Chris Mc Loone

The University of Arizona College of Public Health is set to receive $1 million to study fire apparatus accidents.

The university plans to examine four fire departments and is using the Tucson (AZ) Fire Department as its control because of its very low accident rate. Researchers plan to suggest the most cost-effective ways to reduce accidents involving fire apparatus after learning what is causing them.

On one hand, this is great news. An independent entity has taken a leadership role in helping to reduce injuries and line-of-duty deaths caused by accidents occurring during emergency responses. On the other hand, is this study going to conclude with anything that the fire service doesn't already know?

During 2014, we have seen accidents involving rollovers, civilians running into staged fire apparatus, and just recently an apparatus crossed a bridge that gave way underneath it. Is that infrastructure or an operator forgetting to check the weight rating of the bridge before crossing it? Some accidents have involved fire apparatus beginning to leave the roadway and the operator overcompensating to get back on the road, resulting in loss of control. The causes of the accidents are more often than not clear, and the actions that could have been taken to avoid them are also clear. So, what will this study do for the fire service?

According to Arizona University representatives, the study will look at four "major" fire departments. But, is this really where we need researchers to be looking?

Speed, training, and age seem to be three major issues when apparatus accidents occur. If the men and women "riding the seat" are unafraid to tell the driver to slow down, then it should be pretty easy for us to correct speed problems. However, training and age are two areas where looking at "major" fire departments is not going to yield the best data.

We have a crisis in the fire service in our rural fire departments. Often apparatus is up to 30 years old or even older. Personnel are hard to come by. So out of necessity, it is more than likely that the average age of apparatus operators in these areas is going to much younger than in "major" fire departments. It is impossible for anyone to say with a blanket statement that our apparatus operators need to be older. It is inevitable that a 19- or 20-year-old "kid" is going to be behind the wheel at times. Maturity levels will vary, and so will the speed at which 19- or 20-year-olds drive. Often these members have only driven their personal vehicles for two or maybe three years before they start driving million-dollar apparatus weighing in excess of 20 tons. The answer is not so easy for these departments.

Rural roads not built for 96-inch-wide, 20-foot-long vehicles are where many accidents occur. Training to drive these vehicles often is on the job. There aren't resources available to send drivers through full-blown EVOC classes where drivers in training get to drive in controlled environments to truly learn the feel of these vehicles and how they react at certain times. So, training or lack of it is not something that will be easily fixed.

A Tucson Fire Department spokesperson wisely mentions that we also must look at the public. Their distractions have gone from changing a radio station to texting, dialing phone numbers, and then talking on the phone. They just aren't watching out for us. Sometimes it isn't even these distractions. Civilians operate vehicles at too great a speed as well at times. Their vehicles are built to keep out the ambient noise around them. Because of these facts, there are simply times

By Matt Sloane

They've been used by the United States military and armed forces around the world to rain destruction on our enemies from afar and are controlled by pilots in a windowless, air-conditioned, video-game-like room at a military base in Nevada.

Those aren't the drones we're talking about here, and while remotely flying a multimillion-dollar aircraft with missiles on it may be every little kid's dream, you can have just as much fun with a very useful, much less expensive system.

These drones-or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as we'll call them-are being adopted by realtors, filmmakers, farmers, and hobbyists alike. They're also being used successfully by many fire departments, search and rescue teams, and law enforcement agencies, and they just may save a life.

1 The DJI Phantom Vision 2+ is a market leader in lightweight, easy-to-use UAVs. (Photo courtesy of DJI.)

An increasing number of private citizens are showing up during emergencies with their drones, and it's important to understand how the technology works, where UAVs may be useful to you as an incident commander (IC), and when they can do more harm than good.

UAV Use in Public Safety

The potential uses for UAVs in the fire service are numerous, including active fire surveillance, thermal imaging, hazmat response, traffic and crowd oversight, public relations and marketing, and coverage of special events.

Take the case of a standard house fire. The first engine on scene rolls up on a two-story dwelling with smoke pouring out of the attic vents and no visible flames.

Step 1 is the scene size-up, where one or more firefighters take the time to walk around the structure and assess the fire from each side. They report back to the IC, and the fire suppression portion of the event begins.

But, what if all four sides aren't visible? What if your agency is a volunteer agency, and there's only one firefighter on the first-in vehicle? When seconds count, critical resources are being used to size up a scene before taking any action.

Enter a UAV. The first responding firefighter takes 30 seconds to get the aircraft up and running; puts it into the air; and, from the command vehicle, has a live view of all four sides of the structure.

Additional responding companies can use those real-time images to plan the attack, see the best places to park the apparatus, keep track of responding personnel, see active fire hot spots, and potentially even see victims hanging out of open windows or on balconies.

Although setting up the UAV may take as much time as the initial scene size-up, the amount of information gathered is significantly higher.

