Fire department training divisions should include some input from the mechanical division. As a mechanic, I can’t teach someone the proper way to put out a fire. I’m not trained for that. In the same breath, firefighters aren’t expected to know how the equipment they use works mechanically. Although firefighters don’t need to understand how to fix the equipment, a general understanding of how something works affects how they use it.
So, What Is a Voltage Drop Anyway?
By Kevin Roberts “Voltage Drop” as a phrase has almost become a cliché, a series of words that is commonly used but not always well understood. In this article I will try to get below the surface. Let’s get so familiar with the Voltage Drop principle so that when we...
Gila Bend (AZ) Paramedic Recovering After Being Crushed by Fire Truck
Cody Jordan, 34, a Gila Bend Fire Department paramedic for a year, was doing routine maintenance on one of the trucks when the cab fell on him Friday, Feb. 23, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office reported.
Fort Smith (AR) FD Opens New Fire Apparatus Maintenance and Training Facility
A city official said the fire department did not have a proper facility to support maintenance activities for fire equipment.
Inspections, Maintenance Duty Added to Cal Fire-Butte County, Oroville Contract
The change was needed because a vacancy and injury at the city’s mechanic shop left only one mechanic available to work.
Pump Packing vs. Mechanical Seal
In this article, we are going to discuss what packing and a mechanical seal are. But first we need to know what the purpose of these “seals” is in our pumping systems. To put it very simply, they keep the oil and water separated.
Five Top Preventive Maintenance Tips for Fire Pumps
The fire pump is arguably the most important piece of equipment on an engine, and pump manufacturers have specific guidelines for keeping fire pumps in the best working order. We spoke with two W.S. Darley & Company pump experts, Greg Field, vice president of pump manufacturing operations, and Shawn Kelly, training manager, about the subject and they gave us five preventive maintenance tips to keep your fire pump in top shape.
Darley and Ford Partner to Develop Data-Driven Tactical Command Vehicle
W.S. Darley and Company has partnered with Ford to develop a tactical command vehicle based on the new Ford Bronco platform. Peter Darley, Darley’s executive vice president and chief operating officer, says the tactical command vehicle is based on a 2023 Ford Bronco Badlands 4×4 with a Sasquatch off-road package, powered by a six-cylinder gasoline engine and a 10-speed automatic transmission. Wheelbase on the rig is 116 inches, overall length is 189 inches, and overall height is 74 inches.
Atoka (TN) Fire Department Gets Sutphen SLR 75 Aerial-Ladder Quint
Atoka decided on a SLR 75 built on a Monarch heavy-duty custom chassis with a 62-inch four-door extended cab and a 10-inch raised roof seating five firefighters, three of them in SCBA (self-contained breathing apparatus) seats.
Walk-Around Video of Pedernales (TX) FD’s New Sutphen Pumper
Last month, the Pedernales Fire Department (TX) visited Sutphen for final inspection of its new custom pumper. Take a walk-around with Battalion Chief Chad Kubin to learn more about this impressive unit.
Exxon Mobile and Dow Chemical Demand Big Water
An industrial setting requires fire trucks to flow a high volume of pressured water and foam at an extremely high rate of speed to elevated storage tanks and large processing facilities.
Emergency Plug® | The Only Way to Safely Disable Electric Vehicles
The Emergency Plug® has been developed to prevent unpredictable vehicle movement by any full or hybrid electric vehicle (EV) in an emergency situation as well as during regular maintenance, quickly creating and maintaining a safe working environment.