Smeal Fire Apparatus Co. today announced that Fire Apparatus Solutions (FAS), the authorized sales and service dealer for Smeal™, US Tanker™ and LTC™ brand apparatus in southern California, has expanded its territory to the entire state. This follows a merger with Smeal’s company-owned sales operation in northern California to expand its sales team and coverage. Joining FAS from the northern California sales operation, Scott Beck has been appointed sales manager and will lead sales and business development efforts for FAS.

“We are excited to be expanding our sales and business development efforts, to maintain and expand sales of Smeal, UST, and LTC in our newly enlarged territory. Many California departments already recognize the exceptional customized designs, reliability and value of the Smeal family of fire trucks, and we’re looking forward to demonstrating that to more customers,” said William Kalmikov, FAS’ general manager.

“Our path to success has always been through listening to our customers, and then delivering on the customized apparatus and service that they expect. The combination of Will, Scott and their team working to serve current and prospective customers in California will certainly continue us on this path,” said Jeff Wegner, Smeal’s Senior Vice President – Global Sales.

Fire Apparatus Solutions was established in 2005. The company is owned by and operated by William Kalmikov. FAS has traditionally been a serviceoriented organization, offering preventative maintenance programs, major aerial repairs, pump testing and repairs, chassis service, electrical and hydraulic system repairs, and refurbishment services.

FAS is headquartered and has a large service facility in Bloomington, Cal. The dealership also offers mobile service throughout a large portion of California, and and they have established service partnerships in areas where their mobile service doesn’t yet reach, so that customers receive prompt, convenient service, regardless of their location. To learn more, visit www.FASService.org.

Smeal Fire Apparatus Co., including US Tanker Co. and Ladder Tower Co., is recognized as a premier manufacturer, inventor, and innovator of customized fire apparatus. The company offers a full line of custom and commercial pumpers, rescue pumpers, mini and rescue pumpers, stainless steel tanker / tenders, aerial ladders, platforms, TDAs, wildland, and urban interface vehicles. Smeal is committed to leading the industry in high quality fire apparatus, delivery times and customer experience. Smeal sells its products worldwide and is based in Snyder, Neb. To learn more, visit smeal.com.

The session on pumps and plumbing controls at this year’s Apparatus Specification and Maintenance Symposium was one that seemed to reveal the pulse of the fire service and its position, largely, on the use of electronics to control discharge and intake valves on a fire apparatus.

The format for the session was to go through the current methods for controlling the flow of water in and out of a pumper, which include completely mechanical methods, mechanical/electronic hybrid methods, and completely electronic methods.

Generally, the advantages and disadvantages from the operational side are well known. If a department goes completely mechanical, then more space is required for the pump panel on the truck because of how the valves must be laid out. You gain space with a mechanical/electronic set up—which seemed to be where many in the room were at with their pumpers. And, you gain the most space if you convert completely electronic valves.

One major disadvantage that came up several times was the cost involved with the electronics, which the presenters, Doug Kelley, Wildland Product Manager, KME, and Doug Miller, OEM Account Manager with Task Force Tips, admitted remains higher than spec’ing out mechanical valves.

Of note was that most of the people in the room were proponents of manual valves. Although this is the case, there is no doubt that technology is moving forward. There is still a valid concern about what to do if an electronic valve malfunctions on the fireground. There was also a lively discussion about the age of fire apparatus and the concern that as a truck ages the systems on it will not be supported when the truck reaches 20 years old. Some of the manufacturers of these electronic systems were present for this breakout session and joined the discussion, explaining how they work to ensure that a product they produce 10 years from now is backward compatible with products they produce now.

It is also interesting to note how what might work well operationally for a department, e.g. electronic valves to reduce the size of the pump panel thus providing more compartment space, does not always work well for the fleet managers responsible for making repairs to these fire apparatus. With a purely mechanical system, most of the linkages, etc., are relatively easy to get to. But, when you move to a mechanical/electronic system or completely electronic system, components are often not as easy to get to. What this does is make it imperative that at least one fleet maintenance representative is on your truck committee. What makes sense operationally does not always translate into easy repairs for the EVT staff.

This session and its discussion were good examples of what this conference is all about—bringing together parties from the manufacturing and fire department sides to engage in discussions about apparatus technologies currently on the market, how they work and how they don’t work, and how both sides can work together to creates solutions that benefit all parties involved.

