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...
Ask a Darley Engineer: Pump Components and Corrosion
By Darley Team Martin Simpson asked: What metals do you recommend on pump components that come in contact with water, and why? The answer depends on the type of water being pumped: salt or fresh. With salt water or brackish water, Darley recommends an...
Wildland Innovations Powering Designs in Rigs Crafted for Fire Agency’s Needs
By Alan M. Petrillo There are plenty of wildland Type 6 and Type 3 fire vehicles in fire department and fire agency fleets throughout the country, based chiefly on the typical requirements of wildland firefighters for maneuverability and off-road capability in the...
Tanker Innovations Improve Water Carrying, Vehicle Handling Abilities
By Alan M. Petrillo Tankers (tenders), especially those carrying very large amounts of water, have sometimes been criticized for two major drawbacks: sacrificing compartment space to get to a specified...
More Thoughts on the Deck Gun
By...
PA Volunteer Fire Company Gets TDA from KME
By Alan M. Petrillo The North Penn Volunteer Fire Company, North Wales, Pennsylvania, wanted to replace a 1997 Simon LTI 75-foot quint with a longer ladder, but not necessarily another quint, as long as the...
Ask a Darley Engineer: Why this Drip Rate?
By: Darley Team Question: Why is the drip rate between five and 60 drops on Darley pumps equipped with packing rather than a mechanical seal such as our Darley P100 pump and P6 pumps that you build for the US Navy and US Coast Guard?—DCC Chief Petty Officer Jim...
Fire Apparatus Rollovers
In this article, we will examine some of the more serious safety issues faced by the fire apparatus operator. By reviewing recent case studies, it is apparent that our first topic should be that of fire apparatus rollovers. Rollovers are a common cause of fire...
Selecting Apparatus Components
By Bill Peters When you are selecting apparatus components to include in your specifications, there are three considerations: (1) Are you meeting mission requirements? (2) Are the components available...
KME Builds Custom CAFS Rear-Mount Rescue-Pumper for Seiverville (TN) Fire Department
The Seiverville (TN) Fire Department has had a lot of success using compressed air foam systems (CAFS) and rear-mount pumpers, so when it came time to replace an aging pumper, the truck committee wanted to have a similar vehicle built. By Alan M. Petrillo After...
Assembling an Apparatus Purchasing Committee
By Bill Adams Contrary to popular belief and the ramblings of pundits and commentators including myself, there is no single “best way” to assemble an apparatus purchasing committee (APC). Many so-called industry experts tout biased opinions expounding on the past...