Bill Adams

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1901, Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus, recognizes seven classifications of new fire apparatus. They are pumper, initial attack, mobile water supply, mobile foam, aerial, quint, and a general catch-all classification called special service. Special service fire apparatus is a generic term encompassing support vehicles ranging in size from a Ford F-150 pickup truck to a multiaxle rig with an unlimited gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR). The first six classifications are job-specific, and those apparatus must meet explicit criteria applicable to their individual function. In addition, regardless of classification, size, or intended use, all vehicles that must be NFPA 1901 compliant have to meet the provisions listed in Chapter 4 General Requirements. It's the responsibility of the apparatus purchasing committee (APC) and the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) to become intimately familiar with that document. Use caution-the phrase "that must be NFPA 1901 compliant" can be significant, especially if the AHJ is required to address it, define it, and possibly defend its interpretation in a public forum.

This article focuses on one vehicle-the chief's buggy, a generic term I use to define any fire department-owned vehicle whether it be a sedan, pickup truck, or sport utility vehicle (SUV) that's equipped with warning lights and siren for specific use by a chief officer. It is unknown if the chief's buggy (also known as a chief's car) has to be NFPA 1901 compliant. If it must be, it probably falls under the classification of a special service fire apparatus.

(1) This photo, by Les Wainman, a retired regional sales manager for Spartan Chassis, Inc., is of his 1934 Ford Coupe. He says it may not meet any NFPA standards, but with a 350-hp V8 it can get to any scene in short order.

Legalities

I am not an attorney and I am not advocating that a fire chief's car should be or has to be NFPA 1901 compliant. I don't know. Somebody ought to find out. That's the intent of this article. The objective is to protect the fire department and the operator of the vehicle. In today's litigious and legally oriented society, if there's an accident involving any fire department vehicle, one can rest assured that every aspect of compliance, noncompliance, responsibility, liability, could-haves, should-haves, and every legal loophole will be investigated to shift blame to whoever has the deepest pockets-probably the fire department. It may be prudent to determine the legal status of a chiefs' buggy at your leisure rather than being under a deadline responding to a subpoena or a court summons or answering questions before a grand jury.

Most firefighters evaluate facts in simple black and white terms; there's seldom a gray area. In my personal opinion, the legal profession interprets facts in manners skewed in favor of their client. That's their job, so get over it. They might look at a fire department not meeting the written word of a nationally recognized safety standard as being negligent. Not meeting the intent of that standard may be construed as a lapse in moral, ethical, or sound judgment-especially if there is an injury and more so if legal counsel sniffs out possible contributory negligence. Contributory negligence can be defined as when someone fails to take action to prevent an accident. Hence, they can be considered partly responsible for causing it. Bear in mind, being exonerated of a criminal charge does not make a person or entity immune from being adjudicated in a civil proceeding.

A pertinent, but seldom addressed, concern is the legal status of a chie

By Chris Mc Loone

Truer words may have never been spoken than the ones in the title of this month's Editor's Opinion. They come from a session at the recent Fire Apparatus Manufacturers' Association (FAMA)/Fire and Emergency Manufacturers and Services Association (FEMSA) annual meeting titled, "Vision 2020, What the Fire Service Will Look Like." It featured a panel that had a captive audience-a joint session of two association memberships that supply the fire service with the equipment and apparatus it needs to do its job. Both sides took advantage of the rare opportunity to speak directly with each other.

So, what have we done to ourselves? According to one panelist, we've asked for apparatus in the past that won't work in the future. The future of the fire service, according to this group and most fire service pundits, is a service that provides more emergency medical service (EMS) than fire suppression. Our current setup in many municipalities has full size engines and ladders responding to fall victims in what one panelist categorized as sending a cement truck to deliver a pizza. This is the reality of the fire service. Although I don't subscribe to the proverbial "We are an EMS service that goes to the occasional fire" mindset, I recognize that more of the calls for help in many municipalities involve some sort of emergency care vs. fire suppression.

We have responded by building apparatus that just isn't practical in many cases. We do need to build multipurpose apparatus. It's a reality. We do not need to load it up with so much that it can't navigate our first due. It's our fault though, and it was refreshing to hear another panelist say, "We'll take the blame. Manufacturers deliver what we ask for."

Remembering Customers and Users

What is the answer then? Focus on the customer and end user. The common thread throughout the session was that the panelists assembled make their apparatus and equipment purchases based on how they affect their customers. As an example, all the panelists were for "green" apparatus, but only if it didn't decrease efficiency. One panelist challenged manufacturers to deliver a product that has the horsepower and the green technology so that departments don't have to sacrifice efficiency to employ the technology. "If it can deliver what we need to our customers, I don't care," he said.

This returns us to the wants vs. needs discussion. Are we buying what we need or what we want? One panelist asserted, "Don't give us what we want. Educate us on what we need." I think sales representatives already do try to educate us on what we need. But, do we listen?

Also, who is making the decisions? Another point presented by the group was how important it is for end users to have a look at what purchases departments are considering. True, the chiefs sign off on the purchase, but the end users are specifying what goes on the purchase order. We need to listen to not only the manufacturers but our troops as well. They are the ones who can tell us best about what their needs are, which, in turn, we can communicate to suppliers as "our needs." And don't forget, providing them with the right tools to do their jobs in the safest, yet most efficient, manner possible is our responsibility.

I wanted a bell on our most recent apparatus purchase. It was a tradition I wanted to see continued. It didn't help our customers in any way, apparatus today do not need bells as a means to alert other drivers that we are responding, and it was an unnecessary cost for the truck. The apparatus purchasing committee wisely took it off the spec. And although I still give them a hard time occasionally-jovially-it was the right call. That's a miniscule example of a want vs. need scenario, but I'm sure similar scenarios play out all over the country, only with bigger and more costly items

Alan M. Petrillo

A growing number of fire departments around the country are turning to pumper transport units as first response vehicles-rigs that can handle a first-due engine assignment or a high priority advanced life support emergency medical service (EMS) call with equal ease.

These units combine a traditional Type 1 pumper with an EMS ambulance type compartment in a marriage of firefighting and advanced life support capabilities.

The Concept

Lisa Barwick, director of product management for cab and chassis at Pierce Manufacturing, says there has been a renewed interest in certain parts of the country in running combination vehicles such as a pumper transport. "We call ours a Patient Transport model and have seen a lot of activity with departments wanting to do more with less and specifying multiple purpose vehicles," Barwick says.

Barwick says that patient stabilization and patient transport pumpers rose to popularity in the late 1990s and early 2000s but then declined in favor as fire departments turned to vehicles specified for single purposes. Most recently, Pierce has built pumper transport units for the Broward (FL) Sheriff's Office Department of Fire Rescue and five fire departments in Utah.

