Alan M. Petrillo

Makers of fire apparatus and equipment are reporting more deals with various branches of United States military services, as well as other nongovernmental agencies-Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and others.

Very often, equipment is developed for the military, which then trickles down for use in municipal and industrial applications. And, the reverse also is true-the military purchases tried-and-true municipal firefighting apparatus and equipment because they meet its particular needs.

(1) The Cobra EXM, along with other monitors in the Elkhart Brass EXM line, was developed as a result of work done with United States military services. (Photo courtesy of Elkhart Brass.)

Water Appliances

Rick Singer, vice president of North American sales for Akron Brass Company, says his company's dual-flow handline nozzle started its life as a design for the United States Navy, as did a portable monitor design that could be used for shipboard fires. Akron Brass works with all five branches of the United States military, as well as with the National Guard. "The original concept for the Mercury portable monitor was for the Navy," Singer points out, "where Navy personnel could deploy and leave an unmanned device to fight fires on a ship. Likewise, our dual-flow nozzle started as a military design for the Navy. It was later expanded, refined, and provided to the municipal fire market as the SaberJet nozzle."

The Akron SaberJet can put out a solid stream, fog pattern, or both at the same time, Singer notes. "In some cases, the products we provide to the military have been highly specialized to meet stringent and unique military requirements," Singer says. "There's often a need for design robustness that can withstand a saltwater environment or to take excessive shock or vibration."

Another firefighting solution embraced by the military that is finding its way into municipal departments is ultra-high-pressure (UHP) applications, Singer adds. "UHP designs are moving from United States Air Force applications, where a lot of UHP testing and work have been done, and into the municipal fire world and the wildland fire industry," he says.

On the other hand, Singer says, "We've seen solutions started on the civilian side that get taken up by the military, with remote control monitor solutions that have for a long time been embraced in industrial firefighting now being applied by various military branches."

Rod Carringer, chief marketing officer for Task Force Tips (TFT), says TFT also works with all United States military branches because fire suppression is part of their mission at nearly every level. "We've done a lot of work with the Navy, especially on submarines," Carringer says. "They ask us for certain design and performance standards, and often they are not too far from what we offer commercially to municipal and industrial customers."

Carringer says a lot of the TFT military business is in manual handheld nozzles, monitors, and foam-making equipment that is very similar to the kinds of equipment used by municipal fire departments. "A lot of military firefighting deals with base activities, so it is pretty much the same equipment and apparatus as you'd find in your local fire department," he says. "However, there are some specific hazards on bases that have to be dealt with, and those sometimes requ

By Spencer Dell,
Senior Marketing Communications Specialist,
Cummins Inc.

During the past ten years, the fire industry has seen the many changes in emissions regulations relative to on-highway diesel engines. New emissions regulations have brought on new engine technology including electronic fuel systems, exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), as well as aftertreatment technology including diesel particulate filters (DPFs) and selective catalytic reduction (SCR), which can be found on most of today's engines. These changes in regulations and the resulting new technology developments have raised some questions on how the exhaust aftertreatment systems will impact fire and emergency vehicle operation. This article will focus on the evolution of the aftertreatment technology used by engine manufacturers in the industry and address how these systems impact the operator.

Origins

The year 2007 brought the introduction of the DPF for most in the industry. Engine manufacturers used the DPF to help clean up the particulate matter-one of the emissions pollutants regulated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and more commonly referred to as soot. By using the DPF in place of the traditional muffler, the engine could operate more efficiently, allowing the aftertreatment system to handle the exhaust emissions control and lowering particulate matter. With the introduction of the DPF came a term known as "regeneration." Regeneration is the process of removing the excess soot (particulate matter) from the DPF by raising exhaust temperature. It often is performed passively while the engine is operating at a certain temperature, although some instances require the operator to manually perform a parked regeneration to clean the system. Standard in all fire and emergency vehicles with a DPF is a series of dash lamps helping to inform the driver when regeneration is required. As the DPF begins to fill with soot, these lamps will illuminate, notifying the operator that a regeneration needs to be performed. One key point to note is that in 2007, Cummins chose not to initiate a "derate," or performance penalty, for fire and emergency vehicles as the DPF filled with soot.

2010 Regulations

In 2010, new regulations brought the emissions levels, most notably oxides of nitrogen (NOx), down to near-zero levels as particulate matter levels were already at this level in 2007. Many engine manufacturers chose to use SCR, which uses diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) to help attain these new emission levels. DEF is an additional fluid stored on the vehicle in a specifically labeled tank that the driver needs to refill when needed, much like engine coolant and windshield wiper fluid.

Keeping an adequate DEF level ensures that the engine will operate appropriately and as designed. Just like in 2007 with the introduction of the DPF, drivers are notified of a low DEF level through a series of lamps on a vehicle's dash. Based on typical DEF usage in an emergency vehicle application, operators can expect to fill up their DEF tank roughly 10 times per year or about once every 5.5 weeks depending on the vehicle's use. Maintaining an adequate DEF level is a simple procedure, and Cummins recommends simply topping off the fluid when filling up the diesel fuel tank.

