By Bill Adams From the July 2019 Fire Engineering: “The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standards Council has announced that the information in the NFPA 114 Emergency Response and Responder Safety (ERRS) standards, guides, and recommended practices will be...
Toyne Builds Custom Pumper-Tanker, Quick Attack for the Storm Lake (IA) Fire Department
By Alan M. Petrillo The Storm Lake (IA) Fire Department, a combination agency with a paid full time chief, one paid full time firefighter, and 31 volunteer firefighters, was considering the need to replace two older fire apparatus. The first was a 1981 General...
“Safe Cab” Trade-Offs
By Bill Adams At the FDIC International 2019, several apparatus manufacturers addressed both physical and gaseous carcinogens in crew cabs. Noteworthy were introductions in compartmentation by both REV’s E-ONE and Rosenbauer-America. I am totally in favor of...
2019 Pierce Velocity Pumper for Dallas (TX) Fire-Rescue
Photos and Description by Lindsay Dye In 2018, Dallas Fire-Rescue began a relationship with Pierce to be the apparatus provider for the city. As engines, trucks and heavy rescue units come up for...
Marion Builds Enclosed Top-Mount Pumper for Wisconsin Department
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L-Tank Weight Considerations
By Bill Adams Pundits and commentators expound on the firematic benefits of using L-shaped booster tanks on pumpers. Apparatus manufacturers (OEMs) promote rigs with “New York City style” low hosebeds. (See Apparatus Purchasing: FDNY-Style Hosebeds,...
Tribute Graphics on Fire Apparatus
In recent years, graphics on fire apparatus have evolved to include tributes. From the ubiquitous "We will never forget" to simple initials to remember an particularly active or skilled fire apparatus...
Rig Logos At FDIC International 2019
FDIC International is a great place to see what departments across the country are building into their new rigs. It gives attendees a sampling from manufacturers located across the country, and most attendees...
Turning Radius and Tapered Bumpers
By Bill Adams All the purchasing specification said was, “The bumper shall be 95 inches wide with 45-degree corners and side plates.” Unless the reader is the preferred dealer who wrote the document, that statement has little to no intrinsic value. It’s possible the...
Town Clips the Purchasing Committee
By Bill Adams Many fire departments enjoy little to no oversight by political subdivisions that provide taxpayer financing for their apparatus purchases. In particular, volunteer entities often purchase what they want from who they want without political recourse or...
Salisbury (MA) Fire Department Gets KME Tuff Truck Aerial Ladder
By Alan M. Petrillo The Salisbury (MA) Fire Department was in a bit of a bind. It was running a 1991 aerial ladder that it had purchased as a used vehicle 10 years previously, but the rig needed to be replaced, yet the department didn't have the money to do so. But...
Ferrara Fire Apparatus Custom Pumper Goes to the Ramsey (IN) Volunteer Fire Department
By Alan M. Petrillo The Ramsey (IN) Volunteer Fire Department covers 113 square miles of fire district through four fire stations, each housing an engine, tanker, and brush truck and staffed by 34 volunteer firefighters. The department, which has a total of 19...