Pierce has built its patient-transport pumpers on both Arrow XT and Velocity chassis, Barwick notes. "Departments tend to go for the two-door cab models and put the patient area behind that with access doors on both sides, although that's at the customer's discretion," she says. "Usually there's a double door for the gurney lift on the curb side and a single door on the road side for easy access without having to go around a gurney."

Eric Froerer, chief of the Syracuse (UT) Fire Department, staffs a Pierce transport pumper, two Type 1 Horton ambulances, a Type 6 wildland engine, a Fouts Brothers water tender (tanker), and a Pierce 75-foot quint aerial ladder out of a single station with nine full-time and 17 part-time paid firefighters. The pumper transport carries a 1,500-gallon-per-minute (gpm) pump, a 500-gallon water tank, 20 gallons of foam, and a fully outfitted patient box that includes a hydraulic lift to assist firefighters in getting a patient into the box.

"We run about 800 calls a year and 80 percent of them are medical calls," Froerer says. "The Pierce transport pumper, which serves as our second-out ambulance, is a better way of providing service and still keeping the crew available while they're out on a transport run."

Froerer notes that the Pierce pumper transport is first due on most structure fires, except for commercial fire incidents, when the Pierce quint runs first. "I was skeptical at first, but the pumper transport has been a success," Froerer says. "It has proven to be effective in keeping us in service and allowing us to handle our own calls."

Chad Brown, vice president of sales and marketing for Braun Industries, says his company builds the Patriot, a patient-transport vehicle on a custom chassis like the Spartan Furion or MetroStar. Typical wheelbase for a Patriot on a MetroStar chassis is 185 inches, with an overall length of 374 inches, overall width of 98 inches, and overall height of 118½ inches. The patient module length is 170 inches, and its headroom is 73 inches.

(1) Pierce Manufacturing built this pumper transport for the Broward (FL) Sheriff's Office Department of Fire Rescue on a Velocity chassis with a 273-inch wheelbase. (Photo courtesy of Pierce Manufacturing.)

Brown sa

Alan M. Petrillo

Fire apparatus manufacturers are responding to firefighter requests for better management and placement of hose loads on apparatus, from lower crosslays and hosebeds to slide-out and pull-out trays that make extending hose and reloading it easier.

Crosslays and Speedlays

Jason Witmier, pumper and tanker product manager for KME, says many fire departments are requesting crosslay arrangements that place handlines lower than in the past. "Fire departments want them lower now, so we typically are putting them about 42 inches above the running board, which is about 56 inches off the ground," Witmier says. "That means the hose comes out right at the shoulder so the firefighter can easily take the load."

The disadvantage to a lower crosslay is that firefighters have to repack hose by sliding it into the crosslay area from each side of the vehicle. "You can't get to it from the top," Witmier notes, "so the solution is a slide-out try that is removable. It's usually held in place by a thumb latch and can be taken out of the crosslay area, put on a table or other flat area, and repacked. Some departments also purchase spare trays that they prepack with hose so they are ready to be inserted into the crosslay area after hose is used."

Witmier adds that another potential pitfall with a slide-out crosslay is that sometimes the nozzle is too big to fit into the tray. "We talk to our customers beforehand and determine what kind of nozzle they will use on their crosslays to determine if they can be deployed from each side of the slide-out tray."

Crosslays under the cab extension (the crew area) have become popular with fire departments trying to keep the vehicle's wheelbase short, Witmier points out, but such a location causes a different issue in terms of deployment. "It puts the crosslay at waist height instead of chest height," Witmier says.

(1) E-ONE offers crosslays and speedlays in several configurations, such as these stacked crosslays shown on a top-mount pumper. (Photo courtesy of E-ONE.)

Grady North, product manager for E-ONE, believes there are as many hose loads as there are fire departments. "Everyone wants something different so the hose load becomes a customized part of the truck," North says. "With preconnected hoselines, we've seen a 50/50 mix of speedlays and crosslays," North says. "The common configuration for speedlays is vertically stacked on top of each other, which helps tighten up the wheelbase, and we do a lot of double and triple speedlay setups."

Crosslays tend to be higher off the ground, North points out, typically located on top of the pump module with open tops to the beds, compared with speedlays, which are usually in front of the pump module or behind the cab.

Slide-out trays, for both crosslays and speedlays, especially those that can be accessed from each side of the vehicle, have become very popular, North says. "Our trays are fully removable and made out of either aluminum or polypropylene," he says. "A short six-foot length of hose connects to the swivel and then to the hose in the tray."

North notes there is a difference in the preconnect water source for the two types of lays. "The swivel fitting on crosslays comes up from the bottom," he says, "but with a speedlay, the swivel comes from the top of the hose compartment."

And while dual and triple crosslays and speedlays are the most common, North says he's seen much more unusual configurations. "We recently bui

Alan M. Petrillo

The town covers 36 mostly rural square miles and has 23 paid on-call firefighters working out of a single station. But, the needs of the Manitowish Waters (WI) Fire Department, go well beyond the traditional rescue truck toolbox.

"We're mostly a vacation and retirement community, but there are no hydrants in our coverage area," says Manitowish Waters chief Skip Skrobot. "And, we needed our new apparatus to be a multiuse vehicle, so it's designed as a rescue-pumper with a large water tank, almost as a triple-use truck."

(1) UST Fire Apparatus built this rescue-pumper for the Manitowish Waters (WI) Fire Department with a Hale Q-MAX 1,500-gpm pump, a 1,000-gallon water tank, a 30-gallon Class A foam tank, and a Hale CAFS Pro foam system. (Photos courtesy of UST Fire Apparatus.)

Twist of Fate

Skrobot points out that sometimes a bit of luck puts a fire department and a vehicle manufacturer together. "Last year we had a couple of firefighters working at the station and had our trucks out on the ramp when John Woltman, president of UST Fire Apparatus, drove by on the way to a fire convention," Skrobot says. "John turned around and stopped to talk with the firefighters, finding out that we were going to buy a new piece of apparatus. He told them he'd send some information and within three days we had a booklet about UST and some general specs for a rescue-pumper."

The chief notes that the UST Fire Apparatus specs were "close to what we wanted. We're a wholly owned independent fire company, a nonprofit organization incorporated in Wisconsin that sells our services to the town of Manitowish Waters. So, we went to several apparatus manufacturers to see what they could offer us in terms of a rescue-pumper."

Skrobot says that one of the considerations for going with a rescue-pumper was that the fire department has a major two-lane state road, Highway 51, running north-south through the town. "The highway has a lot of crossroads and we're out there quite a bit for rescues, so we wanted to design this vehicle with features that could address the situations we'd find on that highway," he points out.

Manitowish Waters received bids on its specs from four manufacturers and ultimately awarded the contract to UST Fire Apparatus in December 2012. The rig was delivered in June 2013.

