Bill Adams

When writing apparatus purchasing specifications, many fire departments procure the services of individuals or entities not affiliated with the fire department-outsiders. Except for those purchasing apparatus regularly, most departments don't have personnel with the time or expertise to spec out today's complex, expensive, and multiagency-regulated fire apparatus. Even in larger municipalities with career purchasing departments, the fire department is expected to, at a minimum, provide the technical verbiage for the "nuts and bolts"-all the parts, pieces, and accoutrements comprising a new rig. Seeking assistance is admirable; not doing so is questionable; and doing a poor job may be inexcusable. Good luck.

Historically, a preferred vendor always "helped" a purchaser write the specifications. Being the chosen one makes that vendor extremely happy for obvious reasons needing no further elaboration. Although the practice of vendors writing purchasing specifications is commonplace, most on the fire side do not or will not address the issue. Those who believe the subject, if not broached, will quietly go away are sadly mistaken. Documented indiscretions, irregularities, and conflicts of interest in the public bidding arena abound. Whether having a potential bidder write purchasing specifications for a political subdivision is legally, ethically, or politically correct is a matter left to the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ). It is not addressed herein.

A word of caution for fire departments: It may be immaterial whether a claim of wrongdoing is true or not. The mere seriousness of a charge made in the public arena may do irreparable damage to a fire department's reputation. Tread lightly and carefully in the legal purchasing arena. Municipal fiscal uncertainty, political correctness in the media, and aggressive marketing because of declining apparatus sales have changed the marketplace.

Definitions

There are professional and degreed consultants who evaluate and prepare formal reports evaluating a community's fire protection resources that may include recommending purchases, fire station location, staffing, training, and so on. We are not talking about them. My definition of a fire apparatus consultant is one who advises on, writes specifications for, and recommends component parts for a fire truck purchase. In this article, a consultant and a specification writer (spec writer) are synonymous. Both are outsiders.

My interpretation of a spec writer is someone knowledgeable enough on a subject to put it to pen and paper in a manner understandable to all potential bidders. Spec writers are not necessarily consultants; they can be just scribes. Proficiency in the mechanics of proper grammar and not brutalizing the King's English notwithstanding, just who are these outsiders who write fire truck specifications? They've been called experts and consultants. A consultant can be an adviser, a mentor, and a counselor. An expert is considered someone who is proficient and knowledgeable. There are also pundits and commentators. A pundit can be a specialist or a guru. A commentator is a critic, an observer, and an analyst-it's a reporter-someone who is not generally held accountable. Who do you want to write your specifications-an expert, a pundit, a consultant, or a maharishi?

The point is that there is no single definition of who is a competent and capable fire apparatus spec writer. There are no written qualifications. There is no formal test to pass to become one. Acceptable qualifications are in the eyes of the beholder. Purchasers must determine the expertise they desire in a spec writer. If you are going to pick someone to help you spend a half a million to a million bucks on a fire truck, choose wisely. Hopefully, this article will help.

Reality

In addition to qualifications, purchasers should be explicit

By David Durstine

Has your department ever laid large-diameter hose (LDH) down the freeway at 65 miles per hour (mph)? Have you ever dumped a crosslay onto the sidewalk while taking a corner? Well, I can tell you first hand that it happens when you least expect it, and it can be prevented.

My department, a small rural volunteer department in central Ohio, was en route to a vehicle fire one Sunday afternoon when a simple gust of wind lifted a section of four-inch hose up off the hosebed of our engine. Before we knew what had happened, we laid 1,000 feet of four-inch hose right down the middle of a busy county road at 55 mph. This came much to our surprise when following apparatus called on the radio to notify us that we had no LDH on our engine.

This type of incident typically would not have happened to my department, but just days before we had performed our annual hose testing and decided it would be okay to leave our hosebed cover off to allow any remaining moisture in the hose to dry. In my case, it ended with a disgruntled crew of firefighters rolling and reloading 1,000 feet of four-inch hose and a department understanding the importance of hose restraints-but it could have ended much differently.

Hose Restraints

Prior to 2006, the traditional North American-style hosebed rarely had anything to restrain the hose from falling off the sides or the back. In fact, we often saw loops of hose hanging off the back of the hosebed as if yearning to escape. As with my department's situation, once one length begins to drag on the road it is liable to keep on going. The more hose that comes off, the more friction there is to pull the rest of the hose out of the bed. And with each section connected, there can be a lot of hose dragging behind the truck without the driver ever being aware.

In the best case, the driver looks in his mirror and notices the ribbon of hose left behind the truck. And just like in my department's case, it is just an inconvenience and embarrassment to the crew. In the worst case, the hose will whip its way down the street, leaving mayhem in its wake. This is what happened on August 19, 2004, to two young girls and their mother when the Coraopolis (PA) Volunteer Fire Department unknowingly drove down the street trailing hose behind it.

