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By Alan M. Petrillo

From cut and abrasion protection to more breathable coats and pants, technical rescue and wildland PPE mirror many of the attributes of structural firefighting turnout gear but embody their own attributes that meet the needs of firefighters performing nonstructural firefighting tasks.

Technical Rescue Gear

Mark Dolim, national sales manager for Globe Manufacturing Company, says technical rescue turnout gear has caught on "because 90 percent of calls don't require structural personal protective equipment." Dolim points out that the specifications for technical rescue gear are covered by National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1951, Standard on Protective Ensembles for Technical Rescue Incidents (2013 ed.). Globe's TechRescue jacket and pants also meet NFPA 1999, Standard on Protective Clothing for Emergency Medical Operations, he says.

"Rescue and recovery gear doesn't have a thermal barrier," Dolim says, "but it does incorporate a barrier for blood-borne pathogens, provides more breathability through a moisture barrier with a soft and pliable facecloth that comes in contact with the skin, is lighter, and has a fire-resistant outer shell. Some fire departments have their firefighters use technical rescue gear for auto extrications and other nonstructural calls, which can prolong the life of their structural firefighting gear."

Utility gear has a fire-resistant outer shell, Dolim notes, but is designed more for search and rescue functions with highly visible trim and tailored to be comfortable, usually with elastic in the waist, so no suspenders are needed, and padding in the knees. "Departments take a blank slate garment and customize it as they want," Dolim says.

Jim Sonntag, owner of PGI, Inc., points out that his company's technical rescue gear is designed to allow the greatest mobility for its user. "Every garment is anatomically designed," Sonntag says. "The shoulders, elbows, and knees all have pleats to allow freedom of movement. There are no seams on top of the shoulder-they are at the bottom or behind the shoulder to allow for expansion and to interface better when a firefighter has to wear a self-contained breathing apparatus or carry a bag with shoulder straps."

Sonntag notes that PGI's technical rescue gear, which meets NFPA 1951, has a flatter configuration to its pockets "so they don't catch on things" and does not use metal zippers. "All our zippers are made of fire-resistant Zytel® DuPont fiber," Sonntag says. "It's stronger than brass or metal, won't crimp or break, and is self-lubricating."

Rescue and Wildland

Michael Laton, senior product manager for body protection at Honeywell First Responder Products, says Honeywell has been making tricertified gear (NFPA 1951 and 1999, as well as NFPA 1977, Standard on Protective Clothing and Equipment for Wildland Firefighting) for more than 15 years, regularly updating the tu

Richard Marinucci

This event offers a unique opportunity for manufacturers and end users to meet in a relatively intimate setting to discuss specifics of apparatus and its components. The format allows for candid discussion into details that help both fire service personnel and manufacturers. This uniqueness not only helps all attendees but can benefit others in their departments and organizations when they bring back critical information on apparatus specifics and prudent spending practices.

The FDSOA has enjoyed a meaningful partnership with the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers' Association (FAMA) and believes that this relationship has done much to advance the fire service through improvements in apparatus. This year, the FDSOA has added an additional partner, Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment. This publication is committed to providing information to the fire service relative to apparatus and equipment and is the only such magazine with this specific mission. This is a direct connect to the information provided at the Apparatus Symposium.

The Symposium continues to improve, and the FDSOA continues to build partnerships like those with Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment and FAMA so that this event remains the "go-to" place for those looking to learn as much as possible regarding apparatus. It also serves to connect those who have a passion for the industry. The purpose is to improve quality and reliability while remaining cognizant of purchasing and fleet maintenance costs.

What You'll Experience

Attendees will hear from experts covering a variety of topics including new developments in the industry. Presentation topics include specification writing, the political aspects of apparatus purchasing and maintenance, and vehicle accident loss experiences. This year's Symposium also looks at issues designed to improve safety, such as accident avoidance through virtual mirrors and radar detection, roadway safety, and safe aerial operations. There are also sessions on specific components and maintenance issues-topics of interest to all in attendance.

Of equal importance are the "unofficial" meetings that take place outside the classroom. It is here that many attendees build relationships and get deeper into the "weeds" with discussion about their specific interests. Manufacturers' representatives can pick the brains of fire service professionals passionate about their trade, and fire department professionals can glean specific information that leads to savings for their communities and improved reliability and safety. There is no downside to this arrangement, as all can benefit when they choose to engage in the process.

