By Rich Marinucci

A symposium is a meeting with the purpose of discussing a specific topic. It is not designed to cast a broad net but instead to bring together people with a particular interest.

The 29th Annual Fire Department Safety Officers Association (FDSOA) Apparatus Maintenance and Specification Symposium will do just that. It is being held in Orlando, Florida, January 15-18, 2017. In partnership with the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association (FAMA) and Fire Apparatus and Emergency Equipment, this one-of-a-kind gathering gets directly to the issues of interest to those involved in any aspect of apparatus-purchasing, drafting specs, and fleet maintenance. Apparatus will be covered from soup to nuts. Engines, ladders, aerials, rescues, and ambulances will be part of the agenda and topics for informal discussion with industry experts from the supplier side to the end user.

Here is a sampling. Mike Wilbur and Tom Shand present a preconference session on specification writing. Both are recognized experts in the field. Those who attend will no doubt gain additional knowledge that will help them not only obtain reliable apparatus but also determine ways to spend their funds wisely. Brian Brown will present another preconference session on fire pumps and pump testing. This is critical for fleet management, and lessons learned will assist in maintaining reliability and compliance with acceptable standards.

The official start of the symposium will be on Monday morning. Steve Pegram, who provided the keynote at FDIC International 2016, will keynote the Symposium to tell his compelling story. You will not want to miss this. Roger Lackore will follow with valuable information on FAMA resources. Apparatus manufacturers give a lot back to the industry, and members of the fire service need to know the types of things that can help them get what they need for their communities and departments.

Tuesday’s general session will include a presentation on the Boston Fire Department’s (BFD) experience following the fatal accident in 2009 of Ladder 26. Ralph Craven, who was part of the team requested to do the review, will be a presenter. There will also be BFD representatives, including the Chief of Department Robert Calobrisi, who has been invited to provide his perspective. There is so much that can be learned from the experiences of others, and you have a chance to hear right from the horse’s mouth.

Also on Tuesday will be a special presentation by Neil Rossman. He is the attorney who successfully won a lawsuit after a Brookline, Massachusetts, firefighter was thrown from a fire truck while responding to a call. This action led to many changes in fire apparatus safety. Rossman has been actively involved in the fire service, serving on the National Fire Protection Association 1500, Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Program, committee. The Apparatus Symposium was initiated, in part, to do whatever can be done to eliminate future tragedies. This presentation will highlight what has been done as well as discuss some work that remains to be done.

Between all of the general sessions will be workshops on all types of apparatus-related topics. They will be very specific in their content, and attendees can go to those sessions that will help them most. Besides the sessions, presenters will be around for most, if not all, of the Symposium. So, there will be ample time for informal discussions that often offer the most benefit to the attendees.

The 29th Annual Apparatus Maintenance and Specification Symposium will close with a keynote by Dr. David Griffin of the Charleston (SC) Fire Department. It will be a fitting

By Alan M. Petrillo

Nozzles and monitors are considered the forward tip of most fire suppression systems, whether they are handlines, deck guns, portable monitors, bumper monitors, blitz lines, or at the tips of aerial ladders and platforms.

Monitor and nozzle manufacturers continue to make improvements to those products, enhancing their roles for both offensive and defensive fire attack.

Nozzles

Andrea Russell, global product manager for Akron Brass Company, says late this year Akron Brass expects to come out with its new UltraJet nozzle, with production beginning sometime in 2017. “UltraJet is an all-in-one nozzle that has the ability to flow a smooth bore stream and also change to a narrow or wide fog stream,” Russell says. “It’s easy to operate because the operation is intuitive: Open and close the bail to start or stop the stream, and use the full grip bumper to change the stream pattern from smooth bore to narrow fog to wide fog to flush pattern.”

Russell points out that the UltraJet nozzle works essentially like a fixed-orifice nozzle in that there is no need for the pump operator to intervene when changing stream patterns. “It provides matching flows in all types of streams,” she says. “You’ll get the same flow out of the smooth bore and fog settings without any pump pressure changes.” The smooth bore is available in a choice of four tip sizes: ¾ inch, 7⁄8 inch, 15⁄16 inch, and one inch. Tips can be changed through use of an Akron Brass tip kit.

1 Task Force Tips will introduce its new Vortex model nozzle in 2017 that allows a smooth bore stream to be changed to a 15-degree disbursed pattern with the twist of a wrist. (Photo courtesy of Task Force Tips.)

Rod Carringer, chief marketing officer for Task Force Tips (TFT), says TFT plans on introducing its new Vortex model nozzle at FDIC International 2017. “We’ve had it in field trials since this year’s FDIC,” Carringer points out. “It’s a nozzle for smooth bore lovers that allows a smooth bore stream with a twist of the wrist to go to a 15-degree dispersed pattern.”

Carringer says that the nozzle has an unusual fin structure inside that, once the ¼-turn twist is activated, takes the smooth bore stream to a 15- to 20-degree spiraling dispersed pattern. “It doesn’t restrict the flow at all,” he adds. “The flow stays the same but gives you a little bit of a pattern because it moves a tremendous amount of air within the pattern.”

2 S&H Products Inc. makes the VSB Tornado, a variable smooth bore nozzle that allows a firefighter to use up to five different settings, from 5⁄8 inch to one inch, by twisting the barrel to a preset detent. (Photo courtesy of S&H Products Inc.)

