• SEAGRAVE FIRE APPARATUS was recognized by the FDNY for its dedication and support provided during the recent tragic events following Superstorm Sandy. The award was presented by Mark Aronberg, assistant commissioner for FDNY fleet services, to A. Joseph Neiner, chairman and CEO of Seagrave Fire Apparatus, LLC, during FDNY's visit to Seagrave's company headquarters.

A portion of the inscription on the plaque reads "FWD Seagrave Once Again Stepped up to Provide Much Needed Assistance to the FDNY, In Our Most Difficult Times We Can Always Count on the Men & Women of FWD Seagrave for their Continued Support."

• TENCATE ADVANCED COMPOSITES NORTH AMERICA announces that Northern Composites, of Hampton, New Hampshire, will serve as an eastern United States representative for TenCate regarding tooling prepregs and materials. As reported last year, TenCate and 3M have joined forces to market and support 3M's line of tooling prepregs featuring 3M's matrix resin technology. This 3M innovation uses nanosilicas to create a more durable, robust, and dimensionally accurate tool for the fabrication of composite parts. Northern Composites will have responsibility for supporting customers in the eastern half of the United States.

• PIERCE MANUFACTURING, part of the Fire & Emergency segment of Oshkosh Corporation, is celebrating its 100th anniversary with a public open house scheduled for July 13, 2013, from 12:00-4:00 p.m. at the Pierce 41 manufacturing facility in Appleton, Wisconsin. Visitors to the event can attend the 100th ceremony at 1:00 p.m., visit the new Pierce History and fire truck and Oshkosh truck displays, view interactive fire and safety education, participate in kids activities and games, go on rides on fire apparatus, and take manufacturing tours.

To round out the celebration, Pierce is hosting a 9-11 Stair Climb at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on Sunday, July 14 to raise funds for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF).

For more information on the event, visit http://www.piercemfg.com/100thopenhouse to register for the open house and the 9-11 Stair Climb.

• STREAMLIGHT®, INC., a provider of lighting for first responders, has donated $25,000 to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF), including $15,000 in proceeds from sales of the company's Red Nano Light®. Streamlight earmarks $1.00 from the sale of each Red Nano Light to the NFFF. The company also contributed an additional $10,000 for renewal of its "Bronze Helmet" NFFF sponsorship. Both donations will assist the nonprofit organization in commemorating the lives of firefighters who have died in the line of duty and supporting their families and co-workers. Streamlight's sponsorship of NFFF helps fund various initiatives, including the organization's National Memorial Weekend tribute to fallen heroes. Streamlight's sponsorship support also helps fund scholarships awarded to spouses and children of fallen firefighters and counseling programs for agencies that have lost colleagues in the line of duty.

• FERRARA FIRE APPARATUS unveiled its F-Shield chassis frame corrosion protection for the Ultra, Inferno, and Igniter models of custom fire chassis. F-Shield is a process that encapsulates the chassis frame, cross members, fasteners, and fixed accessories mounted on the chassis. The fuel tank, air reservoirs, and their brackets are treated separately before assembly. These additional steps ensure these components are completely sealed with the F-Shield proces

Alan M. Petrillo

Two manufacturers-Sutphen Corp. and SVI Trucks-recently teamed up to design, manufacture, and deliver five identical heavy rescues to the Columbus (OH) Division of Fire.

Scott Sanders, a lieutenant in Columbus's Research and Development Bureau, says the 10-person vehicle committee, headed by Captain Steve Martin, met periodically and determined the next generation of heavy rescue truck that would meet the needs of the department. "We run all our rescues as heavy units, so we need room for manpower and all the equipment we have to carry-cutters, spreaders, rams, air bags, tripods, cribbing, air bottles, diving equipment, and the rest of it," says Sanders. "Once we settled on the spec, we put it out to bid."

Harry Sutphen, sales representative for Sutphen Corp., says that Sutphen had a prior relationship with the Columbus (OH) Division of Fire, which currently has 17 Sutphen pumpers serving as first-line engines and nine Sutphen SPH100 midmount aerial platforms as first-line ladders. "We were pleased to be awarded the bid, which we sold to Columbus as a Sutphen heavy rescue truck with an SVI body," Sutphen says. He notes that Sutphen has collaborated with SVI Trucks for a number of years on various heavy rescue vehicles. "We sat down with Bob Sorenson, vice president of SVI Trucks, and the SVI engineers at Columbus Fire headquarters and got the vehicle to the way their committee wanted it," he says.

(1) The five heavy rescues built for the Columbus (OH) Bureau of Fire by Sutphen Corp. and SVI Trucks are on Sutphen Monarch 73-inch cabs and chassis with 20-inch raised roofs with SVI aluminum front walk-in/walk-around bodies. (Photos courtesy of SVI Trucks.)

