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Welcome

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: Jul 1, 2019

Apparatus Purchasing: Boston’s Pumpers

BY BILL ADAMS

In some fire departments not using an apparatus purchasing committee, the department’s hierarchy and administrative staff solely determine the type and specifics of apparatus to be purchased.

Progressive departments seek input from active firefighters and officers (aka the operations division or the line). Astute departments pursue and evaluate the recommendations of repair and maintenance personnel (aka Maintenance; Logistics; the Shops; Fleet; or, as historically called in Boston, Massachusetts, the Motor Squad). I admiringly call them wrench spinners. My observation is the Boston Fire Department (BFD) approach to specifying new pumpers (aka engines) incorporates—at a committee level—the ideas, concerns, and suggestions of both the Motor Sq//aemstatic-ww1.azureedge.net/content/dam/fa/print-articles/volume-24/issue-6uad and operations division as well as identifies past experiences with apparatus previously purchased.

PURCHASING COMMITTEE OBJECTIVES

In 2014, the BFD, under the auspices of Fire Commissioner Joe Finn, established standard operating procedures for an apparatus and equipment committee under the chairmanship of Deputy Chief Robert Calobresi. One of its missions was “to research and develop specifications for engine and ladder apparatus.” In turn, the committee makes specification recommendations to the fire commissioner.

I reference specification documents and interviews with BFD’s Fleet and Logistics Division Lieutenant Jim O’Brien and paraphrase a 2017 Fire Engine Design summary. O’Brien, a 33-year veteran of the fire service, has previously been assigned to Rescue Company 2 and Ladder Company 4. Opinions and observations are my own and do not reflect official BFD protocol and procedures.

In designing the department’s pumpers, the committee’s objective was to expand performance, achieve maximum reliability, and minimize out-of-service time because of repairs and collisions. Past apparatus shortcomings were identified. Fireground operational concerns, objectives, and future planning were addressed. Special attention was given to safely responding and maneuvering in Boston’s highly congested environment by addressing apparatus size and collision avoidance. From personal experience, I categorize Boston’s secondary streets and alleys as very narrow, extremely narrow, and “don’t even think about trying it.” Lanes and paths laid out before the Revolutionary War are not conducive for today’s heavy traffic, parked vehicles, and 20-ton fire trucks seeking the right-of-way.

Engine 3, a 2017 E-ONE Typhoon 1,250/560/30A, is one of a 23-pumper order delivered to Boston. The EMS compartment above the front wheels is 42 inches high with a shutter door.

1 Engine 3, a 2017 E-ONE Typhoon 1,250/560/30A, is one of a 23-pumper order delivered to Boston. The EMS compartment above the front wheels is 42 inches high with a shutter door. (Photos courtesy of Bill Noonan unless otherwise noted.)

Engine 39 features the BFD’s standard all-red paint job, flat cab roof, and painted steel wheels.
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Posted: Jul 1, 2019

Type 3 and Type 6 Wildland Fire Apparatus

Type 3 and Type 6 Engines Are Heart of Wildland Fire Response

BY ALAN M. PETRILLO

Type 3 and Type 6 pumpers are the most widely used engines in wildland urban interface fire response because of their versatility, maneuverability, off-road abilities, and fire suppression capabilities. Apparatus manufacturers are turning out both custom engines and tried-and-true designs for fire agencies around the country, responding to those departments’ particular needs.

Bret Cerini, wildland product sales manager for the REV Group, notes that Type 3 and Type 6 wildland pumpers are the most popular types being used to fight wildland fires, especially in the Western states. “In the plains states, we see a lot of Type 5 pumpers with bumper turrets, which can carry a little more water, making them beneficial in mobile attacks,” Cerini points out. “The most common pump we see on those kinds of vehicles is the Darley 1.5AGE portable pump, which is the same model used by CAL FIRE as their auxiliary pump on their Model 34 (Type 3) engine.”

Bill Doebler, vice president of sales at HME Ahrens-Fox, says, “The HME Ahrens-Fox wildland product line depth and breadth is one of the most robust in the industry. Our engineers have listened to the needs of our customers and created a plethora of products to fill the needs as well as voids of wildland firefighting. We currently produce Type 1, Type 3, Type 6, WildMax, and a crossover vehicle designed to be a replacement for the Type 1 and Type 3 called the AF-WUI. In addition, we will soon be announcing a very large order for a customer in this marketplace.

Rosenbauer built this Type 6 wildland engine for the U.S. Army. The rig is on a Ford F-550 four-door chassis and cab and carries a Hale HPX 150-gpm pump, a 300-gallon water tank, and a 20-gallon foam tank.

1 Rosenbauer built this Type 6 wildland engine for the U.S. Army. The rig is on a Ford F-550 four-door chassis and cab and carries a Hale HPX 150-gpm pump, a 300-gallon water tank, and a 20-gallon foam tank. (Photo courtesy of Rosenbauer.)

Pierce Manufacturing Inc. has developed the Wildland FX3 engine, a Type 3 pumper that can be built on either a Freightliner M2-106 chassis or an International HV chassis.

2 Pierce Manufacturing Inc. has developed the Wildland FX3 engine, a Type 3 pumper that can be built on either a Freightliner M2-106 chassis or an International HV chassis. (Photos 2 and 3 courtesy of Pierce Manufacturing Inc.)

3 The pump house on Pierce’s new Wildland FX3 engine.

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Posted: Jul 1, 2019

Wildland Firefighting Personal Protective Equipment

Manufacturers Offering More Ergonomic, More Protective Wildland Turnout Gear

BY ALAN M. PETRILLO

Wildland fire personnel use personal protective equipment (PPE) that is designed and constructed for their special needs, which are different in a number of respects from structural turnout gear and which include durability, comfort, and protection.

Wildland turnout gear must stand up to grueling conditions, handling thick brush and intense heat, sometimes for weeks on deployment. Additionally, this PPE is often compliant with both National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1977, Standard on Protective Clothing and Equipment for Wildland Fire Fighting, and NFPA 1951, Standard on Protective Ensembles for Technical Rescue Incidents.

1 PGI Inc. makes the FireLine™ Multi Mission PPE that is designed to be lightweight and flexible and is compliant with both NFPA 1977 and NFPA 1951. (Photos 1 and 2 courtesy of PGI Inc.)

2 FireLine Multi Mission gear is shown in a technical rescue situation.

DUAL COMPLIANCE

PGI Inc. makes the FireLine™ Multi Mission PPE that is designed to be a lightweight, flexible, and breathable alternative to traditional structural turnout gear, according to Jim Sonntag, PGI’s president. “FireLine Multi Mission is compliant with both NFPA 1977 and NFPA 1951 standards,” Sonntag says, “and the gear pulls sweat from the skin by moving it to the surface, so it rapidly evaporates, allowing the wearer to remain cooler and drier, reducing the potential for heat stress while improving overall performance of routine tasks.”

Sonntag says FireLine Multi Mission’s outer shell is made from either DuPont’s NomexÂ® IIIA inherently flame-resistant fabric in a plain weave that’s finished with Super Shelltite™, a durable water-repellent and stain-resistant finish, or Safety Components Sigma™ 4 Star inherently flame-resistant fabric in a twill weave with a durable water-repellent finish. The pant has articulated elbows and knees, he notes, while the coat has generous gusseting that allows the wearer to reach above his head without the hem riding up. Elbows and cuffs are reinforced with TenCate’s Pioneer™ fabric, Sonntag adds.