Steve Larson, owner of S&H Products Inc., says his company has introduced the VSB Tornado nozzle, a variable smooth bore nozzle designed specifically for 1Â

By Alan M. Petrillo

Nozzles and monitors are considered the forward tip of most fire suppression systems, whether they are handlines, deck guns, portable monitors, bumper monitors, blitz lines, or at the tips of aerial ladders and platforms.

Monitor and nozzle manufacturers continue to make improvements to those products, enhancing their roles for both offensive and defensive fire attack.

Nozzles

Andrea Russell, global product manager for Akron Brass Company, says late this year Akron Brass expects to come out with its new UltraJet nozzle, with production beginning sometime in 2017. “UltraJet is an all-in-one nozzle that has the ability to flow a smooth bore stream and also change to a narrow or wide fog stream,” Russell says. “It’s easy to operate because the operation is intuitive: Open and close the bail to start or stop the stream, and use the full grip bumper to change the stream pattern from smooth bore to narrow fog to wide fog to flush pattern.”

Russell points out that the UltraJet nozzle works essentially like a fixed-orifice nozzle in that there is no need for the pump operator to intervene when changing stream patterns. “It provides matching flows in all types of streams,” she says. “You’ll get the same flow out of the smooth bore and fog settings without any pump pressure changes.” The smooth bore is available in a choice of four tip sizes: ¾ inch, 7⁄8 inch, 15⁄16 inch, and one inch. Tips can be changed through use of an Akron Brass tip kit.

1 Task Force Tips will introduce its new Vortex model nozzle in 2017 that allows a smooth bore stream to be changed to a 15-degree disbursed pattern with the twist of a wrist. (Photo courtesy of Task Force Tips.)

Rod Carringer, chief marketing officer for Task Force Tips (TFT), says TFT plans on introducing its new Vortex model nozzle at FDIC International 2017. “We’ve had it in field trials since this year’s FDIC,” Carringer points out. “It’s a nozzle for smooth bore lovers that allows a smooth bore stream with a twist of the wrist to go to a 15-degree dispersed pattern.”

Carringer says that the nozzle has an unusual fin structure inside that, once the ¼-turn twist is activated, takes the smooth bore stream to a 15- to 20-degree spiraling dispersed pattern. “It doesn’t restrict the flow at all,” he adds. “The flow stays the same but gives you a little bit of a pattern because it moves a tremendous amount of air within the pattern.”

2 S&H Products Inc. makes the VSB Tornado, a variable smooth bore nozzle that allows a firefighter to use up to five different settings, from 5⁄8 inch to one inch, by twisting the barrel to a preset detent. (Photo courtesy of S&H Products Inc.)

Steve Larson, owner of S&H Products Inc., says his company has introduced the VSB Tornado nozzle, a variable smooth bore nozzle designed specifically for 1Â

By Alan M. Petrillo

Nozzles and monitors are considered the forward tip of most fire suppression systems, whether they are handlines, deck guns, portable monitors, bumper monitors, blitz lines, or at the tips of aerial ladders and platforms.

Monitor and nozzle manufacturers continue to make improvements to those products, enhancing their roles for both offensive and defensive fire attack.

Nozzles

Andrea Russell, global product manager for Akron Brass Company, says late this year Akron Brass expects to come out with its new UltraJet nozzle, with production beginning sometime in 2017. “UltraJet is an all-in-one nozzle that has the ability to flow a smooth bore stream and also change to a narrow or wide fog stream,” Russell says. “It’s easy to operate because the operation is intuitive: Open and close the bail to start or stop the stream, and use the full grip bumper to change the stream pattern from smooth bore to narrow fog to wide fog to flush pattern.”

Russell points out that the UltraJet nozzle works essentially like a fixed-orifice nozzle in that there is no need for the pump operator to intervene when changing stream patterns. “It provides matching flows in all types of streams,” she says. “You’ll get the same flow out of the smooth bore and fog settings without any pump pressure changes.” The smooth bore is available in a choice of four tip sizes: ¾ inch, 7⁄8 inch, 15⁄16 inch, and one inch. Tips can be changed through use of an Akron Brass tip kit.

1 Task Force Tips will introduce its new Vortex model nozzle in 2017 that allows a smooth bore stream to be changed to a 15-degree disbursed pattern with the twist of a wrist. (Photo courtesy of Task Force Tips.)

Rod Carringer, chief marketing officer for Task Force Tips (TFT), says TFT plans on introducing its new Vortex model nozzle at FDIC International 2017. “We’ve had it in field trials since this year’s FDIC,” Carringer points out. “It’s a nozzle for smooth bore lovers that allows a smooth bore stream with a twist of the wrist to go to a 15-degree dispersed pattern.”

Carringer says that the nozzle has an unusual fin structure inside that, once the ¼-turn twist is activated, takes the smooth bore stream to a 15- to 20-degree spiraling dispersed pattern. “It doesn’t restrict the flow at all,” he adds. “The flow stays the same but gives you a little bit of a pattern because it moves a tremendous amount of air within the pattern.”

2 S&H Products Inc. makes the VSB Tornado, a variable smooth bore nozzle that allows a firefighter to use up to five different settings, from 5⁄8 inch to one inch, by twisting the barrel to a preset detent. (Photo courtesy of S&H Products Inc.)

Steve Larson, owner of S&H Products Inc., says his company has introduced the VSB Tornado nozzle, a variable smooth bore nozzle designed specifically for 1Â