Chris McLoone

It was built between 1898 and 1900 by P.A.B. Widener to house three generations of his family and what is now a priceless art collection under one roof. The greater than 30-acre tract has a second, smaller mansion; a gate house; and the 110-room monster, which has fallen into disrepair through the years as it has sat vacant with a sole caretaker trying to maintain the grounds. The owner finally put the complex up for sale recently for $20 million.

I've been fascinated by this house for many years, and when it went up for sale, I visited the realtor's Web site hoping to get a glimpse of the inside through online images. There were only three exterior shots but also a video captured by a drone. I thought that was a pretty cool application for the drones that are now on the market, especially for a 34-acre tract of land to give potential buyers an idea of the scope of their purchase.

What the above example means, however, is that drones are becoming more accessible to civilians. Seen more as a toy probably than anything else, these units are probably not as sophisticated as the ones we have seen around the trade show circuit in recent years, but they are available, and citizens are using them for any number of reasons-some good and some probably not so good.

Regardless of the intent, we need to be aware that they are available to a much wider group of people than in the recent past and their use will impact our fireground operations. In recent years, we've had to adapt to the smartphone proliferation and how instantly people can share what's happening anywhere at any time. It's not so easy to put up yellow caution tape in the sky, however, to keep bystanders back behind the lines. Drone use is so new, it is hard to establish procedures. We were really just figuring out how to integrate their use into our own operations. Wildfires are a good application, as well as industrial fires. But, what happens when someone else wants to get a bird's-eye view? There's actually a case in point for that.

In California recently, a bystander using a drone to get a better view of a wildfire almost hampered firefighting efforts. Luckily, personnel spotted the unmanned aircraft and directed its owner to stop using it before it posed a danger to firefighting planes. Moving forward, we all must keep the potential for these aircraft in the back of our minds. It's not hard to imagine a department using its drone at an industrial fire only to have a civilian-operated unit crash into it. We're used to listening for helicopters. Now we need to keep our ears open for the sound of drones in the sky.

The California example isn't the only one. A bystander used one in New York a few months ago after an explosion and fire until the police department told him to stop. There is also footage from a Detroit, Michigan, fire captured by a drone and available on Internet video services.

Do our jurisdictions have any ordinances regarding using these? We need to look into it. Controlling civilian use is one aspect, but we need to make sure we are not violating any local ordinances if we decide to purchase them to add to our firefighting arsenal. My guess is there aren't many municipalities that have enacted anything. So, we are in uncharted waters. It used to be that we worried more about people on the ground with cell phones recording and instantly sharing incidents via social media or sending immediately to news outlets. It's gotten almost comical in some respects as we wonder aloud why people are recordi

By Bill Adams

Caution: Read between the lines. Everything a department wants may not fit in one package. More importantly, it may not function as intended. This article only considers mini pumpers compliant with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1901, Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus, Chapter 6, Initial Attack Apparatus, with a maximum gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of less than 20,000 pounds.

NFPA 1901

1 This rig is typical of mini pumpers purchased during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Some eclipsed the chassis' GVWR. Prohibiting personnel from the rear step cut staffing in half. [Photo courtesy of Commissioner Bob Ockenden, Penfield (NY) Fire District.]

Chapter 6's basic requirements for an initial attack apparatus include a minimum 250-gpm pump, 200-gallon water tank, 22 cubic feet of compartmentation, and 10 cubic feet of storage space for 2½-inch or larger hose. Chapter 5, Pumper Fire Apparatus, requires a 750-gpm pump, 300-gallon water tank, almost twice the compartmentation, and three times as much space for 2½-inch or larger hose. Just because a mini pumper's pump, tank, and hosebed capacity equal a pumper's does not necessarily mean it is one. NFPA 1901's mandatory and recommended ancillary equipment varies between pumpers and initial attack apparatus. Besides physical differences, there are operational considerations purchasers should be aware of.

Mini pumpers became popular in the 1970s and remained so for about two decades; then their popularity suddenly declined. My opinion is that earlier purchasers made the mistake of attempting to replace full-size pumpers with diminutive look-alikes. It didn't work back then and may not work today. Some fire departments successfully operated mini pumpers. Others found the concept unworkable and abandoned their use. Yet others, finding them not working as intended, revised standard operating procedures (SOPs) to maximize the mini pumpers' capabilities and minimize their limitations.

Egypt (NY) Fire Department

2 3 The Egypt (NY) Fire Department's second-generation, mission-specific mini pumper was not intended to replace a full-size pumper meeting NFPA 1901 Chapter 5 or a grass fire truck. Its total in-service weight is 17,720 pounds. Add 1,300 pounds for a four-door cab and 250 pounds each for four firefighters, and the truck exceeds the 20,000-pound GVWR. (Photos 2-5 by author.)

