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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: Sep 25, 2025

Fresno (CA) FD Gets Equipment for Hostile Environments

The Fresno Fire Department said on Facebook that the city has invested recently in firefighter safety. In partnership with the Fresno Police Department, Council President Mike Karbassi, Mayor Jerry Dyer, and the Fresno City Council, the city has equipped fire department apparatus with ballistic vests and helmets.

“This critical body armor not only enhances the protection of our firefighters but also strengthens our ability to respond quickly to unsecured or hostile environments, including active shooter incidents, allowing us to provide life saving medical care when it’s needed most,” the post said.

“We are grateful for the city’s ongoing support and proud to take this important step in improving safety and reducing the risks associated with the vital work our members perform every day.”

The post Fresno (CA) FD Gets Equipment for Hostile Environments appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

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Posted: Sep 25, 2025

Specialized Apparatus Will Be Displayed at 2025 Canadian Wildfire Conference

WYOMING, Minnesota (September 24, 2025) – Rosenbauer America, a leading manufacturer of fire apparatus, today announced its participation at the 2025 Canadian Wildfire Conference in Kelowna, British Columbia, from October 1-2. Rosenbauer will be showcasing its commitment to wildland firefighting with a display of specialized apparatus and essential equipment designed to meet the unique challenges of the wildland and forestry firefighting market.

Attendees are invited to visit Rosenbauer’s exhibit to explore the latest advancements in wildland firefighting technology and see firsthand how our products are engineered to provide maximum performance, safety, and efficiency. Our team of experts will be on hand to discuss the features of our apparatus and equipment and to demonstrate how Rosenbauer is helping to combat the growing threat of wildfires.

Featured at the conference will be two of Rosenbauer’s premier wildland apparatus: the Timber WARRIOR™ and the Maverick.

Rosenbauer Timber WARRIOR™

Source: Rosenbauer.
Source: Rosenbauer America.

The Timber WARRIOR™ is a wildland-urban interface (WUI) powerhouse, combining the structural firefighting capabilities of a Type 1 pumper with the off-road agility of a wildland unit. It is a true all-in-one solution for departments that face a variety of fire threats.

  • Dual-Pressure Pumping System: The Timber WARRIOR™ features a unique Rosenbauer NH55 pump with a high-pressure side that can deliver up to 600 PSI, in addition to standard pressures. This allows for both high-pressure attack lines for making water last longer and simultaneous operation of normal pressure handlines.
  • Advanced Ergonomics and Storage: The vehicle is designed with firefighter safety and comfort in mind, offering a custom cab/chassis with features that enhance firefighter safety and improved ergonomics for long-duration deployments. Ample storage space is available to securely house all necessary gear and equipment for extended operations.
  • Pump-and-Roll Operations: Similar to the Maverick, the Timber WARRIOR™ offers true pump-and-roll capability, allowing the crew to engage the monitor and ground spray nozzles while the vehicle is in motion. This provides an effective and flexible tool for controlling fast-moving fires.

Rosenbauer Maverick

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Posted: Sep 25, 2025

WA Fire District Plans Free, Independent Ambulance Service

Emily White – The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, Wash.

Sep. 23—As the cost for an ambulance ride soars, Spokane County Fire District 9 plans to shed its contract with American Medical Response and start its own ambulance service that won’t result in an expensive transport bill for residents.

If the move is approved by the Washington Department of Health, the fire district serving 50,000 people living in Mead and other areas directly north of Spokane and Spokane Valley will be be the only fire district in Spokane County to operate its own full-time ambulance transport operation, Chief Matthew Vinci said.

The push for its own ambulance service came about after current provider AMR doubled its rates beginning last month. The cost rose to almost $4,700 for basic life support and transport, Vinci said. That doesn’t include charges for supplies, IV therapies, medication or mileage rates that are applied to ambulance bills.

District 9 plans to have a fully independent ambulance service by July 1 if it can get approval, including a special license from the state Department of Health.

The service will be funded by existing levies and payments by insurance companies, Vinci said. The fire district will hire 15 new employees to support its independent ambulance service. The district currently has 65 uniformed staff.

AMR Operations Manager Jack Busch said the increased ambulance fees reflect the nationwide trend of rising costs in emergency medical services and health care — including costs to have personnel, equipment, supplies and maintenance for 60 ambulances in Spokane County. AMR is responsible for 95% of all medical transport in the county.

