Alan M. Petrillo

The city of Washington, North Carolina, had a 1982 beverage-style truck that had been refurbished into a medium rescue a number of years ago, but the vehicle was showing its age and needed replacement. Fortunately, the city was able to secure a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant to replace the unit and set about performing a needs assessment to determine the amount and kinds of equipment it should carry and developing specifications for the rig.

Robbie Rose, chief of Washington (NC) Fire-Rescue-EMS, says he and his truck committee of five, led by Captain R.M. Flowers, along with the city's purchasing agent had a number of rescue truck manufacturers make presentations to them about their vehicles and what might be done for the department. But in the end, Rose says the contract for the medium rescue it wanted to purchase went to VT Hackney, the company that not only refurbished the former beverage truck but also has its production facilities a mile down the road from the department's main station. "Hackney was the low bidder on the rescue truck and they started building it in August of last year," he says. "We took delivery on December 13, 2012."

(1) The medium rescue that Hackney built for Washington (NC) Fire-Rescue- EMS is on a Kenworth T370 chassis with two-person cab and an all- aluminum body with compartments protected by roll-up doors. (Photos courtesy of Hackney.)

Copious Amounts of Space

Jonathan Hardin, a lieutenant who served on the truck committee, says the most compelling element of the Hackney rescue truck is the amount of space it offers. "Hackney uses a drop-pinch frame that allows for a lot more space in the body area," he says. "And, they also added more features on their rescue when compared to the other bidders."

Rose points out that the rescue's serviceability was another main concern for the department. "We made it a part of our bid package that we wanted a service center within a one-hour drive of our area," Rose says. "Hackney certainly fulfilled that requirement, and the truck is very user-friendly with easy accessibility to all the equipment. That drop-pinch frame design drops the truck low enough so we can reach everything in the compartments."

Eddie L. Smith, director of Hackney's emergency vehicles group, says, "Our claim to fame is our drop-pinch frame that increases storage capacity on a vehicle. In this case, we were able to get 25 percent more storage space on the truck than if we had used a standard frame."

(2) The Hackney-built medium rescue has a cribbing compartment at the left rear of the truck, protected by restraint doors inside of a roll-up door to prevent damage caused by cribbing shifting during a tight turn.

Smith says that the compartment space on the Washington Fire rescue is 42 inches deep, compared with the average 24- or 25-inch-deep compartments on a typical rescue using a standard frame. "Also, with our frame, we were able to make this a much longer vehicle and still keep it on a single axle," he adds.

The Washington Fire rescue has a wheelbase of 239¼ inches, an overall length of 34 feet 3¾ inches, and an overall height of 10 feet, six inches.

Multiresponse Unit

Smith notes that Washin

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Chinook Medical Gear LEMK-MCCI mass casualty critical intervention kit provides medical supplies needed to save lives in mass casu

By Robert Tutterow

During a conversation at the 2013 Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC), the subject of chevrons on the rear of fire apparatus came up. It remains a controversial and often misunderstood subject in the fire service. Through observations at FDIC, periodicals, news reports, and personal observations during my travels, I have noticed there are several units that are not compliant with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1901, Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus, especially as it relates to the colors. Somehow, there are departments that have managed to choose their own colors to match the overall paint scheme of the apparatus. Are the manufacturers doing this? If so, are they receiving a written liability waiver from the fire department? Or, is the manufacturer allowing the fire department to add chevrons after delivery?

Color Not an Option

NFPA 1901 standard started requiring chevron striping for all apparatus contracted on or after January 1, 2009. There is no requirement to retrofit apparatus contracted before that date. In addition, ambulances have the same requirement for all units contracted on or after January 1 of this year according to NFPA 1917, Standard for Automotive Ambulances.

The standard does not allow fire departments to choose their own colors. That seems to be the part of the requirement that causes the most controversy and misunderstanding. It was a subject that received a lot of discussion within the NFPA technical committee when the requirement was originally proposed. Letting fire departments choose their own color would have been an easy decision. However, the technical committee was also aware that a lot of work was being done to make emergency responders safer while working highway incidents. I have written before in this column, and still believe, that the "roadway" is the most dangerous environment in which today's fire service now works.

