much new technology." He adds, "Look at declining trade show participations as well, and you can see how tough it is to sell stuff to the fire service." I found this comment to be humbling as it was something I have never considered or heard mentioned.

Vendors have often expressed that there are too many trade shows. I understand that trade shows typically consume a weekend, and the cost of exhibiting at a trade show is very expensive. The expenses include space rental, booth transportation costs, booth material handling costs, booth liability insurance, booth electricity, transportation costs for booth staff, lodging costs for booth staff, food, and other various expenses. Important to note is that Interschutz, in Germany-the largest fire trade show on the planet-draws from all continents and it is held only once every five years. Is the United States headed toward only one major trade show? If so, is that good or bad?

Generational Disparity

What else is changing about trade shows? My observation is that the younger generation of firefighters has less interest in their equipment than the older generations. This is disappointing, because the fire service owes it to itself and the public to make informed apparatus and equipment selections and purchases. This publication is unique and has value because it provides a lot of needed information about equipment and the equipment industry. However, in my mind, there is no substitute for the educational value of a trade show. It provides the opportunity to speak directly with competing manufacturers at one time. It is the ideal setting for comparative analysis.

Reputable manufacturers want an informed and educated customer. Less reputable manufacturers-not so much. So much of the equipment we select is directly related to the safety and health of firefighters. Equipment selection should be based on an informed decision-making process. I can't think of a better format than a trade show for such information.

Prepare

Trade show attendees should have a prepared agenda before attending a show. They should research manufacturer Web sites for products of interest and have a prepared list of questions. Fire service personnel responsible for health and safety, specifying, recommending, or purchasing equipment should have a basic understanding of the industry-i.e., the real experts, movers, and shakers. Is a particular manufacturer trending upward, downward, or treading water?

One of my litmus tests is whether or not a manufacturer is engaged in the greater fire service. Does it really understand the fire service, and is it involved outside of its immediate self-interest? Or, is it simply trying to make the next quarterly report look good? I think involved manufacturers will outperform and outlast others. They better understand product support and product innovation.

In addition, most trade show

By Alan M. Petrillo

Diesel engine manufacturers have developed engines that give fire apparatus more power from the same size units yet run stronger and cleaner.

Listening to the wants and needs of pumper, tanker, rescue, and aerial apparatus users, engine makers have been beefing up their products to meet the increased power needs of apparatus that can be found in every phase of firefighting operations.

The ISX15 is the largest diesel engine Cummins builds for the fire service, with ratings from 455 to 600 hp. It features strong throttle response and pulling power as well as improved fuel economy. (Photo courtesy of Cummins.)

Customer- and Regulation-Driven

Chris Crowel, manager of specialty vehicle markets sales and support for Cummins Inc., says that customers and federal rules and regulations are key driving forces in diesel engine development. "The regulations challenge us to come up with new solutions, but our customers do as well," Crowel says, "and sometimes they compete with each other, which leads us to discover new technologies."

Crowel points to the technological progression in the development of diesel engines, noting, "We first started adding turbocharging and aftercooling to get more air into the system, then the use of more electronic controls, cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), the addition of [the] diesel particulate filter (DPF), an oxidation catalyst, and the most recent step-selective catalytic reduction (SCR) to reduce oxides of nitrogen (NOx)."

He adds, "Hydrocarbons and NOx have been reduced to levels that almost can hardly be measured, so now the next concern will be reducing carbon dioxide (CO₂) when greenhouse gas regulations go into effect in 2014. However, when Cummins released its 2013 engines, we improved them to the levels required by the coming greenhouse gas regulations."

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued new regulations for 2014 that limit the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases emitted from diesel engines.

Navistar offers the MaxxForce 9 for the fire service, a diesel engine rated up to 330 hp and available in automatic and manual configurations. (Photo courtesy of Navistar.)

Cummins makes four engines used by the fire and emergency vehicle market, says Spencer Dell, senior communications marketing specialist. These are the ISX15, ISX12, ISL9, and ISB6.7, each including an XPI fuel system, VGT turbocharger, aftertreatment system with DPF, and SCR.

Crowel says that the integrated components of the Cummins 2013 engines deliver improved reliability, durability, and fuel economy. "Each shares a new single electronic control module (ECM) that manages the engine and the Cummins aftertreatment system for improved overall combustion efficiency," he notes.

The ISX15 has ratings from 455 to 600 hp, while the ISX12 has ratings from 370 to 500 hp. "Both engines deliver strong pulling power and throttle response and feature high-efficiency water, fuel, and lube pumps to help reduce parasitic loss and improve fuel economy," Crowel says.

The ISL9 has ratings from 270 to 450 hp and the ISB6.7 has ratings of 260 to 360 hp. Both engines have had an air i

By Carl J. Haddon

Apparatus manufacturers have responded to their customers' shrinking budgets and requirements to do more with less by introducing multivocational fire trucks. These apparatus are designed and built to respond to a wider variety of calls and offer a broader range of services than a single type of truck.

Along that same line, as we consider needs for technical rescue equipment and associated personal protective equipment (PPE), might multiuse or multivocational uses for such equipment play into the equation?

Multiuse Equipment

Multiuse is a commonly used adjective to describe vehicles and equipment by some of us around the country with budgets that are less than dismal. We like to think that it makes us lean, mean, and resourceful. That said, consider a couple of examples where multiuse makes sense beyond budget considerations. Personal flotation devices (PFDs), or life jackets, are an example that often cause departments additional expense and stowage concerns because of their bulk and the limited available compartment space on their rigs. Using type 5 PFDs as the example, some are available as single-size vests (i.e., small, medium, large, or extra large). Other type 5 PFDs are made with a wider range of adjustments to accommodate a wider range of body types.

In my region of Idaho, fire departments do not perform technical rescue or vehicle rescue. These types of calls are handled by a technical rescue task force that is a division of the Idaho State Search and Rescue Team (ISSAR). I share this because we (ISSAR Salmon Task Force) respond to all water and ice rescue calls on the more than 80 miles of the Salmon River that run through our county. Obviously, we wear PFDs for all of our water or ice rescue calls. The size of my PFD depends on the temperature of the water. Whitewater rescue in the summer months requires a much smaller size PFD than the one I wear over an ice rescue suit in the cold weather months or even over a dry suit in spring and fall. Having the PFDs with greater adjustability means we typically need only one PFD per member. Otherwise, in my circumstance, the unit or department would likely have to have multiple single-size life vests available for each of us, depending on the time of year and what type of PPE we need to put the PFD over.

Continuing with water rescue as the example, life sleds or other personal watercraft-towed floating rescue boards are often used by rescue personnel in high surf coastal regions around the world. We found that the same technology and configuration work well for whitewater river rescue. These types of rescue sleds, detached from the personal watercraft, work remarkably well for ice and flood rescue and recovery work.

Check First

Over the past few years, a number of hydraulic rescue tool manufacturers have developed products with this same theory in mind. All-in-one battery-powered, electric-over-hydraulic rescue tools are advertised to be more convenient and space-saving for firefighters and fire departments. Additionally, these same tool manufacturers tout their tools' usage for responses such as building collapse and urban search and rescue activities, along with quick forcible entry situations.

As you consider the potential multifunctionality of a product, be sure to check with individual manufacturers to confirm that their equipment or products are approved, rated, and suitable for the tasks for which you intend to use them. During my career, I've found that companies often welcome questions about alternative or additional types of uses for their products or equipment, as these are often opportunities for them to market and seek additional revenue streams.

Multipurpose PPE

PPE makers have also jumped into the multifunction fray. PPE for both wildland firefighting and rescue operations is becoming more and more common. Fire depart