Attendees at the 28th Annual FDSOA Apparatus Specification and Maintenance Symposium got to learn about a few of the changes to the NFPA 1901, Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus (2016 ed.) and NFPA 1906, Standard for Wildland Fire Apparatus (2016, ed.). Doug Kelley, KME Wildland Product Manager, presented.

Although he did not touch on every single change to the two standards, Kelley highlighted a few from each relevant to the apparatus operators, line officers, and fleet managers present. 

On the administrative side, the two documents are now structured the same so that the same chapter and paragraph numbers in each standard cover the same subject matter, making the two standards sister publications essentially. Kelley also reminded the group the revision cycles for both standards were aligned several years ago as well.

Some highlights from NFPA 1901:

• If a department wants its trucks to exceed NFPA 1901 minimum requirements, the department has to tell the manufacturer as the purchaser. Make sure the department has it in the spec.
• The apparatus manufacturer must provide familiarization and demonstration at the time of delivery on a number of specified items. The qualifications of the representative conducting the training must be provided in writing. This is not driver training.
• Only one set of manuals is required to be delivered with the vehicle.
• The Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association (FAMA) Safety Guide has been added to the list of items to be supplied with the apparatus.
• Test criteria for measuring light levels has been added. Dividers, such as hosebed dividers, that might block the light are allowed to be removed during the testing.
• The standard now specifies the maximum length and location of the seat belt stalk.
• For vehicles with GVRWs of less than 19,500, the seat belt webbing color requirement does not apply.
• The standard strengthened test standards for SCBA restraings in the cab.
• Tiller cabs now to meet requirements of SAE J2422.
• Designated walking areas: requirements for designating standing/walking surfaces on the upper areas of the apparatus will now require a one-inch yellow stripe indicating these areas as walking areas.
• Pump water engine cooler removed—not required to have auxiliary engine cooler.
• Aerial operating capacity label: rated capacity must be provided on a label or on an electronic display.
• Aerial platform railing must withstand force of 225 lbf.
• Aerial platform gates must withstand 1,000 lbf at the weakest point, and doors must stay shut.
• Aerial platform fall protection: one anchor point for every 250 pounds of load rating. These must be clearly labeled and rated for 450 pounds minimum.

Some highlights from NFPA 1906:

• Applies specifically for trucks supporting wildland fire suppression. Applies to vehicles with a minimum GVRW of 10,001.
• Defines the difference between a wildland fire pump and fire pump. Any pump larger than 250 gpm is a fire pump and must meet NFPA 1901.
• Defines a wildland crew carrier—design and performance, including structural integrity, seat design, escape, etc.
• Personnel weight allowance increased to 250 pounds per seating position.
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At the Fire Department Safety Officers Association’s (FDSOA) 28th annual Apparatus Specification and Maintenance Symposium, Jim Juneau kicked the conference off with a keynote covering how firefighters are treated by the law, particularly in cases where firefighters were involved in apparatus MVAs where firefighters, civilians, or both are injured or killed.

Juneau explained that firefighters know they are performing a dangerous job, but the dangers they most often consider are the dangers of the fireground: the fire itself, smoke, searching for victims above the fire, building collapse, getting trapped, etc. But, often they don’t think of the dangers of getting to and from the fire and the consequences of what may go wrong during the response.

Important for any firefighter to consider is that although they may have insurance or may work for a large municipality, there will be consequences if they are operating a fire apparatus and they cause an accident that leads to injury or death. Just a few of these consequences include being charged with criminally negligent homicide; being charged with felony vehicular homicide; a firefighter losing his job; and awards of $15,000,000 and $2,215,000 in an unlawful death law suit. The dollar amounts are staggering, and Juneau reminded everyone that no one has $2,000,000 laying around.

Juneau cited several case studies and the actions that led to various consequences. Some seemed almost unbelievable, yet these things to occur—even to the point of getting caught in a lie on an accident report.

Juneau wrapped his keynote by listing eight things that will get a firefighter in trouble:

1. Ignoring national standards.
2. Poor vehicle maintenance and inspection habits
3. Not using occupant/equipment restraints
4. Entering a negative right-of-way intersection
5. Excessive speed or crazy driving habits
6. Disrespecting railroad crossings
7. Backing and maneuvering an apparatus without spotters.
8. Intoxication on duty or ignoring it/concealing it.

He ended the presentation by reminding the audience that cost of these apparatus operating mistakes are not always in dollars, but could be in lives lost.