PIERCE MANUFACTURING recently placed a Pierce® Arrow XT™ custom firefighting apparatus (http://bit.ly/pierce-snozzle-elizabeth), equipped with a Snozzle® high-reach extendable turret (HRET) that features a piercing nozzle, in service at the Elizabeth (NJ) Fire Department. The vehicle, expected to respond to more than 1,000 calls per year, will also operate as a specialized foam pumper. Built on the Arrow XT chassis with dual rear axles, the Snozzle-equipped vehicle features a 500-hp engine, five-speed pushbutton transmission, and Command Zone™ advanced electronics system. The vehicle also features a 750-gallon water tank, dual deck guns, a 2,000-gpm pump, a Husky® 60 foam system, a Hydrochem nozzle, and a 300-gallon foam cell. There is seating for six firefighters.

US FIRE PUMP, a new company, has introduced its High Velocity Fire Pump. The USFP High Velocity Fire Pump is designed for industrial fire pump applications and high-volume water supply using 600-hp or larger engines that are now available. The pump is designed for fire apparatus, fire boats, fire trailers, skid packages, and high-flow water supply trailers. The design of this pump allows for high-flow water supply and NFPA 1901 industrial fire pump applications in one package. A key feature of this pump is the optimized flow-through layout, which maximizes the pump's performance from a high-flow hydrant system. The pump is also designed for 120-hp SAE C/D auxiliary drive output to drive large foam systems or air compressors.

SCOTT SAFETY has acquired ISG/INFRASYS, a designer of thermal imaging cameras. ISG imagers incorporate proprietary ISG engine technology to offer image quality and high-temperature endurance for use in harsh and challenging firefighting environments. Scott Safety also has been providing thermal imaging cameras to its customers for more than 15 years. With the addition of ISG, Scott Safety will now offer the broadest range of thermal imaging cameras in the market, including two imagers certified to the new NFPA 1801 standard for thermal imaging cameras. "ISG provides an excellent strategic fit within our life safety business, where Scott Safety has a long track record of delivering premium safety products to first responders, military personnel, and industrial workers," says Andrew Chrostowski, president, Scott Safety. "This acquisition brings together two world-class companies with a shared focus on innovation, product quality, and customer support."

SMEAL FIRE APPARATUS CO. recently held its first ever Aerial Product & Technology Showcase. The purpose of the showcase was to educate firefighters from around the country about the products Smeal offers and to "demonstrate our dedication to quality craftsmanship and customer service," according to Smeal. After completing the introductions, attendees broke out into groups to begin their tours and presentations. Organizers did have to make some last-minute modifications to the event to work around what became a very cold week with temperatures in the 20s and wind chills that made it feel like single digits at times. The order of the day included a factory tour, aerial demonstrations, an OMNI™ Control System demonstration, static display visits, and time with vendors assembled in Smeal's showroom for the day. For the factory tours, Smeal enlisted its manufacturing floor employees to tell its story. They know their business better than anyone, and

delivery of the month
Pierce-Lambertville (NJ) Fire District #1, 100-foot platform quint. Velocity cab and chassis; Cummins ISX15 600-hp engine; Hale Qmax 2,000-gpm pump; UPF Poly 300-gallon tank; 20-gallon foam cell; Husky 3 Class A foam system; Harrison 20-kW generator. $1,239,658. Dealer: Eric Trevena, Fire & Safety Services Ltd., South Plainfield, NJ. (Photo by Ron Jeffers.)

Spartan ERV-North Richmond Hills (TX) Fire Department, pumper. Gladiator cab and chassis; Cummins ISL9 450-hp engine; Hale Qmax 1,500-gpm pump; Pro Poly 500-gallon polypropylene tank; 30-gallon foam cell; FoamPro 2001 Class A foam system; Command Light KL 450 light tower; Onan 7.5-kW generator. $550,000. Dealer: Scott Gibbs, Metro Fire Apparatus Specialists, Houston, TX.

Rosenbauer-Spanish Lake (MO) Fire Department, pumper. Commander cab and chassis; Cummins ISL9 450-hp engine; Hale RSD 1,500-gpm rear-mount pump; Pro Poly 760-gallon tank; 60-gallon foam cell; Akron 3126 foam eductor; Rosenbauer Green Star 11.5-kW APU; Akron Apollo Hi Riser monitor; Hurst eDRAULIC 10,000-psi cutter, spreader, and ram. $549,000. Dealer: Brian Franz, Sentinel Emergency Solutions, Arnold, MO.