It was this incident that prompted the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Apparatus Committee to initiate an immediate change to the NFPA 1901, Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus and NFPA 1906, Standard for Wildland Fire Apparatuss in January 2006. This mandate required each new apparatus to have a means of restraining hose, whether stored in the main hosebed, or anywhere else on the apparatus. Fire Apparatus Manufacturers Association (FAMA) companies scrambled to come up with an effective means of keeping the hose where it belongs during travel. Fire departments soon weighed in with their own ideas, and today hose restraints are available in any number of shapes, sizes, colors, and designs. Besides the simple nets or straps secured with clips or hook-and-loop material, departments can select metal, vinyl, or even roll-up covers.

Pre-2006 Apparatus

So what about all those apparatus that were manufactured prior to 2006? Many fire chiefs, like my chief, have recognized the need to update their older apparatus. Restraint solutions suitable for retrofit onto older apparatus are available from most FAMA companies. Alternately, department safety officers can work with local canvas, tent and awning, or boat cover shops to custom fit their hosebeds with satisfactory restraints.

Hose restraints had been around in limited use for many years but until 2006 were still optional equipment. There is a definite parallel here with the introduction of automotive safety devices such as seat belts and air bags. These, too, were optional equipment for years before they were mandated

By Raul A. Angulo

No survival story has affected me more than Black Sunday when six FDNY firefighters were forced to jump for their lives from the fourth floor of a burning apartment building on January 23, 2005. Two firefighters were killed in the fall, four were critically injured, and only one would return to full duty.

The Bronx fire occurred in an old four-story, ordinary construction apartment building. The fire started in a unit on floor three and extended up to floor four. These firefighters were sent to floor four for search and rescue and to check for extension. They encountered moderate smoke but no sign of fire.

(1) Most bunker pants cargo pockets can accommodate 50 feet of 7.5-mm rope, a descender, and the Seattle Hook. Designating a cargo pocket as self-rescue pocket keeps your bailout system ready to deploy. (Photos by author.)

For some reason the attack line lost water so the exposure line on floor four was redirected back down to floor four. Firefighter Jeff Cool had the thermal imaging camera (TIC) and opened up a wall that was registering hot in the apartment directly above the fire unit. Fire immediately started coming through the hole and spread into the room. They called for another hoseline, but conditions turned ugly in seconds. Fire extended from floor to ceiling into the hallway and the apartment, trapping the firefighters on the fourth floor.

What should have been one apartment was illegally subdivided into multiple smaller units, creating a labyrinth of walls and rooms that hid their normal egress routes to the fire escape. The firefighters were forced to four separate windows. With the intense heat and flames, four firefighters rolled out and hoped for the best. Cool, who was with his partner, Firefighter Joe DiBernardo, had a personal rescue rope but no place to tie off. After a quick argument, they decided since Cool had a wife and kids, he would go first. DiBernardo stepped on the rope and wrapped it around his arm to belay Cool as he rappelled down, but Cool lost his grip and fell 40 feet to the pavement, breaking almost every bone in his body. DiBernardo tied the rope off to a window guard and tried to lower himself down, but the rope broke and he also fell, landing feet first and breaking every bone below his waist.

Cool, though severely injured, fell only 40 feet at grade level. Because there was a basement and a below-grade walkway on the C side of this building, it added an extra 10 feet to that side. Unfortunately, five firefighters fell in this space, making it a 50-foot fall that killed Lieutenants Curtis Meyran and John Bellew and severely injured Firefighters Eugene Stolowski and Brendan Cawley. DiBernardo died in 2011 from long-lasting complications of the injuries he sustained on Black Sunday. His death was finally ruled to be in the line of duty.

(2) If your bunker pants don't have a built-in harness, you can assemble or purchase a class 1 harness and lay it over your inside liners and boots. As you step into your boots, you're stepping into your harness without disturbing the integrity of your bunker gear. With one carabiner, you can clip your harness into your descender, which is connected to your hook. Your system is ready to deploy.

Personal Escape Systems

I saw the four survivors give their gut-wrenching presentation at the Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC). I remember feeling physically ill as they explained in detail the fall,

By Robert Tutterow

Warning-reading this column may be hazardous to your emotional state of mind.

Two recent events have provided information that takes many of us out of our comfort zone in the way we attack fires and protect ourselves while doing it. The first event was the "2013 Kill the Flashover" (KTF) project at the South Carolina Fire Academy. The second event, two weeks later, was the 2013 F.I.E.R.O. Biennial Fire PPE Symposium in Raleigh, North Carolina. In this month's column, I will cover KTF and next month the PPE Symposium.

