Compiled by Ron Heal

Arkansas

E-ONE-Benton Fire Department, pumper. Typhoon X cab and chassis; Cummins ISL 450-hp engine; Waterous CSU 1,500-gpm pump; UPF Poly 780-gallon tank. Sold by Chip Crooms, Sunbelt Fire, Fairhope, AL. Delivery in November.

Florida

E-ONE-Hialeah Fire Rescue, 78-foot rear-mount aerial quint. Typhoon cab and chassis; Cummins ISL 450-hp engine; Hale Qmax 1,500-gpm pump; 500-gallon polypropylene tank; 30-gallon foam cell; FoamPro 1600 single-agent foam system. Sold by Ron Wilson, Hall-Mark Fire Apparatus, Ocala, FL. Delivery in November.

Georgia

VT Hackney-hazmat unit. International 4400 cab and chassis; MaxxForce 9 330-hp engine; 24-foot walk-around, 11-compartment rescue body; ZICO swing out/down roof access ladder; upper body storage compartments. Sold by Royce Holton, Tactical Fire Vehicles, Winder, GA. Delivery in November.

Illinois

Pierce-Cicero Fire Department, 100-foot aerial quint. Dash CF cab and chassis; Detroit DD13 500-hp engine; UPF Poly 300-gallon tank; Pierce PUC 1,500-gpm pump. Sold by John Kenna, Global Emergency Products, Aurora, IL. Delivery in January, 2016.

Alexis-Marshall Fire Protection District, top-control pumper. Spartan Metro Star cab and chassis; Cummins ISL9 450-hp engine; Waterous CXS 1,500-gpm pump; Pro Poly 1,000-gallon tank. Sold by Stan Froelich, Alexis Fire Equipment, Alexis, IL. Delivery in February, 2016.

Pierce-Monticello Fire & Rescue, pumper. Dash CF PUC cab and chassis; Cummins ISL9 450-hp engine; Pierce 1,500-gpm single-stage pump; UPF Poly 750-gallon tank; Will-Burt Night Scan light tower; Harrison 10-kW generator. Sold by Larry Graves, Global Emergency Products, Aurora, IL. Delivery in January, 2016.

Pierce-Peoria Heights Fire Department, pumper. Saber FR cab and chassis; Cummins ISL9 450-hp engine; Waterous CSU 1,500-gpm pump; UPF Poly 500-gallon tank; Harrison 6-kW generator. Sold by Jamie Bennett, Global Emergency Products, Aurora, IL. Delivery in January, 2016.

Ferrara-West Chicago Fire Protection District, top-mount pumper. Igniter cab and chassis; Cummins ISL 450-hp engine; Waterous CSU 1,500-gpm pump; UPF Poly 750-gallon tank; 30-gallon foam cell. Sold by Bill Neuner, A.E.C. Fire & Safety, Springfield, IL. Delivery in March, 2016.

Indiana

Pierce-Seymour Fire Department, rescue-pumper. Enforcer cab and chassis; Cummins ISL9 450-hp engine; Waterous CSU 1,500-gpm pump; UPF Poly 750-gallon tank. Sold by Rob McAtee, Global Emergency Products, Whitestown, IN. Delivery in January, 2016.

Iowa

Alexis-Blue Grass Fire Department, pumper-tanker. Freightliner M2 cab and chassis; Cummins ISL 350-hp engine; Waterous CX 1,250-gpm pump; APR polypropylene 2,000-gallon tank. Sold by Greg Landon, Alexis Fire Equipment, Alexis, IL. Delivery in February, 2016.

Alexis-LeClaire Fire Department, top-control pumper. HME 1871-W LFD cab and chassis; Cummins ISL9 450-hp engine; Waterous CXS 1,500-gpm pump; Pro Poly 900-gallon tank; 20-gallon foam cell; Waterous Aquis 2.5 single-agent foam system; Command Light Knight 2 KL 450 light tower; Smart Power 10-kW generator; 5-kW XRT rescue tool pump. Sold by K. Jeffrey Morris, Alexis Fire Equipment, Alexis, IL. Delivery in February, 2016.

Danko-Orient Rural Fire District, quick-response attack unit. Ford F-550 cab and chassis; 6.8-liter three-valve SOHC EFI NA V10 engine; UPF Poly 300-gallon tank; 12-gallon foam cell; Waterous 2515 LE pump; FoamPro 1601 Class A foam system TFT Tornado remote control monitor. Sold by Bruce Blum, Danko Emergency Equipment, Snyder, NE. Delivery in October

HANSEN INTERNATIONAL, INC. has announced the recent promotions of Lisa Hansen Beebe to vice president and Michael Coggins to chief operations officer. Coggins will be responsible for manufacturing, warehousing, accounting, purchasing, engineering, and IT. Beebe, with the company for 21 years, has held a variety of leadership positions prior to this promotion, including director of human resources and most recently director of administration. Sales, Quality Control, and Human Resources will report to Beebe in her new position. Coggins, a 24-year veteran employee, was most recently director of operations.

