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The Finest Supporting the Bravest!

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: Aug 15, 2022

Lake Assault Boats Places a Fireboat into Service with the Osage Beach FD on Lake of the Ozarks 

The vessel responds on the busiest portions of the massive 54,000-acre lake.

SUPERIOR, Wis. (Aug 15, 2022)
– Lake Assault Boats, part of Fraser Shipyards and a leading manufacturer of purpose-built, mission-specific fire and rescue boats, placed a 31-foot fireboat into service on Lake of the Ozarks with the Osage Beach Fire Protection District in central Missouri.

“We love the new Lake Assault Boats vessel. The advanced technologies it features makes it easy to operate and improves our on-the-water performance,” said Fire Chief Paul Berardi of the Osage Beach Fire Protection District in Missouri. “After having it on duty for the past few months, we wouldn’t buy another fire boat without its state-of-the-art designs.” 

“The craft is similar to one that’s on duty south of us in Western Taney County in Branson, Missouri,” added Deputy Fire Chief Steve Lucas. “They graciously allowed us to test their Lake Assault fireboat for a full day. We came away thoroughly impressed with how it handles rough water and cuts through the biggest waves. We figured, why reinvent the wheel?”

Engineered on the shores of Lake Superior, the modified V-hull craft is 31-feet long and has a 10-foot, 6-inch beam. The boat’s draft is less than 18-inches with motors trimmed up and 24-inches when trimmed down. The craft includes a dive door on the port side as well as a fold down stair/ladder on the bow to aid in boarding and dis-embarking. 

Power is supplied by twin 300 hp four-stroke Mercury outboards that are controlled through the Skyhook Digital Anchor and Joystick Piloting systems. ”The craft is easy to maneuver in tight spaces, and holds its position while the fire pump is operating,” added Deputy Chief Lucas. “Plus, the learning curve for operators is fast, and that’s extremely important.” 

The firefighting system includes a Darley PSDE 1,500 GPM fire pump that is driven by a dedicated 6.0L V-8 gas engine. There is an electronically controlled TFT Monsoon 1500 GPM rooftop monitor that offers an unobstructed range of at least 270 degrees and has a vertical coverage of 60 degrees above and five degrees below horizontal. A 5-inch gated discharge on the forward deck supplies water to ground base apparatus.

The vessel features a full width and fully enclosed pilothouse with an interior clearance height of 76-inches and a rooftop air conditioning and heating system. There is bench seating with storage underneath along the aft wall. The dash console provides ample room for fire pump controls and monitors, and includes two Garmin touchscreens that operate GPS, structure scan sonar, Chart Plotting, and forward-looking infrared (FLIR). 

The department’s protection area is 105 square miles, and includes the busiest sections of Lake of the Ozarks, with 7,500 residents and up to 80,000 visitors from across the region on busy summer weekends. 


About Lake Assault Boats
Lake Assault Boats are born in a shipyard, designed for a mission, tested on Lake Superior, and custom engineered using technology and resources unmatched in the fireboat industry. Lake Assault offers a wide range of custom hull designs and configurations suitable for use on inland lakes and rivers, and intercoastal and offshore waters, to meet the needs of first responders. What mission can we help you perform? For more information visit www.lakeassault.com.
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Posted: Aug 15, 2022

Apparatus Purchasing Using NFPA 1901

This webcast will guide participants through the difficult process of specifying and purchasing fire apparatus. It will extensively cover the use of National Fire Protection Association 1901, Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus; conducting research; options and features; boilerplate information for the protection of the fire department; converting manufacturers’ specs; controlling “frills”; holding a successful preconstruction conference; the methods of performing a thorough final factory inspection; and acceptance and delivery of your new apparatus.

Presented by: WILLIAM PETERS

Bill Peters is a battalion chief (ret.) with the Jersey City (NJ) Fire Department with 28 years of service. He is the author of Fire Apparatus Purchasing Handbook, the apparatus chapters in The Fire Chief’s Handbook, and more than 100 articles in Fire Engineering. He has taught apparatus purchasing at FDIC for 22 years.

Whelen Engineering

Sponsored By: Whelen Engineering

Whelen Engineering—a global leader in the emergency warning industry—has been manufacturing in America since 1952, proudly marking its 70th anniversary in 2022. Whelen designs and manufactures reliable and powerful warning lights, white illumination lighting, sirens, controllers, and high-powered warning systems for Automotive, Aviation, and Mass Notification industries worldwide. Whelen encompasses two state-of-the-art facilities in Connecticut and New Hampshire with over 1,000,000 square feet of manufacturing space.

As the industry leader, Whelen proudly supports American workers in the manufacturing of its products and stands behind quality American innovation and craftsmanship in every product it turns out.  With the largest design staff in the industry and 1,500 employees, Whelen’s mission is to protect those who protect and serve others by making reliable products that people can depend on when lives are on the line.  Whelen products are proudly designed, sourced, and manufactured in America, and tested on-site to meet the toughest industry certifications.

Whelen: Manufactured in America for 70 years—we never left, and we’re here to stay.

Contact Us:

Web address: https://www.whelen.com/
Address: 51 Winthrop Road, Chester, CT 06412
Phone: (860) 526-9504
Email: custserv@whelen.com

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Posted: Aug 15, 2022

Plymouth (MN) Unveils Renovated Fire Station to Accommodate Full-Time Firefighters

The Plymouth (MN) Fire Department revealed renovations to Fire Station 3 over the weekend, according to a report published by KSTP 5 Eyewitness News.

The renovated station was designed primarily to accommodate full-time firefighters as the department transitioned from just paid on-call to full-time career firefighters, according to the report.

The newly renovated station has training facility, and living quarters, the report said, noting that Station 2 has recently been torn down and is being rebuilt with a scheduled opening by the end of this year.

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Posted: Aug 15, 2022

Motorist Drives Over and Damages Hose at Arlington (NY) Garage Fire

A motorist drove over a fire hose in Arlington (NY), damaged the hose and interrupted the water supply to a garage fire over the weekend, according to a report published by Mid Hudson News.

According to the report, a fire was reported at a garage on Saturday afternoon and Arlington firefighters connected a line to a hydrant to fight the detached two-car garage when the motorist ignored emergency vehicles and drove over the large diameter hose. The motorist damaged the hose which might cost up to $1,000 to replace, according to the report.

Fortunately, firefighters were able to contain the fire to the garage which was about 15 feet from the house, according to the report, which added that the motorist was ticketed for driving over the hose which is a violation of state law.   

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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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