(2) The Manitowish Waters rescue-pumper has full depth and full height compartments on the officer's side to carry preconnected extrication equipment as well as an assortment of hand tools on drop-down trays and slide-out boards.

Equipment Hauler

Mark Meaders, chief executive officer of UST, says the department wanted to carry a lot of equipment on the rescue-pumper. "They needed a lot of specialized storage space, so we designed in tool boards, slide-out trays, and custom mounts of their extrication equipment so it was easy to access," Meaders says. "Everything was mounted in such a way to save space and maximize the ease of use."

Woltman says the job was all about meeting the requirements of the fire department. "They provided us with a minimum list of equipment they wanted carried on the truck and we exceeded it in every instance," he says. "Also, they wanted to carry a pumper's ground

Alan R. Earls

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is an international nonprofit organization established more than a century ago with, according to the organization, a focus on improving fire safety and combating other hazards by helping support the development of consensus-based codes and standards as well as through research, training, and education. According to the NFPA, it maintains some 300 codes and standards through the efforts of more than 200 committees encompassing about 6,000 individuals.

However, the breadth and quantity of NFPA's "products" sometimes obscure how the process works. Sometimes, it is unclear who votes on standards and how they are developed-or even what a consensus standard is. Ken Willett, head of public fire protection at NFPA, acknowledges that "a lot of users of our standards look at the finished documents and question how they ended up looking like that." Indeed, he says, it is not uncommon for people to read a revised standard and "feel sure" that they see the work or influence of a particular entity, such as a manufacturer or a firefighter's organization. Or, he notes, "They may feel that the process is somehow disconnected from the users of the standard."

Dispelling Misconceptions

Before coming to the NFPA, Willett worked in the fire service in the defense department at Westover AFB in Massachusetts. He went from there to the Wilbraham (MA) Fire Department, where he stayed for 26 years, eventually becoming chief. Then he spent six years in the Concord (MA) Fire Department before retiring in 2009.

Willett says he very much wants to dispel misconceptions about NFPA standards. "Having sat in on many technical committees and having had conversations with many committee members, all of whom are volunteers, the overarching observation I would make is that the NFPA standards development process is unique in, among other things, the fact that it is accredited by the American Standards Institute."

But that's not all. Although the NFPA is perhaps the best known practitioner, it is not alone in relying on a consensus process, which contrasts with, for example, a government agency deciding on its own about what standards to impose. By contrast, the consensus process engages a wide range of relevant views and works to hammer out the best and most pragmatic standards.

Open Process

Willett says the NFPA goes to great lengths to ensure openness, transparency, and balance in its work.

The openness is underscored, he notes, by the fact that participants do not have to be dues-paying NFPA members to be part of a technical committee. The NFPA also has a total of nine different member categories, helping to provide a wide breadth of input. Those categories include the following: Manufacturer, User, Installer/Maintainer, Labor, Applied Research/Testing Laboratory, Enforcing Authority, Insurance, Consumer, and Special Expert.

"It is an obvious benefit to everyone that the person sitting on the committee has knowledge of the standard and has applied it," says Willett. "We do have some people who may not have a lot of direct experience with a given standard, but they usually have an important or useful perspective," he explains.

Sometimes, admits Willett, users of standards will ask why a manufacturer is on a committee. He says that although manufacturer members represent their companies, their presence on the committee is very valuable because of the expertise they represent. For example, when the committee is focused on standards for fire apparatus or emergency equipment, a new idea may be great, but if it will cost too much to implement, it may not be practical. The representatives from the manufacturing organizations provide a "reality check" regarding what is possible technically and what is feasible at a g

By Robert Tutterow

Is there such a thing as painless cost cutting? Yes. And, it has to do with the operating costs of fire stations. Granted, the cost reductions may not be big savings over a short period of time, but over the lifespan of a fire station the costs are fairly significant. Consider the following "average" building initial and ongoing lifespan costs as determined by Thomas Dolan Planning and Management. The initial costs are broken down as follows: land costs are less than one percent; design is one percent; construction is 20 percent; and original furnishings are six percent. The ongoing costs are broken down as follows: replacement furnishings are four percent; operations and utilities are 16 percent; maintenance is 29 percent; and interest on construction loans is 24 percent. The ongoing costs for a fire station are higher than an average building if it is occupied 24/7. There are several ways to reduce ongoing costs and direct the funds toward items that have a direct and positive impact on service delivery and, most importantly, firefighter safety.

Turning Green

The fire service has always paid attention to building construction, and the green building movement is no exception. We often think that green only applies to new construction. However, there are several elements of green that can be applied to existing stations. At last year's annual F.I.E.R.O. Fire Station Symposium, Keith Pehl with Optima Engineering and Ken Newell with Stewart-Cooper-Newell Architects gave a presentation titled "Reducing Operating Costs and Maintaining Your Existing Station-Practical Sustainability." In their presentation, they reported that green buildings can reduce energy use from 24 to 50 percent, CO₂ emissions from 33 to 39 percent, water use by 40 percent, and solid waste by 70 percent. In addition to the economic benefits of green buildings to a department's community, green buildings show that the fire department is being socially responsible and good stewards of the environment.

The need to control fire station utility costs will continue to grow for the foreseeable future. For example, electricity costs have increased 22 percent in the past ten years and natural gas costs have increased 100 percent. Most utility companies estimate an average increase of four percent annually for the next 10 years. And, the Carbon Cap and Trade legislation is estimated to create an overnight increase of 20 percent on energy costs. Do the math. Are these costs that the fire service should continue to absorb without any attempt to manage them?

There are additional benefits for green buildings. They provide for a healthier environment for firefighters. There is a tremendous improvement in air quality. Green buildings do a better job of controlling temperature, humidity, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and particulates. This leads to less likelihood for mold and mildew growth.

Sustainable Measures

What are other "sustainable" measures that fire departments can take to minimize the lifespan costs of their stations? If a new station is being planned, it is imperative that the design incorporate expansion plans. This includes additional apparatus bay space; additional dormitory space; additional office space; and maybe, most importantly, additional storage space.

Material selection is a primary consideration in long-term sustainability. Base material selection on durability and low maintenance. Do not forget exterior materials. For parking and drive areas, there are light duty materials and heavy duty materials. Areas for fire apparatus and other heavy vehicles must use heavy duty materials-i.e., properly installed reinforced concrete or pavers. Driveway and parking areas for light vehicles can use light duty materials such as asphalt. Departments should take measures to restrict access to the light duty surface

By Chris Mc Loone

I've been giving personal protective gear (PPE)-specifically turnout gear-a lot of thought recently. I'm not sure why. It could have been the live burn evolutions we completed recently and reminding the crew to wash its gear as soon as possible. It might have been recently sharing what life was like at the fire company when I joined vs. what it's like for the new members today regarding PPE.