In the mid 1980s, the Egypt (NY) Fire Department, a volunteer entity outside of Rochester, New York, operated three full-size pumpers, a ladder truck, a rescue truck, and a brush truck out of two stations. Embracing the mini pumper concept, it purchased a two-door unit to speci

Icom America IP100H Internet protocol (IP) radio is used in conjunction with the company’s newly released IP advanced radio system. This radio system works over wireless LAN (WLAN) and IP networks and uses a network controller and optional remote communicator. The radio is easy to handle and earns a waterproof rating of IPX7. It promotes secure conversation via WLAN security protocols and features a vibration alert for incoming calls. The IP100H is capable of intrabuilding communication but also has an internal antenna for short-range transmission. When connected to an optional headset, the IP100H is capable of hands-free, full duplex communication, allowing users to transmit/receive (talk/hear) concurrently. The radio’s range is only restricted by the users’ IP network coverage, but communication can extend from the basement to the top floor of a building. www.icomamerica.com, 800-872-4266

LEADER Sentry Monitor provides movement detection for rescuers, rescue teams, firefighters, doctors, workers and other persons, or victims at a collapse. With a simple program setting, the LEADER Sentry’s sensor detects the slightest movement of a structure or mass that may endanger persons. Two LEADER Sentry laser sensors can be linked simultaneously to monitor two different structures or two axes of movement of the same structure. If the movement of a structure under surveillance exceeds the warning threshold chosen, a powerful siren and a flashing light are activated to warn of an impending collapse, allowing rescuers to take security or evacuation measures. The system’s laser beam has a range of 100 feet. The system can use different sources of power including 12- and 24-V batteries or 110- or 120-V electric power. www.leadernorthamerica.com, 800-358-6414

EMICONTROLS TAF20 TURBINE, mounted on an easily maneuverable tracked vehicle, can atomize large quantities of water to a fine mist. This generates a larger surface area of water for a greater cooling effect. The turbine is suitable for use with extinguishing foam and flame inhibitors. The tracked vehicle allows the turbine to be lifted to a height of up to four meters. The vehicle can also be rotated 360 degrees, and the angle of the turbine inclined from -20 to +50 degrees. Up to 3,500 liters/min of water can be atomized to an effective spray and targeted precisely at the source of the fire. The TAF20 can be fully operated by remote control with graphic display.www.emicontrols.com, +39 331 636 21 71

FUSION HD ON-BOARD VIDEO CAPTURE SYSTEM is a secure, high-definition technology deployed inside apparatus and ambulance cabs to capture incidents for training, debriefings, and court cases; document response patterns; and provide visual evidence to refute civilian complaints about apparatus operations. Everything will be recorded for later review through the internal FailSafe drive. The FailSafe drive allows senior staff to go back in time to review video captured hours and days earlier. The compact and self-contained Fusion HD has an internal GPS to encode vehicle speeds and GPS coordinates when video is captured, includes a crash sensor to automatically trigger video with unlimited pre-event and post-event playback, and can

APU CLARIFICATIONS

"Auxiliary Power Units Making Inroads on Fire Apparatus" by Alan M. Petrillo (June 2014) was a very nice article, and these units can certainly be a wonderful addition to a piece of equipment. I have a couple of points of clarification on the topic.

First, main engine idling, which would generate added wear and tear, would actually result in the need to service or rebuild the engine more frequently-not just a need for more frequent maintenance. Taking those big engines apart costs a lot of money.

Second, the actual diesel fuel usage for an 8-kW genset is actually one quart when idling, two quarts at half load, and four quarts at full load. So, there is not a full gallon savings per hour over the main engine-which would need around 1¼ gallons idling-unless one would be just idling the little engine as well, which of course does not make any sense. There would be no need to operate it at all.

John Fischer
Engine Consultant
Palatine, Illinois

SITTING AND DREAMING

One of the best things about being an engineer is that you can sit and dream for days and honestly say you were working. Engineers do love to solve problems, and a lot of that involves sitting and dreaming of solutions. But, the best solutions always come from engineers who thoroughly understand the problem. That is where the fire service needs to engage manufacturers more aggressively. We need to reach out to the radio guys and show them just how hard it is to operate a portable with gloves and an SCBA. But, we also need to be wary of over-engineered solutions that don't address the root cause of a problem. A wireless GPS accountability turnout coat that simultaneously monitors firefighters vital signs is of no use to an overweight crew who doesn't know what a left hand search pattern is. Likewise, an apparatus covered with chevrons and flashing lights is of no use when a motorist is looking at his smartphone instead of the road. Perhaps some of the problems we need to solve have roots that lie far below the fire service. In any case, I will continue sitting and dreaming and enjoying your editorials.

Christopher Bors
Chief
McKinley Fire Company, Elkins Park, Pennsylvnia