A seasoned executive from one of the leading fire apparatus manufacturers once said, “Fire apparatus are like snowflakes and fingerprints. They are all extremely unique, and even on sister trucks, no two are ever exactly identical.” These rigs often have more than 100,000 individual components on the trucks, and many of them are specifically called Continue reading
Safety always starts with a simple click of the seat belt buckle. With the advent of active safety systems in passenger vehicles, such as collision warning, blind spot, and rollover technology and the transition of these new technologies into emergency vehicles, the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association (FAMA) continues to drive safety and new technology to Continue reading
Air-ride suspensions have steadily increased in popularity in nearly all segments of the trucking industry. Approximately 75 percent of the trailers manufactured today and almost all highway tractors use air-ride suspensions. Air has even proliferated into the specialty segments of the trucking industry. It is not uncommon to find air-ride suspensions on heavy-duty vehicles that Continue reading
It’s no secret that fire apparatus are becoming more multifunctional as budgets and personnel allocations decline—combining rescue trucks with pumpers (rescue-pumpers) or pumpers with aerials (quints). However, one area that is often overlooked is the increasing amount of equipment that is carried on the apparatus and the effect this has on vehicle weight. Additional Weight Continue reading
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) apparatus committee has published NFPA 1911, Standard for the Inspection, Maintenance, Testing,and Retirement of In-Service Emergency Vehicles (2017 ed.), which took effect in January. Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association (FAMA) member companies worked on the apparatus committee both as association members and as individual company representatives. While we all work Continue reading
So many times in life we are forced to pick the “least of all evils.” So, it is nice when we at the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association (FAMA) can discuss a topic where you can choose the best from a list of “all goods.” This is the case when it comes to selecting an auxiliary Continue reading
For many years, fire trucks have been predominantly some shade of red in color with flashing lights, bells, whistles, and sirens. At face value, it’s arguable that fire trucks haven’t changed. However, as most member companies of Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association (FAMA) can attest, these vehicles have indeed advanced technologically because of innovations; changes in Continue reading
The Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association (FAMA) has a goal to advance and protect the interests of the fire and emergency services community. While not everyone in the fire service will agree on what those best interests are, we can all agree that good decision making begins and ends with good data. For that reason, FAMA Continue reading
In recent years, the types of components plugged into fire apparatus electrical systems have changed significantly. Modern electronics have enhanced first responders’ ability to accomplish the tasks at hand quickly and effectively. Some Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association (FAMA) member companies build apparatus, while others make the generators that produce the power, and still others make the lighting and equipment that consume that power. As technology becomes more sophisticated, it is important that all those who manufacture the components work together to ensure coordination, and that the firefighters who use the equipment recognize potential conflicts in equipment loads.
“Big Data” is a term used a lot these days. It basically describes the large volume of data—both structured and unstructured—that inundate us on a day-to-day basis. But, it’s not the amount of data that’s important; it’s what organizations do with the data that matters. In the business world, big data can be analyzed for patterns and insights that lead to better decisions and strategic business moves. In our world of firefighting, big data can be used to save lives and property, while making fire departments more operationally efficient.