Compressed air foam systems (CAFS) have made their way into an increasing number of fire apparatus and the use has grown exponentially. This can be attributed to a combination of factors such as an increased acceptance of this technology, more frequent exposure to the available systems, faster knock down, and the benefit of substantial suppression power when water resources are limited.  As with many technologies that have found their place on fire department vehicles; the reliability and credibility of such equipment is only guaranteed by routine exercise, inspection, maintenance, and deficiency reporting to the maintenance department or service center.

Zco PublicEye mobile app does two things. First, it redefines and expands the number of people involved with public safety. Second, it changes how they collaborate, communicate, interact, and perform their tasks or how they keep abreast of information that is crucial to doing their jobs. Most people think of police, fire, and EMS when they say public safety. PublicEye expands this notion to governors and mayors and their staffs, hospitals, schools, banks, and other institutions as well as the public. Governors and mayors can use PublicEye's notification system to alert them of important incidents such as a school lockdown or natural disaster. They may then tune into its secure, nonpublic communication capabilities (video surveillance and streaming, digital radio, group MMS, real-time geographical incident maps, and so on) to monitor the situation on their smartphones. Banks, schools, airports, and other institutions can integrate their surveillance systems with PublicEye. First responders at the scene, staff at headquarters, or even their counterparts in adjoining jurisdictions for mutual-aid purposes can view these cameras. PublicEye also leverages the general public to aid in public safety. The public can tweet images surrounding a fire, natural disaster, accident, child abduction, and so on. Police and firefighters can view these images surrounding the incident on their mobile devices to plan their action. PublicEye seamlessly connects and visually displays the tweets and other social media feeds, 911 calls, and the location associated with an incident. www.publiceyes.com, 603-881-9191

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Tri Lite Mars LED version of the Mars TB8 warning light is designed for emergency vehicles. The TB8-L1 LED model is three times brighter and lasts thousands of hours longer than comparable halogen models. It draws less than half the amps or watts of traditional warning lights and is also more durable because there are no fragile filaments to break. Both the new TB8-L1 LED lamp and the traditional TB8 are available in pedestal mounted or flush mounted styles; either can be ordered with red or clear lenses. The voltage range for the LED models is 12 to 24 VDC while the halogen models have separate 12- or 24-V options. These warning lights provide a bright and oscillating beam that aids in clearing the road, day or night, even in adverse conditions. www.triliteinc.com, 800-322-5250

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Ziamatic Corp. (Zico) QUIC-MOUNT Horizontal Ram Bracket, Model QM-RB-1, is an inexpensive alternative to custom box fabrication. The heavy-duty, aluminum QM-RB-is designed to safely and securely store one hydraulic or battery-powered ram tool inside the compartment. Mounting to nearly any flat surface, the QM-RB-1 consists of one aluminum bracket that won't rust or stain, one thick nylon strap, and a large plastic buckle that's easy to operate with or without gloves. When needed, the tool is simply unbuckled and lifted off the shelf. Emergency personnel just grab and go. www.ziamatic.com, 800-711-FIRE

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HazMatIQ Stay Alive Five equipment (S.A.F.e) Kit provides responders with five pieces of basic detection equipment required to operate in the hot zone of hazmat

PIERCE MANUFACTURING has delivered a Pierce® Arrow XT™ 100-foot heavy-duty aerial tiller to the Charleston (SC) Fire Department (CFD). The aerial tiller is the first to be purchased by the department in more than 60 years and was placed into service in early December.

Built on an Arrow XT single-rear-axle tractor, the aerial tiller features a 100-foot heavy-duty ladder, a Pierce-exclusive Detroit DD13 500-hp big block engine, seating for five firefighters, TAK-4® independent suspension, and a light tower located on top of the crew cab roof. The body features 500 cubic feet of body storage capacity. When fully equipped, the trailer will store 250 feet of ground ladders and will be outfitted with hydraulic cord reels, a full complement of hydraulic tools, three rams, a full complement of rescue jacks, a cribbing kit, and a complete set of air bags.

Pierce dealer, Spartan Fire & Emergency Apparatus of Roebuck, SC, provides local service and support.

The CFD consists of 19 fire companies located throughout the city. The department operates 16 fire engine companies and three ladder companies and provides service to more than 120,000 citizens across a service area totaling approximately 109 square miles.