Changing Roles

KTF, under the leadership of Chief Joe Starnes, looks at fire behavior in a different way. KTF does not claim that fire behavior has changed. Rather, it shows that through understanding air track management, the fire behavior can be managed in a way that makes for much more effective and safer fire attack. The results of KTF perfectly dovetail with the recent findings in a series of live fire burns by Underwriters' Laboratories (UL).

Based on this scientific research, the traditional role of truck companies could change 180 degrees. Rather than "opening" a burning structure, the research is revealing it is more effective to "close" and compartmentalize the structure. This method is more effective for fire extinguishment. It is safer for the occupants. And, it is safer for firefighters. Future truck company work might include installing portable doors for confinement rather than creating openings. What are portable doors? Think of a spread bar with a flame retardant fabric attached to it. It operates on the same principle as a shower curtain, except the rod is expandable. Another huge benefit of understanding air track management is that extremely hot fires can be extinguished with very small amounts of water.

Phoenix (AZ) Fire Department Chief (Ret.) Alan Brunacini was in attendance at the recent KTF project. His initial comment was that the emerging information was like going to college "back in the day." He was referring to a generation or so ago when the fire service and a college education were seldom used in the same sentence.

KTF 2013 was unique in that it went well beyond using thermal couplers for monitoring the fire environment. It also had 11 video cameras capturing a visual image of the fire behavior (air track management) and subsequent extinguishment.

Thermal imaging cameras (TICs) were a key tool in KTF. The fires were constantly monitored from both the interior and the exterior. It occurred to me that at least three TICs should be used from the "get-go" on every structural fire. The first arriving unit on the scene should use one while conducting the 360-degree fire size-up. A TIC should remain in use on the exterior until extinguishment. In fact, a TIC should always be used any time firefighters enter an immediate danger to life or health (IDLH) atmosphere. Of course, the interior crews should have a TIC. And, the rapid intervention team (RIT) team should be equipped and monitoring the scene with a TIC.

Air Track Management

The principles of KTF come from the research and teachings of John Taylor from the United Kingdom. However, the basis of his work stems from working with the Swedish Fire Service. He is the author of the book Smoke Burns, which every student of the fire service should read. Taylor has given presentations throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, and the United States. He attended the 2012 KTF as an advisor.

An understanding of air track management will keep firefighters out of dangerous environments, hence the name Kill the Flashover. It calls for aggressiveness but not foolish aggressiveness. It also advocates applying water as soon as possible, even if it requires the initial attack stream to be made through a window.

One observer, who attended KTF and the PPE Sympos

By Richard Marinucci

Since the use of a bucket brigade, the objective of fire departments, in most cases, has been to get enough water on the fire to extinguish it. Because of advances in technology, the bucket brigade is no longer used. There are other methods that have been improved and tweaked in equipment, apparatus, and fire pumps. From the bucket brigade, departments went to fire pumps powered by humans. Then steamers replaced people, theoretically, because firefighters were not needed to operate the pump. Obviously there have been many more advances to the point that fire pumps today can deliver more water than most departments can apply on a fire-with only one person required to engage the pump.

Besides the fire pump, other elements of water delivery have improved. Synthetic hose has replaced cotton to improve efficiency and reduce friction loss and weight. Different diameter hose is available. Nozzles have been improved to deliver more water at reduced pressures to help with deployment and maneuverability. Water additives and foams have been developed to improve water's extinguishing capabilities. Water can be delivered in more ways than ever: through deck guns, elevated streams, special nozzles, and other specialty items.

So, you ask, what does this mean? There are a few things to think about and consider.

Increased Choices

Obviously there are many more choices to make today. Organizations need to study and investigate all their options and choose based on their circumstances. Not everything available will help improve every department's capabilities. Besides knowing capabilities, organizations need to know their limitations. They also need to understand the benefits being gained and whether or not these benefits are worth the cost.

As with virtually everything being done in today's fire service, training is more important than ever. Having the appropriate equipment does not get the water to the fire. Properly trained firefighters make that happen. They must be efficient and effective in their operation. They need to practice with all the components to the point that proficiency is maintained based on acceptable standards established by the department. The training must also include lessons in determining which options are best to use in various situations. Although the basic premise of getting water on the fire seems simple, the equipment, apparatus, and staffing available create multiple choices. Add to them the changing fire environment, including construction and contents, and you begin to see that the simple process of delivering water can be more complex when considering efficiency and effectiveness.

Water Delivery

Let's start with the apparatus and pump. What size pump do you really need on your vehicles? The trend is to get fire engines that deliver the most possible water, and most vehicles today exceed 1,500 gallons per minute (gpm). Although it may be difficult to argue against getting the most capacity as the cost of increasing pump size can be relatively small, organizations should at least consider their capabilities based on staffing and water supplies.

