1 Pumper and Tanker Product Manager Jason Witmier provided this photo of a KME's driver's side pump panel with a Waterous CSU full-bodied midship pump with no discharges on the operator's panel. He says, "On this one, we also completely blanked off on the pump's left-side suction tube. By removing the left-side suction inlet and putting a plate over it, it saved space in the pump house to add a compartment. Taking the suction away added to the whole safety factor of not having the inlet by the operator." (Photo courtesy of KME.) Click here to view Image Gallery

By Bill Adams

Some apparatus purchasing committees (APCs) consider fire pump discharges a mundane topic-a matter taken for granted. Some erroneously believe discharge quantities, locations, and sizes are cast-in-concrete, sacrosanct requirements never to be doubted. Tactlessly questioning the topic during the specification (spec) writing process can cause dissension within the ranks and unintended controversy with vendors.

Regardless of whether their questions are or appear controversial, APCs and vendors should applaud queries from firefighters. Firefighters showing interest in their workplace (the fire truck) should be commended. Their participation will make APCs more attentive and accountable and can assist in making successful purchases. Hopefully, APCs will not construe firefighters' honest questions as questioning their authority and competency to purchase fire apparatus.

When discussing pump discharges, vendors should walk a fine line. An APC may mistakenly believe its expertise and knowledge is being challenged if a vendor asks a question the committee never considered or can't answer. Asking too controversial a question may jeopardize a sale. Conversely, a vendor not candidly addressing pump discharges with an APC and, in particular, an uneducated one, is doing the fire department a disservice. Concurrently, APCs' questions must be answered honestly and forthrightly. With today's social media and Internet access, a committee member may already have the answer to a question being asked merely to "test" a vendor. It's not right, but it happens.

"A Standard" or "the Standard"

The word standard has several meanings. One means something is normally or ordinarily accepted. Fire apparatus original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have standard discharge packages or configurations for each capacity fire pump offered. For a 1,500 gallon-per-minute (gpm) traditional midship pump, one OEM's standard package may include a three-inch discharge on the right-hand side (RHS), a three-inch discharge riser for a master stream appliance, and four 2½-inch discharges-two on the left-hand side (LHS), one on the RHS, and one at the rear. Another OEM's standard configuration may include a three-inch on the RHS and five 2½-inch discharges-two on each side and one at the rear. Yet another may offer two RHS three-inch discharges, two LHS 2½-inch discharges, and one RHS 2½-inch discharge. Which OEM is right? They all are. They all meet their own standard. An OEM's in-house standard does not have to reflect a regulatory agency's minimum requirements, nor is it necessarily reflective of apparatus being purchased in a given geographical area.

Standard can also mean a benchmark or a requirement. In the fir

Roger Lackore

The Fire Apparatus Manufacturers' Association (FAMA) is committed to enhancing the quality of the emergency service community through the manufacture and sale of safe, efficient emergency response vehicles and equipment.

In addition to designing, building, and selling products, our member companies spend a great deal of effort looking for ways to provide useful information to firefighting professionals. As information is only useful when people know it is available, this FAMA Forum will acquaint you with the current content of our online FAMA resource library. Visit our Web site at www.fama.org, and go to the "Resources" tab and the "Fire Service Resources" menu to download any of the following documents.

Fire Apparatus Duty Cycle Survey

This report uses the results from fire chief surveys as well as actual fire apparatus engine data to estimate average fire apparatus duty cycles in terms of road miles, engine hours, pump hours, and aerial hours. Results are subdivided by demographics and apparatus type. Fire chiefs may find this information useful when developing apparatus replacement plans, as they will be able to see where their current apparatus ages fall in relation to other departments with similar demographics.

Firefighter Size and Weight Study

This study provides firefighter measurements in bunker gear. Primarily used by apparatus designers, this information may also be useful to fire departments planning for facilities that must be designed around the smallest and largest firefighter shapes, sizes, and weights. Use this data when planning specifications for apparatus seating and cab capacity or aerial platform capacity.

Fire Apparatus Improvement White Paper

This report details the history of safety features on fire apparatus over the past several decades. A great introduction was written by Jeff Piechura, chief of the Stockton (CA) Fire Department, followed by a detailed spreadsheet of safety features and when they were introduced. The spreadsheet can be downloaded in Microsoft Excel format, can be used as a tool for determining and justifying funding requirements, and can assist forward-thinking fire service administrators in analyzing their departments' future equipment needs.

Diesel Engine Emissions Impact on Indoor Air Quality-2007

As new diesel engines burn cleaner every year, some chiefs wonder what impact the exhaust emissions have on air quality inside the station garage. The greatest change occurred in 2007 engines with the advent of the diesel particulate filter. This analytical study looks at the various tailpipe pollutants and suggests a method of answering this question.

Graphical Symbols

This document gives the fire and rescue community an option for labeling common controls with a graphical representation of their function. Although FAMA apparatus and equipment manufacturers are not required to use these symbols, this resource can be used by those fire departments wishing to specify industry standard text-free control symbols on their apparatus. This is a living document and has been updated recently with new aerial outrigger control symbols.

Emergency Vehicle Size and Weight Regulation Guideline

Fire apparatus are often larger and heavier than other trucks in their same class. Some states have more stringent requirements than others. This white paper explores the reasons behind typical apparatus axle weights and offers guidelines for truck size and weight-regulating authorities. This is a great resource to review prior to creating you