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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: Nov 7, 2017

Sacramento (CA) Fire Apparatus Turns Blue To Support Men's Health

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Posted: Nov 7, 2017

LEADER Announces Flowmatic Fire Hose Nozzles

LEADER Flowmatic Nozzle

 

LEADER recently announced the Flowmatic nozzle, which is offered with a body in Fibertech® composite.

The Research and Development team at LEADER has studied firefighters' nozzle use and the current constraints around fire hoses and nozzles. LEADER now offers a broad range of nozzles to answer the many operational challenges they have identified.  

LEADER has developed four different families of fire hose nozzle.

  • Selectable variable flow nozzles
  • Automatic nozzles
  • Automatic nozzles with low-pressure mode
  • High-pressure automatic nozzles 

Flowmatic Automatic Nozzles

Informed by their frequent exchanges with the firefighting profession, the manufacturer first of all wanted to offer a nozzle with an aluminium body. This choice aims clearly to reassure buyers who appreciate the advantages of this well-known material. 

For others who are looking for this same kind of technical specification but are not wedded to the same material, the R&D team at the French manufacturer has now also developed a fire hose nozzle with a body formed from a composite material--the only one of its kind currently on the market. This glass fiber-based composite is an extremely resistant material whose properties are similar to those of aluminium.

When made in this composite, the body of the fire hose nozzle gives an impressive combination of lightness and resilience. It is lighter than brass and aluminium and at the same time shows stronger resistance to the corrosion which is often encountered during firefighting, as a result of extended periods in a saline environment or in use with foam concentrates.  

A wide bumper and two notches allow the user to identify and select, even with their eyes closed, the different streams: the jet for attack or the spray for protection. Over to the right, the jet is straight, while the purger is activated when you turn the head all the way to the left.

The composite also shows high thermal resistance--there is no deformation of the mass at high temperatures-- unlike aluminium.  Likewise thermal insulation as the insulated fiber in cold conditions naturally insulates the user from the cold.

Another view of the Flowmatic nozzle

Whether in aluminium or composite Fibertech®, the easy-to-grip, flow-control handle is ergonomically designed to offer a very natural ‘fit’ for the hand. It is also wide enough to be held even when wearing very large firefighters’ gloves and it is easy to switch between the five different flow settings.  It really is very simple to handle even under high pressure and therefore minimises user fatigue and allows for rapid and easy opening and closing, so you can master the pulsing technique. The stainless steel ball valve allows for very controlled, precise management of both the flow and also the movements of the jet stream.

Spray teeth make for a fog of very fine droplets for a protective spray. These teeth are difficult to break, as they are protected by a bumper made of polyurethane, resistant to high temperatures or to hydrocarbons and other aggressive chemicals.

The Flowmatic is both a design success and a technical success, with a nozzle remodelled and adapted to the realities of use today.  Easy to handle and well-balanced, the Flowmatic, be it in aluminium or in the new Fibertech® composite, works in harmony with the firefighter to enable him to react with ease. The nozzle offers an excellent quality of stream while at the same time allowing the firefighter Read more

Posted: Nov 7, 2017

Globe Gear Giveaway 2017, Second Round

Thanks to Globe and DuPont Protection Solutions (DuPont), two more fire departments are each receiving four new sets of state-of-the-art turnout gear. Since 2012, the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) has annually partnered with Globe and DuPont to provide fire departments in need with gear to better protect our nation’s responders. The latest recipients are the Tanglewood (TX) Volunteer Fire Department and the Tuscumbia (MO) Fire Protection District.

The Tanglewood Volunteer Fire Department is located in Lexington, TX. Its 16 firefighters serve a population of 1,500 residents over 48 square miles and also provide mutual aid to three neighboring departments for structural fires, grass fires, and vehicle accidents. The department is predominantly self-funded and relies heavily on grants and donations for their equipment, repairs, upgrades, and daily operations, which leaves no funding for new or updated gear. One-third of their personnel have only wildland personal protective equipment (PPE), and the rest of the firefighters are outfitted with structural PPE that is over 10 years old and not compliant with current recommended safety standards.

“Our goal as a volunteer fire department is to continue to grow, train, and improve our capabilities for our community,” said First Assistant Chief Guy Hall. “Our department will greatly benefit from the gear provided by Globe by giving a few of our firefighters up-to-date gear to grant better protection on fires, thus allowing them to be safer and more effective when protecting our community.”

The Tuscumbia Fire Protection District (TFPD) is located in the middle of Miller County, MO, and protects 55 square miles with a population of 1,100 permanent residents. In addition to providing mutual aid to surrounding departments, the TFPD sees an influx of over 1,000 transient residents who come into the district to work at the area nursing home, court house, and school. They also have three daycare centers, five major churches, and the county health center in their service area, along with a service station that has 7,000 gallons worth of fuel storage. Two major state highways run through the district, which makes it a major thoroughfare for Fort Leonard Wood Army Post and Whiteman Air Force Base.

The TFPD successfully applied for an Assistance to Firefighters Grant to obtain 10 new sets of PPE. However, that was over 10 years ago and now their gear is outdated and considered obsolete according to recommended safety standards. “Receiving this gear will greatly benefit us as well as the citizens we serve and the several other fire departments for which we provide mutual aid,” said TFPD Training Officer Jeremy Phillips.

Additional awards through the Globe Gear Giveaway will be made throughout 2017. A total of 52 sets of gear will be distributed to 13 departments in need. Globe also provided NVFC memberships to the first 500 applicants. Stay tuned to the NVFC web site, Dispatch newsletter, and Facebook page, as well as the Globe Facebook page, for additional information and announcements regarding the Globe Gear Giveaway.

 

About Globe

Firefighters need to be prepared to perform at their peak, on every call. That’s why Globe delivers the most advanced, best-fitting, and longest lasting protection by listening to our customers, creating breakthrough designs, and applying the engineering skills of the nation’s most trusted turnout gear manufacturer. Globe turnout gear is designed to protect you, move with you, and improve your performance. It’s athletic gear for firefighters. Learn more at Read more

Posted: Nov 7, 2017

TFT New Force Introduces DECON/pak™

Valparaiso, IN—Task Force Tips (TFT) has introduced the DECON/pak, a self-contained agent-proportioning and rinse-application system developed specifically for gross decontamination of firefighting personnel donned with gear and their equipment. Throughout 2017, TFT field-tested the DECON/pak at fire stations and training academies across the nation. The feedback received helped to refine the final version into an easy to deploy system to perform gross decon operations at the fire scene.

 

The DECON/pak uses a simple three-step process:

  1. Add Cleaning Agent
  2. Connect to Hoseline
  3. Wash/Scrub/Rinse.

 

Studies show that field decon using soap, water, and brush can reduce cancer-causing contamination on turnout gear by 85%*. The system includes a 2.5 gallon container for detergent, 12-foot hose with fan spray nozzle, and a simple built-in eductor that allows water from the truck to be used in a mix or rinse application.

According to Phil Gerace, TFT’s VP of Marketing, “The new DECON/pak is an additional tool in a multifaceted effort to reduce firefighters’ exposures to cancer-causing contaminants. Our goals were to make it easy-to-deploy, simple-to-use, and effective in getting contaminants off the firefighter before they get into the apparatus or their POV.”

For more information, visit http://newforce.tft.com/decon.cfm

*Source: Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, DOI: 10.1080/15459624.2017.1334904

CLICK THE IMAGE ABOVE FOR A DECON/pak BROCHURE

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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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