E-ONE-Canton (MA) Fire Department, 100-foot aerial. Cyclone II cab and chassis; Cummins ISX12 500-hp engine; electronic stability control; Safety Vision camera/monitor system; Onan 10-kW generator; prepiped waterway; Akron 1,000-gpm monitor. $810,000. Dealer: Audra Jaconetti, Greenwood Emergency Vehicles, North Attleboro, MA.

Ferrara-Argenta-Oreana Fire Protection District, Argenta, IL, MVP pumper. Ember cab and chassis; Cummins ISL 450-hp engine; Hale Qmax 2,000-gpm pump; UPF Poly 1,000-gallon tank; Will-Burt Night Scan light tower. $465,000. Dealer: Mark Nixon, A.E.C. Fire & Safety, Springfield, IL.

KME-Magnolia Volunteer Fire Department, Camden County, NJ, pumper. Predator cab and chassis; Cummins ISL9 450-hp engine; Hale 8FG 3,000-gpm pump; 500-gallon tank; 25-gallon AFFF foam cell; Feecon around-the-pump foam system; Feecon Midget foam distribution system; Will-Burt Night Scan light tower; Resolve Specialty Products two-bottle fill system with eight-bottle 6,000-psi cascade. $625,000. Dealer: Skip Stinger, 1st Priority Fire Apparatus, Manchester, NJ. (Photo by Dennis C. Sharpe.)

HME-Thomasville (GA) Fire Recue, MiniEvo pumper. Ford F-550 XL 4x4 SD crew cab and chassis; Ford Power Stroke 6.7-liter OHV diesel engine; Hale DSD 1,500-gpm pump; 400-gallon polypropylene tank; 17-gallon foam cell; Hale FoamLogix 2.1 Class A foam system. $193,293. Dealer: Steven Bowles, HME, Inc., Johns Creek, GA.

Alexis-Knoxville (IL) Community Fire Protection District, pumper-tanker. Kenworth T800 cab and chassis; Cummins ISX12 500-hp engine;

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Alan M. Petrillo

"All our vehicles are on a replacement cycle of 20 years of front-line service and five years in reserve before they are replaced," says Mike Owenby, Warrenton's chief. "We have about 10 miles of Interstate 70 that run through our fire district, which means lots of motor vehicle accidents and tractor trailer accidents. That's why all three of our engines are set up as rescue-pumpers."

Pump Panel Location

Warrenton's truck committee produced a list of the things it liked about a 2009 rescue-pumper it had purchased from Rosenbauer and then spent a lot of time looking at other vehicles in neighboring departments. "The committee made a lot of changes to what we wanted in our new rescue-pumper," Owenby points out. "They wanted a rear-mount pump and a pump panel at the rear of the officer's side to protect the operator when working on the interstate. We also wanted our extrication tools mounted in the front bumper and our crosslays at the rear of the vehicle."

Brian Franz, executive vice president of Sentinel Emergency Solutions, who sold the rescue-pumper to Warrenton, says he delivered a rear-mount rescue-pumper to Lincoln County, Missouri, in 2012 and told the Warrenton truck committee it should take a look at it, which they did. "Once they saw that pumper, they were sold on the rear-mount concept," he says. "Their new vehicle has a shorter wheelbase than their older side-mount pumper, and it has at least 100 cubic feet more storage space, with full height compartments on both sides."

Todd McBride, apparatus specialist at Rosenbauer, says one of the main advantages of a rear-mount pump with a pump panel at the left or right rear is the field of view that it offers the operator. "With a setup like that, the operator has a 270-degree field of view of a scene instead of 180 degrees like you would find on a side-mount pumper," he points out.

McBride adds that the Warrenton rescue-pumper carries a little bit more water than most rescue-pumpers. "Warrenton chose to have a 1,000-gallon water tank plus two foam tanks of 40 gallons each-one for Class A foam and the other for Class B," he says.

Another interesting feature of the rig, McBride says, is its kneeling feature. "The rear axle has an air ride suspension where the operator can push a button on the pump panel and lower the rear of the vehicle about six inches so the rear step and hosebed are even more accessible," he notes.

Preconnects and Rescue Tools

Robert Tutterow

The topic has been an issue for the past eight years and was one of the hot topics this past July at a meeting of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Technical Committee on Fire Department Apparatus. A recently released National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) study, "Safe Seating and Seat Belts in Fire Apparatus: Anthropometric Study," clearly indicated that the minimum seat width for 95 percent of firefighters to have adequate room to buckle a seat belt is 28 inches. The current minimum is 22 inches-a width that many custom cabs barely meet. Anthropometry refers to a study of body measurements. This particular study involved measuring almost 1,000 firefighters from across the country with and without turnout gear. The Technical Committee received a "public input" to increase the width to the 28-inch minimum standard. The input did not pass the vote of the committee. For reasons discussed in the prior two months, it had no support. The official committee action was to "hold for further study."

