By Bill Adams Sandbagging is a term often heard when playing cards and sports. It's a term that isn’t necessarily deceitful, although it can be. In the world of fire apparatus purchasing, sandbagging happens all the time, although it’s not always advertised, promoted,...
Gallery: 2018 Ferrara Cinder Pumper
Photos and description by Lindsay Dye Engine 1 began service on March 16, 2018, with the Lowry Crossing (TX) Volunteer Fire Department. The rig is built on a Ferrara Cinder cab and chassis with an 8-inch...
Coplay (PA) Fire Department Goes to KME for Rescue-Pumper
By Alan M. Petrillo The Coplay (PA) Fire Department needed to replace a 30-year-old engine and an equally aging rescue truck. But instead of purchasing two new vehicles, it decided to merge their functions...
The Comfort Continues
Seat comfort is designed in from the start, beginning with the frame and perfected with our foam. Valor First Responder Seating foam is focused on three key areas; comfort, aesthetics and durability, providing the appropriate amount of flexibility, shape and support...
Dimmable Warning Lights: Part 2
By Bill Adams “Dimmable Warning Lights” is a misleading title. I originally thought the proposed changes to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1901, Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus were to allow dimming warning lights in the blocking the right-of-way...
Dimmable Warning Lights, Part 1
By Bill Adams Mentioning warning lights and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA 1901) Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus in the same sentence might elicit emotional and occasional irrational statements from firefighters, the NFPA safety gurus (not a...
Top 5 Posts from “The Rig” in 2018
Enjoy looking back on the top five posts of 2018 from "The Rig." Miami-Dade (FL) Fire Rescue Department Taking Delivery of Six Clean Cab Concept Rescue-Pumpers The Rig: It’s the Little Things Gallery: Rigs on the Show Floor at FDIC International 2018 New...
It Starts with the Frame
Engineered with superior industrial strength for extreme durability, Valor First Responder seats are designed from the frame up for advanced comfort, safety, and performance. We know the rigorous demands of today’s firefighters call for seating that can...
Compartment Considerations: Rescue Trucks
Purchasers should consider working closely with more than one qualified vendor when laying out compartments. Ideas and suggestions are free for the asking.
Tractor-Drawn Aerials (TDAs) Offer Maneuverability, Maximum Compartment Space, Excess Ground Ladder Storage
Tractor-Drawn Aerials (TDAs) once were a common sight in fire department fleets, especially in fire departments where their coverage area includes older city areas filled with narrow streets, or...
Port Hardy (BC) Fire Rescue Chooses E-ONE HP78 eMAX Quint for Its Fleet
By Alan M. Petrillo After a study of high-rise structures in its fire protection district, Port Hardy (BC) Fire Rescue learned it had 18 four-story structures that didn't allow full access to them as the...
Valor Cab Configurator: Build Your Seat, Your Way
Valor First Responder Seating launches it’s first cab configurator, allowing users to pick their own seats in a generic cab configuration. The configurator tool lets users control every aspect of the customization process, from choosing which seat to input into the...