There are some organizations that, because of water supply limitations or inadequate staffing, cannot deliver 1,500 gpm from a single apparatus. To carry this further, they may not have a fire problem that requires this capability. But, I doubt if many departments consider their capabilities and try to match their equipment, apparatus, and personnel. This could be because it is a minor issue in the overall scope of the service. Yet a professional organization should not get in the habit of always doing what it has always done just because.

Hose Deployment

Deploying hose is something personnel should continually practice to improve efficiencies and time. Organizations should know the amount of time it will take to stretch various h

By Richard Young
Founder
Performance Advantage Company

The January issue of Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment contained the Editor's Opinion, "Apparatus Crashes Are Plain Unacceptable," which was very good but did not emphasize the personal responsibility of the driver and officer. How many firefighters recognize the extent of their own personal responsibility if they drive recklessly? The facts of what it costs to drive stupid have to be hammered home.

Spartan Motors provided to the Fire Department Safety Officers Association (FDSOA) Apparatus Symposium its compliance leader, Wesley D. Chestnut, to talk about emergency vehicles and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). I was in awe of the complexity of emissions controls on fire trucks. He further commented on what must be done to meet guidelines set up by others who think they know what is best for fire trucks. Frankly, I feel nauseous looking at the complexity of firefighting tools, which is exactly what a fire truck is.

Richard Marinucci's January 2013 Chief Concerns column, "The Fire Engine's Expanding Mission," hit the nail on the head. The first concern of fire apparatus design is to have available the multitude of tools and equipment they must carry. Guess what? The space lost from accommodating emission control equipment is priceless. The ever expanding mission, as Marinucci calls it, is growing daily. As it becomes more of a challenge for short-staffed volunteers to properly respond to all kinds of emergencies, the fire apparatus they need must have "everything but the kitchen sink" on them. Where do you put all these essential tools?

Precedent

When I was president of the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers Association (FAMA) more than 45 years ago, there was a major change coming to the fire service that no one in the industry could foresee. All of a sudden, the Department of Transportation (DOT) insisted on clearance lights on fire trucks along with reflectors. None of the truck builders could even imagine such a thing happening. Even FAMA, which was a singular association then, decided we should join the truck body and equipment association, which had information desperately needed by FAMA members.

Back in about 1966, I was asked, as president of FAMA, to make a presentation to the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) in Wentworth by the Sea, Maine. I advised the group that new regulations were forcing truck manufacturers to add clearance lights and reflectors to all fire trucks. It was shocking to have the president of the IAFC accuse all fire truck manufacturers of joining together so we could charge them more money for a fire truck. The main point of this story is that no one in the fire service, including the IAFC, saw this somewhat foolish requirement coming. What's more, there was no input from the fire industry. Everyone was caught flatfooted.

Oppose Where Proper

Speed up to the present runaway emission standards. The imposition of this very debatable requirement seems to have been accepted by the fire service-without opposition. With no opposition from the fire service itself, the fire apparatus manufacturers have no choice but to do whatever is required. The added costs are burdensome to manufacturers as well as buyers of apparatus. I may be wrong, but I will bet that meeting emission standards for fire trucks has not cost millions of dollars but that the cost is in the billions.

Can anyone regulate emissions from a junk yard fire? How about a tire storage facility? How about a 2,000-acre wildfire? Why burden fire trucks so much that a great mechanic cannot keep them running without a computer? Why should the fire service accept mechanical complexity that is pure nonsense and in many ways exceptionally expensive?

Maybe I don't know what is going on, but I see a need for a technical commi

By Chris Mc Loone

It's not easy to turn on the news without watching or listening to a story dealing with the federal budget. Many fire departments rely on various grant programs to secure funding for apparatus upgrades, personal protective equipment (PPE), firefighting and rescue equipment, and other aspects of their operations. One piece of good news recently is that sequestration will not affect FY2012 or prior grant awards. FY2013 is another story, however. For any fire department that has not sat down to take a hard look at how it operates, now is the time. Sequestration and fiscal cliffs are simply examples of the dangers of operating without a plan for what to do if government funds evaporate.

I recently spoke with Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment "To the Rescue" columnist Carl Haddon on my radio show, Talking Trucks & Equipment. I asked him to come on the show to talk about the challenges rural fire departments face regarding apparatus and equipment. As the show got underway, Haddon related how his department is prepared to operate at a structure fire for at least the first 45 minutes because the closest mutual-aid company is 22 miles away. Additionally, its first-out apparatus is a 1982 Ford/Darley. The conversation turned to personnel, funding, training, and equipment. In short, it isn't easy running a rural fire department these days.

That is not to say that it's any easier running a large municipal department or a medium-size volunteer department. We're all experiencing the same issues, but for our rural departments, these problems are exacerbated by their locale, population, and tax base.