Identical Specs

The five heavy rescues were built to identical specs so there was a commonality as to placement of equipment, Sanders points out. "Our agreement in the beginning was that we would fine tune the trucks as we went along, and if an obstacle arose, we'd sit down together and work it out," Sanders says. "Sutphen and SVI bent over backward numerous times to give us what we wanted and suggest what was best for our needs."

Columbus Fire wanted all five rescues delivered completely equipped with all tools mounted, Sanders says, which meant that the department had to work closely with Sutphen and SVI engineers. "If we wanted to move a shelf or a piece of equipment that wouldn't fit in a compartment, they figured out a way to accommodate us," Sanders says. "Our guys sat with the engineers and built the entire trucks on a computer beforehand. We had to give them the name, make, and measurement of every tool that we wanted on the vehicles."

Once the trucks were blueprinted digitally, with all the equipment placed, it was easier to adapt to changes, Sanders points out.

(2) The Columbus rescues were all set up in identical fashion in terms of design and gear location. Sutphen and SVI designed the location of all equipment on slide-out trays and rolling tool boards under the direction of the Columbus truck committee, and SVI mounted it all prior to delivery of the five vehicles.

Identical Designs

The Columbus rescue designs are based on a Sutphen Monarch 73-in

By Wesley D. Chestnut
Lead, Compliance, Spartan Motors, Inc.

During the past several months, I've been asked to write articles and give presentations discussing changes in emissions standards set forth by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and fuel efficiency standards set forth by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) that impact fire apparatus.

At a presentation I gave in January, certain members of the audience provided feedback that certain elements were not very clear and the topic was "boring." It may be a boring topic, but when departments or city councils wonder why the price of a fire apparatus has increased during the past six years, it may be largely attributed to the complex emissions standards. Emissions standards have a very real impact on the price of a fire apparatus and service of the vehicle during its in-service life. Beginning with the forthcoming first round of greenhouse gas emissions standards, the regulations are more complex and apply to more than the engine.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Beginning with model year 2014, or January 1, 2014, both engines and chassis for fire apparatus will have to meet greenhouse gas emissions standards defined by the EPA. Certain engine manufacturers have opted to certify their engines early, resulting in changes to certain components of the emission control system as well as the engine. Although the engine and its aftertreatment devices may look the same as more recent fire apparatus, there are changes nonetheless. These changes have resulted in certain manufacturers having to perform tests required by the engine manufacturer, which in turn indicate to the EPA that the engine installed in the fire apparatus meets the emissions standards that apply to the engine.

Where the greenhouse gas rules differ from previous emissions rules as they relate to fire apparatus is that the chassis must also be certified with the EPA. Rolling resistance of the tires is the critical element in determining the greenhouse gas emissions output of fire apparatus as they are considered vocational vehicles. Because rolling resistance is a critical factor in determining the emissions output, tire manufacturers have had to test tires or have their tires tested by a third party and submit the rolling resistance values to the chassis manufacturers. In some cases, certain tires or combinations of tires may not be used because the chassis does not meet the applicable requirements within the regulations.

Chassis and Components

The chassis must maintain its certification for its useful life. As set forth by the EPA, the useful life a fire apparatus is 10 years or 100,000 miles. This may impact the choice of tires that are installed on a fire apparatus after it has been placed in service. Replacement tires must have similar rolling resistance values as the original tires on the vehicle. Although rolling resistance values will likely not be put in owner's manuals or other literature related to the tire, the owner's manual may instruct the owner to seek a tire that is equivalent to the original built tire.

There may be changes to certain warranties that relate to emissions-critical components on the fire apparatus that apply for a longer period of time than that of the overall apparatus. Certain components within the emission control system must have a five-year/100,000-mile warranty. With the new greenhouse gas emissions rules, tires are required to have a two-year/24,000-mile warranty. In certain cases, fire apparatus manufacturers may have to, if they have not already done so, update their owner's manuals to reflect the new warranty information.

Timeframe

Although the first phase of the greenhouse gas emissions rules starts with 2014, other federal requirements apply with model year 2016. The next phase of requirements involves

Chris Mc Loone

At the 2013 Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC), the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers' Association's (FAMA) Technical Committee held one of its two meetings for 2013. The agenda included industry and FAMA updates, as well as naming the 2012 Chairman's Award winner.

FAMA Updates

FAMA President Harold Boer started the meeting by introducing two guests from the University of Illinois Fire Service Institute (IFSI), Dennis Spice and Gavin Horn. Boer explained that the ISFI is looking to help FAMA through research on different projects and encouraged FAMA members to meet with them during the meeting.

Boer continued with an update from the association's spring meeting. He reported that there were great presentations on both statistics and surveying that gave FAMA a good idea of what its members' customers are asking for and how customers are getting information from manufacturers.

