It’s not often that a fire chief makes a personal visit to a factory to thank the men and women who construct turnout gear for firefighters.

However, Wade White, an assistant fire chief of the Los Angeles (CA) Fire Department, made that trip recently to pay tribute to those who toil on the assembly lines because he saw them as unsung heroes in a significant rescue. When the network news segment broke, he saw the video of a fellow firefighter falling through a roof of a building completely consumed by flames and emerging engulfed by fire 50 seconds later before being rescued by fellow firefighters. Chief White was so moved by the outcome—a fellow firefighter had survived with his life -- he decided to meet firsthand with the team who made the firefighter’s turnout gear at the Honeywell plant in Dayton, Ohio, and he was offered a close-up view of the quality controls built into each garment.

ALSO: Honeywell, DuPont Award 20 Scholarships for First Responders to Attend FDIC Training

He offered touching words of gratitude to the sewers, stitchers, cutters and other line workers that had a hand in creating the garment. “That firefighter is alive today because of you. The gear did what it was supposed to do. Keep on doing what you do. Your work is important,” said Chief White.

White is Commander of the Maintenance and Supply Division of LA Fire Department, overseeing 106 fire stations and 3300 firefighters. But in a career with the Fire Department that spans 32 years, he knows what it’s like to battle fires that burn at 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit within buildings. As a firefighter, he’s seen burning sections of wall structures or roofs collapse and fall onto himself and other firefighters. He has felt the extreme heat of fire conducting through his gear against his skin. But he had never witnessed what he saw captured on a smart phone of a curious building resident who filmed of a fire in progess in LA, he said. The video showed the firefighter falling through the roof into a blazing building. The firefighter was exposed to severe conditions, high heat, and direct flame as firefighters worked immediately to remove him from the area he had fallen into.  

 Chief White said he was both amazed and deeply heartened to find out that the firefighter survived the perilous incident. “The firefighter is lucky to be alive,” he said. Chief White credits the firefighter’s training, plus the Honeywell Morning Pride turnout gear, as critical to the firefighter’s survival.

 “The gear this individual was in was probably the best he could have been in. It provided the protection, and this member is alive because of it,” said Chief White. “It was nice to see the individuals who actually had a part in building the coat and pair of pants that individual was wearing, and it’s very heartfelt.”

  Not many people know what goes into making of turnout gear for firefighters. It takes hours to physically assemble one coat—and the whole process of design, testing, stitching, cutting, inspection and other quality controls add many more hours to the process. It requires a dedicated team to put together a single article of Morning Pride turnout gear.

Assembling turnout gear requires a uniquely blended skill set – one part individual, (think piecework, and recall the detailed sewing and double stitching carried out by tailors and seamstresses of yesteryear), and one part technological (relying on the most advanced c

HAMPTON, Va. (WTKR) -  It's cutting-edge technology giving us a new view of the world and it's doing the same for first responders across the country, including in Hampton. In June, News 3 first reported how firefighters and police in Hampton began using a drone at crime scenes and fires.

Nearly a year later, they say it's been a successful launch. “It really helps us out because if you look at what you see from the ground, once you get up in the air, plus-100 feet, it’s another world and you can really make your way around things a lot quicker and easier," said Jesse Gomes, an Assistant Fire Marshal with Hampton Fire-Rescue.

During a recent training session, Gomes told News 3 firefighters have used drones to help with fire investigations and they're hoping to use them even more, particularly during active situations. MORE

FDIC International, the world’s largest annual firefighter conference and exhibition that hosts 34,000+ fire and rescue professionals, is happening April 8^th through 13^th, and X2 All-Natural Energy announced that it will serve as the Official Energy Drink of FDIC International.

X2’s unique formula makes it the perfect better-for-you energy drink to fuel firefighters, who need a healthy boost of energy without any of the crash or jitters often caused by other products. An all-natural energy drink that’s low in sugar, non-carbonated and includes coconut water for hydration, X2 is designed for every-day, healthy living.

Backed by over 10 years of research and development, X2 features a unique formulation of critical ingredients that supports the development of Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP), the body’s essential source of real energy. X2 uses caffeine from green tea and a combination of proprietary fast and slow burning sugars to deliver healthy, sustained energy.

FDIC participants will be treated to cans of X2 Energy at events happening throughout the conference, such as the Combat Challenge, the Courage and Valor 5K, and the South Street Exhibition, where other main events take place, including hands-on training, where firefighters will be able to experience fire simulations.

“Firefighters expend a tremendous amount of energy in the line of duty,” said Jon London, X2 CMO. “X2 provides a great way for them to get energized naturally and stay hydrated. We are proud to be a small part of their daily routine, fueling the incredibly important life-saving work that firefighters do in communities across the United States.”

Visit www.x2energy.com for more information.

Rosenbauer America will unveil an apparatus built on the Rosenbauer Commander chassis featuring IDEX Fire & Safety’s new SAM™ Control System, at the FDIC International conference and exhibition April 8-13 in Indianapolis.

The SAM system makes complex pump operations simple by managing the water flow so the operator can focus on the fireground and the safety of his crew, not the side of the truck. SAM is an integrated total water flow control system that manages the truck’s pump, tank, intakes and discharges.

The truck is destined for the New Melle (MO) Fire Protection District. The district, 37 miles west of St. Louis, has three engine houses: two staffed by volunteers and one by paid firefighters.

The stations cover 121 square miles, meaning trucks are generally 10-15 minutes away from most calls. “The time it takes us to get to calls, combined with limited staffing, is why we need this truck to do a lot more for us,” Chief Rick Massey said. “Any help the truck can give us is what we are looking for in a truck; we need the truck to help our firefighters do their jobs.”

With SAM, pump operators can use saved presets to set discharge pressures with just one swipe on a 10-inch display. Even before charging lines, the system automatically opens the tank-to-pump valve so water is in the pump and ready to go.

The New Melle Fire Protection District has long trusted Rosenbauer. The district purchased its first Rosenbauer truck in 1993; the latest truck will be its sixth. In fact, the truck will be nearly identical to one of New Melle’s current models.

Massey chooses Rosenbauer, in part, because they are “so easy to work with” and offer the opportunity to custom-build trucks according to the district’s needs. “Plus,” he said “we need a truck that is large enough to carry all of our equipment.”

The truck was produced at Rosenbauer’s facility in Wyoming, Minnesota, and is being upfitted at Sentinel Emergency Solutions in Arnold, Missouri. Sentinel is the authorized sales and service dealer for Rosenbauer America for parts of Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana. New Melle will take delivery in early May.

Brian Franz, vice president at Sentinel, says, “New Melle’s truck is truly unique to the fire service and fits the needs of New Melle perfectly.”

Specs for the rig include:

• Rosenbauer Commander chassis
• Hale Products rear-mount 1,500-gpm RSD pump
• IDEX Fire & Safety’s SAM water control system
• Hale SmartFOAM direct-injection foam-proportioning system

Rosenbauer’s booth at FDIC International 2019 is 5200.