Menu

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: Apr 12, 2016

Rhode Island Fire Academy Dedicates New Training Fire Apparatus

The Rhode Island State Fire Academy has unveiled a new fire engine that will help train the next generation of firefighters.
The new engine is a state-of-the-art E-ONE Custom Pumper. It will replaced a 1982 model currently used by the academy.

85% of the $350,000 cost for the truck is being paid for through FEMA's Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program. The state is paying the remaining 15%, which comes out to $52,500.

The pumper truck was manufactured by E-ONE in Ocala, Florida.

Read more
Posted: Apr 12, 2016

Fire Truck Photo of the Day-Rosenbauer Pumper

Rosenbauer—Merced County Fire Department, Atwater, CA, pumper. Commander R6008 cab and chassis; Cummins ISL9 450-hp engine; Rosenbauer N1500, 1,500-gpm pump; UPF Poly 750-gallon tank; 20-gallon foam cell; FoamPro 1600 Class A foam system; GreenStar APU 7.9-kW generator. Dealer: Ken Howenstine, Burton’s Fire Inc., Modesto, CA.

 

    MORE APPARATUS PHOTOS >>

 

MORE FIRE APPARATUS ARTICLES>>

To submit your own photo, go to our Photo Submission Form.

Read more
Posted: Apr 12, 2016

Grant Could Help G.I.F.D. Prevent Fire Truck, Ambulance Crashes

Deadlier than flames - statistics from the National Fire Protection Association show your vehicle is more likely to kill a firefighter than a burning home. Vehicle crashes are the second leading cause of death among on-duty firefighters, but a local department is trying to make the race to a call a bit safer.

"We've had people run the red lights and almost hit us. We've had a lot of close calls," said Grand Island Fire Chief Corey Schmidt.

G.I.F.D.’s worst hit? Schmidt said it was when a truck broadsided an ambulance back in 2008, injuring the crew inside and costing the city big bucks.

"We've had quite a few just minor accidents. We're very fortunate that way, but it only takes one to be the one that you can never quite get over so we're hoping that with this we never have that one accident that hurt or killed someone," said Schmidt.

He’s talking about the preemptive traffic signal controllers installed in three fire vehicles.

"[They] make them green for our vehicles and red for the cross traffic and it really makes our job a little bit safer," said Schmidt.

Monday, the department announced that they had received a $9,471 grant from the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation. Schmidt said they’ll use it to buy three more signal controllers, which run around $3,100 a piece.

"It actually reads our vehicle speed, direction we're traveling currently location," he said.

Even though some fire vehicles have this equipment, there's not a traffic signal in the city that can communicate with them. The intersection of Broadwell and Capital Avenues has the technology. It just needs to be programmed.

The Fire and Street Departments have compiled a wish list, with four intersections set to be upgraded by the end of this year:

  • Broadwell & Capital Avenues
  • Webb Road & Capital Avenue
  • Stolley Park Road & Highway 281
  • Old Potash Highway & Highway 281

"We don't do a lot of them so it's a little uncertain. They have to go in and install the hardware up above so that it can pick up their GPS," said G.I. Street Superintendent Shannon Callahan. Read more

Posted: Apr 12, 2016

Kuntz Keeps the Fire Trucks Rolling

The next time you come across a house fire and see the fire engines respond, or witness the scene of a traffic accident and watch as injured are loaded into

EEP Inc., for Emergency Equipment Professionals, has become a regional leader for providing vehicles and equipment needed by fire departments and emergency personnel to help save lives.

Jeff Kuntz is president and owner of the company, which along with its Horn Lake headquarters has locations in Richland, Miss. and Pelham, Ala.

“We pride ourselves on what we do and how we do it,” Kuntz said. “Most of us have been involved or are still involved as first responders.”

Case in point, Kuntz pointed out that his Vice President of Equipment Sales, Shawn Witt, is the fire chief of the Love Volunteer Fire Department.

Through its suppliers, such as Pierce for fire trucks or Braun or Demers Ambulances, EEP provides quality equipment to fire departments. If and when service is needed, mobile units can come out and work on the vehicles at their location or the vehicles can come into the service area in Horn Lake to be worked on.

Kuntz is not a rookie to the fire equipment business.

“I’ve been in sales of fire equipment and fire apparatus since 1992,” Kuntz said. “I opened with a partner another company in 2000 in Olive Branch. Business grew to the point where we decided we wanted to do our separate things.”

Kuntz said a division of that company led to his starting EEP, Inc. in May 2011.

Each customer gets the same quality level of service, regardless of size.

Read more
RSS
First43004301430243034305430743084309Last

Theme picker

Upcoming Events

Theme picker

Sponsors

Fire Mechanics Section Board

Chair

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Chair

Elliot Courage
North Whatcom Fire & Rescue
Read more

Vice Chair

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Vice Chair

Mike Smith 
Pierce County Fire District #5
Read more

Secretary

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Secretary

Greg Bach
South Snohomish County Fire & Rescue
Read more

Director #1

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #1

Doug Jones
South Kitsap Fire & Rescue
Read more

Director #2

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #2

Paul Spencer 
Fire Fleet Maintenance LLC
Read more

Director #3

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #3

Jim Morris
Mountain View Fire Department
Read more

Director #4

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #4

Arnie Kuchta

Clark County Fire District 6

Read more

Director #6

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #6

Brett Annear
Kitsap County Fire District 18
Read more

Director #5

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #5

Jay Jacks
Camano Island Fire & Rescue
Read more

Legislative Representative

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Legislative Representative

TBD
TBD
Read more

Immediate Past Chair

Posted: Oct 20, 2015

Immediate Past Chair

Brian Fortner
Graham Fire & Rescue

Read more
RSS

Theme picker

2020 CAR SHOW