According to the NFPA standards development process, "hold for further study" means the proposal will automatically be brought up again for the next revision-in three to five years but most likely in five years. Unless the fire service begins to insist on wider seating configurations, the issue will likely be rejected again because of the same arguments presented this past year. The NFPA process will not allow an input or comment to be held for further study more than once.

Fresh Cab Design Approach

NFPA standards can be used to advance improved design and technological changes, especially for safety issues. Some NFPA technical committees are more proactive than others when setting standards to advance a problematic issue. The NFPA Technical Committee on Fire Department Apparatus has a very conservative approach to standards revision. It will typically only make changes that every apparatus manufacturer already does or can very easily accommodate.

The "hold for further study" was a way for the committee to "kick the can down the road." The chances of "further study" are slim and none, and the safe bet is on none. Firefighters aren't likely to shrink in the next five years. A more appropriate term would be "hold for further development," but that is not a choice in the NFPA standards development process.

It will be interesting to see if any, or how many, manufacturers aggressively and proactively address the issue. More importantly, though, will be whether or not firefighters and fire departments start insisting on adequate seating width. As I said in previous columns, there are very few custom cabs that currently meet the proposed 28-inch minimum width. Improvement will likely require a fresh approach to cab design. Maybe the European designs can be modified to suit the North American fire service. At one time, John Dennis Coachbuilders, in the United Kingdom, made apparatus without frame rails by using truss construction. This allowed the engine to be lowered by several inches. There have also been apparatus designed around a rear-engine-mount bus chassis. Maybe a fresh approach to engine cooling and serviceability for midengine mounts needs consideration. If the fire service fails to press the issue, the manufacturers will assume all is well. This will result in the same discussion for the next NFPA revision cycle and will again result in no progress. Unfortunately, the substantia

Richard Marinucci

These same principles can be used to prevent firefighter injuries. For this strategy to be most effective, individuals and organizations must develop methods to stay current in all areas and implement the most practical solutions applicable to their situations. Policy makers must consider the services organizations provide and firefighters' expectations in the decision-making process.

Engineering

Engineering safety is a key component within an overall strategy. Although this will not fix all problems or eliminate all risks, it does increase the margin of safety in cases where human error may come into play. If you study the circumstances that cause injuries and fatalities, you can get a better picture of where fire departments need to place the most effort. Firefighters get injured on the fireground, on roadways, and while traveling to the emergencies. I realize that I have not included cardiac issues, but that is a discussion for another time. We are discussing protecting firefighters while doing their work.

It is absolutely critical to get crews to the emergency. There are obviously many safety components engineered into apparatus. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and federal vehicle standards do a good job of establishing the necessary safety components for apparatus, but it is good to remember that these are minimum standards that departments should view as baselines. Organizations should evaluate their own risks and determine if they need to take additional steps. Certainly manufacturers would be happy to add additional safety features if they make sense for your situation and are practical for an apparatus's construction.

Individually and collectively, the fire service needs to continue to ask for more safety features in apparatus that protect firefighters while driving and operating vehicles and also when working on the roadways. There has been much progress with passenger restraints and vehicle markings. There has not been as much advancement in air bags. Know what your options are and how you can add measures that will engineer even more protection should an unplanned event occur.

Protecting firefighters also includes engineering safety into their personal protective equipment (PPE). The NFPA offers great standards that are updated regularly to adapt and adjust to changes in the industry. To get the most benefit from engineered protection, you need to evaluate all elements of the job and the best way to offer protection. It is not just a case of protecting for fire situations. EMS and special rescue responses require different PPE. There are also considerations for reflective vests while working on the roadway. These standards continue to evolve. You have to stay current on the latest to make sure you are keeping PPE up to date.

There are other elements of engineering protection for firefighters. They can include self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), thermal imaging cameras, personal escape systems, portable radios, and virtually any ancillary equipment designed to make the job safer and easier. For example, lighter equipment that is equally as effective as something heavier provides less strain on an individual and, therefore, is less likely to cause injury. In fact, many improvements to firefighting equipment have been the result of finding lighter materials. This is applicable to PPE, SCBA, and various tools.

Of course, being lightweight is one component of engineering. Ease of operation and redundancy of certain features may also be engi