Times Change

Back then, you had new gear if it was tan and old gear if it was black. As the newbie, I started off with black gear. It didn't fit right. I stand at about six feet, three inches, but I'm a pretty lanky fellow, and I was swimming in that first turnout coat. The bunker pants were OK. They didn't fit perfectly, but they were long enough to go over my second-hand boots that thankfully were size 13. This particular set of gear came with what most newbies today wouldn't recognize at all-a Jones Snap key. My helmet was also a hand-me-down. It came from a firefighter who wasn't very active and appeared to be a little offended that the lieutenant in charge of gear at the time handed it off to me. It was old enough that it did not have a crank on it in the back to adjust the size-also a sign that you were being issued older equipment. My gloves initially came with the gear and were used, but that was quickly rectified. Only a few of us had Nomex® hoods at the time. 1993 was the year, but times have changed.

These days rookies get a pretty new set of gear, many times not even at its half life. They get older gear first and are usually upgraded to new gear purchased for them within the first couple of years. Today when they start Firefighter 1, an instructor will inspect their gear to ensure it includes everything the fire academy calls for. If the student's gear isn't up to snuff, he will have to ensure it is by the next class session. Today this includes having a Nomex® hood-not a requirement in 1993 when I went through my first Firefighter 1 program. Helmet ear flaps were enough.

Besides reminiscing about 20 years ago, however, I have been giving a lot of thought to PPE care and construction.

Knowing Your Tools

Many of us could talk about a particular tool or apparatus forever-especially if we are part of the team to pick it out. Those of us on purchasing committees have the luxury of being intimately familiar most times about whatever we've picked out, and we're very good about passing that knowledge to our firefighters so they can be as proficient as possible in using these tools. But, how many of us know as much about our PPE as we should?

PPE is as important a tool as anything we use for fire attack or other incidents. It is imperative that we know as much about it as we can. Most of us can state what manufacturer of turnout gear we don when the alarm bell rings. But, how many of us can say with any degree of certainty who produces the vapor barrier or what company provides the fabric? I certainly hope the purchasing committee that chose the gear can tell you.

Take the time when your gear comes in to sit down and read the documentation that comes with it. Learn about the standards it complies with. Learn about how it is tested for compliance. And, read about PPE in general to stay abreast of what is happening. You might be surprised to know just how much science goes into that coat you put on. Ever wonder why it is lighter than the first jacket your department issued you?

PPE Care

Finally, I've been thinking about PPE care. Any number of fire service leaders will tell you that keeping your gear clean will go a long way toward the health and safety of your firefighters. It seems pretty obvious. Go to a fire, clean your gear. But, how about all the calls you don't go to? What about all the times that gear that's near the exhaust pipe of the apparatus is exposed to the diesel exhaust? PPE ca

Alan M. Petrillo

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1962, Standard for the Care, Use, Inspection, Service Testing and Replacement of Fire Hose, Couplings, Nozzles and Fire Hose Appliances (2013 ed.), makes a number of changes that affect how fire departments use some of the basic tools and equipment available to them in extinguishing fires.

The purpose of NFPA 1962, says Jim Glatts of FireOne and a member of the NFPA committee on fire hose that pulled together the revised standard, "is to provide a reasonable level of safety for users of fire hose and a reasonable degree of assurance that the hose, coupling assemblies, appliances, and nozzles will perform as designed."

Glatts points out that updating the standard was important when one considers the many changes in technology and materials that have been incorporated into hoselines, nozzles, appliances, and couplings over the years.

(1) Fire departments now must system test together all of the elements that go into a firefighting attack line. (Photos courtesy of FireOne.)

Change Rundown

The major changes made in the 2013 standard, Glatts says, include the following:

• Hose manufactured prior to July 1987 shall be removed from service.

• Nozzles shall be service tested at least as frequently as the hose to which it is attached.

• Attack fire hose shall be service tested to a minimum of 300 pounds per square inch (psi).

• Supply fire hose shall be service tested to a minimum of 200 psi.

• System tests shall be conducted at least annually on each preconnected line or any attack line used for interior firefighting operations on a fire apparatus, together with the nozzle or hose-connected appliance it supplies.

• All nonthreaded hose connections shall be provided with locks to ensure against unintentional disconnection.

• Fire hose users and the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) shall establish a replacement schedule for their fire hose. The replacement schedule shall take into consideration the use, age, and testing results of the hose.

Jason Goodale, a company officer with Loveland (CO) Fire and Rescue Authority and NFPA Committee on Fire Hose member, says that although the revised standard covers a lot of ground, he doesn't think it will cause much difficulty in most fire departments. "There was some discussion before the standard was revised about having a shelf life for hose similar to that for personal protective equipment (PPE) of 10 years," Goodale says. "The committee found that it would be difficult for many fire departments to work under such a requirement for hose. It could be financially destructive to many of them having to replace a great deal of hose all at once."

(2) Supply lines still must be tested annually to 200 psi, which is unchanged from the previous NFPA 1962 edition.

Changing Materials

Glatts points out that hose materials and manufacturing standards have changed over the years, and those elements mean that hose is of higher quality and can take higher pressures. "The earlier version of the standard required attack hose to be tested to 250 psi and supply line to 200 psi," he says. "The new standard increases the pressure to 300 psi for attack line and leaves supply line the same. However, if a five-inch supply line becomes the sole source of an attack line

By Chad Newsome,
National Sales Manager, P.L.
Custom Body and Equipment Co., Inc.

In the July issue of Fire Apparatus and Emergency Equipment, Associate Editor Chris Mc Loone's article, "Building Apparatus that Won't Break the Budget," discussed various avenues to explore when designing a new piece of apparatus. One of the areas that he touched on was the inherent predicament of harmonizing needs vs. wants. Before looking for your next piece of apparatus, or any large capital expenditure for that matter, take the time to define what it is that you need, as well as what you can afford, before calling in the sales representative. Knowing how to navigate your way through competing goals will greatly ease your purchasing process.

Organizational Needs

Every new acquisition should start with defining the needs of the organization. To effectively achieve this, the department must first break down what is in fact a "need." For that, you need to first delineate who the purchasing group will be. A purchasing group is made up of all of the people involved in the process of acquiring a new piece of apparatus. In some departments, it is as small as only the chief or president of the department. At the other end of the spectrum, the purchasing group can be made up of multiple subgroups-the apparatus committee, the department's administrative personnel, fleet services, the purchasing department of the municipality making the purchase, and even the local political governing members.

For the small scenario, the needs will be simple. If the chief or president is happy, everyone is happy. For the larger group, however, the ability to identify and qualify needs and wants is paramount. With so many people involved, one person, acting as the facilitator, must be designated as the project lead for the acquisition. That person must meet with each subgroup to ascertain what the specific drivers are for each of them. The key here is not to discount any identified concern from any of the subgroups, despite how you feel personally about another's needs.

