By Chris Mc Loone

In late May, a Washington, D.C., ambulance shut down while transporting a gunshot victim. The ambulance operator was able to safely pull the vehicle over to the side of the road to await another unit to finish the transport to the hospital. Immediately prior to the engine failing, the operator noted a light had illuminated that indicated engine failure was imminent. News reports out of Washington, D.C., that week reported it was the emissions control system that caused the problem.

I wasn't convinced it was an emissions control problem. Although logically it made sense based on the vehicle's age, it just didn't figure to be the cause-unless regens weren't being performed. Unless there was something really wrong with system, the driver would have been signaled multiple times before the engine actually derated-IF everything was working properly. So I was disappointed that this looked like a case of not performing aftertreatment regeneration when prompted or that the emissions system was being made a scapegoat here.

A week after the incident, news arrived that the culprit was actually a faulty fuel cooler screen that caused the engine to shut down.

These 2010 engines have caused a good deal of consternation for fire departments all over the country. The Washington, D.C., Fire Department did the right thing and conducted an investigation into the incident and discovered the actual cause of the engine shutdown. However, remember to not let our general displeasure with EPA-compliant engines cause you to rush to judgment when an apparatus or ambulance experiences engine trouble. And, whatever you do, don't delay your regens unnecessarily. Legitimate problems with emissions control systems may occur, but do everything you can to ensure your operations are not the cause of the problems.

Technology and the Fire Service

The use of new technology within the fire service has come up in a number of my conversations recently. Topics ranged from how to use it, the cost of it, why the fire service embraces it or doesn't embrace it, and so on. There is any number of answers to any of those questions. Any time a product employing a new technology allows us to complete our tasks more safely and efficiently, it's a no-brainer, to me, to put it to use.

A case in point is a recent training night at which several line officers and firefighters got a chance to use a new hydraulic tool power unit. We all got a chance to use the new product, inspect it, and learn about it. The technology in this case was using a lithium ion battery as the unit's power source. The instructor began the conversation by stating that there is a great deal of fear out there regarding battery-operated tools. Many departments know firsthand how the NiCad batteries we had charging in our trucks connected to shorelines had dismally short life-spans. Lithium ion batteries, however, are a whole different game. Questions ranged from whether the tool would work slower as the battery strength diminished, what the overall lifetime of the battery is, how long we can work off the battery before the power unit shuts down, how many stages the pump has, and so on.

In one hour and seven minutes, we performed three door removals, one B-post removal, and a vertical displacement and removed the trunk lid for good measure. Our instructor also reviewed some new tactics for rescue scenarios.

Using a power unit with this technology to me is a no-brainer. It's quiet. There is no exhaust-which is good for the rescuer and the rescued. The truck's generator is not running, so it's not pumping out diesel exhaust into the air around the rescuers. No generator means no cord reels to trip over-health and safety are covered right off the bat. Powering up the unit is with the touch of a button. The rescuer literally picks it up with a tool and hydraulic hose and goes. There is no waiting for the gener

Chris Mc Loone

We have all heard about the trends in apparatus purchasing these days. There's a definite move toward multipurpose apparatus that incorporate many tactical functions into one apparatus to maximize what the crew riding the rig can do once it arrives at an incident. So, we know how budget cuts have affected personnel and purchasing strategies and schedules. But, ultimately when a purchasing committee is getting together to spec out a new truck, the challenge is getting that new truck to fit into the budget the committee is working with. There are many ways to accomplish this, and they're easier than you might think. They might cause a group to change the way it approaches the new purchase, but they are all viable ways to build an effective fire apparatus in as affordable a manner as possible.

Standard Vehicles

Scott Edens, president and CEO of Fouts Bros, espouses accepting standard specifications. He says that if a department can purchase a standard apparatus, the customization cost, which includes engineering and production costs, is dramatically reduced. "Supply agreements with the industry's best component suppliers provide Fouts Bros with discounted pricing for all standard specifications," he adds. "Fouts Bros incorporates brand-specific components in our standard specifications, which allows us to offer departments a best-value proposition for the standard trucks."

Ed Smith, director emergency vehicles group, VT Hackney, Inc., states that the greatest savings a purchaser can experience is to allow the manufacturer to create a product to meet specific requirements based on an existing standard model. "Most manufacturers have numerous models that would fit that classification based on body size, horsepower requirements, maneuverability, water capacity, and so on," he says. "Historically, standardization has been the most difficult option to sell in this industry."

Standardization is a hard sell, according to Smith, because many departments hope to build apparatus that distinguishes them from their peers. "The result is incredible engineering hours and disruption of a production facility-hours that must be passed to the purchaser," he says. "These and other factors result in significant cost increases to provide an apparatus that just as likely could have been served by a preengineered product."

A "program" vehicle is another type of standard vehicle departments can consider to keep the overall cost of the purchase down. "The most cost-effective apparatus we offer is our line of preengineered trucks, commonly known as program trucks," says Harold Boer, president of Rosenbauer America. "We negotiate with our suppliers for better pricing on larger quantities of components."

Phil Gerace, director of sales and marketing, KME, adds, "We have program configurations that offer savings by using standardized components but still offer the flexibility to customize dozens of items like plumbing, lighting, and compartmentation. Our service department offers a number of different levels of refurbishment, and many new trucks use components transferred from the current in-service vehicle."

"Just because it's a program vehicle doesn't mean that we skipped or cut corners to create a truck for a budget-conscious department," cautions Bryan Smeal, regional sales director for Smeal Fire Apparatus. "We did the work in advance to make it simple for our employees to manufacture these products because the bodies, the accessories, and so on, are all preengineered to go together. You're not losing the quality you have come to expect from the builder you choose."

Smeal adds, "If you're looking to purchase something and get a good bang for your buck, program vehicles are a very good option. Most entry-level vehicles are preen

There are many important systems that work harmoniously on your apparatus to provide reliable, safe, and effective operation but safety and reliability starts at the ground and works its way to the operator’s seat. The first point of contact for your apparatus and the roadway is the tire, one of the many underestimated items that play an important role in the handling characteristics of your vehicle. Tires provide not only the means by which to grip the roadway and propel your vehicle down the road, but have the responsibility to resist breaking traction when bringing the vehicle to a stop. Providing support and ground contact when cornering is equally important. Your tires are also the first component of the vehicle’s suspension system absorbing a large amount of jounce and rebound. With all of the above taken into consideration, inspection, maintenance, and preventive replacement of tires should be considered a high priority in any agency...