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Posted: Aug 29, 2014

No Caution Tape for the Sky

alt   Chris McLoone

 

There's a guilded-age mansion located in the township next to mine that belonged to the Widener family.

 

It was built between 1898 and 1900 by P.A.B. Widener to house three generations of his family and what is now a priceless art collection under one roof. The greater than 30-acre tract has a second, smaller mansion; a gate house; and the 110-room monster, which has fallen into disrepair through the years as it has sat vacant with a sole caretaker trying to maintain the grounds. The owner finally put the complex up for sale recently for $20 million.

I've been fascinated by this house for many years, and when it went up for sale, I visited the realtor's Web site hoping to get a glimpse of the inside through online images. There were only three exterior shots but also a video captured by a drone. I thought that was a pretty cool application for the drones that are now on the market, especially for a 34-acre tract of land to give potential buyers an idea of the scope of their purchase.

What the above example means, however, is that drones are becoming more accessible to civilians. Seen more as a toy probably than anything else, these units are probably not as sophisticated as the ones we have seen around the trade show circuit in recent years, but they are available, and citizens are using them for any number of reasons-some good and some probably not so good.

Regardless of the intent, we need to be aware that they are available to a much wider group of people than in the recent past and their use will impact our fireground operations. In recent years, we've had to adapt to the smartphone proliferation and how instantly people can share what's happening anywhere at any time. It's not so easy to put up yellow caution tape in the sky, however, to keep bystanders back behind the lines. Drone use is so new, it is hard to establish procedures. We were really just figuring out how to integrate their use into our own operations. Wildfires are a good application, as well as industrial fires. But, what happens when someone else wants to get a bird's-eye view? There's actually a case in point for that.

In California recently, a bystander using a drone to get a better view of a wildfire almost hampered firefighting efforts. Luckily, personnel spotted the unmanned aircraft and directed its owner to stop using it before it posed a danger to firefighting planes. Moving forward, we all must keep the potential for these aircraft in the back of our minds. It's not hard to imagine a department using its drone at an industrial fire only to have a civilian-operated unit crash into it. We're used to listening for helicopters. Now we need to keep our ears open for the sound of drones in the sky.

The California example isn't the only one. A bystander used one in New York a few months ago after an explosion and fire until the police department told him to stop. There is also footage from a Detroit, Michigan, fire captured by a drone and available on Internet video services.

Do our jurisdictions have any ordinances regarding using these? We need to look into it. Controlling civilian use is one aspect, but we need to make sure we are not violating any local ordinances if we decide to purchase them to add to our firefighting arsenal. My guess is there aren't many municipalities that have enacted anything. So, we are in uncharted waters. It used to be that we worried more about people on the ground with cell phones recording and instantly sharing incidents via social media or sending immediately to news outlets. It's gotten almost comical in some respects as we wonder aloud why people are recordi

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Posted: Aug 29, 2014

Mini Pumpers, Part 1: How Well Do They Really Work?

By Bill Adams

 

There appears to be a resurgence of interest in mini pumpers. Apparatus manufacturers promote 1,500-gallon-per-minute (gpm) pumps, four-door cabs, extra compartmentation, foam systems, and tank capacities exceeding 400 gallons.

 

Caution: Read between the lines. Everything a department wants may not fit in one package. More importantly, it may not function as intended. This article only considers mini pumpers compliant with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1901, Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus, Chapter 6, Initial Attack Apparatus, with a maximum gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of less than 20,000 pounds.

NFPA 1901

rig is typical of mini pumpers purchased during the late 1970s and early 1980s
1 This rig is typical of mini pumpers purchased during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Some eclipsed the chassis' GVWR. Prohibiting personnel from the rear step cut staffing in half. [Photo courtesy of Commissioner Bob Ockenden, Penfield (NY) Fire District.]

Chapter 6's basic requirements for an initial attack apparatus include a minimum 250-gpm pump, 200-gallon water tank, 22 cubic feet of compartmentation, and 10 cubic feet of storage space for 2½-inch or larger hose. Chapter 5, Pumper Fire Apparatus, requires a 750-gpm pump, 300-gallon water tank, almost twice the compartmentation, and three times as much space for 2½-inch or larger hose. Just because a mini pumper's pump, tank, and hosebed capacity equal a pumper's does not necessarily mean it is one. NFPA 1901's mandatory and recommended ancillary equipment varies between pumpers and initial attack apparatus. Besides physical differences, there are operational considerations purchasers should be aware of.

Mini pumpers became popular in the 1970s and remained so for about two decades; then their popularity suddenly declined. My opinion is that earlier purchasers made the mistake of attempting to replace full-size pumpers with diminutive look-alikes. It didn't work back then and may not work today. Some fire departments successfully operated mini pumpers. Others found the concept unworkable and abandoned their use. Yet others, finding them not working as intended, revised standard operating procedures (SOPs) to maximize the mini pumpers' capabilities and minimize their limitations.

Egypt (NY) Fire Department

The Egypt (NY) Fire Department's second-generation, mission-specific mini pumper was not intended to replace a full-size pumper meeting NFPA 1901 Chapter 5 or a grass fire truck
The Egypt (NY) Fire Department's second-generation, mission-specific mini pumper was not intended to replace a full-size pumper meeting NFPA 1901 Chapter 5 or a grass fire truck
2 3 The Egypt (NY) Fire Department's second-generation, mission-specific mini pumper was not intended to replace a full-size pumper meeting NFPA 1901 Chapter 5 or a grass fire truck. Its total in-service weight is 17,720 pounds. Add 1,300 pounds for a four-door cab and 250 pounds each for four firefighters, and the truck exceeds the 20,000-pound GVWR. (Photos 2-5 by author.)

In the mid 1980s, the Egypt (NY) Fire Department, a volunteer entity outside of Rochester, New York, operated three full-size pumpers, a ladder truck, a rescue truck, and a brush truck out of two stations. Embracing the mini pumper concept, it purchased a two-door unit to speci

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Posted: Aug 28, 2014

Live Fire Training in Washington State

Washington Fire Chiefs have sent a guiding document to Labor and Industries to provide support  to our members as they journey toward proactive compliance with the new live fire training requirements in WAC 296-305-05502.

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Posted: Aug 20, 2014

GPO New Contract Announcement! Ward Diesel Filter Systems

Ward Diesel Filter Systems specializes in vehicle mounted diesel exhaust systems designed specifically for the fire and emergency service industry. This system filters exhaust both at the station and on scene to better protect personnel and community members from harmful diesel exhaust fumes.   

  
See Ward Diesel Contract Overview Here!
Complete description and pricing available online at: 
www.firerescue-gpo.com
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Posted: Aug 20, 2014

Calling all Heroes!

California Casualty is in search of WFC Member Fire Department heroes to honor!

Since 2012, California Casualty has been sponsoring the Nominate a Hero program. It grew out of our desire to create a platform for people to say “Thank You” to the heroes we are so honored to serve. On top of that, we wanted to add a chance for one hero to win a dream vacation valued at $10,000! It is just our small way of saying thanks for all you do.

Over the last year and a half, we've received thousands of nominations, shared dozens of stories, and gained an even deeper appreciation of the sacrifice our customers make on a daily basis...

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