If the DEF level reaches a critically low point on Cummins EPA 2010 engines, a performance penalty (also known as a derate) is initiated to incentivize the driver to refill the DEF tank. This derate, mandated by the EPA in 2010, is a reduction in engine power (torque) applied only when the DEF level is critically low. Cummins implemented a modification in July 2011, based on a change issued from the EPA, to alter the derate specifically for fire and emergency vehicle applications regarding critically low DEF levels. This change resulted from the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers' Association (

Bill Adams

Tunnel vision, the loss of peripheral sight, is a constricted tunnel-like ability to see. Medically, it can be caused by glaucoma. In the fire service, complacency causes it-better defined as an extremely narrow point of view. It's common in old-timers, past-their-prime white coats, and occasionally those who write apparatus purchasing specifications (specs). Affecting vendors as well as firefighters, it's a predetermined prejudiced outlook on any change from the status quo. Severe cases provoke that embarrassing, denigrating, but sometimes factual statement of "200 years of tradition unimpeded by progress." Look no further than a pumper's hosebed and, in particular, at rear preconnect storage.

Stowage-wise, little has changed since preconnected collapsible hose replaced booster lines for initial attack-crosslays and speedlays being exceptions. The recent trend to eliminate traditional pump houses with alternative pump locations has seen a renewed awareness and usage of rear preconnects, probably from necessity rather than choice. Advantages and detriments of crosslays, speedlays, reel storage, and front bumper lays are left for another day.

(1) This Spartan-ERV has three removable aluminum hose storage trays. Two hose storage areas are located above the trays and two to the right of the trays. Stainless steel rollers facilitate removal and reloading. (Photo courtesy of Alan Smith, a Spartan-ERV dealer.)

No preference is shown for the quantities, sizes, and lengths of rear preconnects or for the methods of loading and deploying them. Whether they are packed flat or on edge; one tier wide or two tiers wide; or in a reverse horseshoe, pull-and-dump, or shoulder load configuration is a local matter. Do what's best for your department. This article looks at various locations to store rear preconnects and the importance of specifying them in a clear and understandable manner.

The Bidding Process

Not all fire departments are mandated to follow governmental bidding protocols. Some political subdivisions give fire departments extraordinary leeway in writing purchasing specifications and recommending bid awards. However, in most scenarios, the fire department writes the technical specification and the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) finalizes the legalities and makes the legal purchase. If the fire department does a lousy job writing the spec, it stands the chance of getting a lousy rig. The same applies to hose storage for preconnects.

An AHJ, especially one not firematically oriented or fire department friendly, can award a bid to a vendor just meeting the written word of the specification. That AHJ may have no concern or little care for what the fire department expected, really wanted, or thought it specified. In political subdivisions, the AHJ is legally obligated to ensure competitive bidding statutes are followed. Be careful. Today's public bidding environment has changed. Vendors are aggressive. Vote-conscious politicians, bureaucrats apprehensive about personal job security, fiscally conservative watchdog groups, and economically strapped taxpayers may not care what the fire department likes, dislikes, or thought it wrote. Specification verbiage, or lack of it, weighs heavily in awarding a contract. Write carefully.

Comprehensive Specifications

It's important to write understandable and definitive purchasing specifications when describing any hosebed. It's imperative when addressing nontraditional storage. Not doing so can cause turmoil when evaluating proposals and may create ill feelings between the fire de

By Chris Mc Loone

In a way, recent news from Navistar makes specing engines for your next fire apparatus purchase simpler than ever. It was an unpublicized business decision that I only learned of by accident when I was visiting with an apparatus manufacturer recently. I asked if the company was receiving more specs with Navistar MaxxForce engines or Cummins engines. The representative replied that Navistar just announced it was exiting the loose engine business. So with that answer, it's obvious that it doesn't matter what the split is between the two companies-your only engine option if you choose to buy a custom fire truck is Cummins if you don't choose Pierce. Because, almost concurrently with Navistar's announcement, Pierce released that it has extended its agreement with Detroit through 2018. Through 2018, the Detroit DD13 engine remains available only on Pierce's complete line of custom fire and emergency vehicles.

The Navistar news surprised me. It's not like the company is just getting out of loose engine sales for fire apparatus. The company is no longer selling loose engines at all, choosing to install the engines on the commercial chassis it produces. So technically if a fire department really prefers MaxxForce engines, it can still get them by specing commercial chassis for its apparatus. It will lose the cab customization options but will get the engine it wants.

But to me, Navistar was making a lot of noise in the fire apparatus market. Judging from a number of recent deliveries in our Apparatus Showcase and orders in our Recent Orders section, it was starting to make some inroads. I don't think there are many among us that wouldn't rather have more choices than fewer regarding our fire trucks. So, ultimately, the fire apparatus market is the casualty of a bigger business decision.

That is not to say that the news is bad that Cummins is now set to gain a greater market share in the fire apparatus arena. The company was proud to announce its 2013 line of engines at the 2013 Fire Department Instructors Conference, and, as you'll see in this issue's "Fire Industry Today," Cummins is also very active in working toward a solution to comply with the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Direct Final Rule regarding how engines respond to neglected regenerations.

All this said, I'm a little disappointed that there aren't more choices. I wouldn't mind seeing Mack get back into the act and start selling engines to the fire service without having to purchase a Mack cab and chassis-or maybe Ford. I think choice and competition are good for the market. Of course, fire apparatus make up such a small part of the overall market for these engine manufacturers that it's unlikely we'll see that sort of change from Mack or Ford.

