By Chad Brown
Vice President, Sales & Marketing
Braun Industries

The talk of the industry for the past year and a half has been the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1917, Standard for Automotive Ambulance, specifications. Additionally, talk has revolved around what impact those specifications will have on the industry as a whole, the impact on the manufacturers, and ultimately the impact on the individual departments and agencies. I will touch on all three impacts as I have seen and experienced during the past year and a half.

EMS Industry

Regarding the impact on the emergency medical service (EMS) industry as a whole, we need to take a step back and ask what is or was the driver behind these new industry specifications. I believe the intent of the NFPA 1917 committee members, then and now, is to create a safer ambulance for patients and crew members. Having had numerous discussions with past and current members of the committee regarding some of the changes to the KKK-1822-Revision F specifications (the current specification that ambulance manufacturers build to), all the conversation and decisions revolved around safety. In the end, I believe we are all striving to make a safer ambulance for all.

One distinct difference in the EMS community is that there is legislation at the state level on what defines an ambulance. What I mean by this is that the definition of an ambulance in Ohio vs. any other state can be completely different. There are state EMS directors and agencies that inspect the ambulances as they come into the respective states, and every state has some varying degree of differences, whereas on the fire side of the business, fire engines and aerials are not regulated at the state level. As manufacturers, we build to a set of generalized standards using the General Services Administration (GSA) specification KKK-1822-Rev. F as a starting point and go from there with each state's different regulations and definitions.

Specifically regarding NFPA 1917, there are many new items within that standard with which we must comply. Some of the more prevalent items include tire pressure monitoring, seat belt monitoring, cabinet testing (10-G pull test in all four directions of the cabinet), outside oxygen storage only compartment, cabinet weight capacity labeling, approach angle, brake over angle, and departure angle of 10 degrees.

Identifying Payload

However, I think the biggest change is that the department or agency will have to identify the overall payload needed for the vehicle. With the KKK-1822-Rev. F specifications, the manufacturer would tell the department or agency the overall remaining payload and have guidelines based on the chassis the department selected. With NFPA 1917, the department or agency will work with the sales representative to define the specific equipment it is putting into the vehicle. There are predetermined weights for equipment and personnel that will help you determine your remaining payload listed in NFPA 1917.

For a manufacturer that calculates front axle remaining payload, rear axle remaining payload, and overall remaining payload today, this is a rather big change in responsibility from the manufacturer communicating the remaining payload to end users. The department or agency is now responsible for communicating the desired payload to the manufacturer. I highly recommend that your committee fully investigate the weights of the equipment you choose to put into the ambulance and work with your sales representative to properly pick the right chassis with the appropriate gross vehicle weight rating for your department or agency.

Primary Care Position

Another significant change you will see or hear about from your sale representative will be a question your sales representative will ask: "What is your primary care position?" From an end

Bill Adams

The majority of metallic fire apparatus bodies feature welded construction; however, a handful of manufacturers bolt their bodies together. Some use bolted construction exclusively, while others offer it as an alternative to the welding process. Some use a combination of both. This article does not endorse, prefer, or recommend any method of construction, body material, or manufacturer, nor will it compare one to another. The intent is to inform the reader of the procedure and process of bolting apparatus bodies together and why some manufacturers market that method. Whether one is better than the other is a matter left to manufacturers' marketing people and individual purchasers.

Manufacturers offering bolted construction were contacted for input. Some replied and are quoted herein. Some did not reply. Several expressed hesitation in participating for fear of getting into a "heated debate" over why one is better than the other. One manufacturer said it would be hard to objectively opine on one method of construction without it resulting in a "tit for tat" comparison with other methods. I will try not to. Another inferred it would become "proprietary." My interpretation of proprietary is something that is exclusive, copyrighted, trademarked, or brand named. Bolting and welding are methods of construction available to all manufacturers.

History

In 1912, the E.G. Budd Company in Philadelphia spot welded the first automobile body. Around 1914, the Heil Company began acetylene and electric welding of bodies, claiming to have built the first "electrically welded compartment tank" for motor trucks. The first all-welded automotive body was fabricated in 1923. A historical record cannot be found for the evolution of fire apparatus bodies, although Mack Fire Apparatus's 1925 catalog notes, "The bodies used on all but the Hook-and-Ladder and Squad Car types of apparatus are constructed of only five sheets of gauge steel plate, 3⁄16 inches thick, electric welded to form the sides and front ...."

Lieutenant (Ret.) Mahlon Irish, of the Ithaca (NY) Fire Department and an antique American LaFrance (ALF) aficionado, owns more than a dozen antique rigs. He states ALF's 1920s-era bodies were riveted together with accoutrements such as fenders and steps bolted to the body. In the 1930s and 1940s, ALF's sheet metal was bolted to a welded framework. In the mid 1930s, Ward LaFrance riveted formed sheet metal around wood planks into a "sandwiched" type body. A 1932 Buffalo engine, in Mendon, New York, has a wooden hose body skinned with formed steel attached with wood screws and metal fenders riveted together. A 1938 Mack Type 75 pumper, in East Greenwich, Rhode Island, has sheet metal doors and a sheet metal cab screwed to a wood framework. The late 1940s ALF 700 Series introduced all-welded bodies. The late 1950s 800 Series featured bolted-on compartment modules. Most builders during that era used untreated steel compartments. They didn't last long, and the bolted-on compartment modules were easy to replace. In 1971, ALF's Century body featured all- welded bodies and compartments. The Century 2000 body went back to bolting compartments to a welded body. No date can be found for the introduction of all-bolted construction.