Future Plans

The FDSOA is pleased with its arrangements with Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment and FAMA. Plans are already underway for the 28th annual Apparatus Symposium. A planning session will be held at the Sympoisum to get immediate feedback from attendees, which will be used during the planning process. One big change is that the Symposium will move from Florida for the first time since its inception. Although the FDSOA has enjoyed its time in Florida, it has decided to move the Symposium to Scottsdale, Arizona, in 2016. The plan from that point is to move the event back to the East Coast in 2017 to a location yet to be determined. By rotating the locations, the FDSOA believes it will expose more fire departments and firefighters to the Symposium and its benefits. If you have any responsibility regarding apparatus-whether purchasing or maintaining-plan on attending January 17-19, 2016, in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The fire service is getting more complicated and complex every year in all parts of the del

1 Pumper and Tanker Product Manager Jason Witmier provided this photo of a KME's driver's side pump panel with a Waterous CSU full-bodied midship pump with no discharges on the operator's panel. He says, "On this one, we also completely blanked off on the pump's left-side suction tube. By removing the left-side suction inlet and putting a plate over it, it saved space in the pump house to add a compartment. Taking the suction away added to the whole safety factor of not having the inlet by the operator." (Photo courtesy of KME.) Click here to view Image Gallery

By Bill Adams

Some apparatus purchasing committees (APCs) consider fire pump discharges a mundane topic-a matter taken for granted. Some erroneously believe discharge quantities, locations, and sizes are cast-in-concrete, sacrosanct requirements never to be doubted. Tactlessly questioning the topic during the specification (spec) writing process can cause dissension within the ranks and unintended controversy with vendors.

Regardless of whether their questions are or appear controversial, APCs and vendors should applaud queries from firefighters. Firefighters showing interest in their workplace (the fire truck) should be commended. Their participation will make APCs more attentive and accountable and can assist in making successful purchases. Hopefully, APCs will not construe firefighters' honest questions as questioning their authority and competency to purchase fire apparatus.

When discussing pump discharges, vendors should walk a fine line. An APC may mistakenly believe its expertise and knowledge is being challenged if a vendor asks a question the committee never considered or can't answer. Asking too controversial a question may jeopardize a sale. Conversely, a vendor not candidly addressing pump discharges with an APC and, in particular, an uneducated one, is doing the fire department a disservice. Concurrently, APCs' questions must be answered honestly and forthrightly. With today's social media and Internet access, a committee member may already have the answer to a question being asked merely to "test" a vendor. It's not right, but it happens.

"A Standard" or "the Standard"

The word standard has several meanings. One means something is normally or ordinarily accepted. Fire apparatus original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have standard discharge packages or configurations for each capacity fire pump offered. For a 1,500 gallon-per-minute (gpm) traditional midship pump, one OEM's standard package may include a three-inch discharge on the right-hand side (RHS), a three-inch discharge riser for a master stream appliance, and four 2½-inch discharges-two on the left-hand side (LHS), one on the RHS, and one at the rear. Another OEM's standard configuration may include a three-inch on the RHS and five 2½-inch discharges-two on each side and one at the rear. Yet another may offer two RHS three-inch discharges, two LHS 2½-inch discharges, and one RHS 2½-inch discharge. Which OEM is right? They all are. They all meet their own standard. An OEM's in-house standard does not have to reflect a regulatory agency's minimum requirements, nor is it necessarily reflective of apparatus being purchased in a given geographical area.

Standard can also mean a benchmark or a requirement. In the fir

Roger Lackore

The Fire Apparatus Manufacturers' Association (FAMA) is committed to enhancing the quality of the emergency service community through the manufacture and sale of safe, efficient emergency response vehicles and equipment.

In addition to designing, building, and selling products, our member companies spend a great deal of effort looking for ways to provide useful information to firefighting professionals. As information is only useful when people know it is available, this FAMA Forum will acquaint you with the current content of our online FAMA resource library. Visit our Web site at www.fama.org, and go to the "Resources" tab and the "Fire Service Resources" menu to download any of the following documents.

Fire Apparatus Duty Cycle Survey

This report uses the results from fire chief surveys as well as actual fire apparatus engine data to estimate average fire apparatus duty cycles in terms of road miles, engine hours, pump hours, and aerial hours. Results are subdivided by demographics and apparatus type. Fire chiefs may find this information useful when developing apparatus replacement plans, as they will be able to see where their current apparatus ages fall in relation to other departments with similar demographics.

