Chris Taylor

The situation has hardly improved, with many recent stories across the news involving attacks on fire crews. In early September 2014, Detroit, Michigan, firefighters were assaulted with rocks and bottles as they attempted to extinguish a suspicious fire at a vacant house. Just weeks earlier in July, a crew in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was attacked with fireworks by a group of young men. Also in July, Boston, Massachusetts, firefighters and paramedics were attacked by a group of three men.

Although most people view firefighters as heroes, a minority sees no problem attacking them. This raises a question: Should fire crews wear body armor when attending calls? If so, is the expense of adding this extra gear to fire department budgets justifiable? Many think so. In the past year, fire crews in New York, Florida, and South Carolina have started to wear protective clothing to defend against attacks, with the latter choosing custom-fitted vests.

The situations in which assaults take place vary. Sometimes, crews attend emergency calls in rundown areas and encounter violent individuals. At other times, they may attempt to help a person of unsound mind only to be attacked without reason or warning. Or, most dangerously, they may be called to a hostile police scenario with a high risk of gunfire and knives. When we consider the dangers of a firefighter's work, we generally assume fire, smoke inhalation, collapsing buildings, and explosions are the major risks. Yet, this wide-ranging abuse is sadly just as significant.

How Would Body Armor Protect Firefighters?

The first concern of wearing body armor is the extra weight and bulk it will add to a firefighter's clothing. To perform at the best of their abilities, firefighters need the flexibility and freedom to run, avoid falling debris, jump, climb structures, and carry people to safety. When adding body armor to the gear they already carry-helmets, turnout pants and jackets, and breathing apparatus-this may take some getting used to. However, the risk of gunshots or stab wounds poses a greater danger, and not all body armors are the heavy-duty type we see police officers and military personnel wear. There are other options.

Bulletproof vests, stabproof vests, and spiked-weapon vests offer varying levels of protection against their respective dangers. The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) categorizes these levels following stringent tests. Although fire crews can never know exactly what type of reception they're likely to get at a scene, they should make a decision on whether they expect a specific attack or not and wear the appropriate armor. For example, if they're called to assist police at a burning building that is also the scene of an armed siege, bulletproof armor will prove essential. Likewise, if called to a fire in an area with high levels of stabbings or youth crime, stab vests may be more appropriate.

Firefighters should always retain the right to use their judgment regarding armor use: if they need to cut someone out of a wrecked car or help bring somebody down from a rooftop, their armor is likely unnecessary, and they should be free to remove it as they see fit.

Choosing the Right Body Armor

Once firefighters decide to wear protective clothing, they must choose the right vest for the expected risk. For example, bulletproof armor will not defend completely against a blade, nor will a stab vest protect

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By Alan M. Petrillo

From cut and abrasion protection to more breathable coats and pants, technical rescue and wildland PPE mirror many of the attributes of structural firefighting turnout gear but embody their own attributes that meet the needs of firefighters performing nonstructural firefighting tasks.

Technical Rescue Gear

Mark Dolim, national sales manager for Globe Manufacturing Company, says technical rescue turnout gear has caught on "because 90 percent of calls don't require structural personal protective equipment." Dolim points out that the specifications for technical rescue gear are covered by National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1951, Standard on Protective Ensembles for Technical Rescue Incidents (2013 ed.). Globe's TechRescue jacket and pants also meet NFPA 1999, Standard on Protective Clothing for Emergency Medical Operations, he says.

"Rescue and recovery gear doesn't have a thermal barrier," Dolim says, "but it does incorporate a barrier for blood-borne pathogens, provides more breathability through a moisture barrier with a soft and pliable facecloth that comes in contact with the skin, is lighter, and has a fire-resistant outer shell. Some fire departments have their firefighters use technical rescue gear for auto extrications and other nonstructural calls, which can prolong the life of their structural firefighting gear."

Utility gear has a fire-resistant outer shell, Dolim notes, but is designed more for search and rescue functions with highly visible trim and tailored to be comfortable, usually with elastic in the waist, so no suspenders are needed, and padding in the knees. "Departments take a blank slate garment and customize it as they want," Dolim says.

Jim Sonntag, owner of PGI, Inc., points out that his company's technical rescue gear is designed to allow the greatest mobility for its user. "Every garment is anatomically designed," Sonntag says. "The shoulders, elbows, and knees all have pleats to allow freedom of movement. There are no seams on top of the shoulder-they are at the bottom or behind the shoulder to allow for expansion and to interface better when a firefighter has to wear a self-contained breathing apparatus or carry a bag with shoulder straps."

Sonntag notes that PGI's technical rescue gear, which meets NFPA 1951, has a flatter configuration to its pockets "so they don't catch on things" and does not use metal zippers. "All our zippers are made of fire-resistant Zytel® DuPont fiber," Sonntag says. "It's stronger than brass or metal, won't crimp or break, and is self-lubricating."

Rescue and Wildland

Michael Laton, senior product manager for body protection at Honeywell First Responder Products, says Honeywell has been making tricertified gear (NFPA 1951 and 1999, as well as NFPA 1977, Standard on Protective Clothing and Equipment for Wildland Firefighting) for more than 15 years, regularly updating the tu

Richard Marinucci

This event offers a unique opportunity for manufacturers and end users to meet in a relatively intimate setting to discuss specifics of apparatus and its components. The format allows for candid discussion into details that help both fire service personnel and manufacturers. This uniqueness not only helps all attendees but can benefit others in their departments and organizations when they bring back critical information on apparatus specifics and prudent spending practices.

