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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: Dec 22, 2016

Change to NFPA PASS Standard

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has issued a Tentative Interim Amendment that requires PASS manufacturers to change the PASS alarm sound required in the current edition of NFPA 1982–2013 for PASS devices manufactured after December 21, 2016, to a new, more audible PASS alarm sound. This impacts stand-alone PASS devices and PASS that are integrated with SCBA.

Background

The 2013 edition of the NFPA PASS standard implemented a standardized PASS alarm sound for all PASS devices. The purpose of the standard alarm sound was to improve firefighter safety, interoperability on the fireground, and the directionality of the PASS alarm sound. For fire departments in the United States and Canada, most PASS devices are integrated with SCBA.

In 2015, the NFPA committee responsible for PASS began to hear concerns from fire departments and firefighters that the new standard alarm sound was harder to hear than the older PASS alarm sounds.

Since the release of the 2013 revision of NFPA 1982, The Technical Committee on Electronic Safety Equipment has identified a more effective pattern of sound and has incorporated it into the Tentative Interim Amendment (TIA), which requires all PASS manufacturers to implement the new universal PASS alarm sound to comply with NFPA 1982, 2013 Edition. The Technical Committee believes this new sound is more audible than the current PASS alarm sound and further enhances firefighter safety.

The TIA is effective for all PASS devices manufactured after the effective date of the TIA, December 21, 2016.

While the TIA does not require that PASS devices or SCBA with integrated PASS devices be updated to the new alarm sound, all users of PASS devices compliant with NFPA 1982–2013 are encouraged to consider upgrading their equipment to incorporate this new and more audible PASS alarm sound.

NOTE: The Proposed 2018 Edition of the NFPA PASS standard (NFPA 1982) includes the new PASS alarm sound.

What is a Tentative Interim Amendment (TIA)?
A Tentative Interim Amendment is tentative because it has not been processed through the entire standards-making procedures of NFPA. It is interim because it is effective only between editions of the respective standard (i.e., 2013 vs. 2018). A TIA automatically becomes a public input for the next edition of the standard; as such, it then is subject to all procedures of the standards-making process.

When will the TIA become effective?
The TIA has been by issued by NFPA with an effective date of December 21, 2016, which requires all new PASS devices certified to NFPA 1982-2013 Edition to include the new universal PASS alarm sound. To review the NFPA 1982 document go to www.NFPA.org/1982 or to read the TIA go to www.nfpa.org/assets/files/AboutTheCodes/1982/TIA_1982_13_2.pdf

How will the TIA impact fire departments?
It is important to understand that the issuance of the TIA will not impact the certification of PASS presently in the field. Current PASS that have been certified to meet the NFPA 1982, 2013 Edition standard will continue to maintain their certification as being compliant to the standard and are not required to be updated. All new PASS manufactured after December 21, 2016, will be required to meet the new universal PASS alarm sound as specified in the TIA.

Will manufacturers offer an upgrade to the new universal PASS alarm sound?
For departments that currently own 2013 Edition PASS devices manufactured prior to December 21, 2016, manufacturers are required to provide an option to update the PASS programing to meet the new universal PASS alarm sound. For d

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Firefighters train for ice rescue situations

Posted: Dec 22, 2016

Firefighters train for ice rescue situations

BOULDER - Boulder firefighters went into the frigid waters at the Boulder Reservoir Wednesday to train for emergency ice rescue situations that could happen this winter. The fire-rescue team warns not to go on ice unless it's designated for recreation like skating or hockey.

"Always assume that any ice is unsafe," said Firefighter Brad Lupher with Boulder Fire-Rescue.

The ice at the Boulder Reservoir is about 4 inches thick but right underneath it, the water is less than 34 degrees.

Crews with Boulder Fire-Rescue have specialized equipment to allow them to go into the water. Even with the head-to-toe coverings, the water is frigid.

"They might be in the water for upwards of 20 minutes at a time and when they come out they're done," said Lupher.

The firefighters train in ice rescue at the beginning of the season every winter. They know although it's uncomfortable, it could save the lives of people and their four-legged friends.

Dogs are the most frequently rescued from being out on the ice or from falling through it. Boulder Fire-Rescue takes pet emergencies seriously because a worried owner could cause a bigger problem.

"So as you can imagine, it's just like they had a child out there. They're pretty panicked and a lot of times they'll want to go out on the ice and try to rescue them themselves," said Lupher.

In his 17 years on the job, Lupher said he's helped rescue 10 dogs and all of them survived.

Historic fire station shutting doors

The consolidation of the Canton Fire Department and Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services hit a snag when Cherokee officials determined the downtown Canton station is not "up to county standards" and will no longer be in service after the first of the year.

While county commissioners agreed Tuesday night to purchase a $450,000 site for the Laurel Canyon area station, there is no plan at this time for a downtown Canton fire station.

County Manager Jerry Cooper told commissioners at their meeting Tuesday night that the former downtown station would not be used when the county consolidation is complete at the first of the year.

Cooper said Chief Prather and his team have a plan of action to provide services without the Canton station in use, but he did not give specifics of the plan.

The downtown fire station on East Main Street in the former Post Office building has issues with asbestos abatement among other problems, county officials said.

The county had planned to lease the building from Canton for five years, and officials say that could still happen, but not without the city making significant improvements to the station.

“Per the Intergovernmental Agreement, the downtown fire station was only going to be ‘leased’ by Cherokee County, with the city of Canton maintaining ownership,” Cherokee Fire Chief Tim Prather told the Tribune Wednesday. “In a nutshell, the building is in need of significant repair and updates.”

Prather said although there have been some repair/upgrades to the building, it still has some asbestos abatement pending as well as leaks to the building needing repaired.

Ground-breaking for Peekskill Central Fire Station

Officials say new firehouse will save money, maintain emergency response times. PEEKSKILL - After two decades of talking, studying and planning, the city broke ground on a new $12 million central firehouse Tuesday that will house Peekskill's six fire companies under one roof.

"Finally, we'll have a new fire house that meets the needs of our department and that our citizens can afford to pay for," Mayor Frank Catalina said of the long-awaited facility to be built on a one-acre lot at the centrally-located corner of Main and South Broad streets.

Catalina said the need for a new firehouse had been talked about for 20 years because of the deteriorating conditions of the current facilities, some of which are more than a century old.

The city charter authorizes 100 volunteers for each of Peekskill's six companies and Catalina said there was a time when there were waiting lists to join. Now, he said, the there are a total of 100 volunteers qualified for interior fire attacks, along with 24 paid firefighters.

"We have a great fire department, and they do great work," Catalina said. "There's a lot of tradition in the fire service, and it's a very social organization. We're hoping that this new, state-of-the-art facility, with all of its amenities, will attract more volunteers."

He said the new firehouse will also save the city the cost of maintaining the old facilities.

The new firehouse, expected to be completed in the summer of 2018, will consolidate five existing facilities on Main, South Division and Washington streets, Crompond Road and Highland Avenue. Those properties will either be re-purposed or developed in the future.