What struck me during our conversation is that Haddon's department is not slowing. It continues to move forward, maintaining what it has, taking advantage of opportunities as they arise, and doing this always with the safety of its firefighters in mind. There is no question his department uses aging equipment and may at some point be forced into a situation where it has no choice but to bite the bullet and upgrade an apparatus based on need, not desire.

No fire company should be operating based on an influx of federal funds that could, realistically, disappear at any time. Grant funding isn't easy to come by. There are fewer dollars, and the requirements to qualify for them are more stringent today-many times tied into training, which is a whole other piece of the puzzle. Whether it is equipment, apparatus, firefighting equipment, or PPE, fire departments should be planning responsibly.

With that said, Haddon cited an example of how things do happen unexpectedly that force companies to completely reevaluate their plans. His department had been saving for some time to replace one of its apparatus. All of a sudden, it found itself in charge of the Mustang Complex fire of 2012. In one day of paying for mutual-aid resources from outside the area, the company wiped out $100,000 of its savings for a new truck. So, even the best-laid plans can be blown up when you least expect it.

Operating a fire department goes beyond funding. Even well-funded fire departments can easily find themselves in trouble if they are not responsible and they do not plan. Planning is key. Set budgets and stick to them. Applying for grants can be part of any plan, but don't base the rest of your strategy on securing the funds. Grant funds should be part of Plan B.

Look into group buys. Another point Haddon made was that he discovered there are many fire departments just like his. If you look around, I'm sure you'll find fire departments similar to your own. Contact them. Meet up with them and investigate how setting up a group purchase might help you replace some of your PPE or self-contained breathing apparatus at a reduced cost.

The next time you spec out an apparatus, don't build a parade piece. There are many "nice to have" options, but are they

Alan M. Petrillo

The Lafayette Township Fire Protection District, in Floyds Knobs, Indiana, was on the verge of putting out specs for a new pumper when it heard from the Insurance Services Organization (ISO), the national agency that rates fire departments, that Lafayette Township's rating had been upgraded. However, along with the upgrade came a recommendation that the department add a reserve pumper to increase its overall pumping capacity.

(1-2) After the ISO recommended that Lafayette Township Fire Protection District in Floyds Knobs, Indiana, increase its pumping capacity, the district purchased a pumper and pumper- tanker from Toyne. (Photos courtesy of Toyne.)

Planning for Everything

Jeremy Klein, Lafayette Township's chief, says a lot of thought, energy, and effort had gone into preparing the specifications for the pumper to be bid, and with the ISO recommendation, they had to do it all again for another vehicle. "We have a vehicle replacement plan that takes our area into consideration," Klein says. "We have everything across the board-rural farmland, suburban residential, strip malls, commercial, and light industrial. Some of the areas are hilly and some residential areas have houses that are single-story in front and three stories in the back."

Klein notes Lafayette Township has a lot of hydrants on the south side of its district but fewer on its north side. "And, we have a lot bigger properties on the north side with longer driveways, so our vehicles have to carry a fair amount of hose," he says. "This would be our first-line pumper, so we wanted it to carry a lot of ground ladders but still have 1,000 gallons of water."

(3) The Toyne pumper-tanker carries a Zico hydraulic rack that handles a 2,100-gallon portable tank. (Photo courtesy of Toyne.)

Klein says the truck committee also wanted the vehicle to have full depth and height compartments on both sides, a rear suction inlet, and a light tower and to have it built on a custom chassis. "We wanted this pumper to be an all-around vehicle," Klein adds.

Adding the pumper recommended by the ISO meant a change in thinking for the department. It had a 1995 S&S International 2,500-gallon tanker that was nearing replacement, so the committee chose to spec a pumper-tanker-the first for the department. "We downsized a bit on the water tank specs to a 2,000-gallon water tank but added a 1,500-gallon-per-minute (gpm) pump," Klein observes. "We also tried to make as many similarities in layout between the two vehicles as possible, with pump panels laid out the same and everything in the same places."

Awarding the Contracts

Lafayette Township bid the two vehicles separately but at the same time and awarded both contracts to Toyne. Mike Watts, Toyne's national sales manager, says the company had not worked with Lafayette Township before but had built "an almost identical pumper for a neighboring department that does mutual aid with them. It was a vehicle with a big pump and water tank, large compartments, lots of ground ladders and lights, and carrying a lot of hose-a true multipurpose vehicle."

