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By Debbie Bolduc

The rescuers, dressed in heavy gear, were physically drained from pulling themselves out of the icy water time and again. Visibility was nil, and communications failed as radios became waterlogged.

After successfully pulling the ice fisherman from the frigid waters, the men still had a long haul back to shore through the same crumbling ice conditions. If not for the Maine State Game Warden's air boat meeting them part way, the outcome could have been very bad. "I feared my members might not make it back alive," recalls Bosse. "It was a sickening feeling."

The Solution

It was then that Bosse realized there had to be a better way. He began an extensive search for a solution. It wasn't until he attended the annual Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC) a few months later that he started to see the light at the end of the tunnel. That's when he became acquainted with WISE (Water, Ice, Snow Equipment) Technology and the Amphibious Ice Rescue (AIR) Responder, an amphibious vehicle capable of carrying multiple people-up to 900 pounds combined-across solid and broken ice as well as open water. The vehicle virtually eliminates the risk to rescue personnel who, using traditional methods, may otherwise become victims themselves, as was nearly the case for the Poland crew that evening.

Bosse made arrangements to have WISE Technology demonstrate the versatility of the AIR Responder over the course of months in a variety of cold water conditions. Meanwhile, the rescuers, those who would eventually be using the vehicle, were able to offer some valuable input. It was a win-win collaboration. WISE made improvements to the prototype, and the end result was delivered to the Poland (ME) Fire Department in July 2014.

"We are very excited to be the first in the world to have this valuable lifesaving vehicle. It can go across water, across ice, and anything in between in situations where you can't safely put another piece of equipment out there," adds Bosse.

Powered by an unmodified snowmobile, there is almost no learning curve to operate the vehicle. It is so easy to remove the snowmobile that Bosse expects to also use it alone as needed.

The AIR Responder's specialized features result in reduced rescue time and increased safety for all involved. Its Kevlar®-reinforced fiberglass hull; foam-filled, high-density plastic bottom; and very low center of gravity render the AIR Responder virtually unsinkable. The vehicle is capable of reaching the victim in a fraction of the time of conventional methods, reducing the likelihood of hypothermia. Any necessary medical care can begin as soon as the victim is onboard while the vehicle returns to shore to the waiting ambulance.

Company History

After seeing media accounts of rescue personnel walking gingerly on, or often sprawled across, icy bodies of water to get to a victim, Roger Bailey of Gilford, New Hampshire, thought, "There has to be a better way." He founded W

Christian P. Koop

I think some failures are too easily relegated at face value to normal wear and tear when the actual problem may go much deeper. Departments should address why it failed. It can ultimately save the organization unnecessary equipment downtime and save big dollars at the same time. Additionally, it could lead to eventual equipment improvements industrywide.

Most in the ERV maintenance field should already have an adequate understanding of failure analysis and its importance. The main purpose behind this article is to discuss the basic failure analysis steps for those readers who may not be aware of them. I will also cover some of the common terminology associated with failure analysis and the steps involved in the process that departments sometimes do not follow correctly.

Underlying Problems

Finding out why a component or system failed catastrophically or had a shorter-than-normal service life is something that should be ingrained into a maintenance organization's operations and its technicians. It should not matter whether the maintenance operation is private, municipal, or governmental. The curiosity alone of finding out the reason behind a failure-not just making repairs or replacing parts-will separate the average technicians from the good ones. In some cases, a design or manufacturing defect may actually be the culprit. On the other hand, it could be a training issue involving misuse of the equipment leading to early failure. Keep in mind that equipment misuse or improper operation by the driver/operator can lead to instant failures. Many times an ERV will continue to operate normally, but eventually the part or system affected will fail prematurely. It could also be that equipment was not specified or built for the level, severity of service, or even the climatic conditions of an ERV's location.

The level of maintenance and the intervals may not be frequent enough or may not meet the basic minimum schedule recommended by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM). Keep in mind that most OEM-recommended maintenance schedules are minimum requirements and may need to be exceeded. The use of incorrect lubricants and fluids is another cause of failures and shortened service life. Yet another critical factor is operating ERVs beyond gross vehicle weight ratings (GVWRs), which will negatively impact entire drivetrain and chassis componentry service lives. Careful study and investigation of failures with the objective of finding the root cause will eventually point to one of the items mentioned above.

Don't Assume

To properly begin failure analysis, you must take on the role of investigator and never assume that the failed part is the problem. Taking notes to document the process is very important and a basic requirement. Speaking to the driver, if possible, and asking the proper questions should also provide useful information. Many times a good visual inspection by an experienced technician can quickly find the cause. However, in some cases, it may be difficult to find and may require consultation with the OEM or the parts manufacturer or even using specialized equipment.

Determining whether a part failed over time or experienced a one-time catastrophic failure is very important in failure analysis. Depending on what parts failed, do not clean them before the inspection, and leave them on the vehicle. Fo

By Bill Adams

That's life. This article will not address the content, intent, or partiality of any specification or the ramifications of using one in lieu of the other. That's a local matter-do what's best for your fire department. It does address the format in which a specification, and in particular a purchasing specification, is written. The objective is to make the document less confusing and easily readable.

A purchasing specification is a document written by an apparatus purchasing committee (APC) and promulgated (put to bid) by the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) describing a fire apparatus it wants to purchase. Some commentaries portray writing fire apparatus purchasing specifications as an overwhelming task so technically oriented that only highly trained professionals should be allowed to undertake it. That is not necessarily true. Although there are specific legalities and guidelines APCs must follow, purchasing specifications that are overly lengthy and not easy to understand can cloud the process and discourage APC members. There may be spec writers who, for pecuniary reasons, may intimidate purchasers when describing the process.

Playing on Emotions

Beware of questions and statements such as, "Would you spend hundreds of thousands of dollars for a new home designed by a self-proclaimed architect with no credentials, no experience, and no education in engineering? Would you let an apprentice electrician design and install your home's electrical system? If you were an employer, would you let an employee lacking technical expertise spend half a million dollars of your money on a piece of intricate machinery? Why would you let any of those three write a set of purchasing specifications for your fire truck? Let a professional do it."

Playing on Expertise and Knowledge

Read between the lines when you are told, "You've got to be very careful writing specs for a fire truck. New apparatus must meet the requirements of no less than 10 National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) minimum standards with the primary document being NFPA 1901, Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus. NFPA 1901's Chapter 2 makes reference to more than 70 publications from 15 organizations ranging from the Society of Automotive Engineers to the United States Government. NFPA 1901 sentence 2.1 says: ‘The documents or portions thereof listed in this chapter are referenced within this standard and shall be considered part of the requirements of this document.' So you'd better know what you're writing."

Purchasers shouldn't be intimidated. It's doubtful anyone working in the apparatus industry can name all the referenced publications or even the applicable NFPA standards! Most of the hard work has already been done-it's all inside NFPA 1901. Consequently, an APC doesn't have to concern itself with whether some component part meets a voluntary or a consensus standard of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), the American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT), or a mandatory requirement by some obscure government agency.

For obvious reasons, vendors will write a purchasing specification for a fire department for no charge. For a fee, consultants and professional spec writers will also write them. Kudos and good luck to fire departments that write their own specs. As long as specifications are precise, concise, and understandable, it is immaterial who puts the pen to paper. Choosing a spec writer is a local decision. Making specifications easy to read is a smart one. Read more

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