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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

Idaho Falls Off-Road Ambulance Makes Debut

Posted: Jul 28, 2016

Idaho Falls Off-Road Ambulance Makes Debut

An off-road mini-ambulance from the Idaho Falls Fire Department made its debut at the Pioneer Fire on Monday. Paramedic Connor Cook and EMT Jess Morgan drove five hours to Idaho City, pulling the ambulance behind them in an enclosed trailer to report for duty at the incident command post of the fire, which is burning north of town.

For the next two weeks, Cook and Morgan will provide off-road ambulance service for injured firefighters, likely for the first time ever at an Idaho wildfire. The fire’s medical unit leader, Curtis Baker, ordered the ambulance as soon as he heard about it.

After a feverish 48 hours of paperwork, Cook and Morgan, both wildland-qualified, arrived at Idaho City and began drawing attention as soon as they unloaded their ambulance.

"It kind of stops people in their tracks," said Cook. Baker joked that he was "extremely jealous," as soon as he saw it. At morning briefing on Tuesday, he suggested firefighters take a look at it. "That thing is pretty rad," he told the assembled group.

The mini-ambulance has a gurney, monitors, siren and flashing lights, just like a full-size one. But by shrinking it and adding a Polaris chassis, the mini-ambulance can travel on smaller, rougher trails to extract injured firefighters from places that a normal ambulance could never reach.

The off-road ambulance will then deliver patients to a road ambulance or to a helispot for evacuation to hospital, saving patients from a rough, slow evacuation and saving their crewmates from performing a difficult rescue by hand.

Previously the Idaho Falls Fire Department has used the off-road ambulance for back-country rescues and also at public events where a full-size ambulance might have trouble getting through crowds.

Before the fire department acquired the off-road ambulance, the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Department was in charge of Search & Rescue in the Idaho Falls area and regularly transported back-country patients in a cart pulled by a four-wheeled all-terrain vehicle.

Riding on a gurney in an air-conditioned mini-ambulance makes for a much smoother ride. Although its squarish high shape might make it look tippy, Cook and Morgan both say that looks are deceiving, and the ride is surprisingly stable.

New Burton (SC) Fire Apparatus Dedicated to Fallen Firefighter

The Burton Fire District has purchased a new fire truck that will be dedicated to Burton firefighter Stuart Hardy. Hardy died on September 24, 2015 after falling ill while on duty. The district said they wanted to memorialize Hardy and the lasting impact he had on the Burton Fire District.

"It allows us to keep in the forefront of our memory what he stood for, what he was all about, his enthusiasm and love for the job, his desire to do the job and do it right. It enables us to keep going on some dark days and some long days, and also instill in our newer firefighters, set the tone for them as to what we expect," said Daniel Byrne of the Burton Fire District.

The new truck cost just over $600,000. It will replace an aging truck that is now 14 years old.

Tyco's Attic Sprinklers Provide Superior Fire Protection

LANSDALE, Pa., USA (July 28, 2016) – For more than 20 years, Tyco Fire Protection Products, a division of Tyco (NYSE: TYC) and a global leader in fire suppression technologies, has been leading the way in attic fire protection. Tyco Attic Sprinklers boast extensive fire testing for sloped combustible concealed spaces.

Fire protection in spaces, such as attics, presents unique challenges. The configuration of most attics can cause narrow heat channeling in the event of a fire. In addition, heat traveling up the steeply slope of a ceiling may not activate the right sprinklers. Sprinkler systems need to be designed in such a way where these areas are effectively protected with regard to methods and materials of construction. Tyco^Â®’s Specific Application Attic Sprinklers provide such a design.

Tyco^Â®’s Specific Application Attic Sprinklers provide superior fire protection and address the challenges that roofline and attic spaces can provide. They have undergone the most extensive fire testing ever performed for sloped attic spaces and are UL Listed with their specific application guidelines for use as special sprinklers as defined by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

In addition, Tyco^Â®’s Specific Application Attic Sprinklers provide a significant cost savings by minimizing costs associated with material and installation labor for standard spray sprinklers and allowing for the use of CPVC in attics.

Tyco^Â®’s Specific Application Attic Sprinklers are the first sprinklers to be:

Listed for extended coverage in combustible construction
Full-scale fire tested in both wet and dry system scenarios
Full-scale tested for use in wood truss construction
Listed for specific roof slopes

“An important aspect of the Specific Application Attic Sprinkler technology is the reduction in system volume,” said Robert Cordell, Global Product Manager at Tyco Fire Protection Products. “The design allows for better fire protection while having to install fewer sprinklers and branch lines which, in most cases, reduces the cost of installation.”

The TycoÂ® Model BB (Back to Back), SD (Single Directional), HIP, and AP (Attic Plus) “Specific Application Sprinklers For Protecting Attics” are fire sprinklers for combustible and non-combustible sloped attic spaces. The Model BB, SD, and HIP are Specific Application Attic Sprinklers. The Model AP, however, is a Specific Application Combustible Concealed Space Sprinkler having specific application criteria for its use with the Model BB, SD, and HIP in attic spaces.

TycoÂ® Model AP (Attic Plus), BB (Back to Back), HIP and SD (Single Directional)

Sprinkler spray pattern

For additional information regarding Tyco’s Peak™ Performance Attic Sprinklers, please visit
http://www.tyco-fire.com/index.php?P=detailprod&S=6100.

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New Rescue Truck for Jackson Volunteer Firefighters

Posted: Jul 28, 2016

New Rescue Truck for Jackson Volunteer Firefighters

The Jackson Volunteer Fire Department recently purchased a new service rescue truck, replacing the department's 1987 model. The truck, manufactured by Ferrara Fire Apparatus of Holden, cost $155,000. It was funded through a structure tax the Jackson Fire Department receives from East Feliciana Parish, according to Assistant Volunteer Fire Chief Cheryl Scott.

"We saved for a few years to pay for this truck, salvaging equipment from the previous truck," Volunteer Fire Chief Richard Dudley said.

The truck is equipped with medical supplies, self-containing breathing apparatus, ladders, pike poles and the Jaws of Life, a tool used to extricate passengers from vehicles following a collision.

"The community of Jackson should feel a lot safer with this new truck in use," said Dudley. "Our volunteer firefighters have been working hard for years to bring this kind of truck to the department and to the community. It's been a long time coming and will assist them well in performing their firefighter duties."