Tanker Rollovers

With the hopes of avoiding tanker rollovers, the National Tank Truck Carriers (NTTC) has produced a new version of the Cargo Tank Rollover Prevention Video it developed with the United States Department of Transportation to help educate water tanker drivers on the special characteristics of tank truck vehicles and the actions they can take to avoid rollovers. The video can be viewed at www.tankertruck.org, where it can also be downloaded.

Tragedy Strikes

As I write this, the fire service is reeling from the largest loss of life at a fire since September 11, 2001. We lost 19 firefighters to the Yarnell, Arizona, wildfire. Nineteen firefighters losing their lives at one time boggles the mind. Exact details have been scarce; however, multiple news outlets report that conditions deteriorated to the point that these members of the elite "Hot Shots" firefighting group had to deploy their fire shelters. It is a sobering reminder that although we write constantly in these pages and online about how far

Alan M. Petrillo

Fire departments and fire brigades in industrial facilities around the country face the prospect of protecting huge complexes and having the proper resources available to fight fires in large, high-hazard facilities. Refineries, tank farms, chemical plants, and other big industrial sites share a common need in what they seek from apparatus manufacturers-the ability to flow a lot of water, quickly, with a lot of reach.

(1) This custom industrial pumper was built by E-ONE for the Yanpet Fire Department in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It has a 3,000-gpm pump, a 1,030-gallon foam tank, a 500-gallon water tank, a 2,000- to 5,000-gpm deck gun, two rear deck guns capable of 2,000 gpm each, a 2,000-pound dry chemical system, and a ultra-high-pressure (UHP) system. (Photo courtesy of E-ONE.)

Higher-Flow Waterways

Chad Trinkner, Pierce Manufacturing's director of product development for aerials, pumpers, and fire suppression, says Pierce has seen an increase in requests for elevated waterways that can handle a high water flow. "Refineries and other industrial customers are looking for up to 4,000-gallon-per-minute (gpm) waterways," Trinkner says. "They want to protect silo-like structures and need to elevate in order to put up a foam wall to protect such exposures."

But, higher waterway flows mean bigger reaction forces, Trinkner points out, which can threaten the stability of an aerial. "We're in the process of building two models, a 75-foot and a 53-foot version that have a 4,000-gpm waterway but still maintain the stability of the aerial," he says.

Jim Salmi, senior director of global aerial products for Spartan ERV, agrees that big flow volumes are driving industrial apparatus purchases. "The typical need is to get very large flow volumes going, especially to provide protection in the case of tank fires," Salmi says. "These units have to establish a large flow of foam solution, usually out of a 2,000- to 3,000-gpm elevated master stream appliance."

Refineries have large water supplies and good residual pressure, Salmi maintains, which allow them to get very good fire stream flows. He notes that Spartan ERV has upsized the waterways on its industrial aerials to reduce the amount of friction loss in the system. "On a 100-foot platform, we normally would have a five-inch outside diameter waterway, but with an industrial aerial, we use a six-inch outside diameter waterway, which means it [has a] 5¾-inch inside diameter," he says. "We wanted to reduce restrictions to the flow, which largely are based on the speed of the water-foam solution going through the system."

Salmi notes that a large number of industrial customers prefer an aerial platform to an aerial ladder "because a platform has greater strength to handle large water flows and you can get dual monitors on a platform, while ladders only carry single guns."

Brad Williamson, industrial products manager for Ferrara Fire Apparatus, says that although his company has produced quite a few industrial aerials-both platforms and ladders-it is starting to push an articulating concept aerial device. "It's a three-section 85-foot articulating boom that has an eight-inch waterway that reduces to six inches on the swivel knuckles for each section," he says. "It carries a Williams Fire & Hazard Control Ranger Three-Plus 4,000-gpm monitor and gives unrestricted flow no matter where the boom is positioned."

Chuck Gl

Fire engines provide the movement of our most important resources, firefighters and water. A worn or damaged fire pump can have significant impact on water flow and the firefighting capabilities without showing any apparent signs of trouble to the operator on lower flow incidents. Without an efficient, effective, and reliable means to move water from point A to point B our performance and the outcome of the incident can be unsatisfactory. Testing department pumpers annually is the only acceptable way to verify your pump’s state of readiness and should be considered very important to your fleet maintenance program...

What do the changes in state code really mean? Has anything really changed? Our codes have told us in the past that we shall follow NFPA, the NFPA then told us how to perform the testing and that we shall also follow the manufacturer specification, then manufacturer specification tells us to test our pumps using NFPA 1911. So really nothing has changed but language, in the end we still need to follow the manufacturer instructions for inspection, maintenance, and testing of our equipment and pump tests are still required. All fire rated pump builders state that the pumps need to be tested on an annual basis; in addition to that, some models with other options have guidelines for the inspection of those systems as well. All of these tests can be performed by a qualified mechanic or individual that has been trained and obtained the appropriate certifications. 

Alan M. Petrillo

The Taos (NM) Fire Department's chief and firefighters had been considering purchasing a wildland urban interface (WUI) Type III apparatus for several years-something that could function not only as a wildland engine but also as a structural pumper if needed once it got out in the boondocks, well away from a water source.

