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The purpose of the Fire Mechanics Section is to promote standardization of fire apparatus and equipment preventative maintenance, improve safety standards and practices, promote workshops, conferences, and seminars related to the purposes of this Section, and to promote cost savings through standardization of building and equipment purchasing and maintenance.

RECENT FIRE MECHANIC NEWS

Posted: Jun 30, 2014

Gaining Municipal Support for Multiple Apparatus Replacement

By Dennis Mueller

Since the recession of 2008, fire departments across the country have had to cut their budgets and postpone replacing their aging and failing fleets.

My agency, the Lake Havasu City (AZ) Fire Department (LHCFD), is no different. Yet in May 2013, our city council approved the simultaneous purchase of four new Pierce Velocity 1,500-gallon-per-minute (gpm) pumpers and one new Pierce 105-foot aerial quint. The order cost $2.6 million, and the new apparatus were delivered in May 2014.

You might be wondering, "How was the LHCFD able to replace its aging and failing fleet when funds remain an issue for most communities?" or "How did the LHCFD convince community leaders it was time to purchase five new apparatus-half its fleet?" This article describes the plan we developed to obtain the necessary funding for the apparatus and to secure city leaders' commitment to a 10-year replacement cycle going forward. We began six months prior to the May 2013 budget talks. Below is a description of that plan, which easily can be adapted by other agencies for their use.

Step 1: Do Your Homework

Identify the apparatus that truly must be replaced. Create a list of the problems associated with each apparatus. Items such as the age of the apparatus, their mileage, and their maintenance records are good items to start with. Also include any incidents of unsafe or unreliable performance on this list.

Obtain preliminary bids from vendors for the number and type of apparatus you wish to purchase or lease.

Develop a list of stakeholders who will support your cause. This should include the mechanics who work on your apparatus, the vehicle maintenance foreman, the Public Works director, the finance manager of your community or department, your city manager, and possibly a key board member.

Step 2: Engage Your Mechanics

Meet with the mechanics who maintain your apparatus and obtain their support. They know the problems your fleet has, so they are credible sources of information. They should be able to identify which apparatus should be replaced-i.e. those that are unreliable and those that are about to fail.

Ask for the vehicle maintenance records and cost sheets for each apparatus over its lifetime. This information will tell you how much money has been spent to keep your fleet in service. An uptick in costs indicates it's time to start thinking about replacement.

Ask for a copy of your community's vehicle replacement program. This plan should identify when apparatus should be replaced and why. It will help identify apparatus slated to be replaced already. Study it and develop your presentation around the existing plan. If there is no replacement plan, help develop one.

Step 3: Meet with the Vehicle Maintenance Manager

The shop manager wants to run an efficient and effective shop, and you can help. Emphasize this common goal. Share the reports from the mechanics and point out the frequency that your apparatus are in and out of the shop. Show that in addition to reducing costs and increasing the shop's efficiencies, the new apparatus will free up the mechanics' time to work on other equipment in the city's fleet.

Review the estimated costs associated with future repairs and ask how you can help minimize them. This conversation will lead into a discussion of costs vs. benefits, which will open the door for bringing in your financial administrator.

Even if you don't have a shop or fleet manager in your community, you can review the same items with the manager of the garage or shop that maintains your apparatus. Be prepared for resistance. Private garage or shop owners may not like your plan to replace your apparatus because they are reaping the benefits of your aging and failing fleet. This will be especially true if you are their number one customer.

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Posted: Jun 16, 2014

WFM Meeting Minutes Now Available

WFM Meeting Minutes have been added to the document library.  Sign in with with your login (firstname.lastname) and your password (your WFC number) to view the minutes from 6/3/2014.

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Posted: Jun 9, 2014

Product News

HURST JAWS OF LIFE S 311E2 CUTTER is part of the eDRAULIC 2.0 line. The cutter is more than three pounds lighter than the previous version while delivering the same performance characteristics. Features include curved blade geometry that pulls materials to the back of the blade area for fast, clean action; ergonomically designed star grip that permits tool actuation from almost any gripping position; two batteries and one charger; and, if needed, the eDRAULIC 110-volt adapter to provide corded power. www.jawsoflife.com, 800-537-2659


WATEROUS CRU2 PUMP was created with the industrial market in mind. Rated at 4,000 gallons per minute (gpm) at 100 pounds per square inch (psi) (15,000 l/min at 6.9 bar) with flow-through rates up to 6,800 gpm (25,000 l/min), CRU2C21 is the highest National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)-compliant performance pump on the market. It is available for midship mounting on all industrial-style fire trucks and direct mounting to diesel-powered units for skid-based systems or trailer units. www.waterousco.com, 651-450-5090


CARSON SIRENS SC-411 ELITE FORCE HANDHELD CONTROLLER has been added to the series featuring QuickClone® duplication technology. Select between the handheld dual-tone model, requiring two speakers, or the 100-/200-watt single-tone handheld controller. QuickClone® duplicating technology makes the programmed settings transferable from one unit to another without a computer, making this suitable for fleet installations. New blue LED backlighting along with a custom cradle for mounting is included. The SC-411HD-20 14 handheld dual-tone siren gives users dual-tone, full emergency warning system control. The rugged splash-resistant face protects internal circuitry from liquids. The control head has a dimming button so the user can tailor the blue LED background to his preference. Three primary control buttons act as a slide switch with the same functionality. www.carsonsirens.com, 888-577-6877


