See Draeger’s new Chemical Protection Suits at Emergency Services Show, Scotland As a result of working closely with customers to continue to understand their needs, Draeger has developed the CPS 7900, a gas-tight chemical protection suit.  Even when being dragged along the ground or any other abrasive surface in a rescue situation, this reusable suit maintains wearer protection from hazardous substances.  Should an outer layer be damaged, the wearer is kept safe by the use of a new tear-proof, five-layer, laminated D-Mex material which protects against chemical effects, bursts of flames and toxic and cryogenic substances.   For additional safety the wearer’s arms remain in the suit sleeves at all times, ready to respond through the inclusion of a pressure gauge holder in the field of view.   Freedom of movement and full awareness of the environment are vital to ensure a quick reaction.  These are assured by the comfortable, ergonomic design and an almost natural field of vision through the anti-fogging visor.  The ability to operate in a broad range of environments is essential; the D-Mex material is safe to use in potentially explosive environments and also offers protection from contact with extreme temperatures as low as -80C.  Faster recovery in man down situations can be aided by the Draeger-Connect system, allowing the rescuer to grip the suit of the wearer.  Hands can also be kept free as this same system can be used to carry tools and equipment into an incident.   Offering a lifetime cost reduction because of the 15-year suit life, further savings in both time and cost can be achieved by reduced stock variables.  For example, correct glove selection and fitting is fast and easy with the quick change patented cuff lock.  An integral height adjuster allows pace length to be adjusted to suit the wearer and means that fewer sizes need to be stocked to suit the requirements of a diverse workforce.  The selection of different boots for different tasks is also made safe and easy by the inclusion of gas-tight socks.  Allowing easy integration with existing equipment, the suit is compatible with other forms of PPE such as helmets and face masks, the suit can also be connected to an external source of air for long duration work.  In addition, when working in hot and humid conditions, the wearer can be supplied with cool air to ensure maximum comfort and performance.   Meeting European and International standards such as EN 943-2 and the SOLAS convention, the Draeger CPS 7900 answers the requirements for emergency teams from the fire and rescue services as well as industry.  Draeger has been developing and producing chemical protection suits for over 50 years and the CPS 7900 is the culmination of this experience in a range which also includes the new lightweight Draeger CPS 5900 for single-exposure applications.   For further information contact Customer Service, Draeger Safety UK Limited, Ullswater Close, Blyth Riverside Business Park, Blyth, Northumberland, NE24 4RG.  Tel: 01670 561200, fax: 01670 356266, www.draeger.com.  

Model number: F1 SF Make: MSA Weblink: http://www.msabritain.co.uk/uk/products/head-protection/fire-helmets/f1-sf/ Specification Attachment: 36-106.2_F1SF_Leaflet_Rev03_GB.pdf Teaser: Advanced Protection Helmet for Fire-fighters Approved according to the new EN443 :2008, the F1SF helmet sets the new standard for fire-fighter’s head protection and comfort. Dedicated to structural fire-fighting in buildings, tunnels and other structures, it fulfills the growing requirements of fire soldiers in all urban and industrial operations. Thanks to its unmatched comfort, its adjustable mask attachment feature and its interfaces for accessories, it is a true platform for all critical operations when the helmet must not be a burden for the wearer. With the reinforced shock absorption system and its new face shield according to EN14458, it keeps its unique style and remains the reference fire-fighting helmet throughout the world. Main features : ■EN 14458 approved face shield, clear or metal coated, for extended face protection ■Inner ocular visor for rescue and other operations ■Chinstrap interface, adjustable to the wearer’s morphology (4 positions) ■3-point chinstrap with automatic buckle and adjusting straps for optimal stability ■Cradle net for optimal comfort ■Impact absorption padding with aramide layer for increased thermal and mechanical protection ■Foam comfort padding ■Front plate (customisation on request)

