Equipment & Technology
Apparatus, gear, stations and the technology fire and EMS departments rely on.
10 Steps to Buying the Right TIC
Buying a thermal imaging camera (TIC) with too many or too few bells and whistles is not a good use of department money; here are 10 steps to help you get more TIC for your buck.
NFPA’s new ambulance standard
Second, there's the increasing number of patients and EMS providers that are being killed and injured in ambulance crashes each year. Those mortality and morbidity numbers prompted the International Association of Fire Chiefs to begin working with the National Fire Protection Association in 2009 to develop a true standard for a safer ambulance. Their work culminated with the approval of NFPA 1917: Standard for Automotive Ambulances in August 2012.
Taking Care of the Rescued Firefighter
We have to be able to seamlessly move from firefighter rescue to firefighter patient care. And that will entail additional training and practice on the part of both firefighters and the EMS providers — who may not be firefighters. Why? Because in addition to a firefighter who may be in need of life-saving medical intervention, such an event is also a workplace injury site if the firefighter survives, or the site of a line-of-duty death if resuscitation efforts are unsuccessful or the firefighter later succumbs to his injuries.
How to buy non-firefighting PPE
With the median cost of a structural firefighting ensemble (without SCBA) being $1,500 or more, cash-strapped fire and EMS departments can't afford to lose that gear to a CBRN exposure. Fortunately, there are a growing number of solution alternatives to the protective clothing challenges for fire and EMS departments.
Tips for Keeping Your Apparatus and Station Secure
Not a day goes by, it seems, that we don't learn about fire and EMS apparatus being taken "for a ride" by unauthorized persons. From fire stations to emergency scenes to hospital parking lots, fire trucks and ambulances are not only being illegally taken, but also used to create general damage and mayhem before the perpetrators are apprehended.
10 Steps to a Greener Fire Station
Having the ability and resources to build a new fire station that's more energy efficient with a smaller carbon "footprint" is certainly desirable, but what about sustainability challenges for existing stations out there?
4 Tools for Personnel Accountability on Scene
There are many Personnel Accountability System options available to fire departments. There are four basic systems to pick from: name tag, passport, bar code and unit identifier; here's a look at what you need to know to find the right one for your department.
Aerial Safety Around Powerlines
Firefighters being electrocuted by a powerline while on an aerial device is largely preventable; make sure your department is taking these safety steps.
4 Tools for Firefighter Accountability
One of the cornerstones for improving the safety of personnel on the emergency scene is having a personnel accountability system in place that everyone uses. There are several considerations when choosing a firefighter accountability system. There are many PAS options available to fire departments. There are four basic systems to pick from: name tag, passport, bar code and unit identifier; here's a look at what you need to know to find the right one for your department.
A case for bolted-together fire trucks
Fire apparatus designers and manufacturers are constantly in pursuit of several goals when constructing vehicles for the fire service. There are five basic goals. Manufacturers want to keep them lightweight so the truck can carry the necessary equipment and get the best fuel mileage possible. They want to make it durable so that the customer gets the maximum lifecycle out of the vehicle. They also want to make it cost-effective, easy to repair, and easy to modify so that it can fill several roles over its lifecycle. Increasingly, fire apparatus manufacturers and their customers are using bolted construction to better achieve those goals. Bolted construction for fire apparatus is not new; manufacturers like American La France began bolting or riveting vehicle components on fire apparatus in the 1920s.
10 Cool Search and Rescue Tools
Search-and rescue operations in remote wilderness locations or in urban situations following a natural or man-made disaster require specialized tools and equipment for the first responder. Here are 10 search-and-rescue tools and technologies that can improve a department's operations and make them safer, more effective and more efficient.
“Green” Florida Fire Station will Pay for Itself
Fire Station 65 of the Deltona (Fla.) Fire Department was designed and built to be a fire station that helps pay its way. The $2 million, 11,000-square-foot fire…