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Posted: Sep 24, 2025

William F. Foster Award for Excellence Winner and EVT of the Year Announced at FTTC

At the awards ceremony at the 2025 Fire Truck Training Conference, Jeff Seal, director of sales for Spartan Chassis and MC for the evening, began his introduction for the William F. Foster Outstanding Service Award by recognizing its namesake, Bill Foster. “Bill’s presence is still felt here today even though we lost him on January 1 of this year. His legacy lives on in every one of these conferences.” Seal said that each year, the conference takes the time to recognize a person who has had a positive impact on training and being what Foster visualized as a trainer. Seal explained that this year’s recipient, Al Conkle, started his career in the 1960s as a diesel mechanic for Detroit Diesel, advancing to service tech engineer in the1970s. In the 1980s, he was a master EVT and in the 1990s joined Foster at the FTTC, becoming, according to Seal, one of the most recognized trainers. During his time with the FTTC, he was instrumental in furthering the knowledge of EVTs across the U.S. and North America.

Accepting the award, Conkle first addressed the EVTs gathered for the ceremony, saying, “You folks make this industry safer.” Conkle cited statistics from the 1970s where 30% to 33% of firefighter line-of-duty deaths involved fire apparatus accidents or lack of maintenance.

The NTSB, out of concern, went to the IAFC, which decided to do something similar to what it did with paramedics and firefighters—train the people maintaining fire apparatus and certify them. Based on that, the IAFC created the Maintenance Section, responsible for training. Then it started to develop tests for the students. From there, the EVTCC was born as a standalone entity to perform the testing. In 1996, the EVTCC administered 1,230 exams. In 2024, it administered 8,901 EVT exams. Conkle was there all along the way. He recounted trips to Chicago, Illinois, where he and others met to look at what they needed to do to make training available that is pertinent to EVTs and emergency vehicle market, which resulted in the first F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, and F6 tests for certifications.

He also recounted the beginnings of National Fire Protection Association maintenance standards and qualifications for emergency vehicle technicians. He proudly announced that in 2024, 14% of the line of duty deaths in the fire service were attributed to lack of vehicle maintenance.

Conkle summed up by addressing the gathered EVTs, saying, “What separates an EVT from a regular truck technician is his passion to do the repair right the first time, to pay attention to details and to make sure when he’s done with that emergency vehicle that it’s going to start, it’s going to get that fire crew to the emergency, and take care of that emergency, and return then safely back to the firehouse so that they can go home at the end of the day.”

The FTTC is also where the Emergency Vehicle Technician of the Year, cosponsored by Spartan Fire Chassis and Firehouse is awarded annually. This year’s recipient is Anthony “Tony” Newman. Newman is a master emergency vehicle technician with the Tucson (AZ) Fire Department. Newman was not only recognized for th

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Posted: Sep 24, 2025

Vintage 1932 Fire Truck Back in Use in WV

CHARLES OWENS
Bluefield Daily Telegraph, W.Va.
(TNS)

BLUEFIELD — With help from the Bill Cole Automall, a vintage 1932 fire truck is back in use for the Bluefield Fire Department.

The Ford Model A fire truck made its first public appearance in more than five years Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025, during Bluefield’s Fall Festival. The plan is to use the old No. 6 at upcoming city events, including the Bluefield Christmas Parade, according to Lt. Brandon McKinney with the Bluefield Fire Department.

“It used to be an icon of the city,” McKinney said of the antique fire truck. “It used to haul Santa Claus, and it has been at lemonade festivals.”

The old fire truck was still being used by the Bluefield Fire Department in service up until the mid 1970s. A 1975 photograph in the Bluefield Daily Telegraph — saved in a scrapbook at the fire station — showed the old fire engine No. 6 in service at a call.

A 1935 photograph shows the same truck responding to a fire in the city. It is believed the Bluefield Fire Department purchased the truck in 1932.

But it was eventually retired sometime in the 1970s, only to be refurbished again in the 1990s.

“It kind of gotten in really bad shape,” McKinney said. “I think back in the 90s the guys got together and did a complete restore on it.”

About five years ago, the old fire truck was parked at a city owned site after experiencing a number of problems. But in recent weeks Jessica Cole started asking about the status of the vintage truck, and whether or not it could appear at Bluefield’s Fall Festival, McKinney said.

“A few months ago Jessica and Jason Cole reached out to us,” McKinney said. “And they wanted to fix it back up and get it back in use in the city.”