We are pleased to announce that Mission Critical Electronics Inc We are pleased to announce that Mission Critical Electronics Inc. has invested in Kussmaul Electronics Co. Inc. and has promoted Thomas Nugent to President.  Ernest Kussmaul will remain with KECO and devote his time to engineering and new product development and to assist the engineering staff. The company will remain in it’s present facility in West Sayville, New York and continue to serve it’s customers with new and innovative products.   For more information, please contact: Philip M. Verderosa, Marketing Mgr.  Kussmaul Electronics Co. Inc.  170 Cherry Avenue  West Sayville, New York 11796  (631) 567-0314  (800) 346-0857  FAX: (631) 567-5826  Email: sales@kussmaul.com

Having been put through it’s paces by the Humberside Fire and Rescue Service Having been put through it’s paces by the Humberside Fire and Rescue Service, we take a closer look at the Rapid Intervention Vehicle (RIV) from Pickup Systems to see whether, versatility, cost and capability can offer a viable alternative in tackling small nuisance fires.  One in a line of Multi-Purpose Vehicles developed by Pickup Systems the RIV faced by urban and rural fires during it’s trial; Daryl Oprey, Head of Operations for Humberside Fire and Rescue, shares his thoughts on how these SFU’s performed over key fire risks as the end of last year.   “Traditionally the Fire Service has run with a ‘one fire appliance fits all risk policy’,” comments Daryl when we catch up with him, “but as our intelligence and data gathering gets more intricate we’re coming to realise that by predicting where the risk is, we can respond with the right team and the right equipment.  We simply don’t need a quarter of a million pound fire engine with a crew of five turning up to a small bin fire.”   Perfect for small nuisance fires the RIV’s unique features include a Fire Fogging system, which uses less water and leads to the tank lying in the bed of the vehicle.  The vehicle that took part in the Humberside Trials has a chassis driven by a 2.5 litre D-4D 170 engine with a double cab, capable of 34 mpg and able to carry a payload of up to 1500kg. The bespoke body, designed and built by Pickup Systems features two slide and tilt draws and a 700mm long utility draw.  The red extra cab RIV (Rapid Intervention Vehicle) Hilux is different in that the water tank is slung under the vehicle, giving it more space in the bed for the two slide and tilt draws, a huge 1.7 metre utility draw, which is carrying Webber rescue cutting gear.  Additional benefits are there’s very little run off contamination, it’s more economical in terms of maintenance and servicing and it’s price tag is 15% of the price of a full tender.     With it’s fast response time and on and off road capabilities many services are using these smaller applications for rural environments; a case in point being the recent peat fires on the moors, which took two weeks to put out.  “We were finding in the north of the area, during the peat fires, that the surface fires were being caused by them spreading under the sub strata.  We were able to go right onto the moors, which we couldn’t have done to with a fire truck due to its weight and the environmental implications.  We were using the SFU which was capable to tackling the rugged terrain easily and by using the underground lance we were able to drive the water into the ground and extinguish the underground peat fires.”   Operating like the Ambulance service, these smaller fire units are mobile, constantly patrolling high-risk stand-points.  Unlike the larger fire trucks and crews, which operate from a fixed fire station, these 2 person units, capable of over 30 to a gallon, (unlike their larger counterparts, which field five crew and are only capable of 5-10 miles to the gallon), are therefore always circulating in the risk areas. With both the first response and SFU operating from 16.00hrs to 02.00hrs every day across Hull, Daryl believes a modern fire fighting service needs this type of flexibility and he believes that public / private partnerships, like the one he has with Pickup Systems, are just the thing to help the Fire Service achieve its goals.   “The best thing about these vehicles is when the smaller nuisance fires have peaked during a particular time of the year and a new threat poses itself, say flooding, we can now detach the fire fighting pump out of the unit and with the space provided, fill it with other equipment; like dry suits for example.  With it’s four wheel drive off road capability, we’d be able to mobilise it as a different support vehicle and that is it’s attraction.”   John Mcgauley from Pickup Systems concludes:  “It’s been a fantastic opportunity to have our vehicles trialled like this and the feedback from Humberside goes to show, that these vehicles have a roll to play, in that they offer brigades a means of reducing fleet costs, whilst improving services.”  