HME has delivered a Rapid Attack Truck (RAT) to the Notre Dame Fire Department at the University of Notre Dame, Indiana. This pumper is built on an 1871-SFO custom chassis with a 12-inch raised roof, has a cab to fit a crew of six , is powered by a Cummins ISL9-330 330-hp diesel engine, and is equipped with a Hale Q-Flo Plus 1,250-gpm midship pump.

Notre Dame's RAT utilizes HME Hydra Technology™, a 96-inch-wide cab with a 45-degree cramp angle for a tight turning chassis in urban environments, and stainless steel body for minimal corrosion. Other features include a 500-gallon polypropylene water tank; a four-wheel Meritor/Wabco stability enhancement system; an Allison 3000EVS automatic transmission with a pushbutton selector; a David Clark 3800 Intercom system with a remote headset station; a seven-inch waterproof LCD backup camera; a three-dimensional stainless front grille; cab tilt road interlock; a Gen II full-height interior EMS cabinet with a satin anodized roll-up door; deep adjustable shelving and hosebed dividers; a center hosewell; a brushed stainless steel pump panel; three crosslay beds; a Task Force Tips model XG18VL-XX 18-inch Extend-A-Gun; an Elkhart #8297-98 Stinger direct-mount, lift-off style deck gun; 140 cubic feet of compartment storage; 50 feet of hosebed storage; backboard storage; through-the-tank storage; and FoxTrax toolboards.

SUTPHEN CORPORATION recently announced that Custom Fire Apparatus, Inc. will be its new dealer in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Based out of Osceola, Wisconsin, Custom Fire Apparatus is also a family-owned apparatus company. Custom Fire Apparatus designs and manufactures structural fire equipment and rescue squads. It also provides full service repairs, repainting, and electrical work for its customers. Additionally, it runs a mobile service truck to meet the needs of customers in remote areas of the state. Custom Fire also serves as an authorized warranty center for Hale and Waterous pumps. "We appreciate the long history of Sutphen, which has been in business since 1890," says Jim Kirvida, president and founder, Custom Fire Apparatus. "We share a commitment to building quality equipment and serving our customers with the highest possible respect and dedication. We are eager to arrange face-to-face meetings with potential customers interested in learning more about our companies and our product offerings."

Pierce Delivers Arrow XT Tiller to the Minneapolis (MN) Fire Department

APPLETON, WI-Pierce Manufacturing Inc. has delivered a Pierce® Arrow XT™ 100-foot aerial tiller apparatus to the Minneapolis (MN) Fire Department. The apparatus was purchased through an HGAC procurement services contract.

"We are thrilled to be chosen by the Minneapolis Fire Department to engineer and manufacture this aerial tiller apparatus," says Jim Johnson, Oshkosh Corporation executive vice president and president, Fire & Emergency. "Pierce takes great p

RICHARD MARINUCCI

Many departments establish apparatus committees to draft specifications for new vehicles, determine replacement schedules, and recommend ongoing maintenance.

This is a good approach that gets buy-in from the organization and mostly delivers better end products. But, and there is always a "but," establishing and managing the committee can be counterproductive if it does not follow proper diligence. A committee working as intended will produce the best possible results. On the other hand, remember the old adage that a "camel is a horse designed by committee."

Committee Makeup

How big a committee is necessary? That depends. What is the size of the organization, and are there any political considerations? A committee with three to seven members is probably best, provided that members represent those with a vested interest. While an odd number is recommended to break any ties, a better approach is to reach consensus so everyone is satisfied and you don't develop bad feelings. There should be representation from firefighters, company officers, drivers and operators, command staff, and someone who works on the vehicles. Each of these people brings a different perspective based on their job responsibilities. This number is not set in stone and can vary. The important concept is to get input and feedback from various stakeholders. Conversely, inviting everyone who is interested is probably not the best approach. Organizations with good labor management will want to include a union representative. This could be one of the members mentioned above or an additional person.

There needs to be a committee chair. This doesn't necessarily need to be the most senior-ranking person. It needs to be someone with a passion and an ability to manage the committee. He needs facilitation skills to elicit the necessary information and to make sure there is participation from all committee members. Detailed knowledge of apparatus nuts and bolts is not necessary, but there must be a general understanding so that the big picture remains in focus throughout the process. The chair needs support from the fire chief, department leadership, and even the administration above the fire chief. This could be the mayor's office, the city manager, or the fire board.

The Rules

The committee needs a balanced perspective, and it must establish a set of rules regarding its operation. There needs to be some general direction given to the committee to create the parameters, including budget constraints and any political issues that could affect final decisions. For example, there could be a local policy regarding where the vehicle is manufactured, giving preference to companies within the same state. As much predetermined information as possible must be provided so that the committee knows its boundaries and doesn't develop concepts it cannot support. The committee needs a target; changing the target or moving it after the committee has done a bulk of its work will demoralize the group and will hinder future production.

Clearly define the committee's role. Is it expected to provide general specifications for new apparatus or will it have an expanded role? Committees can be used for a "cradle-to-grave" approach. This includes not only acquiring apparatus but maintaining it and establishing a replacement schedule. Again, establishing parameters for the committee in all areas is very important. Some people accept appointments only to find out later that they don't get their way on every issue. This leads to frustration and worse. Clearly identify what can and cannot be done and the expected recommendations. Also explain to all committee members the d