The benefits of UAVs are multiplied even more in a high-rise fire, where it may take crews several minutes to size up a fire on the 10th floor, or in a hazmat situation, where specialized teams and gear need to be brought in before anybody knows what's really happening at the site.

It's also important to consider when flying a UAV may not be appropriate. Strong winds and rain may make flying difficult, and you should never fly within an area where you may encounter low-flying commercial or private air traffic.

Flying too close to strong thermal updrafts around a fire could damage your equipment permanently, and personnel should avoid flying low over large crowds.

Read more 738 0 Article rating: No rating Posted: Oct 10, 2014 Product News LEADER large-flow fans are used to provide smoke extraction in large structures such as parking garages, airports, aircraft on the ground, subways, and rail and road tunnels. The Easy 4000 fans have the BMW Flat Twin engine. It provides airflow of 400,000 m³/h in the open air, and the four-stroke BMW engine has electronic startup. Their low weight allows one or two firefighters to handle them easily. Equipped with a nozzle-spraying system in the standard version, LEADER large-flow fans offer effective gas dilution, dissipation or displacement, and smoke cooling. The Easy 4000 units are available in a lightweight trailer version and a skid version to be attached to any type of vehicle, truck, or trailer. Other options include a 360-degree manual-rotation system, 600- or 1,200-mm elevating platforms, flexible exhaust gas extensions, and blowing ducts. www.LeaderNorthAmerica.com, 704-528-1157 BullEx Shipboard Simulator is designed to mimic the conditions firefighters face while fighting fires aboard a boat or ship. The four-story, 132-foot-long ship simulator includes multiple training locations that recreate conditions firefighters would encounter aboard a vessel, including engine room fires, galley (kitchen) fires, oil tanker emergencies, and fires on the ship's deck. The training rooms use a combination of gas-based, class A, and digital fire technology. The FDNY recently christened a new BullEx Shipboard Simulator named "Port Security" at its fire academy. www.bullex.com, 888-428-5539 FLIR Systems PathFindIR II thermal night vision system uses FLIR's latest nighttime video analytics algorithms to provide automated detection and alerts of pedestrians and animals so drivers can see hazards sooner, react faster, and stay safer on the road at night. PathFindIR II's thermal night vision allows drivers to see pedestrians, cyclists, animals, and other road hazards at night from up to four times farther away than with just the vehicle's headlights. It also adds a nighttime pedestrian detection feature that can be configured to automatically display alarms that alert drivers when the system detects a person nearing or crossing the vehicle's path. www.flir.com, 877-773-3547 Zico QUIC-MOUNT Premixed Gallon Holder and Double Premix Holder, Model QM-PMH-G and Model QM-PMH-D, respectively, are made with heavy-duty steel and aluminum. The Premixed Gallon Holder secures rectangular cans up to one gallon (4.5 by seven inches), allowing personnel to carry more premix where needed. The Double Premix Holder secures two 32-ounce cans within a single bracket, serving as an alternative to purchasing two separate holders when mounting multiple smaller cans inside the apparatus. They are powder-coated yellow for durability and can protection. Brackets lower the risk of rolling, denting, leaking, and puncturing inside the compartment. The brackets keep cans organized and easy to locate. The brackets mount to nearly any flat surface. Hang them from the compartment wall to save space on the shelf below. www.ziamatic.com, 800-711-FIRE Read more 951 0 Article rating: No rating Posted: Oct 10, 2014 Recent Apparatus Orders California HME-Atascadero State Hospital Fire Department, rescue-pumper. Ahrens-Fox 1871 cab and chassis; Cummins ISL9 370-hp engine; 850-gallon polypropylene tank; 20-gallon foam cell; Hale Qflo Plus 1,250-gpm pump; Hale FoamLogix 2.1 single-agent foam system; Akron model 3433 Apollo lift off monitor; Darley 1-1/2AGE 150-gpm portable pump. Sold by Bob Becker, Fire Truck Sales and Service, Woodland, CA. Delivery in February 2015. HME-California Emergency Management Agency, Mather, pumper. HME 1871-SFO cab and chassis; Cummins ISL9 370-hp engine; Hale Qflo Plus 1,250-gpm pump; 850-gallon polypropylene tank; 20-gallon foam cell; Hale FoamLogix 2.1A Class A foam system; Honda 2-kW generator. Sold by Ken Lenz, HME Inc., Wyoming, MI. Delivery in January 2015. Ferrara-Marin County Fire Department, Woodacre, rescue-pumper. Igniter cab and chassis; Cummins ISL9 450-hp engine; Hale Qmax 1,500-gpm pump; UPF Poly 500-gallon tank; 20-gallon foam cell; FoamPro 2001 single-agent foam system. Sold by Mike Doran, Ferrara Fire Apparatus, Holden, LA. Delivery in February 2015. Connecticut Ferrara-Old Mystic Fire Department, Mystic, rescue-pumper. Inferno cab and chassis; Cummins ISX15 500-hp engine; Waterous CSU 2,000-gpm pump; UPF Poly 1,000-gallon tank; 30-gallon foam cell; FoamPro 2002 single-agent foam system. Sold by Brian Baker, Shipman's Fire Equipment, Waterford, CT. Delivery in May 2015. 