Busch disputed that residents within District 9 experience big savings. Taxes will likely increase, he said, if Vinci’s plan is approved.

But Vinci says the district doesn’t need a new levy to be able to fund an ambulance service. He said the money collected from insurance providers will cover the cost.

“There’s no bill, no cost, no balance billing, no co-pay associated with an ambulance ride in our district,” Vinci said of the plan.

There were 3,000 ambulance transports in District 9 last year. That compares with 2,500 ambulance transports every month in the city of Spokane, said Spokane Fire Chief Julie O’Berg said.

Spokane’s rates for ambulance rides are similar to District 9’s, she said. In June, Spokane’s published rate was $4,790 .

AMR’s rates for ambulance rides have increased because it costs a significant amount of money to have care and lifesaving services available in minutes, O’Berg said, adding that the recent adjustment in AMR rates mirrors national inflation trends.

“The bigger problem is the health insurance and the health care system as a whole. We’ve lost context on what it costs to care for the sick and injured,” she said.

O’Berg expressed support for District 9’s endeavor and said every fire district has the authority to provide its residents with emergency medical services.

She noted, however, that fire districts operate on a tax-based system, in which all residents within a district contribute to emergency medical services regardless of their individual usage.

The city of Spokane operates on a service-based system, where people who use emergency medical services are billed for the care they receive. AMR advocates for such service-based models, Busch said.

According to Busch, most patients transported by AMR won’t be affected by its price increase.

About 81% of the Spokane market a

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Posted: Sep 24, 2025

William F. Foster Award for Excellence Winner and EVT of the Year Announced at FTTC

At the awards ceremony at the 2025 Fire Truck Training Conference, Jeff Seal, director of sales for Spartan Chassis and MC for the evening, began his introduction for the William F. Foster Outstanding Service Award by recognizing its namesake, Bill Foster. “Bill’s presence is still felt here today even though we lost him on January 1 of this year. His legacy lives on in every one of these conferences.” Seal said that each year, the conference takes the time to recognize a person who has had a positive impact on training and being what Foster visualized as a trainer. Seal explained that this year’s recipient, Al Conkle, started his career in the 1960s as a diesel mechanic for Detroit Diesel, advancing to service tech engineer in the1970s. In the 1980s, he was a master EVT and in the 1990s joined Foster at the FTTC, becoming, according to Seal, one of the most recognized trainers. During his time with the FTTC, he was instrumental in furthering the knowledge of EVTs across the U.S. and North America.

Accepting the award, Conkle first addressed the EVTs gathered for the ceremony, saying, “You folks make this industry safer.” Conkle cited statistics from the 1970s where 30% to 33% of firefighter line-of-duty deaths involved fire apparatus accidents or lack of maintenance.

The NTSB, out of concern, went to the IAFC, which decided to do something similar to what it did with paramedics and firefighters—train the people maintaining fire apparatus and certify them. Based on that, the IAFC created the Maintenance Section, responsible for training. Then it started to develop tests for the students. From there, the EVTCC was born as a standalone entity to perform the testing. In 1996, the EVTCC administered 1,230 exams. In 2024, it administered 8,901 EVT exams. Conkle was there all along the way. He recounted trips to Chicago, Illinois, where he and others met to look at what they needed to do to make training available that is pertinent to EVTs and emergency vehicle market, which resulted in the first F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, and F6 tests for certifications.

He also recounted the beginnings of National Fire Protection Association maintenance standards and qualifications for emergency vehicle technicians. He proudly announced that in 2024, 14% of the line of duty deaths in the fire service were attributed to lack of vehicle maintenance.

Conkle summed up by addressing the gathered EVTs, saying, “What separates an EVT from a regular truck technician is his passion to do the repair right the first time, to pay attention to details and to make sure when he’s done with that emergency vehicle that it’s going to start, it’s going to get that fire crew to the emergency, and take care of that emergency, and return then safely back to the firehouse so that they can go home at the end of the day.”

The FTTC is also where the Emergency Vehicle Technician of the Year, cosponsored by Spartan Fire Chassis and Firehouse is awarded annually. This year’s recipient is Anthony “Tony” Newman. Newman is a master emergency vehicle technician with the Tucson (AZ) Fire Department. Newman was not only recognized for th

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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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