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ALLIED SPECIALTY VEHICLES (ASV) has appointed Dan Peters president and CEO of E-ONE, Inc., a manufacturer of first responder apparatus. Peters has more than 15 years of experience in the first responder industry-four years in an executive role with a fire apparatus manufacturer and 12 years with a fire industry supplier where he served as president from 1998 to 2008 and vice president of sales and marketing from 1996 to 1998. "I'm very excited to be back in the fire industry, especially with E-ONE, which is recognized as an industry leader and innovator," says Peters. "I look forward to working with the E-ONE team, dealers, and customers to continue building upon that legacy."

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KME is pleased to let fire departments throughout Pennsylvania know that House Bill 1706 was recently signed into law. This bill doubles the current loan limits for the Volunteer Loan Assistance Program (VLAP) for the purchase, repair, or rehabilitation of vehicles, equipment, and facilities. Under the new loan limits, volunteer fire, EMS, and ambulance companies are eligible for low-interest loans of up to $200,000 to cover up to 50 percent of the cost to purchase new vehicles and apparatus. In addition, the new law also includes a provision that allows volunteer companies to exceed loan limits by up to $20,000 for the purchase of equipment that is manufactured in Pennsylvania, providing an incentive for volunteer companies to support Pennsylvania manufacturers.

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FLIR SYSTEMS, INC. is extending its special trade-in program that allows fire departments to receive a discount on the purchase of a new FLIR K-Series thermal imaging camera (TIC) when they trade in and send in any other qualifying make or model of firefighting TIC. The K-Series trade-in program will remain in effect through the end of day June 30, 2014. FLIR's K-Series line is sold for $3,999 for the K40 and $4,999 for the 320 x 240 resolution K50. The extended trade-in program takes an additional $250 off the MSRP of the K40 and $500 off the price of a new K50. To qualify for the deeper discount, fire departments need to trade in and send in their existing firefighting TIC regardless of age, make, model, or working condition along with submitting applicable forms.

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GLOBE, in partnership with the National Volunteer Fir

By Alan M. Petrillo

The Southwest Emergency Response Team (SERT), based out of the greater Cleveland, Ohio, area, has placed a VT Hackney technical rescue vehicle in service outfitted with a cache of equipment that encompasses every rescue discipline firefighters might face.

SERT's mission is to combine shared regional resources in the event that specialized teams are needed during an emergency incident, according to Pat Finneran, assistant chief of the Parma Heights (OH) Fire Department, who is in charge of the technical rescue part of the team. "The vehicle is housed in a Brooklyn, Ohio, station and provides service to 19 communities in four counties in northeastern Ohio, south and southwest of Cleveland," Finneran says. "We handle all kinds of technical rescues, including high- and low-angle rope, confined space, trench, collapse, swift water, ice, and dive rescues."

The Southwest Emergency Response Team (SERT) technical rescue built by VT Hackney provides service to 19 communities in four counties in northeastern Ohio. (Photos courtesy of VT Hackney.)

Storage Challenges

Before purchasing the Hackney technical rescue, Finneran points out that for a technical rescue, resources were pulled from a large geographic area. "We responded with a hodgepodge of vehicles and trailers and the rescue equipment was spread out on multiple vehicles," he says. "If one or more of those vehicles didn't get to the scene, we might not have the equipment needed for the rescue."

Finneran says the fire department chiefs received approval for a shared rescue vehicle and put together a six-person committee to develop specs based on the area's needs. "We reviewed a lot of the vehicles on the market and went on the road to see some of them firsthand," Finneran notes. "For us, the issue of equipment storage was huge, so we needed a vehicle that would be a large tool box."

He adds that the group had very particular needs regarding compartment depth, as well as some unusual ideas about storage of shoring timbers and trench panels. "Hackney was the only manufacturer who could meet those needs," Finneran says.

The Hackney-built technical rescue for SERT is crafted with an interior compartment, accessed from the rear of the vehicle, that can accommodate timbers up to 16 feet long, as well as 12-foot long FinForms.

Ed Smith, director of Emergency Vehicles Group for VT Hackney, says his company designed the SERT technical rescue with a rear tunnel so it could carry 16-foot-long shoring timbers and rakers on the right side and 12-foot-long FinForms with preattached StrongArms on the left. "That much timber and cribbing takes up a lot of space and is heavy, so we had to find a way to contain it all but still make it easily accessible," Smith says.

Smith points out that the compartments on the driver's side, forward of the rear wheels, are 42 inches deep from floor to ceiling and feature drop-down step platforms for full access. Access to the upper storage areas in the wheelhouse compartment is through removable wheel step bars, he adds.

"The first compartment has a transverse tunnel at the top for