Teaser: The UK’s largest dedicated fire safety event and one of the largest in the world International Firex – the UK’s largest dedicated fire safety event and one of the largest in the world – will be back at the NEC Birmingham from 16-19 May 2011, showcasing the latest products and services from over 150 exhibitors. Register for free entry to International Firex. Alongside the exhibition is a full seminar programme offering a wide range of free presentations based on the latest product innovations, best practice, standards and approvals and compliance with current fire safety legislation. International Firex provides one of the few opportunities to actually see and compare such a wide range of fire safety products and solutions. It is also an ideal opportunity to network with experts from all aspects of fire safety. International Firex is conveniently located alongside IFSEC and Safety & Health Expo, and The Facilities Show. Exhibit at International Firex International Firex provides a perfect route to market for those organisations looking to showcase their products and services to an audience of fire alarm installers, systems designers, consultants, fire safety engineers and building control officers, and to end users directly responsible for fire safety in their premises and places of work. For more information and to check stand availability, please contact the sales team today. Download latest floorplan. Website: http://www.info4fire.com/internationalfirex

Model number: PANTHER 8×8 Make: Rosenbauer International AG Weblink: http://www.rosenbauer.com Key features: – World-wide standards and airport demands – Professional design blended with top quality – Sturdy light weight construction – Combined driving power and high manoeuvrability – Efficient fire fighting technology – the basis for best extinguishing operation – State of the art panorama-cabin construction provides best view around – Ergonomic control assisting the crew when operating in stress situations – Standardization and well selected options suit world-wide customer requirements Specification Attachment: Rosenbauer_Datasheet_Panther_8x8_HRET_GACA.pdf Teaser: The Rosenbauer PANTHER ensures fastest response and superior fire fighting power in all kinds of emergency situations The Rosenbauer PANTHER ensures fastest response and superior fire fighting power in all kinds of emergency situations. The piercing tool of the STINGER HRET penetrates the aircraft fuselage under 210 bar pressure and discharges 1,000 l/min. The Rosenbauer Group is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of fire fighting vehicles. With its wide range of municipal fire fighting vehicles and aerials built to both European and US standards (NFPA), its extensive series of ARFF vehicles and industrial fire fighting vehicles, advanced fire fighting components and fire and safety equipment, Rosenbauer is the industry’s full-liner.  

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For over 50 years Summit has been rising to meet the apparatus challenges of the fire industry It has been said that Summit specialises in specialty trucks. They are willing to take on the challenges of building trucks that are beyond most truck manufacturer’s conventional designs.   “The unique pumper or one-of-akind vehicle is something that Summit feels it can do better than the competition.” says Joe Messmer, president and co-owner of Summit Fire Apparatus in Northern Kentucky. For the past 50 years brothers Joe and Tom Messmer have been building fire trucks with the help of a loyal group of employees. Summit does not have a standard truck; rather each truck is designed and manufactured to meet the unique needs of each customer, which allows them to uphold the highest standards. Joe Messmer, says, “In 50 years we have learned one thing for certain, customers want what they want. ‘WHILE SEVERAL OTHER MANUFACTURERS SAID AN INDUSTRIAL FOAM PUMPER WAS TOO COMPLICATED, SUMMIT MET THE SPECIFICATIONS APPARATUS WITH NO EXCEPTIONS AND KEPT THE OPERATIONS SIMPLE.’ And we give them just that, by building their ideas into safe, well equipped units.” Charles Messmer started the company in 1957 with a Ford pick-up truck, a portable welder, determination and Godgiven talent. In the beginning his focus was on metal fabricating. Charles Messmer was one of the founding fathers of the local fire department. He served as chief from 1963 to 1969. (Joe went on to serve as Chief for 26 years. Joe and his son Mark still hold positions on that same fire department.) As Charles became more involved with firefighting, so did the focus of the business. He built his first unit, a tanker, in 1958. Refurbishing and repair of wrecked and older units was also a big part of the business. That is one reason that to this day, each part Summit produces is automated. Joe Messmer says, “If a department tears up a tailboard, we can manufacture a new one.” The part can be shipped to the department and can be “bolted or installed right in place.” Joe and Tom Messmer assumed control of