(1) The Taos (NM) Fire Department chose Pierce Manufacturing to build this Type III WUI vehicle that can do double duty as a wildland fire apparatus and a structural firefighting rig. [Photos courtesy of the Taos (NM) Fire Department.]

Chief Jim Fambro says his department's members had seen a number of Pierce Manufacturing's Hawk Type III WUI units in neighboring areas and liked not only the style but also the stability of the vehicles. "We had talked for years about getting a Type III WUI to use in protecting our outlying areas against large brush fires but also to use as a quick-attack vehicle for structure fires where it would be miles away from assistance and on its own," Fambro says. "We've been in a drought situation since 1996, so the wildfires around here have been pretty significant."

Extinguishing Capabilities

The Taos (NM) Fire Department covers the city of Taos and the central part of Taos County for fire and rescue responses. The district, which staffs four stations, has fire hydrants in only 40 percent of its response area.

(2) The WUI unit for the Taos (NM) Fire Department features a compact pump panel.

Fambro notes that the department also wanted a compressed air foam system (CAFS) on the new vehicle. "Putting a 500-gallon water tank on the vehicle and using CAFS means we can stretch out those 500 gallons as far as possible," he says. "We go to structure fires 10 to 15 miles outside of town, and those structure fires can easily turn into wildland fires very quickly."

Taos firefighters decided on a Pierce Hawk Type III WUI unit with a Darley dual-control 1,000-gpm PTO (power takeoff) pump, a 500-gallon Poly water tank, a III0-gallon Class A foam cell powered by a FoamPro 1600 foam system, and a Hercules 140-cubic-feet-per-minute (cfm) hydraulic-drive CAFS. "We put an Elkhart Brass Sidewinder 500-gpm monitor on the front bumper and added a Warn 15,000-pound fixed front winch up there," Fambro points out. "The dual foam capability on the Pierce Type III gives us a lot of freedom to approach fires in different ways."

(3) The vehicle carries a Hercules CAFS, shown in the housing above the pump panel, that is hydraulically driven and generates 140 cubic feet per minute.

The Rig

Mi

Chris Mc Loone

CM: How has the Cobra EXM, introduced at FDIC 2013, been received by the fire service so far?

EC: It's been a really great launch for us. We've had a lot of excitement about the new monitor. Typically with a monitor, our ramp up of sales is somewhat delayed because of the buy cycle with the apparatus. But on this product, we've found a lot of early sales. We did some field tests prior to launching it, and some of those folks are now looking to retrofit their department with the new Cobra on all their apparatus. So, it's been a great launch for us. We're really excited about it.

CM: One of the other things you launched at the show, via a partnership with KME, is the Whipline. How important are relationships with various OEMs to Elkhart?

EC: This is critical. The fire apparatus manufacturers have been tasked and challenged to come up with products to meet the needs of the industry. It gives an opportunity for companies like ours to help supply them with new innovative technologies and new product types. They have a better understanding from their viewpoint of what some of their customers want. We have a good understanding of some of the technology and fluid delivery and control. So whenever we can partner, the two of us working together can usually generate a better product than if we were independently trying to tackle something. So, it's critical to our strategy. We have several examples and we have several products in the pipeline. The SafeLink was another one that was shown at FDIC with a couple different manufacturers, which helped to put their fingerprint on what their customers want.

CM: What has helped keep Elkhart Brass out at the forefront of product development for the fire service?

EC: I'd have to attribute that largely to the way we've structured our business. New product development is one of our key areas. We've internally developed an organization we call "Elkhart Brass Labs" that really starts with a marketing department. We have a large marketing department. Just in the last year we've more heavily invested in that. And in our organization, the marketing department is charged with really getting out into the industry, interacting with the users, and interacting with the apparatus manufacturers to really hone in on what problems the fire service is faced with. What are the opportunities for us to bring some innovation? So it starts with that customer focus. We want to understand the need. And once we get to a point where we've identified an opportunity, we've built a machine here at the plant with engineering, process control, tools that allow us to more quickly and efficiently develop these products, and our large R&D group. So it's really building a business to rapidly bring these products to market.

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

EC: The common theme that I hear is the budget constraints. The fire service is being asked to protect, in many cases, larger potential risks and higher potential fire loads and to do that at usually a reduced budget from what was enjoyed a few years ago. So that appears to be at the forefront of folks' minds. And, I believe the answer to this is largely technology that drives efficiency. How can the fire service use technology, maybe even technology that's already well-established in other industries, and adopt that to allow for more efficient service to the public?

CM: What keeps you up at night?

EC: I think what's next? How do you get to the next level? I could look at that as an industry. What's going to allow this industry to make the next step? And, the value we offer to the public. What is Elkhart Brass as a company doing to make that next step? How do we get to the next level? How does the mark

Bill Adams

When I was conducting research for "Apparatus Purchasing: Booster Tanks" (Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment, July 2012), Bill Bruns, vice president of sales and marketing for United Plastic Fabricating, Inc. (UPF), provided insight into the inner workings of that polypropylene tank manufacturer. It was an interesting behind-the-scenes look at the concept, beginning, growth, corporate policy, and people of UPF and acted as the impetus for this article. The company's Web site has information on its facilities complete with photos of the buildings, smiling employees, product specifications, and sales information. This article just gives you an insight into "what makes them tick."

