By Richard Marinucci

Information and knowledge regarding apparatus specification and maintenance lead to better decision making when acquiring new apparatus and keeping them on the road.

This translates into better use of resources and better vehicle reliability. Attending conferences, workshops, seminars, and symposia is a great way to increase knowledge. Of course, there are many options as there are seemingly countless opportunities from the big shows like FDIC International to regional and state programs to more niche conferences held nationally. To paraphrase Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca, “Of all the conferences, in all the world, why this one?” To understand why, you have to look at the format and content of the 29th Annual Apparatus Specification and Maintenance Symposium presented by the Fire Department Safety Officers Association (FDSOA).

The symposium offers an intimate setting where everyone interested in apparatus can meet and discuss the industry. This includes manufacturers, suppliers, fleet managers, mechanics, and purchasers. There are formal sessions including keynote addresses and workshops that cover a variety of topics. These will include information on aerial platform design; storage and equipment mounting; and specific information on batteries, tires, camera systems, idle reduction, scene lighting, and line power generation. All of these are important to departments looking to get the most “bang for the buck” and also to help make the best choices to improve performance and service to the community.

The training sessions are but one part of the symposium. Networking opportunities abound as attendees are able to meet and talk fire trucks with people who are passionate about this side of the fire service industry. The size of the conference is such that many interactions are possible throughout the event. There are displays by the vendors and informal meetings that allow attendees to discuss specific issues directly related to their organizations and job responsibilities. You will meet people who will not only offer you help and guidance at the symposium but will also become valuable resources after you return to your home department. You can renew old friendships, make new ones, and continue those relationships for the rest of your career and beyond. You will find so many people who genuinely care about fire trucks, their operation, and their reliability.

Every organization will say it wants to be the best and excel. Members understand that there is an expectation that the service being provided will be outstanding and that the people responding along with the equipment they bring will be prepared. The apparatus must be functional and reliable. The truly great departments know they must be up on the latest developments in the industry. The apparatus portion of this is a key component and is part of the level of success that will be determined. Apparatus, like so much of today’s world, is getting more complex and technological. If you are not keeping up, you are falling behind. There are many ways to stay current, and attendance at shows is one of them. The FDSOA Apparatus Specification and Maintenance Symposium is a great way to learn more details.

There is no disputing that purchasing and maintaining fire apparatus are significant investments for every department and every community. Well-run organizations learn as much as they can so the funds can be expended wisely and so the vehicles purchased are reliable and functional. The ongoing maintenance is vital to keeping vehicles in service. A small investment in attending the 29th Annual Apparatus Specification and Maintenance Symposium, presented by the FDSOA in partnership with the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Associati

By Chris Mc Loone

In the world of technical rescue, there are myriad types of hardware rescuers rely on to simplify the task at hand in the safest way possible.

Often, the choice to go with one piece of hardware over another comes down to the personal preferences of technical rescue team members after a pretty thorough testing process. The only way to know if a piece of equipment is right for you or for the team in general is to get out and demo it.

But, it’s not always easy to do so. Trying out a new rigging system isn’t as easy as driving to your training center, tying into a hydrant, and trying out a new nozzle in the burn building. Not every department has the props necessary to simulate a high angle or confined space rescue scenario. For existing teams, as well as groups trying to get off the ground, the best way to spec the equipment is to use the equipment.

There is also the matter of training the trainer. Any technical rescue group needs to ensure that whoever is doing the instructing is intimately familiar with the equipment. So, an instructor isn’t only teaching about “ascenders” in a general sense but is teaching about a specific ascender completely. There are a number of companies producing hardware for firefighters to use for high angle or low angle rescue as well as self-evacuation. One such company is Petzl, and it also provides the means for Petzl equipment users to get the experience and training they need at its Petzl Technical Institute.

Petzl, the Company

Petzl’s roots go back to 1936, when Fernand Petzl and Pierre Chevalier met. Petzl had already been fabricating products for him and his friends to use for caving, then a discipline no one had perfected. Petzl was a mechanic by trade, and the devices he made helped him get into places previously inaccessible. Petzl and Chevalier perfected new techniques for progression by pioneering the use of nylon ropes instead of the fixed ladders that were in use at the time. “Petzl traces its roots to underground exploration,” says Jesse Williams, Petzl Technical Institute manager. “In 1956, founder Fernand Petzl set a world depth record of -3,681 feet in France’s Gouffre Berger cave complex. From the start, Petzl has strived to create products that allow people to access some of the world’s most inaccessible places.”

1 The Petzl Technical Institute is a 15,000-square-foot training center that features a 55-foot-tall climbing wall; 5,000 square feet of exposed vertical structure; a 36-foot-tall drop-test tower; and a three-story simulated apartment building for rescue, firefighter evacuation, and confined space training. (Photos courtesy of Petzl America.)

By 1968, Petzl was designing and producing rope clamps, descenders, and pulleys in his own workshop. In the 1970s, with his two sons, Petzl expanded to producing mountaineering products. In 1975, Petzl established a headquarters in Crolles, France, and by 1977, Petzl began producing harnesses. In 1991, Petzl opened a subsidiary in the United States and also introduced its first self-braking belay device. Petzl America is located in West Valley City, Utah, and the Petzl Technical Institute was opened in 2014 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The company’s t

By Chris Mc Loone

In the world of technical rescue, there are myriad types of hardware rescuers rely on to simplify the task at hand in the safest way possible.