the business in 1969 after the death of their father, Charles. The company has changed and grown since then. It remains family owned and operated. They have recently added a third generation family member, Mark, Joe’s son, in the sales division. As always Summit is committed to providing affordable, quality apparatus. Their current line of apparatus includes Heavy Rescue Trucks, Mini-Rescues, Haz-Mat Units, Brush Trucks, Pumpers, Tankers/ Tenders, Air & Light Vehicles, and Trailers. The service department performs preventive maintenance, repair and collision work as well as refurbishment of older units. Summit may have found its niche in challenging and unique trucks. While several other manufacturers said an industrial foam pumper was too complicated, Summit met the specifications with no exceptions and kept the operations simple. To date they have manufactured three industrial foam pumpers, one for an oil refinery in Toledo, Ohio and two similar rigs for Bulwer Island, Australia. It was quite a challenge to build such complex, mammoth rigs. The Toledo pumper is 100 inches (254 cm) wide, has a 3,000 gpm (11,355 lpm) Hale RME pump, FoamPro AccuMax 3300 foam system (capable of delivering individually metered foam solution to each of nine discharges), a 1,000 gallon (3,785 l) fiberglass foam tank, mid-ship mounted Hydro Sword, and an articulating telescoping aerial nozzle. This foam and pump component configuration had never been accomplished before. The chassis is a Spartan Gladiator with a Caterpillar C13 diesel engine and Allison Gen IV transmission. It has stainless-steel plumbing and a side-mount pump panel with retractable deck and railing, 15 kw Power Tech generator, six Extend-A-Lites, a 4,500-watt Will-Burt light tower, rearmounted 5,000 gpm (18925 lpm) Akron monitor and a rearview camera system with an LCD monitor and two heavy-duty cameras. The front bumper extension stores two 1 ¾ inch (4.445 cm) attack lines. Toledo’s Chief, Chris Herman says, “We were impressed with the factory and were able to view other vehicles being built. All of the employees had a can-do attitude, no matter what part of the factory we were in. The quality and workmanship that Summit puts into its vehicles is amazing.” Chief Herman named the unit “The  ragonslayer”. On September 11, 2001, the very foundation of emergency response changed. Equipment and training were enhanced to prepare for terrorist attacks. When presented with this new challenge, Summit produced a CBRNE (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosives) Response Vehicle for the Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana tri-state area. The 37 feet 7 inch (1145 cm) custom trailer is pulled by a Freightliner. It has 14 rescue-style compartments, side awnings, a ramp for wheeled equipment, rooftop storage, a Will-Burt light tower, 25 kw generator, and lighted walkway from the front of the vehicle to the rear observation platform. Inside is an enclosed science and research room with pass-through, fume extraction hood, work counter and wall cabinets. A Summit exclusive is the addition of a sequencer to their Air & Light Vehicle. Some say a sequencer is not required on an air compressor truck. The sequencer conserves air and pressure in extended use circumstances, saves time and removes the concern about firefighters going into a fire wearing SCBA cylinders that are not filled correctly. Summit thinks, ‘safety first’ makes all the difference. Kenton County’s Air I is built on an International 4400 2-door. It has a 16 feet (487.680 cm) Equipment body with six compartments and refill station, IH Engine 330 hp, exhaust brake retarder, 33.2 cfm (0.94 cmm) & Emergency Magazine”, Robert Tutterow wrote, “Their application is limited only by the imagination.” In rising to the challenge to make the utility vehicle even more useful, Summit designed a trailer to be pulled behind an RTV. They call it the R.E.D.   (Remote Evacuation and Deployment) Wagon. It is 7 feet (213.360 cm) long and 3 feet (91.44 cm) high. It can seat six crewmembers or transport three patients

The events of recent hurricanes, like Gustav and his closely following sister, Hanna, are well known. How well we understand the past can prepare us for the future. My intention for writing this is to take a serious look backward for future planning and strategies from present day events and incidents. To me history is always very interesting. What I have challenges with is how difficult it is for many of us to learn from it. I intend to use my own experiences from weathering both hurricanes, Katrina and Rita, just a few brief years ago. As in anything of value and direction, leadership must be paramount. It is especially true when a crisis comes to hand. The truly visible leader can make or break the outcome of any event. I have found that being prepared as a leader in the correct disciplines is everything. Then by being a touchable and defined force for your troops, your leadership becomes valued while adding strength and reassurance to all who see you