Spartan ERV Emergency Response Platform on Demand (ER POD) is a concept unit that offers functionality and technology to meet the demands and functionality of today's incident management team. The Spartan ER POD concept equips departments for response to natural disasters, urban search and rescue incidents, mass casualty EMS incidents, hazmats, mobile communications responses, crime scene incidents, and other needs. The Spartan ER POD is a flexible solution for high-risk, low-frequency incidents that can impact the response of fire departments, law enforcement, government, military, and public works departments. There are multiple response capabilities with one chassis. Departments can easily place the ER POD at suitable locations at an incident. There is less maintenance and service required than a vehicle, and there are multiple means to deploy the unit. www.spartanerv.com, 605-582-4000


BULLEX FIRE SAFETY AND EMERGENCY TRAINING TRAILER is a mobile fire prevention

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Posted: Jun 9, 2014

In The News

GLOBE MANUFACTURING COMPANY kicked off its partnership with the Terry Farrell Firefighters Fund at FDIC 2014. With its supplier partner, 3M, Globe invited attendees to try its latest turnout gear on the Globe Firefighter Athletic Circuit and committed to make a $10 donation to the Terry Farrell Firefighters Fund in each firefighter's name. 3M matched each donation. In total, Globe and 3M donated $20,000 to the fund from the Globe Firefighter Athletic Circuit at FDIC. "We believe in the mission of the Terry Farrell Firefighters Fund and have welcomed them into the Globe family," says Rob Freese, senior vice president of marketing at Globe Manufacturing Company. "Globe has always given back to the fire service, and we are delighted to be able to help firefighters and departments through this worthy cause and hard working group of volunteers."


E-ONE recently debuted its redesigned Quest™ custom cab with more aggressive exterior styling and an array of user-focused improvements. The redesigned Quest offers improved ergonomics with lower and wider cab steps that allow for an easier, smoother egress. Although, the Quest has always offered a 3,728-square-inch, two-piece windshield, E-ONE lowered the center console and raised the overhead console for increased viewing area. Officer-side kick plates now feature strategically placed recesses to create up to 346 cubic inches of additional legroom. The rear-facing crew seats were designed with custom storage areas beneath the seat.

E-ONE also recently announced that Jim Salmi, with more than 30 years of aerial engineering and first responder industry experience, has been appointed to the position of director of aerial product development. Most recently, Salmi spent 10 years with Spartan ERV and served in several leadership roles including general manager for aerials, president and general manager, and founder and general manager of Crimson Fire aerials.


ELKHART BRASS has announced the promotion of Eric Combs to vice president of marketing and new product development. His new role will be heavily involved with developing market and product strategies that allow Elkhart Brass to better meet the future challenges of its customers. His industry experience supported by a technical and marketing background provides a unique perspective to lead the marketing and product development teams at Elkhart Brass. In 11 years with Elkhart Brass, Combs has held the positions of product design engineer, product manager, marketing manager, and director of marketing.


HME AHRENS-FOX, has introduced its own aerial product line. Featured is the HAF80L 80-foot aerial ladder and the HA51T 51-foot Tele-Stream. The HAF80L, built on a custom HME 1871-W® chassis, incorporates a wide range of innovations that include durable hot-dipped galvanized outriggers, patent-pending dual body-access ladders, joystick ladder controls, stainless steel pedestal, ergonomic guard rails for optimized turntable workspace, patent-pending LED ladder-loading indicators and optional patent-pending LED rung alignment indicators, and an electronic fluid-level monitoring system.

The HAF51T, built on a custom HME SFO® chassis, has a short overall length of 28 feet with a turn radius of 24 feet. The HAF51T features a joystick boom control, A-frame stabilizers with minimal 10-foot spread, patent-pending 23-foot boom with 3,000-pound recovery winch, steel telescopic booms construction, integrated cab tilt and ladder emergency backup system, and an electronic fluid-level monitoring system.


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Fire Mechanics Section Board

Chair

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Chair

Elliot Courage
North Whatcom Fire & Rescue
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Vice Chair

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Vice Chair

Mike Smith 
Pierce County Fire District #5
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Secretary

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Secretary

Greg Bach
South Snohomish County Fire & Rescue
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Director #1

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #1

Doug Jones
South Kitsap Fire & Rescue
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Director #2

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #2

Paul Spencer 
Fire Fleet Maintenance LLC
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Director #3

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #3

Jim Morris
Mountain View Fire Department
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Director #4

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #4

Arnie Kuchta

Clark County Fire District 6

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Director #6

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #6

Brett Annear
Kitsap County Fire District 18
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Director #5

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #5

Jay Jacks
Camano Island Fire & Rescue
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Legislative Representative

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Legislative Representative

TBD
TBD
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Immediate Past Chair

Posted: Oct 20, 2015

Immediate Past Chair

Brian Fortner
Graham Fire & Rescue

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