(1) Sales and Marketing Manager Andrew Lingel points to UPF's compression tester-a hydraulic crusher used to test weld strength. (Photos by author unless otherwise noted.)

I paid UPF's North Andover, Massachusetts, location an afterhours visit. This location serves as the company's corporate headquarters, is the location of the design and engineering group, and is the smallest of three manufacturing facilities. Interviewed were Joe Lingel, president and chief executive officer; Bill Bruns, vice president of marketing and sales; Mike Ashley, vice president of engineering; Louis Trapasso, director of quality and materials; and Andrew Lingel, sales and marketing manager. The group is a relaxed, down-to-earth, but extremely professional organization where each player is passionate about the work and committed to UPF's printed quality policy: "Continually Improve Everything We Do. Give Our Customers Exactly What They Expect." In 27 years, UPF has gone from an inspiration-seeking a solution to solve a problem-to building two-thirds of the booster tanks for the North American fire service.

NFPA 1901 and Tank Design

Except for the visible fill towers, most line firefighters give little thought to booster tanks and less thought to the behind-the-scenes complexities involved in their design and fabrication. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1901, Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus, Chapter 18 Water Tanks is mainly directed at tank construction and the manufacturers. Purchasers' concerns usually rest with capacity, the type of tank level indicator desired, whether there's a direct tank fill line, and occasionally flow rates. Purchasers may not realize the impact those and other purchasing "choices" may have on a tank's design and engineering.

Often, fire departments opt for multiple rear discharges and suctions that can be either sleeved or notched into a tank, integral foam cells, and slide-in storage for ladders or suction sleeves. Or, they specify particular hosebed heights that mandate odd-shaped tanks. Those choices can impact some of a tank's design criteria such as whether a containment or dynamic method of baffling is used; the spacing, size, and location of longitudinal and transverse baffles; as well as size and location of piping connections, diffusers, vents, and overflows.