McKinney said Jason Cole took the fire truck to the Bill Cole Automall last month, where the mechanics there made a series of repairs and upgrades to the vehicle.

“I definitely want to give props to Jason and Jessica Cole and the Bill Cole Automall,” McKinney said. “Jessica is really the one who got the push (going) and wanted to see it at the fall festival.”

McKinney said the Bill Cole Automall spent about three weeks working on the old fire truck. Some of the repairs made it to included a new starter, a new battery and fixing all of the lights.

“They even sent it to their detail shop and had everything polished on it,” McKinney said.

The old fire truck was a hit at Saturday’s fall festival. One woman even asked if she could take a photograph of her dog inside of the fire truck.

McKinney said the plan is to use the restored fire truck at upcoming city events, including the Bluefield Christmas Parade and possibly the upcoming Octoberfest celebration.

“It’s back up and going,” he said. “So it should make its way to the Christmas parade and wherever else it’s needed.”

Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com

© 2025 the Bluefield Daily Telegraph (Bluefield, W.Va.). Visit bdtonline.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Posted: Sep 24, 2025

Start a Tool Maintenance Program

Tools enhance our ability to perform our duties and represent a large investment of taxpayer money. Keeping these tools in a high state of readiness is part of our job and is evidence of our professionalism as firefighters.

Good maintenance reduces downtime and saves money for other needs. A tool maintenance program, including preventive maintenance, will help ensure having safe, functioning tools that won’t let you or your community down when you need them the most. Being good at keeping tools running is as important as being a good tool operator.

Begin with documenting inventory. Categorize (i.e., hand or power), count, and describe every tool and its assigned location. Include a copy of the purchase record, operating manuals, and any maintenance records. Create a unique identification marking for each tool. This will make it easier to track each tool’s maintenance history.

Assign specific staff to be responsible for tool maintenance. Provide training through seminars or manufacturers’ workshops. Tool rental/local repair shops are a great resource for information and troubleshooting tips/ advice. Equip staff with a tool kit and diagnostic instruments to facilitate troubleshooting and repair. Basic diagnostic tools include an electric multimeter, gas engine compression gauge, tachometer to check engine rpm, and spark tester. Get a work bench with a vise, adequate lighting, and a supply of maintenance items such as lubricants, cleaning solutions, and spare parts. Start a “Tag Out-of-Service” procedure accessible to all staff. The “Do Not Use” tag needs to list the problem, who tagged it out, the date, and the tool assignment.

Assess the condition of each tool and list and prioritize deficiencies. Budget to keep tools to factory specifications and sustain them. Power tools such as electric generators, air chisels, reciprocating saws, and chain rotary saws need to be on a preventive maintenance/inspection program. At least once a year, cycle these tools through your “tool person” for an in-depth inspection, testing, cleaning, lubrication, tuning, and fastener check. When maintaining, inspecting, or adjusting any power tools, make sure the equipment is deenergized, the pressure is safely bled off, the tool is unplugged, and the sharp edges are guarded. Be sure the tool can’t be turned back on while you are working on it.

BEST PRACTICES FOR MAINTAINING TOOLS

Keep your tools clean inside and out. Wipe dirt and debris from tools and also contamination from smoke. Use compressed air to blow into tool vents. Brushing accumulated dirt from vents could force dirt deeper into the tool. Keep all blades clean—rotary saw blades/chain saw chains are notorious for getting “gunky,” resulting in reduced performance.

Heat is the main source of tool malfunction. Overheating a tool puts a lot of stress on all components. This condition is a cumulative injury to the tool, like most of the conditions described here. You can get away with it a few times, but eventually it will catch up with you—likely at the worse time. Keep the bits/blades sharp. A dull bit/ blade can reduce tool efficiency by 30%. When the bit/blade dulls, many of us will try and push on through, worsening the situation and rarely speeding up the operation. Keep extra bits and blades handy. Do not block tool vents with your hands while operating. Let the tool breathe.

1 Photo by Shutterstock.com/Chuyko Sergey.

We often have to push our tools hard. Proper lubrication is a must to keep all the moving parts on your tools working properly. It keeps the parts from excessive wear and overheating and prevents rust and corrosion.

Check the maintenance section o

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Posted: Sep 24, 2025

Never Not Working, FTTC Day 2

One of the things that is always enjoyable when attending the Fire Truck Training Conference takes place before the classes begin. Students are filing in and taking their seats, and the side chats begin before the instructor arrives. They could be talking about the class’s topic or something else going on back at their shops, but before long, they are all engaged and troubleshooting the problem and everyone has a solution because everyone has encountered it. That’s one of the most valuable things about this conference is that no matter what your challenge, someone else at the conference is going through the same thing or has already gone through it.

