Attendees at the 28th Annual FDSOA Apparatus Specification and Maintenance Symposium got to learn about a few of the changes to the NFPA 1901, Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus (2016 ed.) and NFPA 1906, Standard for Wildland Fire Apparatus (2016, ed.). Doug Kelley, KME Wildland Product Manager, presented.

Although he did not touch on every single change to the two standards, Kelley highlighted a few from each relevant to the apparatus operators, line officers, and fleet managers present. 

On the administrative side, the two documents are now structured the same so that the same chapter and paragraph numbers in each standard cover the same subject matter, making the two standards sister publications essentially. Kelley also reminded the group the revision cycles for both standards were aligned several years ago as well.

Some highlights from NFPA 1901:

• If a department wants its trucks to exceed NFPA 1901 minimum requirements, the department has to tell the manufacturer as the purchaser. Make sure the department has it in the spec.
• The apparatus manufacturer must provide familiarization and demonstration at the time of delivery on a number of specified items. The qualifications of the representative conducting the training must be provided in writing. This is not driver training.
• Only one set of manuals is required to be delivered with the vehicle.
• The Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association (FAMA) Safety Guide has been added to the list of items to be supplied with the apparatus.
• Test criteria for measuring light levels has been added. Dividers, such as hosebed dividers, that might block the light are allowed to be removed during the testing.
• The standard now specifies the maximum length and location of the seat belt stalk.
• For vehicles with GVRWs of less than 19,500, the seat belt webbing color requirement does not apply.
• The standard strengthened test standards for SCBA restraings in the cab.
• Tiller cabs now to meet requirements of SAE J2422.
• Designated walking areas: requirements for designating standing/walking surfaces on the upper areas of the apparatus will now require a one-inch yellow stripe indicating these areas as walking areas.
• Pump water engine cooler removed—not required to have auxiliary engine cooler.
• Aerial operating capacity label: rated capacity must be provided on a label or on an electronic display.
• Aerial platform railing must withstand force of 225 lbf.
• Aerial platform gates must withstand 1,000 lbf at the weakest point, and doors must stay shut.
• Aerial platform fall protection: one anchor point for every 250 pounds of load rating. These must be clearly labeled and rated for 450 pounds minimum.

Some highlights from NFPA 1906:

• Applies specifically for trucks supporting wildland fire suppression. Applies to vehicles with a minimum GVRW of 10,001.
• Defines the difference between a wildland fire pump and fire pump. Any pump larger than 250 gpm is a fire pump and must meet NFPA 1901.
• Defines a wildland crew carrier—design and performance, including structural integrity, seat design, escape, etc.
• Personnel weight allowance increased to 250 pounds per seating position.
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At the Fire Department Safety Officers Association’s (FDSOA) 28th annual Apparatus Specification and Maintenance Symposium, Jim Juneau kicked the conference off with a keynote covering how firefighters are treated by the law, particularly in cases where firefighters were involved in apparatus MVAs where firefighters, civilians, or both are injured or killed.

Juneau explained that firefighters know they are performing a dangerous job, but the dangers they most often consider are the dangers of the fireground: the fire itself, smoke, searching for victims above the fire, building collapse, getting trapped, etc. But, often they don’t think of the dangers of getting to and from the fire and the consequences of what may go wrong during the response.

Important for any firefighter to consider is that although they may have insurance or may work for a large municipality, there will be consequences if they are operating a fire apparatus and they cause an accident that leads to injury or death. Just a few of these consequences include being charged with criminally negligent homicide; being charged with felony vehicular homicide; a firefighter losing his job; and awards of $15,000,000 and $2,215,000 in an unlawful death law suit. The dollar amounts are staggering, and Juneau reminded everyone that no one has $2,000,000 laying around.

Juneau cited several case studies and the actions that led to various consequences. Some seemed almost unbelievable, yet these things to occur—even to the point of getting caught in a lie on an accident report.

Juneau wrapped his keynote by listing eight things that will get a firefighter in trouble:

1. Ignoring national standards.
2. Poor vehicle maintenance and inspection habits
3. Not using occupant/equipment restraints
4. Entering a negative right-of-way intersection
5. Excessive speed or crazy driving habits
6. Disrespecting railroad crossings
7. Backing and maneuvering an apparatus without spotters.
8. Intoxication on duty or ignoring it/concealing it.

He ended the presentation by reminding the audience that cost of these apparatus operating mistakes are not always in dollars, but could be in lives lost.

Town of Palmyra (WI) Fire Department, pumper. Commander cab and chassis; Cummins ISL9 450-hp engine

Six fire departments under Grady County Emergency Management and the Amber Fire Department responded to the fire at the fracking site on Highway 39 run by Continental Resources.

Grady County officials said at least 40 sets of bunker gear and 3,000 feet of hose were soaked in crude oil and left unusable after battling the fire.

"It's a hard hit," said Mike Norman, fire chief for the Amber Fire Department. "Everything that was on that site that was going up in the air or that was below our feet, it was on us."

Noman said the Amber Fire Department sustained at least $20,000 worth of equipment damage.

"It hurts the pocketbook," Norman said. "We don't have the money, nor the funding, to come back and replenish this."

Dale Thompson, director of Grady County Emergency Management, said the organization is working with Continental Resources to get help for the fire departments.

Thompson said the fire departments will have to revert back to their old gear until they can get replacements for the gear that was damaged. Fire departments told KOCO that the damaged equipment will not impact fire response times.

For more information, view www.koco.com