(2) Quality Assurance documentation follows each product regardless of size or complexi Read more 827 0 Air Assets Valuable Tools for Battling Wildland Fires Posted: Jul 8, 2013 Air Assets Valuable Tools for Battling Wildland Fires Alan M. Petrillo The threat of wildland fires continues to loom not only in the western and southwestern states but also in other parts of the country. And in many wildland fire situations in those areas, firefighters need the help of air assets to get a handle on the conflagration. The types of aircraft and helicopters used by fire bosses to control wildfires from the air vary with the area, the terrain, and the air assets available to be deployed. According to United States Forest Service (USFS) data, there are one billion burnable acres in the United States, with approximately 100 million of those acres classified as "highly flammable." A quarter of a million communities and 80 million people are under threat from wildland fires, the USFS data shows. Tom Harbour, USFS director of fire and aviation management, says that in 2012, the USFS deployed 20,000 firefighters and 2,000 engines to fight wildfires around the country, along with flying 300 helicopters and 25 air tankers. Air Tankers Harbour notes that the USFS's aviation assets include large Type I and Type II air tankers; smaller Type III and Type IV air tankers, helicopters, and scooper aircraft that are also used for aerial supervision; smoke jumping platforms such as the DC-3, C-23A, Twin Otter, Easa, and Dornier aircraft; Cessna Citation and King Air fixed-wing aircraft used for infrared mapping; aviation units from local and state jurisdictions; and contract fleet air tankers and helicopters. Fixed-wing aircraft used in recent years by the USFS to fight wildfires include very large air tankers (VLATs) like the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 that can carry 12,000 gallons of water or retardant and the Boeing 747 with a tank capacity of 24,000 gallons, Harbour points out. Type I air tankers include the Martin Mars (7,200-gallon tank), the Lockheed P-3 Orion (3,000-gallon tank), the Lockheed P-2 Neptune (2,700-gallon tank), the Douglas DC-6 (2,800-gallon tank), and the Douglas DC-7 (3,000-gallon tank). The CL-215/Bombardier 415 Superscooper is a Type II air tanker that can carry 1,600 gallons of water, while the Type III Grumman S-2T carries 1,200 gallons and the Fire Boss 800 gallons. (1) The Fire Boss has an 800-gallon tank and can scoop up nearly a tankful of water without landing in a 15-second pass over a body of water. (Photo courtesy of Fire Boss.)   Scoop and Drop Jamie Sargent, a technical consultant with Wipaire Inc., which owns Fire Boss LLC, says there currently are 51 Fire Boss aircraft operating around the world, with 42 units in Europe, 13 in Canada, four in the United States, two in Australia, and one in Argentina. "The challenge in the U.S. market is that it has been geared toward ex-military aircraft converted for firefighting," Sargent says. "But, agencies are now moving toward next generation platforms and focusing on land-based aircraft that can haul retardant and water." Sargent notes the Fire Boss serves as an initial attack resource for wildland fire managers, and because it is a turbine powered aircraft, there is no engine warmup time required, meaning the aircraft can be on its way to fight a fire very quickly. "The Fire Boss has an 800-gallon tank onboard and can scoop between 600 and 650 gallons at a time, which takes about 15 seconds," Sargent says, "because you never can scoop a full tank capacity. With between an hour and a half and two and a half hours of fuel Read more 809 0 NFPA Apparatus Standard Revision Cycle Begins Posted: Jul 8, 2013 NFPA Apparatus Standard Revision Cycle Begins By Roger Lackore Director of Product Safety Oshkosh Corporation The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Technical Committee on Fire Department Apparatus is the group that maintains the standards that specify the minimum requirements for automotive fire apparatus and trailers. For decades, this committee has considered revisions to the wildland and municipal standards on different schedules. Many requirements are applicable to both types of apparatus, so the fact that the standards were revised on different schedules created a degree of inconsistency. To address this, the committee delayed revising the municipal standard and pulled forward the wildland standard. Beginning with the current cycle, revisions for both NFPA 1901, Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus, and NFPA 1906, Standard for Wildland Fire Apparatus, will be considered together. This schedule will allow the committee to address issues that are common to both standards at the same time, keeping them current with one another. FAMA Participation Fire Apparatus Manufacturers' Association (FAMA) members have been actively participating on this committee for decades. They educate committee members on new apparatus safety features and benefits and keep the content of each standard technically sound. Since most fire departments adopt these standards as the foundation for new apparatus purchases, it is critical that changes to the standard are technically feasible and cost-effective and can be implemented on time. The importance of the NFPA apparatus standards cannot be overstated. They are the established minimum criteria for apparatus that will provide safer operation for firefighters and the public they serve. Chiefs and safety officers should be intimately familiar with the content of these standards; how their fleets comply with these standards; and when old apparatus need to be retired, refurbished, or replaced. Although individuals should not avoid reading the standards, there are other ways to become educated. FAMA has many downloadable resources to assist fire departments in understanding recent changes, navigating the NFPA process, keeping up with NFPA changes, and helping promote the benefits of safety features on new apparatus. Many of these resources are provided in presentation format for use at meetings within the fire department or with outside decision makers. These resources are available for free download at www.fama.org. Potential Topics for Consideration Although you might have thought that major changes in the 2009 edition of NFPA 1901 addressed all possible issues, there are still a number of topics that appear on the horizon. It is likely that the committee will be considering proposals to increase the minimum size of apparatus seating in response to a firefighter size and weight study completed by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Since the widths of most custom cabs are already at or near the legal limit, significant changes to seat width requirements would eliminate the four-across seat configuration popular with some departments. A likely topic for consideration on the wildland side will be the practice of allowing firefighters to ride on the back of apparatus during pump-and-roll operations. This is a common approach in certain regions for fighting grass fires, but it is counter to the fundamental philosophy that firefighters must be seated, belted, and inside an enclosed cab anytime the apparatus rolls. The committee will be challenged to provide some means of addressing this perceived need without compromising safety. Advanced technology such as collision avoidance warning systems and automatic braking may be on the docket. The committee always struggles with balancing the cost of additional features with their potential benefits, part Read more 777 0 Wildland Water Appliances Evolve to Meet User Needs Posted: Jul 8, 2013 Wildland Water Appliances