The technical committee discussion led to overall incident traffic management. It became familiar with a document called the "Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices" (MUTCD) that defines the standards used by road managers nationwide to install and maintain traffic control devices on all public streets, highways, bikeways, and private roads open to public traffic. The MUTCD is published by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) under 23 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 655, Subpart F. Part 6 of the MUTCD is an entire section on "Temporary Traffic Control." As the committee reviewed this section of the MUTCD it became apparent that the chevron striping was a form of supplemental highway signage.

Therefore, it seemed the proper language should specify the colors rather than leave it up to the buyer. For example, what if highway signage (especially warning signs) was left up to each individual jurisdiction? It is a good thing there is a standard shape and color for a stop sign and that a traffic signal has three colors-red, yellow, and green-with red at the top and green at the bottom. Imagine traveling around this country if every fire district chose the size, shape, and colors for its stop signs. Think about the last road trip you took. How many fire districts did you cross? As I write this column, I have just completed a two-hour road trip and I know I traveled through 25 to 30 different fire response districts.

I was amused when I read about a fire chief who said he wanted his chevrons to match the color of his apparatus (not red) because the people in his community were familiar with that color of apparatus. OK-I suppose that the only people that travel the roads of his community live in the community. With this background, the committee took a standardized safety position and specified that the chevrons shall be red and yellow.

Reasoning

Red and yellow were selected because they were the

By Carl J. Haddon

Although great for the consumer, hybrid start/stop technology can be potentially deadly for the rescuer at the scene of a motor vehicle accident (MVA).

Background

For those unfamiliar with start/stop technology, it is a fuel-saving feature that uses the hybrid electric motor to propel the vehicle from a standing stop until the gas-/fuel-powered engine takes over. When these vehicles come to a stop at a traffic signal, for example, the gas/fuel engine shuts down, and the vehicles sit silently (no traditional idling) until the accelerator is depressed and the electric motor initiates vehicle motion.

When these vehicles are involved in an accident, they often present a unique set of challenges for emergency personnel because we never really know if they are "silent live" or not. In conventionally powered vehicles, this question is a "no-brainer" because it is typically easy to tell if the engine is running or not.

(1) The Cog Step is a reversible step chock. It can be used conventionally as a standard step chock and it can be inverted to use the cog system. (Photo courtesy of Turtle Plastics.)

This same scenario holds true for plug-in electric powered vehicles. Following an accident, the vehicle sits silently, but we never know for sure if it can still lurch forward or backward as we size up our scene. After an accident, it invariably seems that unconscious or stunned drivers come to their senses and naturally try to move their extremities. When that movement includes moving their right feet to the accelerator pedal, we can have a real problem.

Securing the Vehicle

What tools do we carry to safely secure the vehicle while we work to disable the electrical systems on these start/stop vehicles-wheel chocks, step chocks, a police patrol car? I actually like the patrol car idea the best; however, it's not always practical. One of my biggest concerns is a firefighter having to get down on the ground to apply these marginally effective adjuncts. Vehicle characteristics such as ground effects, lower ground clearance, and larger wheels make the initial stabilization of these types of vehicles all the more challenging.

Searching for a Solution

I went searching for an answer to this question. I found a couple of items that could do the trick. One of these is unfortunately still in its prototype stage. Simply stated, it's a cordless-drill-powered type of step chock that starts out flat, can be easily slid into position, and then activated to immobilize the vehicle.

The other product I found is a new release by Turtle Plastics. Known as its Cog Step, it is a new variation on the company's stalwart plastic step chocks. The Cog Step concept is based on the old cog railway systems still in use in some parts of this country. The Cog Step is a reversible step chock. It can be used conventionally as a standard step chock and it can be inverted to use the cog system. Basically, the Cog Step is used with a single integral wedge, whereby it can eliminate the need for other cribbing in many circumstances. The user positions the Cog Step as needed, with the cog wedge in close proximity to where it is needed to effect stabilization. As rescuers unweight the side of the vehicle, as they would to place a standard step chock, they introduce the Cog Step in much the same way. The exception is that the cog wedge is already in place. A flathead ax can be used to strike the backside of the cog wedge to advance it higher.

