TheFireStore, the leading source for firefighting equipment and supplies, recently announced that it is now an authorized MSA distributor to over 600 fire departments in the state of Virginia, effective immediately.

The territorial expansion in Virginia serves to strengthen the long-standing allegiance between TheFireStore and MSA. TheFireStore became a distributor for MSA in 2004, rose to be MSA’s number one distributor in 2008, and has been in the top five MSA Fire Service Channel Partners in each of the last six years (this is in addition to TheFireStore’s success with Cairns helmets, in which TheFireStore ranks number one year after year). “Continuing to expand our partnership with additional territory is a great opportunity for not only TheFireStore and MSA, but also the customers we serve,” said TheFireStore’s Chief Executive Officer, James Witmer. “We’ve been serving the greater state of Virginia out of our Richmond, Virginia, location, with life-saving gear from so many great manufacturers. We’re looking forward to adding MSA’s high-quality SCBA, thermal imaging cameras, and gas detection meters to our Virginia offering.”

TheFireStore’s acquisition of additional MSA territory in Virginia closely follows having been awarded sole MSA distributorship for the state of New Jersey, a territorial increase that expanded the number of sales representatives in the region and allowed TheFireStore to increase its Service Department staff and capabilities.

“We are extremely excited to be able to offer the full MSA line, including the G1 SCBA, to our ever-growing customer base in Virginia,” TheFireStore Public Safety Equipment Specialist Paul Hartsoe said. “MSA is a very strong brand that has been a valued partner of TheFireStore for many years. We look forward to building upon that relationship and expanding it to even greater heights by offering their full product line in the great state of Virginia.”

The MSA G1 Breathing Apparatus, which has 1 patent granted and 13 patents pending,   represents an entirely new and innovated approach to SCBA design and function. The G1 SCBA was designed side-by-side with firefighters; the result is an SCBA that features a vastly lighter facepiece; a more ergonomic harness; improved weight distribution; a “Central Power” unit that powers the entire SCBA from a single battery compartment; darkness-and smoke-piercing “buddy lights” that provide visible indicators of critical air supply data from any angle; and improved voice amplification communications, all of which come standard on every MSA G1 SCBA. Together, these innovative features help deliver a higher overall level of safety for firefighters.  Since the G1’s release on November 21, 2014, TheFireStore has delivered over 3000 units and currently has more than 1,000 additional units on order. For more information on MSA, the G1, and TheFireStore, please visit www.TheFireStore.com/VirginiaMSA.

Photo (l to r):

Daniel Rossetti, Sales Rep., UPF; Paul Pieragostini, Director of Procurement and Supply Chain, Smeal; Patrick Cahill, Director of Sales, UPF; Kathleen Finneral, Customer Service Supervisor, UPF; Joseph Lingel, President & CEO, UPF; Mark Huber, President, Smeal; Andrew Lingel, VP of Operations, UPF; Michael Ashley, Vice President of Engineering, UPF; Marty Etteldorf, Plant Manager, UPF

SNYDER, NE—Smeal Fire Apparatus Co. announced that the company has awarded United Plastic Fabricating, Inc. (UPF) its first annual Supplier of the Year award. UPF is based in North Andover, Massachusetts, and supplies high-impact polypropylene water and foam tanks. The awards ceremony was held at the Strategic Air and Space Museum in Ashland, Nebraska. Joseph Lingel, president and chief executive officer of UPF accepted the award on behalf of UPF. Chief executive officers and business leaders for the nominated suppliers were in attendance along with executives and shareholders of Smeal Fire Apparatus Co. Smeal President Mark Huber and Paul Pieragostini, Smeal’s director of procurement and supply chain, gave the keynote address.

“Our suppliers serve this fast-paced industry and completely understand how demanding the work load can be. We at Smeal find it appropriate to take the time to gather together to thank them for their tireless efforts and the professional support they provide to us every day. Our suppliers are exceptional, and we value them as a critical part of our efforts to serve our customers,” said Huber. “We congratulate United Plastic Fabricating as our first recipient of this award.”

Throughout the year in its newsletter, Smeal recognizes a supplier of the month who continuously performs above expectations and makes exceptional contributions to the organization. Pieragostini said, “This being the first year for this event, we wanted to make it distinctive, to let people know that we are beholden to our suppliers for their efforts and performance this past year. We work with over 700 suppliers, and each month only one is recognized, so that’s a major accomplishment.”

Smeal 2015 supplier of the year award nominees included United Plastic Fabricating, Fastenal, Akron Brass, ROM Doors, Metals USA, Waterous, Harrison Hydro-Gen, Task Force Tips, Precision Installations, Matheson Gas, Innovative Controls, Pace Mfg., Kriha, and Fire Research Corporation. South Park,

Milwaukee Tool, and Carlton-Bates were recognized as suppliers of the month for the first quarter of 2016.

For more information, visit www.smeal.com.

By Chris Mc Loone

I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Deputy Commissioner Robert Corrigan and Battalion Chief Jim Mueller, of the Philadelphia (PA) Fire Department, to talk about its new Spartan ER pumper order and recently delivered tractor-drawn aerials. The Spartan ER order brings the department back to Campbell Supply Company, a dealer the department has had a relationship with for some time, going back to when Philadelphia purchased a number of American LaFrance engines and TDAs. Philadelphia’s front-line apparatus includes rigs from various manufacturers including KME, American LaFrance, Freightliner. The Spartan ER order is part of Corrigan’s five-year plan to upgrade the Philadelphia Fire Department’s apparatus fleet so no front-line vehicle will be over 10 years old and no reserve vehicle will be over 20 years old. The first two Spartan ER rigs are in production and department representatives recently paid a visit to the factory to check on their progress. new spartan

.@Spartan_ER for @PhillyFireDept to pump for 1st time; lighted handrail for @IAFF22 safety. @PhillyFireNews pic.twitter.com/tDSuypR2i3

— Robert Corrigan (@PFDDepCommish) March 22, 2016

Some features of the new pumpers are tried and true for the department, and some are new to the fire department but reflect current trends. According to Corrigan, the design of the trucks is a collaborative effort and many features are based on firefighter feedback. One example is the hosebed design on the new rigs. Based on firefighter input, the hosebeds on the new rigs will be very low—40 inches above the tailboard. Other features reflect a return to what the department knows has worked. One example is the return of a mounted deck gun on the rigs to give company officers the option of quickly leading off with a blitz or exterior attack. Mueller cites another example, which is returning to a short front bumper and no front intake. Part of the reason for this is an issue faced by many fire departments in old cities: being able to maneuver fire trucks on tight streets. The rigs will also feature lower ground ladder storage and LED backlit exterior grab rails. The pumpers will feature Waterous 1,500-gpm two stage pumps and 500-gallon tanks, a staple across the city’s pumper fleet. All handlines deploy from the rear of the truck—no crosslays—and all city rigs carry two hard sleeves.

New @PhillyFireDept Read more

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