Apparatus Ideas
By Bob Barraclough

TLC Needs For In-Service Rigs
With some 6,000 to 7,000 new apparatus being produced in North America each year and approximately 100,000 in service at any given time, there are literally thousands of rigs being used every day that are not brand new nor built to the current National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards. These units, while probably very safe, do need routine maintenance and upgrading, which I call “Tender Love and Care” (TLC).

Nothing earth shattering here. Oil changes, battery and electrical system tests, tire replacements (at least every seven years), and pump and aerial operations are just a few of the TLC tasks that need to be performed on a routine basis. Most of these are outlined in the 2007 edition of the NFPA 1911 Standard for the Inspection, Maintenance, Testing, and Retirement of In-Service Automotive Fire Apparatus.

Despite the best efforts of the NFPA 1911 committee, there are still many areas that should be looked at and upgraded for in-service units. This month, let me cover some of those I consider more critical to the safer operation of our existing apparatus.

First, let’s look at pinable aerial waterways. On May 8, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) released a safety advisory indicating that improper set-up of aerial ladders with locking waterways may put firefighters at risk.

A Flying Missile
In case you don’t know the story, an aerial with a permanently installed waterway was being readied for use at an industrial fire in Pennsylvania. The unit had a pinable waterway, which was not secured properly and when the waterway was pressurized, the upper section as well as the electric monitor and nozzle became a flying missile. Tragically it landed on a chief officer, who was killed by the impact.

Both NIOSH and the manufacturer are still sorting out what caused the accident and what could be done to prevent it from happening again.

Remote-controlled deck guns eliminate the need to be on top of the rig and it helps the engineer manage both the pump operations as well as the deck gun. (Fire Apparatus Photo)

Nickel size reflective dots between the diamonds in aluminum diamond plate may be the easiest way to install chevron patterns on existing apparatus.   (Fire Apparatus Photos)

During the investigation, NIOSH identified that at least seven similar accidents have occurred across the country – not a good situation!

What should you be doing? Look at your aerials that have permanent waterways that are pinable at the third or fourth sections. Schedule additional personnel training on the correct operation of the system and follow or develop standard operating procedures (SOPs). Next, ensure there are waterway safety stops on those aerials. If you don’t have them, consult the aerial manufacturer for recommendations. The builder may have a retro-fit kit available.

Moving on to another topic – interlocks. Most, but not all, aerials in service have interlocks installed to prevent operation of the aerial device until the stabilizers are in a position to support the device.

Recently, an experienced aerial operator in Ohio was doing a routine check on an aerial device that was not equipped with interlocks. Without deploying the stabilizers, he raised the tower from the bed and for some reason rotated the boom to the left over the fire house roof. Gravity is a wonderful thing; it is consistent and predictable.

Interlock Systems
Once the lever (weight) of the boom overcame the weight of the truck, the boom fell onto the roof, uplifting the truck causing damage to the vehicle suspension and minor damage to the boom. That’s an Oops.

Hopefully there are not many aerial devices in service that are not equipped with an interlock system. If your department has an aerial without interlocks, get it to your aerial device manufacturer NOW so this upgrade can be installed. If, for some reason you cannot immediately add the interlocks, you should take the unit out of service until you can.

Now, let’s consider safety striping. Since 1991, NFPA 1901 has been specific on minimum reflective striping requirements for all emergency vehicles. It states all four sides of a rig must have some striping installed.

Reflective Material
Unfortunately, some manufacturers and fire departments fail to ensure that the front and the rear of their vehicles have the minimum amount of reflective material. As Chief Billy Goldfeder says, “Duh?”

It is a safety issue that could someday save the life of one of your firefighters. Check all of your vehicles for proper compliance and if in doubt, add some more for safety sake. If you can do it, follow the new 2008 standard that requires red and yellow chevron striping on 50 percent of the rear vertical surfaces of all vehicles.

If those surfaces are diamond plate, look at the safety dots that are now available. Striping the inside of compartment doors and the edges of shelving is also adds an extra measure of safety.

Non-slip walking surfaces are something that should be high on the list of safety considerations. There is wording in 1901 identifying criteria for non-slip walking surfaces. But, what do we do with those 10-year-old trucks with the painted steel diamond plate? It is certainly not slip resistant. Turtle Plastic, the people who make compartment tiles, has a gritty paint called DuraCoat, that can be used to paint over the silver (or green, if you are in Memphis) running board paint to produce a slip resistant surface. As an alternative, you can also look for something called submarine deck paint that contains a gritty material for slip resistance. I suspect Home Depot or Lowes have similar products.

The space on top of the pump area is called the dunnage area, or the place where we throw stuff that doesn’t get used often. Oh yeah, we also put a deck gun up there, but often forget that someone has to operate this valuable device in case there is a fire.

The point is, this part of a pumper is normally 9 to 10 feet off the ground with no railings or grab handles to hold on to. Is it safe to be working up there? No way. The fix? Eliminate the need to be up there in an emergency. Remote radio-controlled deck guns are a good start. Task Force Tips, Elkhart Brass and Akron Brass have excellent versions of these devices, and they can be retrofitted to replace the manual guns.

Foam Tank Refill Systems
Next, install a foam tank refill system so the pump operator (or chauffeur if you are from FDNY) can refill the tank(s) from ground level. FRC, FoamPro and Robwen make these devices. They too will keep firefighters off the tops of the apparatus.

Regarding warning devices, horns and sirens, its best to move them out front and down low on the rig. This has been a requirement since 1991, but there are still some trucks out there with these devices on the roof. Best move them now.

Hose bed covers have recently been hot news in the fire service. In fact, NFPA passed a TIA (Tentative Interim Amendment) on Oct. 27, 2005, to require hose bed coverings on all new trucks. If you haven’t retrofitted hose bed covers to your older units, its time to do that too. There are a number of manufacturers who will make covers. One of them is D & S Custom Covers, Rockwood, Pa. It offers a cover with a new option of chevron stripes on the rear of a main hose bed cover.

Electrical Systems
When it comes to electrical systems, they can be overloaded sometimes. If you have this problem, it’s probably because of the high amp draw of your old light bar. That can be solved by replacing the original light package, which is probably drawing 120 amps or more, with new LED devices, which can reduce the load to 5 to 6 amps. Your alternator and electrical system will love you for this change. You’ll notice I didn’t mention two high amp drawers, the Federal Q siren and the RotoRay. Well, that’s because they’ve got to stay.

That’s it for this month. Work smart and stay safe.

Editor’s Note: Bob Barraclough is a 40-year veteran of the fire service and fire manufacturing industry. He is chief columnist for Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment magazine and a 20-year member of the NFPA 1901 Fire Apparatus Standards Committee. A principal organizer of the annual FDSOA Apparatus Specification Symposium, he is also a past president of the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association. Barraclough serves as a consultant to Rosenbauer America and Akron Brass and is called upon as an expert witness in litigation involving fire industry products. His career includes executive positions at E-ONE, Hale Fire Pumps, National Foam, Span Instruments and Class 1.