What’s also fascinating is seeing them on their phones during breaks or having to take calls while they are in class. They are never not working. They are solving problems for techs back home no matter where they are. Dave Griffin in his keynote this year asked, “Why would you not want to be the best?” The techs here embody being the best. It’s a pleasure to be around them. They are one of the nicest groups of people I’ve ever met.

Breakfast conversation this morning involved one tech from Washington and two techs from Nova Scotia. The topic of salt came up. I know, kind of random. But it came up, and it wasn’t so much the salt part of it that interested me but how both all three of the techs were from departments that covered wide areas. The Washington tech has about 40 units in his own fleet that he services but also other departments from the area bring their apparatus to his shop, and that brings in an additional 50 or so over the course of a year. All three though had very diverse fleets. In Washington, the fleet comprises rigs from the 1980s all the way until now. And, here’s where the salt comes in, he said they are all in great shape. Some may be old, but because his neck of the woods doesn’t need road salt, they “aren’t falling apart.”

The Nova Scotia techs discussed how the area they cover with mobile techs makes knowing the rig you’re going to service critical. In one example, a driver’s side door wouldn’t open. The station was more than an hour away. Making sure the correct handle and related hardware was critical. But, it really hit home for me just how different the shops are and the areas they cover are across the country. And, just now much our techs today need to know to service their fleets. Not everyone has the most up to date fleet. Some of our first-out rigs, out of necessity, are in their 40s. The institutional knowledge these techs possess is invaluable. Hold onto them as long as you can!

All three of my breakfast table companions were here to attend the supplier classes because they were up to ate on their EVT certs or were preparing to take them closer to home, owing to the variety of classes available to EVTs at the Fire Truck Training Conference.

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Posted: Sep 24, 2025

OR Grant Program Distributes $8.1M in Equipment to Emergency Responders

The Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) announced funding awards for the fourth round of the State Preparedness and Incident Response Equipment (SPIRE) Grant Program. The SPIRE program provides life-saving emergency response equipment to state, local, tribal and other eligible agencies across Oregon to strengthen statewide disaster preparedness and response.

More than 120 pieces of equipment will be distributed to 83 jurisdictions statewide, totaling more than $8.1 million in awards.

“Through the SPIRE program, we’re building a stronger, safer Oregon by ensuring our emergency response partners have the tools they need to protect communities,” OEM Director Erin McMahon, said. “This equipment strengthens local capacity, supports mutual aid across jurisdictions, and prioritizing life and safety during disasters.”

Funded projects include a wide range of equipment designed to meet local needs and strengthen Oregon’s overall emergency response network. Examples include:

  • High-axle rescue water evacuation vehicles for Harney, Yachats Rural Fire Protection District and Curry counties to support flood response and swift-water rescues.
  • Sandbagging machines for Harney, Malheur, Crook, Portland, North to quickly produce flood barriers during severe weather.
  • Unmanned aerial vehicles with thermal imaging to assist search-and-rescue efforts in every region of the state.
  • Communications unit leader kits, compact rapid deployables and resilient incident connectivity kits to bolster emergency communications when 911 systems or fiber lines are disrupted.
  • Generators, mobile command centers, utility terrain vehicles, modular vehicle barriers, traffic message boards and heavy-lift airbags to improve readiness and on-the-ground response.
  • Solar charging stations and dual-fuel transport trailers to ensure resilient power and fuel supplies during extended emergencies.

Procurement of SPIRE IV equipment will begin in the coming months. While the purchasing process can take time, OEM is committed to moving as quickly as possible to deliver equipment. All equipment is purchased and owned by OEM but is locally managed and maintained. As such, all vendor communication will be managed by OEM staff; applicants are asked to refer any direct vendor outreach back to OEM.

A complete list of funded and unfunded projects, as well as reviewer feedback, is available at the SPIRE site.

For questions about SPIRE IV, contact oem.spire@oem.oregon.gov.

About SPIRE

Authorized by Oregon House Bill 2867 (2017), the State Preparedness and Incident Response Equipment (SPIRE) Grant Program provides emergency response equipment to state, local, and tribal agencies to help increase disaster response capacity across Oregon. To learn more about SPIRE and see where equipment has been delivered, visit https://spire-geo.hub.arcgis.com.

The post OR Grant Program Distributes $8.1M in Equipment to Emergency Responders appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire

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