Often, the choice to go with one piece of hardware over another comes down to the personal preferences of technical rescue team members after a pretty thorough testing process. The only way to know if a piece of equipment is right for you or for the team in general is to get out and demo it.

But, it’s not always easy to do so. Trying out a new rigging system isn’t as easy as driving to your training center, tying into a hydrant, and trying out a new nozzle in the burn building. Not every department has the props necessary to simulate a high angle or confined space rescue scenario. For existing teams, as well as groups trying to get off the ground, the best way to spec the equipment is to use the equipment.

There is also the matter of training the trainer. Any technical rescue group needs to ensure that whoever is doing the instructing is intimately familiar with the equipment. So, an instructor isn’t only teaching about “ascenders” in a general sense but is teaching about a specific ascender completely. There are a number of companies producing hardware for firefighters to use for high angle or low angle rescue as well as self-evacuation. One such company is Petzl, and it also provides the means for Petzl equipment users to get the experience and training they need at its Petzl Technical Institute.

Petzl, the Company

Petzl’s roots go back to 1936, when Fernand Petzl and Pierre Chevalier met. Petzl had already been fabricating products for him and his friends to use for caving, then a discipline no one had perfected. Petzl was a mechanic by trade, and the devices he made helped him get into places previously inaccessible. Petzl and Chevalier perfected new techniques for progression by pioneering the use of nylon ropes instead of the fixed ladders that were in use at the time. “Petzl traces its roots to underground exploration,” says Jesse Williams, Petzl Technical Institute manager. “In 1956, founder Fernand Petzl set a world depth record of -3,681 feet in France’s Gouffre Berger cave complex. From the start, Petzl has strived to create products that allow people to access some of the world’s most inaccessible places.”

1 The Petzl Technical Institute is a 15,000-square-foot training center that features a 55-foot-tall climbing wall; 5,000 square feet of exposed vertical structure; a 36-foot-tall drop-test tower; and a three-story simulated apartment building for rescue, firefighter evacuation, and confined space training. (Photos courtesy of Petzl America.)

By 1968, Petzl was designing and producing rope clamps, descenders, and pulleys in his own workshop. In the 1970s, with his two sons, Petzl expanded to producing mountaineering products. In 1975, Petzl established a headquarters in Crolles, France, and by 1977, Petzl began producing harnesses. In 1991, Petzl opened a subsidiary in the United States and also introduced its first self-braking belay device. Petzl America is located in West Valley City, Utah, and the Petzl Technical Institute was opened in 2014 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The company’s t

By Chris Mc Loone

In the world of technical rescue, there are myriad types of hardware rescuers rely on to simplify the task at hand in the safest way possible.

Often, the choice to go with one piece of hardware over another comes down to the personal preferences of technical rescue team members after a pretty thorough testing process. The only way to know if a piece of equipment is right for you or for the team in general is to get out and demo it.

But, it’s not always easy to do so. Trying out a new rigging system isn’t as easy as driving to your training center, tying into a hydrant, and trying out a new nozzle in the burn building. Not every department has the props necessary to simulate a high angle or confined space rescue scenario. For existing teams, as well as groups trying to get off the ground, the best way to spec the equipment is to use the equipment.

There is also the matter of training the trainer. Any technical rescue group needs to ensure that whoever is doing the instructing is intimately familiar with the equipment. So, an instructor isn’t only teaching about “ascenders” in a general sense but is teaching about a specific ascender completely. There are a number of companies producing hardware for firefighters to use for high angle or low angle rescue as well as self-evacuation. One such company is Petzl, and it also provides the means for Petzl equipment users to get the experience and training they need at its Petzl Technical Institute.

Petzl, the Company

Petzl’s roots go back to 1936, when Fernand Petzl and Pierre Chevalier met. Petzl had already been fabricating products for him and his friends to use for caving, then a discipline no one had perfected. Petzl was a mechanic by trade, and the devices he made helped him get into places previously inaccessible. Petzl and Chevalier perfected new techniques for progression by pioneering the use of nylon ropes instead of the fixed ladders that were in use at the time. “Petzl traces its roots to underground exploration,” says Jesse Williams, Petzl Technical Institute manager. “In 1956, founder Fernand Petzl set a world depth record of -3,681 feet in France’s Gouffre Berger cave complex. From the start, Petzl has strived to create products that allow people to access some of the world’s most inaccessible places.”

1 The Petzl Technical Institute is a 15,000-square-foot training center that features a 55-foot-tall climbing wall; 5,000 square feet of exposed vertical structure; a 36-foot-tall drop-test tower; and a three-story simulated apartment building for rescue, firefighter evacuation, and confined space training. (Photos courtesy of Petzl America.)

By 1968, Petzl was designing and producing rope clamps, descenders, and pulleys in his own workshop. In the 1970s, with his two sons, Petzl expanded to producing mountaineering products. In 1975, Petzl established a headquarters in Crolles, France, and by 1977, Petzl began producing harnesses. In 1991, Petzl opened a subsidiary in the United States and also introduced its first self-braking belay device. Petzl America is located in West Valley City, Utah, and the Petzl Technical Institute was opened in 2014 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The company’s t