Evolve to Meet User Needs Alan M. Petrillo Component manufacturers have made great strides to fine tune various pumps, monitors, and nozzles so those pieces of equipment give the best performance when being operated in wildland and urban interface environments. And, new ways of handling old problems are continually being developed. Wildland Nozzles Elkhart Brass makes the Flex Attack nozzle, popular with wildland firefighters for use on handlines, says Eric Combs, marketing director, Elkhart Brass. "We offer it in a break-apart version that can be shut off, broken apart to extend the line, and then the tip attached at the end of the extension. This can be done quickly, without shutting down the entire line back to the apparatus." Rod Carringer, vice president of sales and marketing for Task Force Tips (TFT), says his company's Tornado monitor has undergone changes requested by wildland crews. "We now have nozzle choices that integrate lighting and thermal imaging in them, which was driven by people operating in the wildland field," Carringer says. "These nozzles are being used on monitors on both Type I and Type III engines." Carringer notes that TFT offers two separate styles of nozzles for wildland use. "Some users want totally restricted flows to conserve water, while others want the latitude to gate a valve in the command cab," he says. "They might want 15 gallons per minute (gpm) most of the time but need to go to 125 gpm at others." (1) KME partnered with Elkhart Brass to develop Whipline and bring it to market. Whipline has flow rates available from 30 to 120 gpm, is suitable for pump pressures up to 300 pounds per square inch (psi), and sweeps 90 degrees horizontally to each side. (Photo courtesy of KME.)   The Tornado monitor line also has an electronic oscillation function that allows an operator to set the monitor to remember a particular motion. "If the monitor is installed on the front edge of a truck's bumper, you can get about 220 degrees of oscillation," Carringer observes. TFT also has developed nozzles that allow flow limiting, Carringer notes. "The nozzle might be set at a 10-, 15-, or 20-gpm limit, but it's still an automatic nozzle that controls the best stream at whatever limit it is set for." He adds that there's a regular need for flushing wildland nozzles. "A lot of debris comes through the tanks and pumps and into the nozzles," Carringer says. "A lot bigger chunk will go through a pump than will come out a nozzle." Accordingly, TFT came up with Smart Stream, a nozzle where the operator has to make a secondary movement to flush. "The nozzle operator has to make one movement to flush and then hit it a second time," he notes. "It's a failsafe method to go to flush to get debris out of the line and then go back to firefighting." David Durstine, vice president of marketing for Akron Brass Co., says that all Akron's nozzles used in wildland applications have a built-in flush setting to get rid of debris that might clog the nozzle. With the company's Forestry monitor, nozzles are available in several adjustable gallonage models as well as fixed-orifice, fixed-bore tips, stacked tips, and compressed air foam system (CAFS) tips. Read more 774 0 The Stryker Stair-Pro Posted: Jul 8, 2013 The Stryker Stair-Pro By Raul A. Angulo One of the great inventions in the history of mankind was spurred from the question, "How can we make hard work easier?" So someone (probably an ancient truckie) invented the wheel. My favorite vignette about the invention of the wheel is from Gilligan's Island, a popular comedy TV series from the 1960s. In a dream scene, the castaways are prehistoric cavemen. The professor is trying to convince them that the wheel will be his greatest invention and is the most important item to take on a trip. In the next scene, the professor is fervently chiseling a wheel from a large stone. Once it's finished, he demonstrates it to Gilligan. But instead of rolling it, he flips the wheel on its side. Frustrated with failure, he throws the hammer and chisel over his shoulder and says, "Aw! Wheel not work!" Luckily, whoever invented the wheel actually used it the right way, and EMTs nationwide are grateful for that when transporting patients from their point of origin to awaiting rigs. (1) The Stryker Stair-Pro 6252 is built with thick-wall, square- channeled aluminum for strength, yet it is lightweight. It weighs 31.5 pounds and has a 500-pound weight capacity. The oversized caster wheels maximize mobility in tight spaces. The entire unit is power-washable for easy decon. (Photos by author).   In a previous issue, I reviewed the Stryker Power-Pro™ XT gurney. The Stryker Stair-Pro® Model 6252 stair chair is the companion unit that is a "must have" vital piece of EMS equipment. Firefighters and EMTs perform a wide variety of rescue and extrication techniques that require the use of some sort of equipment. Most take place in potentially dangerous situations or in uncontrolled hazardous environments. But one rescue technique, which contributes to a high number of back injuries, is a common procedure that occurs in a safe, benign environment-manually transporting a patient up or down a flight of stairs. Scene Size-Up When my company is dispatched to a medical emergency, we usually know the nature of the call from the run sheet. I have two lead firefighter/EMTs who will head up patient care. As a company officer, part of my job is to size up the nonmedical components of the incident to ensure scene safety. Scene safety is not limited to immediate threats to the patient and the crew like those encountered at a shooting or a motor vehicle accident on a freeway. Scene safety is also accident prevention and predicting actions that may lead to a back injury or a sprained ankle of a crew member during patient packaging and transport to the ambulance. (2) The patient foot rest has hook-and-loop straps to secure the patient's feet to the chair while descending the stairs. The foot- end extendable handles are molded for better grip and control. The handle's length and location provide the best position for proper ergonomic lifting.   Ground-level incidents or those inside multistory buildings with wheelchair access and elevators pose little risk or difficulty during patient transport. The gurney is the preferred tool of choice. The problems occur when responding to single-family residences. Even a one-story house on a hill with a l Read more 693 0 NFPA 1917, Standard for Automotive Ambulances Posted: Jul 8, 2013 NFPA 1917, Standard for Automotive Ambulances Mike McEvoy In 2008, the United States General Services Administration (GSA) announced that it would no longer revise and maintain its KKK Star-of-Life ambulance purchasing specification. Since 1974, the KKK specification has been used by federal agencies and organizations purchasing ambulances using federal grant monies. The government looked to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)-an organization with a long history of developing industry consensus standards, especially for public safety entities-to pick up the ball and develop a standard to replace the KKK specification. This turned out to be easier said than done. Varying Standards The KKK specification, now in its sixth iteration (called KKK-A-1822F, published in August 2008), was originally designed as a purchasing specification (i.e., a template for writing ambulance bid solicitations) yet has been extensively cited and adopted by almost two-thirds of the states as a de facto ambulance safety standard. Although certainly not unsafe, KKK never included specific practices for designing, building, and testing ambulances. ASTM International (formerly known as the American