as part of the solution. I personally respond to many calls, and may not have to directly contribute my skills at that particular time. But it gives my people the sense that the top commander does care about the daily workings of the organisation and its membership, especially when the heat of battle is underway. Today’s international fire service is directly involved on a wide scale of crisis and emergency response. We no longer concern ourselves with only fires and assorted rescue events. The fire service has become a multi-disciplined and multi-trained emergency response force. Thus, the lessons learned here from these hurricane disasters can be applied throughout a broad array of incident preparation and reaction. Communications should be at the forefront. Hurricanes will bring down information exchange networks by an assortment of factors. Wind alone being a primary cause with its force for blowing over towers and masts. Without question, cell phones are fragile and should not be a primary means of information. There is value in Ham Radio operations, especially for areas that have become severely damaged, and without the scope of any short term recovery with on site repairs. Spare batteries for everything else should be obtained well in advance, and don’t forget your portable radios and hand lights. A word to the wise is to fully charge them a day or two in advance of the pending event. Someone always puts things off and then it becomes too late. If wireless and hardwire communications fail, then one must resort to a courier based set of operations. Does this sound like a scene from World War II? A written and practiced plan should be in place. Couriers have been an established way of doing business for centuries. The Roman Army perfected this well. The deliverance of timely and progressive information is the lifeblood of any operation. Since we are extremely dependant upon electricity for everything, it is of solid value to have sufficient auxiliary power to sustain your operations. If you must utilise generators, then consider the proper model and fuel type. Portable generators are for the most part based upon a consumable hydrocarbon fuel, while the latest trend for permanent devices is to use natural gas driven engines for prolonged operations. The supply of natural gas in most areas is virtually unlimited. In relationship to any type of mechanical equipment, it is imperative to secure an around the clock mechanic or technical support service agreement to include a spare parts provision. You might have a memorandum of agreement or a service contract in place in lieu of not having a mechanic or technician on the duty roster. Thus, I strongly recommend that a second reading of this document be accomplished, as there might not be a clause for a mechanic or technician to come out in adverse weather conditions, nor have an adequate supply of parts to ensure an immediate restoration of mission essential and critical equipment. Refueling becomes a challenge for any device requiring sustenance over long periods. If you respond to a major fire and the engine companies start flowing water at or near their full capacity, then it’s no different than driving down the roadways at high speeds. Even artificial light towers operate under a full load. Fuel is quickly consumed. Again, if fuel is a service that you have contracted for, then review the wording of the agreement. You might not get the service under true emergency conditions or the elements of adverse weather. Since repairs and refueling are closely allied to the direct support of emergency equipment, there might be a need for pre-staging or quartering these acquired assets. Bringing this type of assistance in early might negate any adverse weather travel for ensuring that on-site mechanical and technical support is secure and present for the emergency responders. Speaking of fuel, this brings forth a closely related issue. Are there provisions for emergency responders to obtain fuel for their personal vehicles? It is just as important for them to draw fuel to get to their respective duty stations, otherwise you might not have workforce showing up at roll call. They would be subject to a frustrated and hackneyed arrangement of trying to locate some scarce source of this urgently needed commodity for all segments of society under less than ideal conditions. After all, we’re not fueling up for a holiday getaway. A little advance planning here pays off big dividends in the morale department also. Speaking of support and morale, since emergency responders are key and essential personnel, then you are responsible for maintaining their 24/7 presence. You are now obligated to support their personal and hygienic needs. Hunger, rest, downtime, and life’s daily necessities between calls must be addressed. Is hot water available? How will you feed and mess nourishing meals? Will an ice machine be required? Are sleeping quarters in the mix also? These questions become elevated if you require your entire workforce to be present. This act