More than 30 years ago, fire truck manufacturers started using plastic for their water tanks. With that being said, I am going to walk you through the history and evolution of plastic water tanks in fire apparatus from my perspective. Along the way, I’ll explain why it is important not only to buy trucks and Continue reading
Member companies of the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association (FAMA) have created many useful resources for the fire service in recent years relating to safe fire apparatus. Areas that have seen an influx of informative materials are the buyer’s guides created by members of the FAMA Technical Committee and its subcommittees. Technology integration has been at Continue reading
Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association (FAMA) members have been working to lessen the impact of corrosion on apparatus, and we are not alone! The costs and impacts of corrosion are felt in all vocations. A joint report issued by the U.S. Federal Highway Administration and NACE (a leading authority on education and training on corrosion) estimates the cost of corrosion to be a staggering $276 billion issue, and upward of $29 billion of that is in the transportation segments. So, are we alone in the fire service? That answer is no! However, we are special as it relates to the use and expectation of long service life expectancy. We have a long road ahead us, and the risks are high if we don’t manage and work toward preventive measures as they relate to corrosion and its negative effects on our equipment.
In the fire service, there exists a split between a traditionally younger, more tech-friendly group of firefighters who readily adopt modern electronics and change and an old-guard group who may be more resistant. Neither one is right or wrong, but the impact of this split is that some people may not have a real appreciation Continue reading
Fire Apparatus are some of the most complicated, mission-critical vehicles manufactured today. The work mechanics and apparatus spec writers do in their shops or at their desks has the capacity to make a profound impact on the ability of the nation’s first responders to effectively do their jobs.
For 31 years, the Fire Department Safety Officers Association (FDSOA) has been working tirelessly to give apparatus committees and other firefighters a nonbrand-specific forum to ask questions. The goal is to allow the attendees to learn from multiple subject matter experts in one location. Attendees have an opportunity to delve deep into the topics that often are difficult to answer without an expert on hand. In partnership with the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association (FAMA), the FDSOA will be hosting fire departments from all over North America for the 2019 FDSOA Annual Apparatus Specification & Maintenance Symposium, which takes place from on January 21-23, 2019. The event will be held at the Wyndham Orlando Resort on International Drive, Orlando, Florida.
As foam concentrate technology marches forward toward more environmentally friendly products, more and more discussions are taking place involving what to expect from an equipment and foam perspective related to changing over to new foams. While there are changes coming to improve our environmental responsibility, manufacturers are working hard to ensure that the best products are put in the hands of industry emergency response personnel worldwide. When we say “best products,” we mean systems that include both the foam concentrate AND the equipment components to mix the foam with the water and then add the air and agitation necessary to generate foam qualities suitable for extinguishment.
The Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association (FAMA) is committed to the manufacture and sale of safe, efficient fire apparatus and fire equipment. Its goal is to provide tools and information to promote fire apparatus safety. With that goal in mind, member companies have been learning about the need to better protect firefighters from exposure to contaminants Continue reading
When the call for emergency responders rings, the women and men who jump into action know there may be danger at the scene. But, the highest potential for danger actually occurs on the way to the call through collisions with motorists on the road. In fact, collisions are a leading cause of injury and death to emergency personnel.
The topic of vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), or Responder-to-Vehicle (R2V) communication for emergency responders, continues to rise. To advance and protect the interests of the fire and emergency services community, we look to the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association (FAMA) to help facilitate healthy dialogue of such important and emerging safety topics. This article provides a general overview of R2V technology, why it’s important, and why solutions today simply aren’t doing enough.
Members of the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association (FAMA) are experts at building big trucks with big horsepower and big water flow. These capabilities are exactly what the fire service needs for putting out big fires. It is not, however, what you either need or want for testing hose, nozzles, and couplings.
While the primary focus of the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association (FAMA) involves fire suppression and rescue products, several of our FAMA member companies also support the industry with emergency medical service (EMS) vehicles. FAMA members continue to be involved in ambulance standards committee work, and we all are interested in those safety technologies that can Continue reading