(4) Ladder storage on Lafayette Township's Toyne pumper is through th Read more 932 0 Five Questions for Harold Boer, President of Rosenbauer America Posted: May 1, 2013 Five Questions for Harold Boer, President of Rosenbauer America Chris Mc Loone CM: What do you think has led to the success of the Commander chassis? HB: I think some of it is the background work we did in the design and engineering of it. We spent a full year going around to fire departments, getting their input on it, and showing them some preliminary designs. Also, we worked with our own in-house engineers and we contracted to some outside engineering specialists, who had engineers who had come from other chassis manufacturers. So, they had the do's and the donts and the "best of" types of things from different chassis and they incorporated a lot of those into our design. And also the commitment of our dealers when they had their own chassis to sell and promote-our dealers were a very big part of the success of this. We also had large order from Saudi Arabia, which saw the design and bought into it right away. CM: What's next for Rosenbauer America? HB: We don't have any major projects on the horizon. Right now we want to just focus on efficiencies and enhance and improve some of the current features we have. In Europe, they introduce new products about every five years at Interschutz. In the United States, the Americans try to introduce new products at FDIC and a lot of times, Americans end up designing something just so they can introduce something. Right now we're going to hold off on any new major introductions for a few years and really fine tune what we have, become more efficient at it, take some cost out of things, and hopefully reduce costs for the fire departments. CM: What do you think is the most important innovation in the fire service during the past five years? HB: I think in the past five years it's the introduction of electronics throughout the fire industry, primarily in fire apparatus. Everything is electronic. The emissions on the chassis are controlled by electronics, electronic governors, the foam systems have electronics, the aerials have electronics. LED lighting even has electronics-you can program different flash patterns. The advent of all the electronics and LED lighting that are introduced on fire apparatus today, to me, is the biggest thing that's come. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards are updated about every five years. Those standards were written around all the analog systems and dial gauges. With technology in electronics moving so fast, it's hard to adapt the electronics to meet the old NFPA standards-when you talk about size of numbers, size of gauges, things like that. We can make the control panels a lot smaller now with electronics. But, the old NFPA standards still say that the access panel has to be so big, for example. It is difficult for the NFPA standards to keep up with the electronics because they move so fast. By the time a standard is written, the technology may already be obsolete. CM: What do you think is the biggest issue facing the fire service today, and how should we address it? HB: There are a few issues that are facing the fire service. One, obviously, is funding. The federal and local budgets are being cut and are really being held back. So, that's an issue all the way around. I'm not sure how to address that. The volunteers always have their fundraisers, but volunteers get tired of holding fundraisers so they can buy themselves protective clothing. In some areas, the luster of being a firefighter has worn off a little bit. They're not seen as the heroes like they once were-like after 9/11. That has changed a little bit. I'm not real sure how to get that back. Maybe more visibility by the fire service, doing good public service type of things in the community. To me, that's the biggest thing. CM: What keeps you up at night? HB: Probably the biggest thing Read more 814 0 Apparatus/Equipment News Posted: May 1, 2013 Apparatus/Equipment News Newtex Industries Z-Flex® Silver™ multilayer aluminized fabric system combines Z-Flex Multilayer Aluminization (MLA™) technology with a proprietary 3D Mock Knit™ fabric featuring PBI flame-resistant fibers. Z-Flex Silver is a five-layer outer shell composite that has been completely engineered to provide durable, comfortable protection from high-energy radiant heat. By reflecting back the heat, Z-Flex Silver allows close flame proximity while reducing the rate of heat absorption that can lead to thermal fatigue. The innovative Z-Flex Silver fabric starts with the Z-Flex MLA process that employs thin film vapor deposition technology to apply very fine, highly reflective aluminum particles to both sides of a high-temperature polymer film barrier. Z-Flex® films are designed to reflect up to 95 percent of radiant heat with zero flame or afterglow even when exposed to direct flame. -www.newtex.com, 800-836-1001 FLIR Systems, Inc. K-Series thermal imaging cameras (TICs) are designed for easier operation and better visibility. K-Series offers two models: the K40 with a 240×180 thermal detector and the high-resolution K50 with a 320×240 detector. Both TICs provide five imaging modes to optimize sensitivity for higher or lower temperature ranges, including search and rescue (SAR) and hotspot detection options. A bright four-inch LCD clearly shows detailed images and colorized isotherms generated by the various dynamic ranges. And, oversized buttons make it easy for gloved hands to quickly toggle through modes, press zoom, and access other functions. K-Series also features onboard image storage for up to 200 thermal JPEGs, which can be reviewed later from the camera's archive or exported via USB for reports. -www.FLIR.com, 877-773-3547 FoxFury Lighting Solutions Nomad Area-Spot light clamps mount to walls and vehicles. These clamps, along with the Nomad carrying bag, permit first responders and industrial professionals to easily store and retrieve the