Another statistic Boer shared was that through 2012, the market has remained relatively flat. Based on this, he issued a challenge to the group. "When you are reviewing and proposing NFPA revisions and new proposals, take a look and decide if the cost/benefit ratio is justified," he said. "Is there a problem? Is the proposed solution going to solve it? Is it worth the cost to do it?" He cited that there have been good examples of identifying problems and coming up with solutions. One problem was hose falling off trucks. "It was a definite problem," he said. "We came up with a solution for it. It solved the problem and it was relatively inexpensive to do it. That was a very good solution." He concluded, "Let's be careful when we propose these new standards not to add significant cost to the trucks and see our market go down further. If there's a problem, let's address it. If it's not, let's have a recommended guideline."

FAMA Initiatives for the Year

Roger Lackore, co-chair of the Technical Committee, presented FAMA initiatives for the current year, including the following:
• Reorganizing the white papers and resource sections of the FAMA Web site.
• NFPA 1901/1906 participation.
• Fire Department Safety Officer Association (FDSOA) Apparatus Symposium.
• Developing a Fire Apparatus Safety Manual.
• Publishing a quarterly e-newsletter.

A Fire Apparatus Safety Manual is a glove-compartment-sized manual that would cover all the safety issues around using an apparatus. Lackore called for participants to join the ad hoc committee to develop the manual. Plans call for this committee's first meeting to be on July 25, 2013. The manual will be published through FAMA, and fire apparatus manufacturers can buy the books in bulk and send them with every apparatus.

Lackore also commented on FAMA's involvement with the FDSOA's Apparatus Symposium. The Apparatus Symposium turned a profit this year, and the FDSOA remains committed to continuing with the Symposium. "Our part of it is to try to provide presenters for those equipment- and apparatus-related topics," said Lackore. "We're providing recommendations. The FDSOA still has the final say on whether or not it likes the presenters. For each presentation this year, rather than just saying 'here's a topic,' the committee sat down and created a detailed outline for each presentation and learning objectives." He said that the committee determined the audience-spec writers or mechanics and service people, for example-and chose presentations to balance that out.

NFPA Process Update

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has recently transitioned to a new system for standards revision participation. Ryan Depew, the NFPA's staff liaison to the technical committee on fire apparatus, provided a brief rundown on some of the new aspects of the system, encouraging attendees to participate

Chris Mc Loone

I recently joined the thousands of other Pierce Manufacturing customers who travel to the company's Appleton, Wisconsin, facility for a tour of its headquarters. While I was there, Bobby Williams, Pierce's vice president, sales and marketing, sat down with me and answered a few questions about Pierce and the fire service.

CM: How are things shaping up for Pierce and its 100th anniversary celebration?

BW: There is a lot going on, and it's pretty exciting all the things we're doing. What I like the most about it is that we are focusing on the people and the stories about Pierce. The marketing team has done a really great job of taking time to talk to folks who have been here, and we have wonderful stories about sons and fathers and grandfathers who have worked here through the years and have heard some of the rich history of what they've been involved with. For me, that's the most exciting thing-to hear the stories and to really learn the legacy of Pierce.

CM: What's next for Pierce?

BW: Really, we're still excited about the Dash CF and see a lot of good things continuing to happen. We were out in the field this past week at what we call a "Road Rally" where we take the product out and show customers at their locations and really had a phenomenal turnout and a real excitement about what that does for the fire service. We know that we strive to be a leader in innovation of products for the fire service. We try not to innovate just for the sake of saying we have something new on the board. But, we really look at and listen to the customers to say, "What is it that you need? Where are we missing the mark? Where do we need to challenge ourselves to change and adjust?" And so, moving forward, we have some exciting things on the board that will be coming forth to the marketplace.

CM: What do you think is the most important innovation in the fire service during the past five years?

BW: To me, the most important innovation is really a paradigm shift in how fire departments look at themselves. They are required to do more with what they have. And, I'm hearing a lot about how they look at themselves and their constituents in the neighborhoods and in the communities they serve. They are finding ways to reach out and engage their constituents and rethink how they approach them. So for me, I see more departments naming their top executive as CEO as opposed to fire chief and changing how they think about themselves.

CM: What do you think the biggest issue is facing the fire service today, and how should the fire service address it?

BW: I really believe it's doing more with less. Budgets have been cut. Tax revenues are down. They are stretching out vehicle purchases. So many of them are struggling to get gloves, turnout gear, and all the equipment they need. So, it's trying to find innovative ways to do more with less. And, it's quite challenging. I've seen a number of creative ways departments try to relook at how they are buying apparatus-whether it's a buy-back program, or stretching out how they use apparatus, or how they approach front-line apparatus as smaller quick-attack vehicles, things like that. Departments are really looking at all different aspects of their operations to see how they can stretch those resources that they do have.

CM: What keeps you up at night?

BW: For me, it's being a good steward of what we've done here at Pierce and its legacy. We've been in business for 100 years, which is pretty exciting. Not a lot of companies can say that they have that rich history. So, it's taking care of all the people who have gone before us and established that foundation for us. And then, how I help continue and lead the organization into the next 100 years so that s