Each subgroup meeting should identify every possible need, regardless of any perceived value of that need. I personally like to use the practice of forced ranking, or "boarding," those needs and then going through a process of prioritization. Boarding is a method of compiling all identified needs into a list. Don't discuss them or qualify them, just get them out and on the list. Once that is achieved, go back and have everyone in the subgroup rank them in levels of importance. Give each member five votes toward the ranking process. Although they cannot apply all five votes to one need, they can put as many as three votes toward any one item. The items with the most votes will be your needs list, while the smaller vote getters will identify your wants list.

Include other Groups

This process can be used with all the subgroups. Although it may appear obvious that this process works well with operational and service personnel, you might wonder how to apply this with the purchasing and governing personnel. Don't exclude them from the process. Purchasing might want to spread out the costs over a long period of time; or, in the case of a nonprofit with too much revenue, it might want to actually spend some of that excess money. It sounds crazy these days, but it is a well-traveled road. The same can be said of the purchase's political implications. What are the local governance's biggest concerns? Will the purchase promote a commitment to the safety of the community? Will there be backlash against buying new vehicles when budget and personnel cuts are looming? Go through the same process. Identify all of their concerns and then separate out the "need-to-haves" from the "want-to-haves."

Project Outline

Once you establish a final collection

ISG Infrasys X380 personal thermal imaging camera delivers the image clarity and features of a larger camera with high-resolution imagery and a full-size LCD, all housed inside a lightweight and compact system. The TIC can be custom-made to suit the exact requirements or budget of a fire department. With features such as intelligent focus and direct temperature measurement (DTM) installed as standard, customers can opt for a simplified version with a single-button setup for power on/off or up to a five-button configuration providing functionality like the new Cold Spot Tracker that allows first responders to locate and pinpoint thread or valve gas leaks or the Hot Spot Tracker that allows the user to measure high temperatures in a dynamic way.
-www.isgfire.com, 877-733-3473

Hannay Reels ECR1600 cable reel offers a live connection of power cable for direct wiring to a collector ring assembly with an electric rewind and switch and solenoid. The reel is designed for use on rescue vehicles for power tools, electric cable, and other uses that require a safe, continuous current during cable payout and rewind. The reel itself has a small footprint and can be customized to fit on any truck. The ECR1600 features a standard spring tension brake and a 45-amp, three-conductor, 600-volt collector assembly with #8 gauge wiring from the collector ring to the junction box. Additional conductors or higher amperage can be accommodated as well. The standard collector assembly has double copper graphite brushes with copper alloy rings for each circuit. A removable direct crank rewind and adjustable cam-lock drag brake are featured on manual rewind models, while a comet brake is also available.
-www.hannay.com, 877-467-3357

Larson Electronics LM-18-4X150RT-RB 18-foot telescoping LED light mast is an extendable tower lighting system that allows users to quickly and effectively illuminate large sites more than two acres in size. Featuring a rugged tower assembly constructed of heavy gauge steel, four 150-watt LED lamp heads, and a rotating base assembly, this light tower lets operators put powerful illumination right where it's needed regardless of tower positioning. The LED lamp assemblies provide 48,000 lumens of light output. These LED lights are designed for use in demanding conditions and are waterproof and sealed against dust and dirt, making them well suited to abusive industrial and outdoor applications. This tower operates at 12 VDC and draws approximately five amps, making it easily powered by portable power sources such as rechargeable battery packs, heavy equipment, and vehicle electrical systems without producing excessive battery drain. The tower assembly is constructed from powder-coated steel and consists of a 10-foot-long lower section and a nine-foot upper section with one foot of overlap for strength and rigidity.
-www.magnalight.com, 903-498-3363

FireSyte real-time monitoring services help ensure vehicles carrying first responders are prepared 24/7. FireSyte features automated instant alerts and reporting for public safety vehicles including tire pressure monitoring and GPS tracking to enhance safety as well as simplify maintenan

Chris Mc Loone

CM: How is the fire industry doing right now? Can we say that we've finally turned the corner?

PD: According to FAMA statistics, new orders for fire apparatus have seen an increase recently. The first quarter of 2013 showed that new orders were up about 25 percent when compared to the first quarters of 2011 and 2012. New orders were up five percent compared to the last quarter of 2012. If this trend were to continue, annualized sales would be up 40 percent over 2012. This is a big "IF," as I don't think the trend will continue. The numbers are skewed because of some large, nonmunicipal orders in the first quarter.

Although I can't say the market has finally turned the corner, this is some positive news. In 2012, the United States municipal market was still down more than 40 percent when compared to its height in 2008 when the market peaked at more than 5,000 trucks. The market was flat compared to 2011. Historically, there have been more large municipal orders, and these have slowed over the past five years. Based on this, we are starting to see some pent-up demand, particularly with larger cities. This is tempered by a reduction in AFG grant funding and a lower percentage of awards being made for fire apparatus.

Look, no one wants to see a rebound in apparatus and equipment sales more than the manufacturers, but it's too early to tell if the market is back. Statistics from the League of Cities Annual Report show that municipalities are far from being out of the financial crisis. Fire departments' budgets are no longer sacred cows when it comes to municipal spending cuts. Once the dust settles in a few years, I predict we'll probably see the market settle into a "new normal" market of 4,250 to 4,500 new fire apparatus per year.

CM: What is the biggest issue in the fire service, and how is Darley helping to address it?

PD: I don't know of a person in the industry who wouldn't quickly point to the budgets crisis as the biggest issue for career departments. This is at a time when most departments are being asked to do more with less. Fire departments really need to rethink their approach and reinvent themselves.

Darley is keenly focused on this industry need. On the pump side, we have been working closely with fire apparatus manufacturers during the past few years to help them introduce unique and competitively priced multipurpose vehicles by offering them "Pump System Solutions" that address the true needs of today's fire service. These pump systems allow the manufacturer to offer one vehicle that can serve a variety of department needs, rather than just having to devote a specialized vehicle for rescue, pumping, or hazmat.

We are focusing on lower-cost equipment such as competitively priced, high-quality Darley branded bunker gear, nozzles, adapters, and so on. We also have a variety of financing options available.

For volunteer departments, recruitment and training are pressing long-term issues. We are designing our products to be easy to operate while being high-tech, which appeals to today's new volunteer recruits.

CM: To you, what is the most important product Darley produces?

PD: Under our diversification strategy, we've cast a wide net and launched a lot of innovative new products over the past few years-everything from pumps to equipment, polyurethane bodies, compressed air foam systems (CAFS), water purification, and drones. At our core, we're still a pump manufacturer. I would say that they're all important, but I grew up on the pump side of our business and continue to migrate mostly to this area where I know the industry players well and understand market needs. It comes very natural to me personally.