4-Guys Fire Trucks-Portland Fire Department, pumper. Spartan Gladiator cab and chassis; Cummins ISL 450-hp engine; Waterous CSC20C 1,500-gpm pump; UPF Poly 750-gallon tank; 20-gallon foam cell; Waterous Aquis 2.5 Class A foam system; Onan 8-kW generator; all stainless fire body and subframe. Sold by Jon Cares, Granite Fire Apparatus Inc., Pelham, NH. Delivery in May 2015. 4-Guys Fire Trucks-Somers Fire Department, tanker. Kenworth T800 cab and chassis; Cummins ISX12 450-hp engine; Waterous CSYCX 1,250-gpm pump; UPF Poly 3,000-gallon tank; Zico dump tank bracket; all stainless fire body and subframe. Sold by Jon Cares, Granite Fire Apparatus Inc., Pelham, NH. Delivery in December. Illinois Alexis-East Dundee and Countryside Fire Protection District, East Dundee, pumper. Spartan Metro Star cab and chassis; Cummins ISL9 450-hp engine; Waterous CX 1,500-gpm pump; Pro Poly 500-gallon polypropylene tank; Smart Power Liberator 10-kW electrical/5-kW hydraulic generator/rescue power system for rescue tools. Sold by K. Jeffrey Morris, Alexis Fire Equipment, Alexis, IL. Delivery in May 2015. Pierce-East Peoria Fire Department, pumper. Saber FR cab and chassis; Cummins ISL9 450-hp engine; Waterous CMU 1,500-gpm two-stage pump; UPF Poly 750-gallon tank; Harrison 6-kW generator. Sold by Greg Hinkens, Global Emergency Products, Aurora, IL. Delivery in July 2014. Ferrara-Pingree Grove & Countryside Fire Protection District, Elgin, rescue-pumper. Cinder cab and chassis; Cummins ISL9 450-hp engine; Waterous CSU 1,500-gpm pump; UPF Poly 750-gallon tank. Sold by Bill Neuner, Ferrara Fire Apparatus, Holden, LA. Delivery in February 2015. Ferrara-Harristown Fire Protection District, rescue-pumper. Cinder cab and chassis; Cummins ISL9 450-hp engine; Hale Qflo 1,250-gpm pump; UPF Poly 1,000-gallon tank. Sold by Mark Nixon, AEC Fire & Safety, Springfield, IL. Delivery in May 2015. Pierce-Huntley Fire Protection District, pumper. Enforcer cab and chassis; Cummins ISL9 380-hp engine; Waterous CSU 1,500-gpm pump; UPF Poly 750-gallon tank. Sold by Greg Hinkens, Global Emergency Products, Aurora, IL. Delivery in July 2015. Pierce-Itasca Fire Protection District, pumper. Velocity cab and chassis; Detroit DD13 500-hp engine; Waterous S100 1,500-gpm pump; UPF Poly 750-gallon tank; Harrison 10-kW generator. Sold by John Kenna, Global Emergency Products, Aurora, IL. Delivery in Read more 802 0 Article rating: No rating RSS FirstPrevious4550455145524553455445554556455745584559NextLast Theme picker Section Quick Links   Fire Mechanics Documents EVT Discussion Forum Fire Mechanic Photo Gallery Training & Testing 2019 Scholarship Logo Wear Store Upcoming Events Theme picker Sponsors Fire Mechanics Section Board Chair Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Chair Elliot Courage North Whatcom Fire & Rescue Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating Vice Chair Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Vice Chair Mike Smith  Pierce County Fire District #5 Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating Secretary Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Secretary Greg Bach South Snohomish County Fire & Rescue Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating Director #1 Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Director #1 Doug Jones South Kitsap Fire & Rescue Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating Director #2 Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Director #2 Paul Spencer  Fire Fleet Maintenance LLC Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating Director #3 Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Director #3 Jim Morris Mountain View Fire Department Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating Director #4 Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Director #4 Arnie Kuchta Clark County Fire District 6 Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating Director #6 Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Director #6 Brett Annear Kitsap County Fire District 18 Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating Director #5 Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Director #5 Jay Jacks Camano Island Fire & Rescue Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating Legislative Representative Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Legislative Representative TBD TBD Read more 3250 0 Article rating: No rating Immediate Past Chair Posted: Oct 20, 2015 Immediate Past Chair Brian Fortner Graham Fire & Rescue Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating RSS Theme picker 2020 CAR SHOW Terms Of Use | Privacy Statement - Copyright 2024 by Washington Fire Chiefs Home Members About Us News Calendar Resources Documents Sections County Fire Chiefs FRWC WSAFM