Nomad Prime and 360. This Nomad clamp system provides a safe and secure storage solution. Users have found, that properly mounted, these clamps enable the Nomad to function as a vehicle mounted light. Each set of two Nomad wall clamps secures the Nomad Prime or 360 lights to a wall or service vehicle via #10 bolts (not included). The Nomad can be removed or secured in fewer than 20 seconds, even if thick gloves are worn. The FoxFury Nomad Series Area-Spot lights are combination area lights and spot lights. -www.foxfury.com, 760-945-4231 Task Force Tips's (TFT) Hemisphere initial attack monitor offers a full hemisphere (360 degrees) field of attack, as well as an easy-to-use monitor base mount that attaches quickly and safely to a beam, a railing, a tank lip, a concrete barrier, or even a common trailer hitch. This monitor, when attached to a 2½- or three-inch attack line, delivers up to 500 gpm, with 200 (plus) pounds of nozzle reaction. Similarly, the Hemisphere's new "anti-drop" mechanism prevents operator errors. If the monitor is mounted upsid Read more 1078 0 Wearable Video Solutions Streamline Fire Investigations and Inspections Posted: May 1, 2013 Wearable Video Solutions Streamline Fire Investigations and Inspections Dave Poulin A picture is worth a thousand words, especially in fire investigations and inspections. Photographs have long served a critical role for fire investigators and inspectors by allowing them to document scenes to preserve important information. In recent years, the evolution of technology has brought digital video into the mix as well, which expands the ability to collect valuable data in the field. Not only does video capture information that photos may not, it also has numerous other benefits, including being especially effective in a courtroom. However, many popular consumer-grade video cameras are not suitable for use in fire service-video quality may be poor, especially in low-light conditions or bad weather, and the information may not be admissible in court because of chain of command requirements. While professional grade video equipment is another option, cameras may be too heavy and bulky for efficient field service, and the technology may be out of reach because of limited budgets. Wearable Solutions To overcome these challenges, today's modern fire service professionals are turning to industrial-grade wearable video solutions. Designed for first responders, these advanced tools can capture and store tamperproof video and audio to deliver an accurate and unbiased record. As wearable technology, the devices serve as total situational awareness and seamless digital information capture tools and important assets for fire scene investigators and inspectors. Engineered to collect information in a range of environments, wearable video solutions can capture information that might otherwise be missed. Optimized to record both day and night images, wearable video solutions built for industrial use can operate continuously for as much as five hours and produce high-resolution video. Complete with wide angle fish-eye views and built-in microphones, the latest wearable camera devices even feature gyroscopic stabilization and image distortion correction software and can allow for video playback while maintaining the evidence integrity of the original file. Wearable cameras built for industrial use also often offer a ruggedized form factor that is both dust- and water-resistant, which ensures a level of durability superior to consumer-grade models. (1) Designed for first responders, these advanced tools can capture and store tamper-proof video and audio to deliver an accurate and unbiased record. As wearable technology, the devices serve as total situational awareness and seamless digital information capture tools and important assets for fire scene investigators and inspectors. (Photo courtesy of Panasonic System Communications Company of North America.) Evidence When it comes to evidence recovery in the field, wearable video devices can be critical for investigators in the aftermath of a fire. According to the latest estimates on major fire causes, in 20111 United States fire rescue crews responded to an estimated 28,900 intentionally set home structure fires. In potential crime scene cases where intentional fires may have been set, wearable camera devices are especially useful because investigators can use footage from fire rescue operations to preserve hard-to-document early scene images that may prove critical to solving an investigation. These include bystanders, nearby vehicles, and other potential evidence that can be easily lost, moved, or forgotten in the confusion and panic at the scene of a fire. Once suspects have been identified and located, investigators can also use the footage to evaluate testimony provided during witness interviews. In prosecutions, fire investigation Read more 781 0 Controlling Handline Flow at the Nozzle Posted: May 1, 2013 Controlling Handline Flow at the Nozzle Alan M. Petrillo Nozzle technology has become so advanced, the firefighter on the nozzle has an array of options for choosing flow, stream, and even pressure. Manufacturers of nozzles have spent time through focus groups and voice-of-the-customer sessions with seasoned handline-using firefighters to determine how to provide better streams and allow for adjustments in flow, stream, and pressure. Final Stop Eric Combs, director of marketing for Elkhart Brass, characterizes the nozzle as an integral part of the fire suppression solution. "It's the last part in the whole system of the water supply, the pump, the pressure governor, and the hose," says Combs, "and all components have to work in concert with one another. If you change the pressure flow setting on the nozzle, it will have an effect on the system, including changing the flow on other devices in the system." Combs notes that Elkhart Brass engages in what it calls "active listening"-engaging with firefighters and fire departments face to face to determine