We've recently introduced a new 3,500-gallon-per-minute (gpm) pump that has been highly successful. It is the highest flow pump

In the News

• OSHKOSH AIRPORT PRODUCTS GROUP, a division of Oshkosh Corporation, recently delivered its 1,000th Oshkosh® Striker® aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) vehicle. Striker number 1,000 was placed into service at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada. The new Striker 6x6 features a 680-hp engine, a TAK-4® independent suspension, and a seven-speed automatic transmission. Its firefighting systems include a 3,000-gallon water tank; a 420-gallon foam tank; and a roof turret and a low attack front bumper turret, each rated at 625/1,250 gallons per minute. The vehicle also features 460 pounds of Halotron delivered through a 150-foot hose reel as well as a second hose reel in a lower compartment for water and foam discharge.

• SMEAL FIRE APPARATUS CO. recently announced that Delwin Smeal, company president, retired effective September 1, 2013. Delwin worked for the company for 47 years including the past 20 as president of the organization. "Del has given his whole adult life to our company and our customers," says Rod Cerny, board chair. "He has earned the opportunity to enjoy retirement with Vicki. We all wish them the best." Cerny also announced the hiring of a new company president and two promotions. Mark Denniston Huber will join the company as president. Jeff Hunke, a 26-year veteran of the company, has been named chief operating officer. Jeff Wegner has been promoted to vice president of sales.

• SCOTT SAFETY and MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS have signed a product development agreement designed to enhance firefighter safety and accountability. Central to this agreement is the capability to transmit Scott Air-Pak SCBA data, such as air levels and PASS alarm data, over Motorola APX™ Project 25 portable radios. The Motorola APX radio pairs to Scott's Air-Pak X3 SCBA via mission critical wireless. The air tank telemetry is sent over the ASTRO 25 network whenever the firefighter presses the push-to-talk (PTT) button. This data is displayed on either the Motorola Solutions APX accountability solution or Scott's accountability solution.

• RICHARD A. MARINUCCI, CFO, Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment "Chief Concerns" columnist, has received the Ronny Jack Coleman Leadership Legacy Award. Marinucci has been at the forefront of the United States fire service for his entire career. The Ronny Jack Coleman Leadership Legacy Award recognizes an individual from an accredited agency or the chief officer designation echelon for superior leadership and actions that have elevated the International Fire and Emergency Service (IFES) profession through mentoring, teaching, and sharing outstanding contributions; and who has exhibited the consistent dedication of renewal qualities and commitment to fire service professionalism by demonstrating a devotion to help raise the IFES to greater heights.

• E-ONE has received its first ProTech™ order. The Bryn Mawr (PA) Fire Department is the first department to order apparatus with the new safety technology package developed by E-ONE. It ordered two trucks with the system. ProTech is an occupant protection system that integrates prevention and protection technology to offer an all-encompassing safety technology package. It features OnGuard® for audible collision warning and accident mitigation, G4™ electronic stability control for added stability, CrewGuard™ for occupant detection, and a 360-degree camera system for perimeter protection.

E-ONE also announced that it and Fire Service, Inc., its dealer for Indiana, northern Illinois, and western Ohio, were recently awarded a five-yea

Alan M. Petrillo

Fire apparatus cabs are getting safer for occupants with various protection systems being installed by manufacturers to protect firefighters-from beefed up cab structures to nearly-all-around air bag protection to custom-designed seat belt harnessing systems.

Egress Systems

Rosenbauer's director of dealer development, Mike Schoenberger, says his company builds safety and integrity into its custom Commander cabs, as well as into the Smart Cab crew module that can be mounted onto the back of a two-door commercial chassis.

The Smart Cab features a 96-inch width that allows four firefighters to be seated across the cab, Schoenberger says, as well as EZGress swing out steps. "EZGress has a large stepping surface in a three-step arrangement that makes it easy to get in and out of the cab," he says. "You don't have to back out, you walk out like on a staircase. When the firefighter puts weight on the step, it locks in place."

A choice of air-actuated or electric steps is standard on some Pierce custom cabs and options on others, according to Lilsa Barwick, director of product management for cab, chassis, and electrical products at Pierce Manufacturing. "The steps are tucked up and out of the elements when firefighters are in the cab," she says. "When deployed, they provide a more ergonomic stair step approach to getting in and out of the cab to help prevent knee or hip injuries."

(1) A split view of immediately before and at the moment of a crash impact of the cab front air bags deploying during a Spartan Chassis test of its Advanced Protection System, standard equipment on several of its chassis. (Photo courtesy of Spartan Chassis.)

Cab Protection Systems

Schoenberger says both the Smart Cab and the custom Commander cab passed the side impact and roof crush tests required by National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1901, Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus. "Our crew cabs have full-width floors for firefighter safety and comfort," he observes. "There is no step well in the crew cab.

The custom Commander cab, which is made out of 3/16-inch extruded aluminum, offers complete air bag protection for occupants, Schoenberger notes-a driver's steering wheel air bag, officer's knee air bag, and side air bags in the crew area for outer seat positions. "About 25 percent of our vehicles are equipped with air bags," he says. "It's a choice of the customer because the NFPA does not require them."

Inside the cab, Pierce has developed ergonomic seats with integrated side air bag protection, as well as dual seat belt retractors. "Over the years, we integrated air bags into the cab's side walls and now into the seats," Barwick observes. "And, our extra-long seat belts retract much quicker so they don't dangle and get hooked on things or get caught in doors."

(2) Pierce Manufacturing uses the IMMI ReadyReach seat belt system for its cabs-extra long seat belts that retract much quicker so they don't dangle, get hooked on equipment, or get caught in doors. (Photo courtesy of Pierce Manufacturing Inc.)

In the front of the cab, Pierce installs a driver's air bag

Bill Adams

The trendiest rig in the fire service today is the pumper-rescue. Its popularity has steadily increased during the past few decades with trade journals expounding on the subject for just as long. Some fire departments pride themselves when specifying one, thinking they've just reinvented the wheel. Fire apparatus manufacturers have embraced the concept with innovative designs and aggressive marketing and have done a respectable job doing so. It has almost become the industry standard for pumpers.

Amazingly, fire departments are rushing out to purchase, manufacturers are building, and apparatus pundits are eagerly reporting about fire trucks that have no formal definition, adhere to no specific regulatory standard, and embrace-as new-a concept introduced in the early 1950s. There are no industrywide accepted design criteria and no recognized standard specification. Nor is there any agreement on what to call it. Other than being compliant with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1901, Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus, for a pumper, there is no clear-cut job description for the "other half" of its name.

In actuality, a pumper-rescue, or whatever you choose to call it, is a concept. It's a theory-a philosophy of design easily adaptable to meet the individual needs of many. It seems to be working. The adage "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" may have merit.

