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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: Oct 21, 2024

Special Delivery Extra: East Litchfield (CT) Pumper

New England has a variety of station designs, ages, and locations. East Litchfield Fire Company’s station had a few challenges when it was designing its newest pumper, among them the height and width of the bay door as well as the rig’s angle of approach. The fire company turned to 4 Guys Fire Trucks to build an engine that would accommodate these restrictions, ending up with beaver tails at the top rear of the apparatus. Representatives from the manufacturer, dealer, and fire department sit down with Chris Mc Loone to discuss the rig and its design in depth. Also see our article on this rig at: 4 Guys Fire Trucks Builds Pumper to Fit 1949 Fire Station.

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Posted: Oct 21, 2024

Special Delivery Extra: East Litchfield (CT) Pumper

New England has a variety of station designs, ages, and locations. East Litchfield Fire Company’s station had a few challenges when it was designing its newest pumper, among them the height and width of the bay door as well as the rig’s angle of approach. The fire company turned to 4 Guys Fire Trucks to build an engine that would accommodate these restrictions, ending up with beaver tails at the top rear of the apparatus. Representatives from the manufacturer, dealer, and fire department sit down with Chris Mc Loone to discuss the rig and its design in depth. Also see our article on this rig at: 4 Guys Fire Trucks Builds Pumper to Fit 1949 Fire Station.

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Posted: Oct 21, 2024

Cramped Space, Long Response Times Prompt Middletown (CT) FD to Examine Need for Third Station

Cassandra Day
The Middletown Press, Conn.
(TNS)

Oct. 18—MIDDLETOWN — The Middletown Fire Department is looking into the feasibility of establishing a third station in the northern area of the city near the Cromwell town line not only to improve response time but also to handle new developments popping up on Route 3.

An analysis of the department and its infrastructure needs will be conducted to determine the best way to proceed.

A few things generated the idea, including the time it takes for downtown engines to travel to calls via Newfield Street (Route 3), a main route that is often congested, according to newly appointed Fire Chief Dave Albert.

Lack of space is also a significant consideration.

Middletown High School and other school buses cause heavy traffic on Route 3 twice daily, accidents can tie up two-lane Newfield Street, and rush hour often reduces travel to a crawl.

Like the city’s emergency dispatch center for fire, police, and medical emergencies surpassed its space capabilities years ago, causing cramped conditions, Albert said, so has the aging 533 Main St. firehouse built in 1899.

“We’re trying to come up with creative ways to maximize the space we have for the most frugal price,” he said.

A third station in the northern portion of the city has been needed for the past 15 years, the chief said. “It’s a big bite of the elephant to take on, per se,” he admitted.

“Tuttle Road, Little River (Lane), Woodlot (Lane) — that’s pretty much at the Cromwell line. Now, with all the developments going in on Newfield Street and added traffic, it’s even more imperative that we finally get that third station to make sure our response time meets industry standards,” he explained.

One of those developments is Springside Middletown off Newfield Street, where a 148-unit campus of apartment buildings and townhouses is under construction.

“Two cars a unit, maybe more, families are living there, husband and wife — all those on Newfield Street, plus more developments. That engine right now comes from downtown, and it’s got to go all the way to Tuttle Road,” some 4 miles away, the chief said.

“With more cars comes more chances of it happening,” Albert continued. “It’s only a two-lane road, and you’re going to add a lot more traffic there just for our fire trucks to get down safely. That’s another reason we want that third station on the opposite end.”

Fire vehicles often use busy Washington Street (Route 66) to get to Route 3. “We have to make sure we are eliminating that risk and making sure we can respond in a timely manner to any emergencies out that way,” he said.

Engine 1 at the Main Street station serves the downtown, North End, and some of Church Street, while Engine 3 covers Washington and Newfield streets to Tuttle Road.

Middletown Fire’s Cross Street Station 2 responds to emergencies at Wesleyan University, the blue section of the Wesleyan Hills housing development, South Main Street, Long Hill Road, and Wadsworth Street.

It’s out-of-date, has far outgrown its footprint, and was built some 50 years ago, Albert said.

“These stations once only housed four people max, where at (headquarters), we have seven to eight that live here 24/7, plus eight additional day staff members, so the (foot traffic) all day long is pretty high,” Albert said.

Cross Street has seven staff members plus several dispatchers, he said.

“We need a new roof, better air handling systems. Everything is very out

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Posted: Oct 21, 2024

Simplifying Everyday Hazmat Calls with Advanced Technology

November 8, 2024 | 1 ET

Join us for a conversation with Phil Ambrose about how advanced technologies like Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and High-Pressure Mass Spectrometry (HPMS) can simplify your life when responding to everyday hazmat calls. The discussion will be moderated by Dr. Mark Norman and will cover everything from simple CO and odor calls to complex incidents involving multiple chemical products. Specific scenarios will be presented to illustrate how basic and advanced technologies are most effectively used together in chemical response. Whether you are a first due engine company taking basic gas detectors downrange or a dedicated hazmat team with numerous capabilities at your disposal, you will learn how incorporating FTIR and HPMS into your protocols could expedite your responses. Recon operators and incident commanders alike will gain an understanding of how important such technologies can be to ensure the safety of the responders, the public, and the property for which they are responsible.

This event is sponsored by 908 Devices.

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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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