Read more 693 0 Article rating: No rating Posted: Sep 6, 2013 CAFS Units Find Homes on Variety of Apparatus Alan M. Petrillo It's not unusual these days to see a rescue vehicle carrying water and a pump, often called a rescue-pumper or a wet rescue. But frequently, such rescues have begun to be outfitted with compressed air foam systems (CAFS). It's part of a developing trend that is seeing wider use of CAFS not only on rescue-pumpers but on traditional pumpers, urban interface vehicles, and wildland units. Dan White, national sales manager for Spartan ERV's Classic series, says that although most of the growth in CAFS use has been on wildland style units, it also is growing on the structural side of the fire apparatus industry. "CAFS is becoming more and more popular," White says. "We're seeing CAFS on about 40 percent of our wildland units, when three years ago that figure was about 25 percent. CAFS is becoming a required tool instead of something that's simply a 'want to have.' " (1) Darley's family of CAFS products includes the EMBC, a two- stage 2,000-gpm pump with a 220-cfm air compressor. (Photo courtesy of Darley.)   Spartan ERV has built traditional pumpers, rescue-pumpers, and even tankers with CAFS units, White maintains, and has a version of CAFS for its traditional rescues. "We built a compressor with a 100-gallon per minute (gpm) PTO-driven pump that can run one handline off of a 100-gallon water tank and a five-gallon foam tank. It doesn't take up a lot of room on the truck body and if the rescue is first on the scene of a vehicle fire, for instance, it can do a quick knockdown on the fire if necessary." White points out that the typical Rapid CAFS unit that Spartan ERV builds is set up to handle any discharge that is plumbed as foam-capable. "Our standard 140-cubic feet per minute (cfm) compressor can generally handle two 1¾-inch discharges," he notes. "We also make 200-cfm and 250-cfm CAFS units. You essentially can add one 1¾-inch line for each step up in a typical setup." The Rapid CAFS unit was developed, White says, to make the system easy to use. "We wanted it to be as simple as possible and not complicated at all," he says. "Once you're pumping water through a handline on the truck, it truly is a one-touch system." Effects on Design Chad Trinkner, director of product development for aerials, pumpers, and fire suppression at Pierce Manufacturing Inc., says that between 20 and 25 percent of the various types of pumpers Pierce makes-traditional, rescue, and industrial-have a CAFS unit on them. "There's a pretty good mix of the kinds of CAFS units going onto the vehicles," Trinkner points out. "It's about 50-50 of PTO to hydraulically driven units." (2) Hale Products has introduced its Smart CAFS with a 210-cfm compressor on its midship DSD, shown here, and Q-MAX pumps. (Photo courtesy of Hale Products.)   Pierce first started installing Hercules CAFS units on pumpers in 1999, Trinkner notes, with a 200-cfm PTO-driven unit located in the pump house. In 2002, Pierce developed a 140-cfm hydraulically driven CAFS unit located in the pumper's dunnage area over the pump house, and in 2011 it came out with a 165-cfm PTO-driven unit located in the pump house. Locating a CAFS unit in the pump house, Trinkner points out, has one drawback. "A P Read more 719 0 Article rating: No rating RSS FirstPrevious8284828582868287828882898290829182928293NextLast Theme picker Filter News Catagories Categories News (193) RSS Expand/Collapse Washington News (11625) RSS Expand/Collapse National News (11213) RSS Expand/Collapse WFC News (109) RSS Expand/Collapse Legislative Announcements (7) RSS Expand/Collapse Flag Lowerings (15) RSS Expand/Collapse Memorial Information (24) RSS Expand/Collapse Sections (6) RSS Expand/Collapse Emergency Medical Services (1) RSS Expand/Collapse Fire Administrative Support (17) RSS Expand/Collapse Fire Mechanics (18541) RSS Expand/Collapse Fire Training Safety & Officers (25) RSS Expand/Collapse Public Fire Educators (4) RSS Expand/Collapse HazMat Committee (0) RSS Expand/Collapse Filter to see National, Washington or WFC News, or filter to the Section News you are looking for! Search News Articles Search Terms Of Use | Privacy Statement - Copyright 2024 by Washington Fire Chiefs Home Members About Us News Calendar Resources Documents Sections County Fire Chiefs FRWC WSAFM