Society for Testing and Materials) is a safety organization and publishes an industry consensus standard, F2020-02a, which outlines standard ambulance design, manufacturing, and purchasing practices. The Ambulance Manufacturers Division (AMD) of the National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA) publishes manufacturing standards for ambulances (standard 001-025) that specify static load testing of the ambulance body, stretcher mounts, and onboard oxygen cylinder mounts/straps. The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) publishes recommendations for testing passenger restraint systems and equipment mounts to protect against frontal and side-impact collisions. Sadly in the United States, ambulances have always been exempt from the federal motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSS), which serve to protect passenger lives and safety in most other vehicles on the highway. To varying degrees, the KKK specification has evolved to include many AMD recommendations. Currently 25 AMD test standards appear in KKK. Others, such as ASTM, evolved to reflect the requirements of KKK. The challenge facing the NFPA 1917 committee was to develop a standard that not only incorporated purchasing specifications with design and testing standards but also reflected scientifically sound automotive safe engineering practices. This was further complicated by the proprietary nature of the many existing standards and a virtually nonexistent body of scientific evidence recommending best practices for the design and manufacture of a safer ambulance. Patient Compartment Study That's not to say that no one is working to analyze the patient compartment in an effort to make it a safer environment for patients and EMS providers. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has been working with AMD to study passenger restraints and stretcher mounting devices for more than a decade. More recently, driven by concerns of multiple EMS advocacy groups, NIOSH has partnered with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to redesign the layout of the ambulance patient compartment to make it safer while still allowing providers to care for a patient during transport. During NFPA 1917's initial development, none of the NIOSH or NIST research had progressed to the point necessary for inclusion in a published standard. The NFPA 1917 committee first met in June 2009, using NFPA 1901, Standard for Automotive Apparatus, as a template for its initial design of an ambulance standard. The committee considered creating a completely new standard to include crash restraint and safety technologies, but the dearth of sound crash testing studies virtually forced the committee to work with the existing KKK standard and do its bes Read more 810 0 Apparatus/Equipment News Posted: Jul 8, 2013 Apparatus/Equipment News KME 102-foot AerialCat™ platform offers short wheelbase and overall lengths and low travel heights. The platform itself has been redesigned to offer 22.6 square feet of clear work space. The new platform also offers 6.7 square feet of external working space. The parapet ladder access is provided at both sides of the platform, and it offers a movable platform control station, which allows for control of the device from the left, right, and center of the platform for easy operation. The KME AerialCat platform can offer an unrestricted 3,000-gpm waterflow option, achieved with a complete six-inch waterway and 100,000-psi steel ladder. It also offers a 94-foot horizontal reach, a 2.5:1 structural safety ratio, and -12 degree below-grade operation. -www.kovatch.com, 570-669-9461 Waterous ACCESS™ pump module has a hinged top of the module, allowing access from the top to service or perform maintenance to the module. Also, removable panels on the right and left side and a swing-out foam proportioner enable further access. The ACCESS pump module can be equipped with the ONE STEP™ CAFSystem and the seven-inch SMARTPANEL™ Control System. -www.waterousco.com, 651-450-5000 Elkhart Brass SafeLink single touchscreen interface integrates pump, valve, and monitor control into a single intuitive touchscreen. Developed in partnership with FRC, SafeLink lets operators manage all components in one central location, allowing firefighters to focus on directing water flow where they need it. SafeLink provides full engine governor controls, multiple valve control and operation, an intuitive 24-inch touchscreen, 1920- by 1080-pixel resolution, durable military spec enclosure, live camera feed video display, and extensive memory technology. -www.elkhartbrass.com, 574-295-8330 Scott Safety AV-3000 HT Facepiece uses the AV-3000 SureSeal platform to deliver thermal durability and improved voice intelligibility. This allows the product to meet the requirements of National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1981, Standard on Open-Circuit Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) for Emergency Services, (2013 ed.) including those requirements for high heat and flame, radiant heat, and voice intelligibility. The AV-3000 HT features redesigned ducts, voicemitter locations, and dual voicemitters that enhance the facepiece communication to everyone in close proximity of the wearer, not just the individuals directly in front of the user. The AV-3000 HT enables right or left side mounting of Scott's EPIC 3 voice amplifiers to allow users to select the side they prefer. The facepiece flexes with every move and ensures firefighters can use one facepiece with a single fit test for all of their respiratory applications. -www.scottsafety.com, 800-247-7257 Read more 864 0 Letters to the Editor Posted: Jul 8, 2013 Letters to the Editor EMISSIONS EQUIPMENT NOT COSTING BILLIONS I read with interest the "Fire Industry Today" column by Richard Young in the May 2013 issue of Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment. In the last couple of paragraphs, he references his position on diesel exhaust emission regulations. I must disagree with him. I wrote on this subject last year and expressed my support for the fire service reducing emissions from fire apparatus, which would result in significant reductions of firefighter exposure to harmful chemicals. This is not in dispute. I am puzzled at Young's assertions as he offers no analytical or technical support for his position. It has been necessary to use computers to diagnose diesel engines and automatic transmissions for more than 25 years (1988 Detroit Diesel DDEC 1, and 1987 Allison ATEC transmissions). To suggest that exhaust emissions equipment on fire apparatus is costing billions of dollars is irresponsible and just plain not so! I have operated nearly 600 transit buses with DPFs or DPFs with SCR for several years. It is noteworthy that the SCR engines are actually getting better fuel economy than 2002 and 2003 model year engines. Sure, there have been a few problems, but we understand there are maintenance implications that we have successfully implemented with excellent reliability. Owning nearly 700 Cummins engines affords me access to the technical people at Cummins. They tell me they have no reports of any engine shutting down or having a problem that caused a life safety situation on the fireground. There is no question that there are increased maintenance costs associated with emissions equipment on any vehicle, including fire apparatus. But, that can be said for many things we use today. I believe the benefits are worth it. Vince Pellegrin Chief Operating Officer Metro Transit, Minneapolis, Minnesota Read more 777 0 RSS FirstPrevious919920921922923924925926927928Next Theme picker 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