(1-2) Bolted construction typically requires the process of computer numerical control (CNC) high-precision manufacturing to achieve high levels of accuracy and exactness. This bicycle, laser cut from a sheet of 14 gauge 304 stainless steel, is used by one manuf Read more 851 0 Article rating: No rating Posted: Apr 1, 2013 The Importance of Grass Roots By Chris Mc Loone I had a chance to give a presentation recently to a group of apparatus operators (engineers) in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The group meets every other month on a Wednesday evening at different fire stations across the county. The leader of the group asked if I would come and speak about what I see happening with fire apparatus. It was harder than I thought distilling what I see happening with fire apparatus into 45 minutes to an hour. I pulled it off, but it wasn't easy. That the group is pretty lively helped out, and it was nice seeing a few familiar faces from fire companies local to me. Still, it was a bit daunting, but I made it through relatively unscathed. The importance of this small association is immeasurable to me though. Montgomery County is a pretty diverse county when it comes to occupancies. The southeast end of the county is very suburban-almost urban in some areas-while the northwest end is still very rural. At the northwest end, you'll still find farms and wide open spaces as well as wildland concerns. So, the group moving to different areas affords members the opportunity to see what other departments are doing with their apparatus and equipment based on their locale. Although the southeast end won't get to see many grain elevator fires or silo rescues, all areas of the county will see work in the form of structure fires in dwellings and commercial occupancies of various ages and construction, vehicle rescues on both highways and local roads, and various types of technical rescues ranging from industrial rescues to trench and confined space. So, representatives from each end of the county would be hard pressed to say that one department or another doesn't offer something to take back home in terms of innovation. About Learning This is what it's all about though-learning from one another. What has always impressed me about the fire service is how we all borrow from each other, and yes, sometimes claim we thought of something before another department, but it's always in the name of efficiency, innovation, safety, and the greater good of the fire service as a whole. So, this group has asked me to continue coming, not to speak all the time but to be a part of the association. I'm looking forward to it. Hopefully as I see things at other fire companies, I'll be able to snap a picture and bring them back here. So many innovations are home-grown and very practical. All of this of course begs the question, "What did you talk about?" I really did not deviate much from what I've written here, although it is hard to talk about what I see happening with fire apparatus without first touching on various outside influences, which have been the economy, in a big way; EPA regulations, which have been impacting us for the past few years and will continue to as the EPA works to reduce greenhouse emissions; and safety. All of these lead toward innovation-both at the department level in how it is designing its apparatus and at the manufacturer level as apparatus builders work on new offerings to address what some call the new norm in the fire industry. Critical Groups Grass roots organizations like the Montgomery County Engineers Association are critical to the fire service. Get a bunch of firefighters in one place, and you'll soon have impromptu kitchen table conversations about your most recent job, your newest rig, and a fair amount of Monday morning quarterbacking. But, what you're also going to find is a group of people working together to solve problems both at their own departments and countywide. These organizations are the ones that are closest to the men and women driving and operating these apparatus. At the end of the night, we had some interesting conversations. One revolved around tankers (tenders) and whether or not it's a good idea to run them with lights and sirens and whe Read more 852 0 Article rating: No rating RSS FirstPrevious4698469947004701470247034704470547064707Next Theme picker Section Quick Links   Fire Mechanics Documents EVT Discussion Forum Fire Mechanic Photo Gallery Training & Testing 2019 Scholarship Logo Wear Store Upcoming Events Theme picker Sponsors Fire Mechanics Section Board Chair Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Chair Elliot Courage North Whatcom Fire & Rescue Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating Vice Chair Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Vice Chair Mike Smith  Pierce County Fire District #5 Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating Secretary Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Secretary Greg Bach South Snohomish County Fire & Rescue Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating Director #1 Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Director #1 Doug Jones South Kitsap Fire & Rescue Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating Director #2 Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Director #2 Paul Spencer  Fire Fleet Maintenance LLC Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating Director #3 Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Director #3 Jim Morris Mountain View Fire Department Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating Director #4 Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Director #4 Arnie Kuchta Clark County Fire District 6 Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating Director #6 Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Director #6 Brett Annear Kitsap County Fire District 18 Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating Director #5 Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Director #5 Jay Jacks Camano Island Fire & Rescue Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating Legislative Representative Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Legislative Representative TBD TBD Read more 3355 0 Article rating: No rating Immediate Past Chair Posted: Oct 20, 2015 Immediate Past Chair Brian Fortner Graham Fire & Rescue Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating RSS Theme picker 2020 CAR SHOW Terms Of Use | Privacy Statement - Copyright 2024 by Washington Fire Chiefs Home Members About Us News Calendar Resources Documents Sections County Fire Chiefs FRWC WSAFM