The FDSOA has enjoyed a meaningful partnership with the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers' Association (FAMA) and believes that this relationship has done much to advance the fire service through improvements in apparatus. This year, the FDSOA has added an additional partner, Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment. This publication is committed to providing information to the fire service relative to apparatus and equipment and is the only such magazine with this specific mission. This is a direct connect to the information provided at the Apparatus Symposium.

The Symposium continues to improve, and the FDSOA continues to build partnerships like those with Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment and FAMA so that this event remains the "go-to" place for those looking to learn as much as possible regarding apparatus. It also serves to connect those who have a passion for the industry. The purpose is to improve quality and reliability while remaining cognizant of purchasing and fleet maintenance costs.

What You'll Experience

Attendees will hear from experts covering a variety of topics including new developments in the industry. Presentation topics include specification writing, the political aspects of apparatus purchasing and maintenance, and vehicle accident loss experiences. This year's Symposium also looks at issues designed to improve safety, such as accident avoidance through virtual mirrors and radar detection, roadway safety, and safe aerial operations. There are also sessions on specific components and maintenance issues-topics of interest to all in attendance.

Of equal importance are the "unofficial" meetings that take place outside the classroom. It is here that many attendees build relationships and get deeper into the "weeds" with discussion about their specific interests. Manufacturers' representatives can pick the brains of fire service professionals passionate about their trade, and fire department professionals can glean specific information that leads to savings for their communities and improved reliability and safety. There is no downside to this arrangement, as all can benefit when they choose to engage in the process.

Future Plans

The FDSOA is pleased with its arrangements with Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment and FAMA. Plans are already underway for the 28th annual Apparatus Symposium. A planning session will be held at the Sympoisum to get immediate feedback from attendees, which will be used during the planning process. One big change is that the Symposium will move from Florida for the first time since its inception. Although the FDSOA has enjoyed its time in Florida, it has decided to move the Symposium to Scottsdale, Arizona, in 2016. The plan from that point is to move the event back to the East Coast in 2017 to a location yet to be determined. By rotating the locations, the FDSOA believes it will expose more fire departments and firefighters to the Symposium and its benefits. If you have any responsibility regarding apparatus-whether purchasing or maintaining-plan on attending January 17-19, 2016, in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The fire service is getting more complicated and complex every year in all parts of the del

1 Pumper and Tanker Product Manager Jason Witmier provided this photo of a KME's driver's side pump panel with a Waterous CSU full-bodied midship pump with no discharges on the operator's panel. He says, "On this one, we also completely blanked off on the pump's left-side suction tube. By removing the left-side suction inlet and putting a plate over it, it saved space in the pump house to add a compartment. Taking the suction away added to the whole safety factor of not having the inlet by the operator." (Photo courtesy of KME.) Click here to view Image Gallery

By Bill Adams

Some apparatus purchasing committees (APCs) consider fire pump discharges a mundane topic-a matter taken for granted. Some erroneously believe discharge quantities, locations, and sizes are cast-in-concrete, sacrosanct requirements never to be doubted. Tactlessly questioning the topic during the specification (spec) writing process can cause dissension within the ranks and unintended controversy with vendors.

Regardless of whether their questions are or appear controversial, APCs and vendors should applaud queries from firefighters. Firefighters showing interest in their workplace (the fire truck) should be commended. Their participation will make APCs more attentive and accountable and can assist in making successful purchases. Hopefully, APCs will not construe firefighters' honest questions as questioning their authority and competency to purchase fire apparatus.

When discussing pump discharges, vendors should walk a fine line. An APC may mistakenly believe its expertise and knowledge is being challenged if a vendor asks a question the committee never considered or can't answer. Asking too controversial a question may jeopardize a sale. Conversely, a vendor not candidly addressing pump discharges with an APC and, in particular, an uneducated one, is doing the fire department a disservice. Concurrently, APCs' questions must be answered honestly and forthrightly. With today's social media and Internet access, a committee member may already have the answer to a question being asked merely to "test" a vendor. It's not right, but it happens.

"A Standard" or "the Standard"

The word standard has several meanings. One means something is normally or ordinarily accepted. Fire apparatus original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have standard discharge packages or configurations for each capacity fire pump offered. For a 1,500 gallon-per-minute (gpm) traditional midship pump, one OEM's standard package may include a three-inch discharge on the right-hand side (RHS), a three-inch discharge riser for a master stream appliance, and four 2½-inch discharges-two on the left-hand side (LHS), one on the RHS, and one at the rear. Another OEM's standard configuration may include a three-inch on the RHS and five 2½-inch discharges-two on each side and one at the rear. Yet another may offer two RHS three-inch discharges, two LHS 2½-inch discharges, and one RHS 2½-inch discharge. Which OEM is right? They all are. They all meet their own standard. An OEM's in-house standard does not have to reflect a regulatory agency's minimum requirements, nor is it necessarily reflective of apparatus being purchased in a given geographical area.

Standard can also mean a benchmark or a requirement. In the fir