(1, 2) Taken by unknown photographers in the early 1960s, these photos show Boston's Engine-Squads 14 and 53. In the mid 1950s, the Robinson Boiler Works rebuilt five 1948-era Mack hose wagons with "rescue/squad" style bodies, 750-gpm pumps, 400-gallon tanks, and overhead ladder racks. [Photos 1 and 2 courtesy of Bill Noonan, Boston Fire Department (ret.).]

History

Pumpers, or engines, have been around since day one and need no further explanation. It's generally accepted that the first rescue company was organized in New York, New York, in 1915. From the Fire Department Journal-a History of Boston Rescue Companies, by Firefighter William Noonan, Boston, Massachusetts, followed in 1917, eventually having three heavy rescues on its roster. Noonan says in his book, "In 1954, the fire commissioner decided that the city needed only one heavy rescue company and he would create five engine-squad companies spread around the city. Rescue Co. 1 was deactivated, and some of the rescue equipment was transferred to the wagon of Engine Co. 7. They would respond to rescue calls with their wagon only and fire calls with both rigs. At times they were called Squad 7 on the department radio."

Job-specific pumper-rescue bodies may have also originated in Boston. The Boston Fire Historical Society's Web site notes that Engine 14's 1948 Mack hose wagon was one of five rebuilt around 1955 with 750-gallon-per-minute (gpm) pumps, 400-gallon booster tanks, and a "Robinson rescue/squad" body. The Robinson Boiler Works, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, built pumpers and hose wagons for departments throughout New England. Running as Engine-Squad 14, it featured high side compartments on both sides, a narrow pump house, and a tilt-down overhead ladder rack-a close prototype for today's pumper-rescue designs. As a premonition of things to come, Boston's 1954 annual report reflected not only the creation of the five engine-squads running as single-piece companies, it showed the closing of four engine and four ladder companies and eliminating the hose wagon on nine additional two-piece engine companies. Hello, quints, quads, squads, rescue-pumpers, downsizing, and limited staffing. History is repeati

By Christian P. Koop

Ever wonder about the quality of the diesel fuel you are putting into your emergency response vehicle's (ERV) fuel tank? If not, you should be. The quality and ingredients used to formulate modern diesel fuel and how it is stored and transported can adversely affect a fuel delivery system's life, emissions, and even fuel economy. The main purpose of this article is to give a brief history of diesel fuel, some of its main components, their purpose, and some of the most important issues surrounding diesel fuel today. Additionally, I want to make those unfamiliar with diesel aware of what they can do to test the diesel fuel they are using in their ERVs and what they can do to improve it. It may not be up to the standards diesel engine manufacturers require for their engines.

History

Before discussing diesel fuel, I need to give credit to the inventor of the diesel engine, Rudolf Christian Karl Diesel. Diesel was a German refrigeration engineer born in Paris, France, in 1858. He received a patent for his invention in 1892. Interestingly, his first fuel of choice for his compression ignition engine was coal dust. However, he had problems injecting the coal dust into the cylinder. After an explosion destroyed his first engine, he began testing the use of vegetable oils as another fuel source. Eventually, he was able to successfully use peanut oil; however, he continued to experiment with other possible fuel sources. Finally, he found what eventually would be known as diesel fuel, a stable byproduct of the petroleum (crude oil) refinement or distillation process. Other fuels derived from petroleum through this process include bunker oil (fuel for large ships), gasoline (petrol), jet fuel (kerosene, paraffin), mineral spirits, and heating oil (very similar to diesel).

Diesel fuel is also referred to as fuel oil and has a wide boiling point range between 320°F and 690°F. Keep in mind that petroleum contains a large number of hydrocarbons and other components that are used to manufacture many commercial products-not just fuels. Diesel died in 1913 at the relatively young age of 55. However, by this time, his engine had been granted many patents. When his main patent expired in 1907, other companies such as Mercedes Benz and Peugeot began developing their own engines. By 1936, Mercedes showed the first nonexperimental diesel-engine-powered passenger car at the Berlin Fair.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) actually began regulating emission standards for on-highway and transit compression ignition engines in 1974. Over the years, it gradually tightened the standards on hydrocarbons (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), particulate matter (PM) or soot, and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. However, it was not until 1985 that a restriction on NOx was issued, and it began limiting PM for the first time in 1988. This is why the heavy duty diesel engine manufacturers began producing electronic controls for their fuel injection systems in the mid 1980s. More precise control over timing and fuel injection means better combustion, which equates to less PM and cleaner air. This cleaned up the diesel engine emissions considerably, but stricter (EPA) regulations to lower PM and to reduce NOx emissions even further were on the horizon.

In 1993, the EPA issued a new standard for diesel fuel, reducing the sulfur content to 500 parts per million (ppm), named low-sulfur diesel (LSD). In 1997, the EPA issued a new standard for the 2004 model year with major changes to reduce NOx and PM even further for model years 2007 and 2010. These changes would require reformulating diesel fuel to reduce the sulfur content even further. Beginning in 2006, it dropped the sulfur content even lower to 15 ppm and called it ultra-low-sulfur diesel (ULSD).

Sulfur in diesel is linked to acid rain, causes health problems, and can also lead to acid formation inside the engine. There

By Steve Rowland,
OEM Sales Manager,
Ferno-Washington, Inc.

It is safe to say the latest generation of first responders grew up with family cars equipped with "state-of-the-art" safety features like seat belts with reminder "chimes," air bags, automatic headlights, vehicle event recorders, and intelligent "multiplexed" electrical systems. It is also safe to assume that these systems were developed and are continually refined by a well-established passenger automotive safety ecosystem driven by regulating authorities. From this, one would think a fair conclusion is that the same has existed in ambulance design for all those years as well. That is often not the case. Fortunately, a transformation is solidly underway.

Much has been written, spoken, blogged, tweeted, and otherwise communicated about the recent involvement of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) in the realm of developing NFPA 1917, Standard for Automotive Ambulances. The intent of this article is not to take one side or the other regarding questions concerning authority, expertise, or any other division point. No matter which camp you are in, it is undeniable that the exciting, beneficial results this national discussion has provided to the industry-in whatever final form they take-will make ambulances safer for both the patient and the emergency care provider.

Medic Ergonomics

"Seat belts save lives." We know this mantra. We have watched the news reporter interview the emergency medical service (EMS) spokesperson, with a mangled vehicle in the background, remark, " ... and we would like to take this time to remind everyone to wear their seat belts, because the driver of this car was able to walk away." But the data about care providers in the backs of ambulances show we don't often practice what we preach.

"I can't do my job buckled in," states a medic. "It's only a short ride to the hospital." "But, we are going in nonemergency." Excuses abound. What about a solution?