Firefighter Size and Weight Study

This study provides firefighter measurements in bunker gear. Primarily used by apparatus designers, this information may also be useful to fire departments planning for facilities that must be designed around the smallest and largest firefighter shapes, sizes, and weights. Use this data when planning specifications for apparatus seating and cab capacity or aerial platform capacity.

Fire Apparatus Improvement White Paper

This report details the history of safety features on fire apparatus over the past several decades. A great introduction was written by Jeff Piechura, chief of the Stockton (CA) Fire Department, followed by a detailed spreadsheet of safety features and when they were introduced. The spreadsheet can be downloaded in Microsoft Excel format, can be used as a tool for determining and justifying funding requirements, and can assist forward-thinking fire service administrators in analyzing their departments' future equipment needs.

Diesel Engine Emissions Impact on Indoor Air Quality-2007

As new diesel engines burn cleaner every year, some chiefs wonder what impact the exhaust emissions have on air quality inside the station garage. The greatest change occurred in 2007 engines with the advent of the diesel particulate filter. This analytical study looks at the various tailpipe pollutants and suggests a method of answering this question.

Graphical Symbols

This document gives the fire and rescue community an option for labeling common controls with a graphical representation of their function. Although FAMA apparatus and equipment manufacturers are not required to use these symbols, this resource can be used by those fire departments wishing to specify industry standard text-free control symbols on their apparatus. This is a living document and has been updated recently with new aerial outrigger control symbols.

Emergency Vehicle Size and Weight Regulation Guideline

Fire apparatus are often larger and heavier than other trucks in their same class. Some states have more stringent requirements than others. This white paper explores the reasons behind typical apparatus axle weights and offers guidelines for truck size and weight-regulating authorities. This is a great resource to review prior to creating you

Chris Mc Loone

They allow us to find our way out if we become disoriented, and when used to properly apply water to a fire, they help make conditions within a burning structure more tenable for all inside. We test them annually to ensure they can withstand the pressures we put through them to achieve proper flows. We maintain them, and we pack them. When we need them, we expect them to deliver water to the seat of the fire every time. However, in recent months, fire hose failure after being exposed to extreme temperatures during fire attack has garnered increasing attention. This is a storyline everyone in the fire service should be paying attention to. We shouldn't be monitoring it because we seek to assign blame for an incident's resolution but because of the lessons it reminds us about.

No fire hose manufacturer is going to sell a fire department a product that has failed a pressure test or that fails to comply with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1961, Standard on Fire Hose. And, fire departments are going to then test that hose according to NFPA 1962, Standard for the Care, Use, Inspection, Service Testing, and Replacement of Fire Hose, Couplings, Nozzles, and Fire Hose Appliances. So, we know that there are standards in place to ensure that what we are purchasing has been tested and that there are criteria in place for us to annually document that the hose still meets a nationally recognized standard. Some might decry the fact that it took so long for this to finally gain attention, but let's look at the good that is coming from it.

Unfortunate though it is, sometimes it takes more time than we'd like to recognize an issue. Yes, there have been documented cases of burnt-through hoseline failures in the past. But, for reasons we don't know, they did not receive the attention they deserve. However, now we are in a position to start scrutinizing fire hose construction to see when, how, and why hose fails when its outer layer burns through. The Worcester Polytechnic Institute recently received $75,000 to study hose and develop one that will withstand greater temperatures without failing. How we arrived at this point does not matter. It's good news for firefighters because the outcome will be a lifeline that we can be confident will not fail in certain conditions.

But more importantly, the recent news about this hoseline study should remind all of us that it is never OK to stop asking, "Why?" when it comes to the standards with which our equipment complies. Questioning the rationale behind a standard's requirements shouldn't only be encouraged, it should be required.

Despite what some believe, the standards on which the apparatus we ride and much of the equipment we carry are based on and seek to ensure firefighter safety on the fireground. It is hard to argue with something that has our ultimate safety in mind. Be that as it may, we should never just accept a standard without question. The results of the Worcester Polytechnic Institute study will hopefully justify a change to NFPA 1961-if a change is warranted.

There is an old expression that says it is not about the journey but the destination. If hoselines are failing because they are burning through and fireground tactics are not to blame, then we should absolutely be asking why. Is it manufacturing defect? Is it because the standard to which it is measured is not stringent enough? Should the standard be changed to address the reports about burnt-through hoselines failing on the fireground? These are all