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The purpose of the Fire Mechanics Section is to promote standardization of fire apparatus and equipment preventative maintenance, improve safety standards and practices, promote workshops, conferences, and seminars related to the purposes of this Section, and to promote cost savings through standardization of building and equipment purchasing and maintenance.

RECENT FIRE MECHANIC NEWS

Posted: Jul 8, 2021

Shreveport (LA) Invests $1.6M in Three New Fire Engines

The Shreveport (LA) Fire Department recently received three new engines at a cost of $1.6 million.

According to an article published by the Shreveport Times, the engines where delivered on Tuesday and are equipped with the latest equipment, including active air purification systems. The apparatus will be replacing units that date back to 1987 and 1989.

The purchase of the engines will help keep all the city’s fire stations open, the paper reported.

City officials are saying the purchase of the new engines is part of an initiative to end gun violence in Shreveport and make the city a safer place, the paper reported.

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Posted: Jul 8, 2021

New Main Fire Station for Round Lake (NY) Fire Department Reflects Look of Nearby National Register Historic District

By Alan M. Petrillo

Round Lake (NY) Fire Department, which protects 20 square miles encompassing the village of Round Lake, the town of Malta, and part of the town of Ballston, had outgrown its main station, a 40-year-old pre-engineered metal Butler-type building in need of extensive renovation and that lacked the space needed to house the department’s larger and heavier fire vehicles, including a 75-foot aerial ladder quint. The department turned to Bonacio Construction Inc. to build a new station under a design-build contract.

Round Lake’s new main station has three back-in apparatus bays, and one double-deep, drive-through bay to accommodate a 75-foot aerial ladder quint.

“The towns of Malta and Ballston have grown tremendously in the last 20 years,” says Fred Sievers, Round Lake’s past chief and chair of the building committee. “The village has 700 residents, and there are 22,000 in the surrounding district. We wanted the new station to encompass the design of hot and cold zones, which was not possible in our older main station. Round Lake Hose Company, a non-profit corporation, engaged Bonacio, and we worked with them to interview three architects. We chose Balzer & Tuck Architecture because of their willingness to work with us on the design to reflect the adjacent Victorian historic district that’s on the National Register.”

Balzer & Tuck designed a new main station with a historical feel to mimic a nearby National Register Historic District for Round Lake (NY) Fire Department. (Photos courtesy of David Miller for Balzer & Tuck.)

Shawn Corp, senior associate at Balzer & Tuck, says the architects met with department representatives several times to discuss the layout of the new station. “There was great communication on the project,” Corp note

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Posted: Jul 8, 2021

Photo of the Day: July 8, 2021

Midwest Fire—Savage (MN) Fire Department tanker. Freightliner M2 106 cab and chassis; Cummins L9 350-hp engine; Hale HP300X 375-gpm portable pump; All-Poly™ construction; APR polypropylene 2,000-gallon water tank; three Newton 10-inch square electric dump valves with telescoping chutes; Zico electric portable tank carrier. Dealer: Joseph Juhl, Midwest Fire, Luverne, MN.

MORE FIRE APPARATUS ARTICLES>>

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Posted: Jul 8, 2021

Winner Announced for 2021 VCOS Training Officer Recognition Award Sponsored by Vector Solutions

The International Association of Fire Chiefs’ (IAFC) Volunteer & Combination Officers Section (VCOS), in partnership with Vector Solutions, the leading provider of computer-based training and operational management applications for public safety agencies, are proud to announce Volunteer Training Coordinator James Hedrick of the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department (Virginia) as the recipient of the 2021 VCOS Training Officer Recognition Award. The award honors training officers for exemplary conduct and dedication to their fire department’s training program.

Chief Norvin Collins, VCOS Board Member and Training Officer Recognition Award Committee Member stated, “The VCOS Board and Award Committee are again pleased to partner with Vector Solutions for the annual Training Officer Recognition Award. During the past year, all response agencies were challenged with meeting ongoing community demand, in addition to COVID-19. This demand put additional stressors on the training of our responders. The Award Committee and Vector Solutions were very pleased at the quality and number of submissions for this award. The VCOS Board of Directors would like to offer their congratulations to this year’s recipient, James Hedrick.”

Hedrick has been responsible for coordinating and developing all operational training for the volunteer members of the 12 partner volunteer fire departments that are part of Fairfax County Fire and Rescue, which is 400 volunteer members strong. He has also been responsible for managing an adjunct instructor corps of more than 40 part-time instructors and scheduling all basic training classes including introductory training, EMT basic, Firefighter (I & II as a package), EVOC, Driver Operator, recertification classes, required recurrent training and new skills training. He is a retired career battalion chief from Fairfax County and now a civilian, so he has been able to leverage his experience as a command officer to train volunteers sitting for the lieutenant’s exam and other leadership positions and is able to teach any class including 1403 burns.

When COVID-19 started, things dramatically changed at the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Academy. Volunteer Training Coordinator Hedrick immediately took several steps to adjust the training of volunteers to allow for the continuation of training including:

  • The move of all classes possible to Zoom to allow for continued training.
  • Utilization of the Vector Solutions platform, formerly known as TargetSolutions, for testing, as able, per class.
  • Adjusting classes that required in-person activity such as CPR by moving most of it to online learning and creating a drive-through process in the high bay to allow members to pull in, do their skills, and drive out, minimizing exposure to all involved.
  • Created a modularized process for completing the state requirements for EMT.
  • Transferred many smaller evaluation tasks to the volunteer chiefs at the station level.
  • Moved forward with an online tablet-based training and testing process for EMT-B that is accepted by the Commonwealth of Virginia to allow for safer EMT training.  

Through his efforts, Fairfax County graduated more than 70 new EMTs, on-boarded more than 150 new members, held monthly recertification training such as CPR and offered suppression training and EVOC all with reduced capacity because of COVID-19.

 “Jim’s impact on the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department has been immense; he is a consummate leader – promoting, developing and encouraging the next level of firefighters and leaders, all while quietly sitting in the background and not wanting any spotlight on him,” said Shawn Stokes, Chairman of the Fairfax County Volunteer Fire Commission. “His impact and legacy can be seen every day in the number of members, volunteer and career, in the right front seat of our rigs making a

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Fire Mechanics Section Board

Chair

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Chair

Elliot Courage
North Whatcom Fire & Rescue
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Vice Chair

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Vice Chair

Mike Smith 
Pierce County Fire District #5
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Secretary

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Secretary

Greg Bach
South Snohomish County Fire & Rescue
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Director #1

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #1

Doug Jones
South Kitsap Fire & Rescue
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Director #2

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #2

Paul Spencer 
Fire Fleet Maintenance LLC
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Director #3

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #3

Jim Morris
Mountain View Fire Department
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Director #4

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #4

Arnie Kuchta

Clark County Fire District 6

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Director #6

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #6

Brett Annear
Kitsap County Fire District 18
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Director #5

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #5

Jay Jacks
Camano Island Fire & Rescue
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Legislative Representative

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Legislative Representative

TBD
TBD
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Immediate Past Chair

Posted: Oct 20, 2015

Immediate Past Chair

Brian Fortner
Graham Fire & Rescue

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