Several years ago, Las Vegas (NV) Fire and Rescue (LVF&R) undertook a focused project to make its ambulances safer for the paramedics, as well as improve patient medical outcome. Perhaps one of its greatest advancements was a concerted effort to cut the weathered ties to tradition and reexamine how ambulance interior design needed changing to solve the problem.

"If the paramedics said they could not stay buckled in their seat during the patient transport, we analyzed why," says Tim Orenic, EMS coordinator for LVF&R. "If the seat was in the wrong place, we moved it. If the medicines or medical devices were out of reach, we brought them in closer. If different emergencies called for different treatment positions, we added additional belted seating spaces. But if a medic should not sit in a particular location, we removed the possibility of sitting there." Since the commissioning of these "new-generation" ambulances, it has been the standard operating procedure of the LVF&R to be buckled at all times in the rear of an ambulance. Compliance is not an option, but it is not a problem either. "The medics know they need to buckle up, and they do," says Orenic. "It's a habit now, and it works."

Patient Restraint Systems

In the modern era of American EMS patient transportation, stretchers have largely remained unchanged, along with the way patients are secured onto stretcher and how the stretchers are secured in ambulances. Some may think the industry has not kept up with the available science. But until recently, the science wasn't where it needed to be.

"For the last several years, an extensive, collaborative effort has been underway between federal agencies, industry groups, manufacturers, and other interested parties to utilize a sc

Kasha Stoll

Fire runs through Robbie Smith's veins, fueling him with purpose and passion. It gave the child a goal and the man a mission. "I absolutely love firefighting," says Smith, who served for 23 years as a firefighter at stations in Missouri. "I want to get kids excited and bring them into the fire department at an early age. I want them to know that firefighting is an amazing career."

And what better way to excite than with a working, kid-sized pumper with a customized grille, roll-up doors, aluminum ladder, hose and compartment covers, reflective chevrons, engine hand throttle, working head and tail lights, pressure gauges, trim ring, a tank level monitor display, and a fire truck seat?

Several companies contributed to Smith's project. Following is a list of companies and the equipment they provided for the miniature fire apparatus.

The Allure

"When you hear the clang of the bell and whining of the siren, when you see the fire engines go by, it stirs up feelings," says Ken Menke, president of PowerArc Warning Lights. PowerArc was one of several companies that donated equipment for the project (see sidebar). "Every firefighter will tell you that they got excited by fire trucks when they were little," Menke says. "It's at the heart of all children."

To reach those hearts, Smith spent more than 10 years and 3,500 hours designing and developing a miniature fire engine that accurately represents the industry. He wanted to honor the men and women who are willing to risk their lives in service to others. "We lost a brother on an early morning grass fire," he says, referring to his time in the fire service. "This [fire engine] is in memory of our fallen brothers and sisters. Everywhere I travel and display the truck it reminds me of the sacrifices made."

Smith plans to display the nearly completed minipumper at trade shows, parades, county fairs, and anywhere kids and future firefighters can be found. He introduced the truck at the 2013 Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC) in R⋅O⋅M Corporation's booth in April. One month later, Smith showed the truck in Grovespring, Missouri, at the 10-99 Products "Cruise-in," a fire apparatus and tow truck display for kids.

He says the response so far has been "overwhelming in such a great way," with many long-time firefighters calling it amazing.

(1) Robbie Smith fabricated the chassis by hand. He stored the golf cart/fire engine in his garage during the 10-year project. (Photos courtesy of R⋅O⋅M Corporation.)

The Dream

The idea came to Smith in 2001 during his time off from the station. He had what he calls a spontaneous idea to build a fire truck out of a golf cart and display it in parades and public events. He sat down, drew a design, and scaled it to just under half size.

Then he called James Holloway, owner of South Central Golf in West Plains, Missouri. Holloway appreciated Smith's passion and wanted to help. He donated a Cusheman golf cart and the entire drive train. Then he watched in amazement as Smith hand-crafted the chassis. "Every piece of that chassis was fabricated," James says. "There were no molds or kits. Everything was cut out, fitted, and welded by hand. The fabrication was unreal."

As Smith's dream started to take shape, he began calling companies that provide equipment for fire apparatus

By Richard Marinucci

My brother is the only person I know who does not own a cell phone. He says he doesn't want one and doesn't need one. Even though most people cite the convenience of having a cell phone, my brother looks at it as an inconvenience. He does not want to be tied to a phone or be interrupted when he is doing something else. If you want to talk to him, call his house and leave a message and he will get back to you when it is convenient. His lifestyle does not seem to be adversely affected by his decision.

Conversely, my adult children all have the latest cell phones and do not have land lines. They like the instant communications with the phone calls, texts, and e-mails. They also know if the phone rings, it is for them. They are connected 24/7 and their phones take precedence-even over in-person communications. They will interrupt a conversation with me to answer their phone or a text. Some may consider this rude, like me, but they think it is normal.

Whether or not one has a cell phone is his own personal choice, and I am not here to make any value judgments. It seems that some can't live without their phones and others won't live with them. In some ways, this is what all technology is about. Regarding fire departments, there are some that are always on the leading edge, impatient to a fault to adopt the latest and greatest device that promises to make the job easier, faster, and safer. Others continue with what has always seemed to work, either consciously making that decision or being prohibited from doing so because of budgetary issues.

Faster than Ever

There is no doubt that technological changes occur at a faster pace than ever before. As such, fire departments are inundated with information on new products that promise to make the job easier, faster, safer, and generally better. They also promise to save time. Now if they are supposed to save time, how come those who use the newer products are busier than ever? The point here is that not all new technological developments are necessarily applicable to everyone. Keeping up with the Joneses is not a reason to embrace technology. It must be evaluated based on the entire package of the benefits and disadvantages including the cost, time savings, ease of use, practicality, financial benefits, required training, and acceptance by those who will be using it.

During my career, I have met with salespeople who had new products that were essential to what I was doing many times. They always paint a rosy picture designed to tempt me. More often than not, there were some flaws with the products, although these flaws may not have affected the benefits they offered. Like all good salespeople, they try to get an "on-the-spot" decision. Rarely do I give one, either because of my instincts or the fact that what they are offering requires additional approval.

Get Help

When looking at "new and improved," consider some of the things that should help you make a decision. First and foremost, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. I can recall discussions where I reached a point of disbelief and could not contain myself when dealing with an individual. This may not always be the best approach, but it was sometimes helpful at reducing return visits!

Beyond your instincts, use your network-those who have more knowledge and understanding of particular products and those who use the product. For example there are many computer advances. Some have proven to be beneficial to many. Others have been added "fluff," either not delivering what was promised or offering useless enhancements. If you have access to IT personnel, that is great, and these people are good to know. They spend all of their time learning more about these types of technological advances. They also are usually not fire service personnel. As such, they view the world differently