General Contractor’s Expertise in Public Safety and Education Facilities Converge with Campus Project

Escondido, CA, February 21, 2023 – On January 20, 2023, Erickson-Hall Construction Co. joined more than 150 members of Crafton Hills College leadership, elected officials, fire chiefs, and other stakeholders to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Public Safety Training Center at Crafton Hills College.  The new specialized fire training structure is located at 1171 San Canyon Road in Yucaipa, CA, about 15 miles east of San Bernardino.  The development was made possible by Measure CC, a bond approved by voters in 2018 to fund upgrades in the San Bernardino Community College District.  The new state-of-the-art Public Safety Training Center leverages Erickson-Hall’s experience building numerous fire stations and educational facilities throughout Southern California.

For renderings, click here.

As one of the premier public safety academies in the nation, the highly-regarded Public Safety Program at Crafton Hills College has been preparing students for employment with fire departments and emergency medical response teams since 1982.  The new facilities were designed specifically to accommodate the fire academy requirements for cadets seeking their certification as fire fighters, and will train students in conditions that replicate real-life emergency situations.  The new Public Safety Training Center is expected to be complete in December 2023.  This facility completes the advanced Public Safety and Allied Health Facilities constructed in 2015 on the campus. 

Mat Gates, CCM, LEED AP, President of Erickson-Hall, states, “We’re thrilled to join our design-build partner, WLC Architects, to enhance Crafton Hills’ top-tier Public Safety Program.  It’s very rewarding to use our expertise to help our future first responders pursue their passion—a career of service.”

About Erickson-Hall Construction Co.

Erickson-Hall is a recognized industry leader and has completed over $2 billion in successful construction projects, of which $1.5 billion has been for K-12 and higher education developments.  The employee-owned company has been serving the Southern California markets of San Diego, Imperial, Orange, South LA, and Riverside Counties since 1998.  Services include preconstruction, general contracting, construction management, design-build, design assist-build, lease-leaseback and program management for educational, fire, essential services, civic, parks, recreation, faith-based, office and healthcare facilities.  The company has an award-winning portfolio of completed projects and has received numerous awards for safety.  For more information, visit www.ericksonhall.com and find us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/erickson-hall-construction-company.

Ricochet, Along with Partner ADS, Awarded Second Contract for Fire Emergency Services Personal Protective Equipment (FES PPE) Both Inside and Outside the Contiguous U.S.

PHILADELPHIA, PA, February 21, 2023 – Ricochet, a leading manufacturer of Fire, Rescue and EMS personal protective equipment, announced that it has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Air Force to serve as the sole manufacturer for firefighting structural turnout gear. This contract, valued at $40 million, is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Fire Emergency Services Personal Protective Equipment (FES PPE). Ricochet partners with ADS Inc., the prime vendor for this contract. The period of performance for the contract runs through Q4 of 2027.

“This award underscores Ricochet’s strong commitment to serving the military and our ability to scale up to meet the growing demand for best-in-class firefighting gear,” said Peter Askey, President, Ricochet. “We are proud and honored to continue to support the U.S. Air Force as the sole provider of structural/turnout gear since 2017, and remain deeply dedicated to serving firefighters.”

Ricochet, along with partner ADS Inc., was initially awarded a contract with the U.S. Air Force in 2017 to serve as the sole manufacturer for firefighting structural/turnout gear ($45 million) and firefighting proximity gear ($23 million) for all Air Force agencies worldwide. That contract successfully closed in Q3 of 2022. 

Ricochet has a strong history in providing PPE to the U.S. Military. In addition to serving the U.S. Air Force, Ricochet has manufactured specialized PPE for the U.S. Army, the U.S. Marines, the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Secret Service, and other Federal Agencies.

About Ricochet

Ricochet is an industry leading manufacturer of sophisticated, high-tech Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that is focused on protection, performance, and comfort. Ricochet has been headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for over 20 years, with all manufacturing and operations located in a single master facility.

In addition to serving the United States Military, Ricochet serves customers in multiple sectors of public safety by providing custom engineered PPE including EMS gear for the Philadelphia and Honolulu Fire Departments, Technical Rescue gear to all FDNY Rescue and Squad companies, and structural/turnout gear to multiple Fire Departments throughout the United States and beyond. Ricochet is a long-standing member of FEMSA. For more information, visit ricochet-gear.com.

###

Warren Township Fire Department – Trumbull County, Ohio released this video and this post on its Facebook page Sunday:

“Today at 8:38, an off duty firefighter/paramedic, was pulling into the parking lot of our West Market Street fire station to finish an administrative task. While he was slowing down, had his turn signal on, another vehicle rear ended the off duty firefighter/Paramedics vehicle as they were making the turn into the parking lot. This is the 3rd motor vehicle crash recently in front of, or on the property of, our West Market Street Fire Station. This is the 2nd crash involving our firefighting personnel. Off duty personnel were called in to assist. The driver of the other vehicle and the off duty firefighter/paramedic were transported to a local hospital for minor to moderate injuries. Ohio State Highway Patrol is handling the investigation.”

Keeping It Safe Robert Tutterow

One of Yogi Berra’s famous sayings was, “The future isn’t what it used to be.” As the fire service goes kickin’ and screamin’ forward, there are many changes lying ahead, and we probably have some clues as to what they will be, though we do not know for sure.

 

One of the more discussed changes that has now cracked the eggshell open is electric fire apparatus. However, not much has been discussed about the changes in fire stations to accommodate the switch from diesel to electric.

This may not be on your radar, but if your stations are less than 35 to 40 years old, then you will likely have electric fire apparatus in your stations. Most certainly, if you are building a new station, you might as well plan on electric fire trucks. From a firefighter health perspective, electric fire apparatus in the station is an incredibly significant advancement. The elimination of fossil fuels is much healthier than trying to capture and remove the carcinogens they produce. There is no need for diesel exhaust removal systems.

A few months ago, the mayor of Charlotte (NC) stated she wanted the fire department (from which I am retired) to purchase an electric fire truck and put it in an all-electric station. No fossil fueled engines were to be on the property except for the firefighters’ personal vehicles—and I am sure there will be incentives to minimize their parking on the property. Moreover, she stated that the funding for the truck and for the station would not come from the fire department budget but from other sources. Whoa. This declaration is a prime example of the commitment to green energy by many of those in governing positions.

Several questions immediately came to mind as this relates to the station. What is the backup power plan in case the grid fails? Currently, all stations in the department have backup generators to power the entire station. What happens when the electric apparatus is in for repair/maintenance and all the reserve apparatus are nonelectric? What happens when the electric apparatus is at the training academy all day or deployed on an extended incident requiring a company move up from another station to maintain coverage in the area? These are among the questions to be answered.

From a firefighter safety perspective, there are station design considerations. The fire wall ratings probably need to be increased as electric fire trucks burn much hotter than diesel-powered fire trucks. The station sprinkler system will need to provide more capacity. The bottom line—basic life safety codes for the station will be more robust than current standards.

Based on current knowledge, it is wise to include additional conduit sleeves for electrical lines and a dedicated electrical room large enough to house the equipment needed for an all-electric station. Of course, there is a need to include in the feasibility studies for a new station or station renovation the current capacity of the electrical grid. Is it large enough to power the station? Most rural areas currently do not have the capacity.

It is important to include the outside stakeholders in your electric station/electric fire truck procurement process. They must have a full understanding of the often-overlooked needs. The procurement process must include a vision of emerging electrical needs, such as a landing zone for larger drones, possible use of UVC light for decontamination, sensory devices throughout the station (motion, smoke, HV