what the industry wants out of nozzle performance. "The number one element that firefighters want from their nozzle is an effective fire stream every time they open it up," Combs says. He points out that a number of variables are at work in putting water on a fire through a nozzle: flow rate, stream quality, stream reach, and reaction force. "But at the end of the day, it's the gallons per minute (gpm) to remove British thermal units (Btus) that put the fire out," he adds. "That's where it's so important to know your flow and how your nozzle is performing." Elkhart Brass makes four types of nozzles for handline use, Combs says: deluge, fixed-gallonage, selectable, and automatic. He notes that adding foam, ultra high pressure, or compressed air foam (CAF) can improve the effectiveness of most nozzles even more than by using plain water. (1) Akron Brass Co.'s HydroFX nozzle incorporates a flow-sensing device in the waterway and displays water flow through colored LED lights placed on the nozzle body under the bail. (Photo courtesy of Akron Brass Co.) Simplicity Rod Carringer, chief marketing officer (CMO) for Task Force Tips (TFT), says firefighters have told TFT that they want their equipment to be simplified, robust, and easy to use. "The pendulum has swung from the long-time usage of only smoothbore tips a number of years ago toward combination nozzles," Carringer says. "Take a look at a rig today and you may see five or six defined attack lines with specific nozzles on them designed for two- or three-firefighter operation." David Durstine, vice president of marketing for Akron Brass Co., says his company also has reached out to firefighters for their input on nozzles and received many responses to keep the nozzle and its operation simple. "That's why we unveiled our new nozzle, the Hydro FX," Durstine says. "The Hydro FX incorporates a patent-pending flow-sensing device in the waterway that takes measurements of the water flow, correlates them against predetermined settings, and displays the flow rate via LED lights." Durstine says a predetermined flow rate might be 150 gpm at 100 pounds per square inch (psi). If the flow rate is at or above 150 gpm, the LED light on the nozzle sensor would be green. For a flow rate below 150 gpm but above the predetermined low-flow setting, a yellow LED would light up. If the flow drops below the low-flow setting, 100 gpm for instance, the LED goes to a red indicator. "Instead of guessing about the flow, a firefighter has visual indication of Read more 791 0 In the News Posted: May 1, 2013 In the News • SMEAL has announced that the Charlotte (NC) Fire Department's Ladder 23 achieved the milestone of responding to 40,423 calls in 10 years. The Smeal-built 105-foot rear-mount aerial ladder drove 177,000 miles-enough to travel around the world seven times. During that time, Ladder 23 has been through 1,890 gallons of oil, 158 tires, and 76,542 gallons of diesel fuel but only had 34 aerial-related work orders during the ten-year span. Captain Buddy Caldwell, of the Charlotte Fire Department, sums up the value of a reliable vehicle this way: "A truck is the firefighters' life for 24 hours when on shift. They trust that truck to be dependable, to get them to every call, and to function the way it's supposed to function when they get there. It's an integral part of their job. And it's all got to work." The truck is now in reserve status and was replaced by a new 2012 Smeal 105-foot rear-mount aerial. • GLOBE, DUPONT, and the NATIONAL VOLUNTEER FIRE COUNCIL (NVFC) have teamed up again to provide new gear to volunteer fire departments in need. The application period is now open for eligible departments to apply for up to four sets of gear. Up to 52 sets will be given away in 2013. To celebrate the company's 125th anniversary and say thank you to firefighters who dedicate themselves to protecting their communities, Globe partnered with DuPont and the NVFC in 2012 to launch a gear donation program. In all, 16 departments in the United States and Canada were awarded a total of 144 sets of gear. To be eligible to apply for a gear donation, departments must be all-volunteer, serve a population of 25,000 or less, be located in the United States or Canada and legally organized under state law, and be a department or individual member of the NVFC. Find full program criteria and apply at www.nvfc.org/globe-gear-donation. Applications are due by June 30, 2013. • MIAMI-DADE (FL) FIRE RESCUE'S Training Division recently took delivery of a Doron 660 Driver Simulator. This technology will allow firefighters to enhance their driving skills as well as increase their confidence when operating a fire engine. The Doron 660 can simulate 102 different computer-generated scenarios and will allow the instructor to modify and customize each one via a computer console. The simulator is encased in a life-size fire apparatus shell, which is fully equipped with lights and sirens. Firefighters can respond to situations ranging from driving in the rain at night to a barn fire to responding to a plane crash on a busy highway in the snow. The simulator can also test braking reaction times and evasion maneuvers. The new simulator will allow drivers to operate a fire apparatus in a controlled, safe environment without the fuel consumption and wear and tear that come with training on the road. • E-ONE announces that members of the Guil-Rand (NC) Fire Department and board of directors recently signed a contract for three new custom eMAX pumpers on Typhoon® chassis. "For years our department has survived by purchasing good, quality used apparatus, and we searched for two years before deciding to purchase new apparatus," says Brian Cox, Guil-Rand's chief. "These will be our first new trucks since 1996." Each new eMAX will feature a 780-gallon water tank, 1,500-gpm pump, 6-kW generator, Cummins® ISL 450-hp engine, enclosed ladder tunnel storage, dual canopy medical ca Read more 790 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