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The Finest Supporting the Bravest!

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: Jan 23, 2023

New Equipment Starts Gross Decon of Turnouts at Fire Scenes

By Alan M. Petrillo

Decontamination of firefighter turnout gear and equipment starts at the fire scene, with some departments choosing to bag and transport, while others go with gross decon of turnouts and some equipment. Makers of decon equipment have come up with various methods for firefighters to perform gross decon on fire scenes.

Phil Gerace, vice president of marketing for Task Force Tips, says TFT’s DECON/pak Portable Decontamination System is a self-contained agent proportioning and rinse application system developed specifically for gross decon of firefighters and their equipment. The DECON/pak is a 2½-gallon polypropylene concentrate tank that weighs 10 pounds and can be pressurized by a 1-inch or 1½-inch hoseline. Flow through a 12-foot discharge hose is controlled by a twist grip valve that also functions as a carrying handle, and the unit has a selector for agent proportioning from 0.1 to 0.5 percent for cleaning agent or can be set to rinse with water only.

Erik Ward, TFT’s health segment leader, notes that the DECON/pak can reduce particulate contamination of gear and equipment by 85 percent but does not remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs). He says TFT’s Crew Protect is a great solution for use in apparatus cabs, using molecular air filtration that cleans the cab air as long as the truck’s engine is running. He notes that Crew Protect is available in a variety of models for different sized cabs, from full-size trucks to SUVs.

 

1 Task Force Tips makes the DECON/pak Portable Decontamination System developed specifically for gross decon of firefighters and their equipment. (Photos 1-2 courtesy of Task Force Tips.)

 

 

2 TFT’s Crew Protect unit uses molecular air filtration to clean the air in an apparatus cab whenever the vehicle’s engine is running.

 

For those departments that bag contaminated turnout gear and return it to the station to decon, as well as departments that simply want the greatest amount of decon protection in their stations, TFT makes Station Protect, Ward points out. “Station Protect eliminates the transfer of contamination to the living areas of the station by eliminating VOCs, particulates, m

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Posted: Jan 23, 2023

Fire Apparatus of the Day: January 23, 2023

E-ONE—North Attleboro (MA) Fire Department pumper. Typhoon long cab and chassis; Cummins L9 450-hp engine; Darley PSM 1,500-gpm pump; 530-gallon polypropylene water tank; Command Light KLH 15 light tower; Akron Apollo deck gun; dual speedlays with storage above for a stokes basket and Little Giant ladder. Dealer: Mark McDonald, Greenwood Emergency Vehicles, North Attleboro, MA.


PREVIOUS PHOTO OF THE DAY >>

MORE FIRE APPARATUS ARTICLES >>

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Posted: Jan 23, 2023

1938 Darley Returns to Conway (PA) Volunteer Fire Department 50 Years Later

Conway Volunteer Fire Department received a 1938 Darley, a fire engine it once owned 50 years ago, Sunday after it was donated back to Conway from Satellite Beach (FL) Fire Department. Conway Fire Chief Daniel Byrne told KDKA that the truck was donated in the 1970’s when it was replaced with a newer truck.

The following message was posted on Conway’s Facebook page from Chief Byrne:

“Our originally owned 1938 Darley fire engine was donated back to us from the Satellite Beach Fire Department in Florida. Lisa Davis from the fire department reached out to me and was asking questions about it. I told her it was ours and she gave me the Fire Chief Dave Abernathy to contact. I asked him if we can buy it back and he said we will donate it if we pay for all the expenses to bring it back to Conway. I said sure and he said it was yours so I reached out to Joe from Tow Integrity. He talked to the owner who said they will bring it back at no cost to us. A big thanks to Satellite Fire Department and Tow Integrity enabling our 1938 Darly fire engine to come back home to Conway.”

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Posted: Jan 23, 2023

One Injured, Fire Engine Potentially Damaged by Gunfire in Troy (NY)

Melissa Manno
Times Union, Albany, N.Y.
(TNS)

Jan. 22—TROY — Authorities are investigating a shooting that left one victim injured and potentially damaged a fire engine early Sunday morning near a crowd that was outside the Calypso Restaurant and Lounge in downtown Troy.

The Troy Fire Department responded to a fire alarm activation at the restaurant, located at 77 Congress St., at around 12:30 a.m. Sunday morning, according to a release from Troy police. Upon arrival, fire crews were met by a large crowd outside the business and reported hearing shots being fired in the area as they awaited assistance from Troy police, authorities said. Police patrols who arrived at the scene began investigating while dispersing the crowd.

Shortly after, one victim arrived at the Albany Medical Center Hospital via private transportation and reported having been shot in the area of Congress Street. Police said the injuries were believed to be non-life threatening. No other information regarding the victim is available at this time.

A fire truck that arrived at the scene is also believed to have sustained damage from the gunfire, Assistant Chief of Police Steven Barker said in a press release.

Calypso Restaurant was closed around noontime Sunday. But its Facebook account briefly responded to a Times Union inquiry about the early morning violence saying “we are unaware about the shooting that happen around the corner allegedly.”

The state Liquor Authority website does not list an active liquor license for any business with a 77 Congress St. address, only an inactive one for Troy Kitchen.

An investigation is currently underway to determine the cause of “the original fire alarm activation at the business, the crowd that interacted with initial responding firefighters and the shooting that injured the victim [and] potentially damaged the fire engine,” the release stated. No suspects are currently in custody.

Troy police are encouraging any witnesses of the incident or anyone with information to contact detectives at (518) 270-4421 or report online at troypd.org.

___

(c)2023 the Times Union (Albany, N.Y.)

Visit the Times Union (Albany, N.Y.) at www.timesunion.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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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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