Chris Mc Loone

I never had the opportunity to stop, though, for a couple of reasons. First, there was always a line; and second, I was always on my way somewhere else for a meeting and couldn't stop to wait in line or, even if there wasn't one, go through the simulation.

That changed recently, and I got myself into the driver's seat of a rig. This magazine has covered driving simulators in the past, but now I can say I've actually gone through one and can say confidently that these are very valuable training tools.

Although I wouldn't call myself skeptical about simulators providing a realistic driving environment, I was still surprised at how authentic it felt. Yes, the screens I was viewing were graphical, but regardless, the way these work, you really do feel like you are in motion.

As I began the simulation, I was driving down a street thinking, "Well, this isn't as hard as I thought it was going to be." But, as soon as I thought that, I remembered what one of the engineering officers at my company said when he took me out driver training for the first time: "Anyone can drive these trucks forward." He was right. And in the case of this simulator, driving backward during the EVOC component provided the most realistic look and feel of driving and was the most difficult to accomplish.

I passed the backup test, but it wasn't all roses for me as I went through the different scenarios. Yes, I used my turn signal when I should have and got some points for that from the instructor. But, there was also that time when I went off the road a little bit. And, then there was that other time when I just missed an oncoming vehicle, causing the instructor to exclaim, "How you didn't hit that car I'll never know." Right there is the true value of these simulators.

Apparatus operation is a relatively simple concept: Get in vehicle. Drive to scene. Operate vehicle. Go back to station. Back in. Get out of vehicle. That concept hasn't changed since horse-drawn steamers. Apparatus has changed, and these vehicles are more complex today than they were back in the day. Driving them, however, has always been a challenge.

One could say they are easier to drive today, and that might be true. Power steering, cameras, and larger mirrors do help. But, vehicles today are bigger. They are heavier and take longer to stop. So, the challenges are still there, as are the chances that during routine driver training something could go wrong and people could get hurt.

When I nearly clipped one vehicle that didn't go where I thought it would, I thought about it being a real car. Maybe a mom and an infant in a car seat are riding in it. If she swerves to miss the apparatus and hits another vehicle or hits the apparatus because she was unsure of the driver's intention, the potential for civilian injuries is high, not to mention damage to both vehicles being in the thousands of dollars to repair. With a driving simulator, we reduce the chances of getting into accidents during training.

Also remember that the apparatus isn't out of service while training if you use a simulator.

Like many activities, there is nothing like the real thing when driving a fire apparatus. Driving one at nonemergency speed is one thing; driving one with lights and sirens is another. I can still remember my foot bouncing up and down on th

By Alan M. Petrillo

Robot vehicles and unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) are expected to have a future in the fire service once the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issues new regulations for use of UASs in civil airspace. Some incident commanders (ICs) see UAS use as a method of investigating a fire scene before committing resources, providing intelligence that could only previously be obtained from fire boots on the ground. Wildland fire managers envision UASs overflying wildfires to provide a bird's-eye view of their behavior, track, and intensity.

Other ICs see the possibility of using ground-based robots to investigate a fire scene, like a crawling robot with three-dimensional thermal imaging to paint a picture of the interior of a structure fire. Likewise, some ICs are looking to the near future where fire suppression robots can be used in places where ICs would not want to put human firefighters.

Unmanned Aircraft

On the UAS front, the FAA has been charged by the United States Congress to meet a September 2015 deadline for integrating commercial UAS (often confusingly called drones) into United States airspace. But, the Department of Transportation's Inspector General recently warned that the FAA will miss the deadline because of unresolved technological, regulatory, and privacy issues. However, the FAA says it intends to accommodate UAS operators at limited locations around the country. Typically, a certificate of authorization (COA) from the FAA is required before a public agency can officially operate a UAS. A COA is an authorization issued by the Air Traffic Organization to a public operator for a specific unmanned aircraft activity. The FAA conducts a comprehensive operational and technical review as part of the approval process to ensure the unmanned aircraft can operate safely with other airspace users.

1 A Darley Stinger quad-rotor unmanned aircraft system (UAS) makes a training run, operated by a firefighter from New Zealand Fire and Rescue. (Photo courtesy of W.S. Darley & Company.) Click picture to view video.

Alternatively, civilians are allowed to fly unmanned aerial aircraft, usually rotor-type units that look and act like miniature helicopters, as long as the aircraft stay below 400 feet in altitude, don't interfere with other aircraft, and don't operate in air restriction zones like around airports. A number of fire chiefs report civilians flying such aircraft near fire scenes, including wildland fires. Other chiefs report firefighters using such devices as "hobbyists" at fire scenes.

Mike Mocerino, Stinger project manager for W.S. Darley & Company, says his company makes the Stinger, a UAS that employs a quad-rotor design and weighs less than 4.5 pounds with a flight time of between 20 and 30 minutes, depending on its configuration. Mocerino says the Stinger "allows first responders to quickly and effectively survey a fire scene or hazardous incident within minutes."

2 Hovering opposite a fire training tower, a Dar Read more 721 0 Article rating: No rating Loose Lugs, Broken Studs- Tightening Up Your Procedures Posted: Sep 17, 2014 Loose Lugs, Broken Studs- Tightening Up Your Procedures Most all of a vehicle’s energy and the forces that act upon it while driving are ultimately transmitted through wheel studs, so we must ensure they continue to do their job by routine inspection and proper maintenance practices using the correct tools.  Routine inspection at the company level includes checking for loose lug nuts on the daily inspection and learning to recognize the signs of loose lug nuts. Loose nuts can be identified most often by streaks of rust or discoloration radiating outward on a wheel from the nut. Visible cracks in lugs nut, studs, wheels, or loose lugs are unacceptable and should be repaired immediately. Ultimately, a loose wheel is already in a state of failure and this is where the maintenance facility comes into play. Your maintenance department, person, or independent shop should include a torque verification of these wheels on a routine basis to minimize the risk of such failure. There are additional methods and products available to recognize or prevent problems early such as Zafety Lug Lock, Rollock, or the application of frangible lacquer.  Read more 10547 0 Article rating: No rating Emergency responders gather in Yakima to remember 9/11 Posted: Sep 16, 2014 Emergency responders gather in Yakima to remember 9/11 By Rafael Guerrero / Yakima Herald-Republic YAKIMA, Wash. — Dozens of emergency responders from across the state joined Yakima firefighters and other local officials Thursday morning outside the Yakima Convention Center in honor of the 13th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.  With a fire engine draped in the American flag as a backdrop, local fire officials paid tribute to the thousands of civilians and emergency responders who lost their lives following a series of commercial airplane crashes in New York, Washington D.C., and Pennsylvania.  We will never forget 9/11,” said Capt. Tom Schneider of the Yakima Fire Department. The anniversary of the 9/11 attacks came hours after President Barack Obama announced to the nation that an ongoing effort to “degrade and destroy” a growing terrorist threat in Syria and Iraq would intensify... Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating RSS FirstPrevious4729473047314732473347344735473647374738NextLast 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 3480 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 2025 by Washington Fire Chiefs Home Members About Us News Calendar Resources Documents Sections County Fire Chiefs FRWC WSAFM