For the past 28 years, the Fire Department Safety Officers Association (FDSOA) Apparatus Specification & Vehicle Maintenance Symposium has been educating fire service personnel on the latest in fire and emergency vehicle topics. The Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association (FAMA) cosponsors this event and provides many of the speakers. Traditionally held in Orlando, Florida, this year’s event moves to Scottsdale, Arizona, and will take place just prior to the 2016 FDSOA Annual Safety Forum. The new location provides more convenient travel for West Coast participants and will allow attendees to stay the full week, taking in the Safety Forum if they so wish.

The symposium targets topics around the entire life cycle of fire apparatus and ambulances. This cycle starts with understanding the applicable apparatus standards, continues with the specification and acquisition process, and finishes with the safe operation and maintenance of the in-service fleet. Speakers come from both the ranks of the fire service, and the emergency vehicle and equipment supplier base.

Emergency Vehicle Standards

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards for both fire apparatus and ambulances are changing this year, and they affect any vehicle contracted for after January 1, 2016. Attendees will hear about highlights of the apparatus standards for both municipal and wildland applications. The ambulance standards are more complicated, and an entire session will be dedicated to how the various standards from the General Services Administration (GSA), NFPA, Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS), and the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) either complement, contradict, or supplement one another.

Specification and Acquisition Process

Whether you are just beginning the process of acquiring a new apparatus, in the middle, or just contemplating it, the Symposium features a number of educational opportunities that can help. This year’s presentations will cover best practices in specifications, the politics of specification writing, and the impact your spec can have on your ISO ratings. FAMA experts will describe specification decisions and new technology covering aerials, pumps, brush trucks, and mini pumpers. Nontraditional topics will also be included, with one presentation describing the highlights of Interschutz 2015, and another presentation on the use of drones.

Safe Operation and Maintenance

Safety is always center stage at the Symposium, and Jim Juneau returns after taking a year off with his usual high-energy look at emergency vehicle accidents, how to avoid them, and the legal trouble you can get into if you are not careful. FAMA’s recommendations on an apparatus safety training program returns for those who missed it last year, and several great sessions are scheduled covering best practices in both engine emissions and aerial maintenance

Connecting the Fire Service and Industry

One of the most unique aspects of the Symposium is the way it brings fire service representatives together with ambulance, fire apparatus, and equipment providers in an informal setting. While there are times to visit salespeople at their tables during the breaks, the presenters can be found listening in on the sessions along with the attendees. Whether you want your questions answered in the formal setting of the apparatus panel discussion or just want to chat with an engineer over lunch, the Symposium is a place where you have unfettered access to some of the most experienced folks in the industry. Evening receptions provide opportunities to network with other fire service personnel as well.

Presenters’ Passion

While it is true that FAMA member companies make their living selling products, the individuals working in FAMA companies almost invariably have a passion for the fire service. The FAMA members presenting at the Symposium are volunteer presenters because we want to feel we are contributing to the cause. Presentations are intended to be educational and informative and should never be a sales pitch for someone’s specific product.

See You There

If you are a regular Symposium attendee, then I am preaching to the choir. Join us again this year and see what Scottsdale has to offer. If you have never attended before, please consider trying it out. If you are a fire chief, send a few of your crew with good note-taking skills, and we will do our best to send them home with new knowledge that will benefit your department. FAMA and FDSOA have been partnering for many years to keep this event vibrant and relevant. Engaged participation by the fire service is critical to the continued success of the program.

FAMA is committed to the manufacture and sale of safe, efficient emergency response vehicles and equipment. FAMA urges fire departments to evaluate the full range of safety features offered by its member companies.

For the past 28 years, the Fire Department Safety Officers Association (FDSOA) Apparatus Specification & Vehicle Maintenance Symposium has been educating fire service personnel on the latest in fire and emergency vehicle topics. The Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association (FAMA) cosponsors this event and provides many of the speakers. Traditionally held in Orlando, Florida, this year’s event moves to Scottsdale, Arizona, and will take place just prior to the 2016 FDSOA Annual Safety Forum. The new location provides more convenient travel for West Coast participants and will allow attendees to stay the full week, taking in the Safety Forum if they so wish.

The symposium targets topics around the entire life cycle of fire apparatus and ambulances. This cycle starts with understanding the applicable apparatus standards, continues with the specification and acquisition process, and finishes with the safe operation and maintenance of the in-service fleet. Speakers come from both the ranks of the fire service, and the emergency vehicle and equipment supplier base.

Emergency Vehicle Standards

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards for both fire apparatus and ambulances are changing this year, and they affect any vehicle contracted for after January 1, 2016. Attendees will hear about highlights of the apparatus standards for both municipal and wildland applications. The ambulance standards are more complicated, and an entire session will be dedicated to how the various standards from the General Services Administration (GSA), NFPA, Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS), and the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) either complement, contradict, or supplement one another.

Specification and Acquisition Process

Whether you are just beginning the process of acquiring a new apparatus, in the middle, or just contemplating it, the Symposium features a number of educational opportunities that can help. This year’s presentations will cover best practices in specifications, the politics of specification writing, and the impact your spec can have on your ISO ratings. FAMA experts will describe specification decisions and new technology covering aerials, pumps, brush trucks, and mini pumpers. Nontraditional topics will also be included, with one presentation describing the highlights of Interschutz 2015, and another presentation on the use of drones.

Safe Operation and Maintenance

Safety is always center stage at the Symposium, and Jim Juneau returns after taking a year off with his usual high-energy look at emergency vehicle accidents, how to avoid them, and the legal trouble you can get into if you are not careful. FAMA’s recommendations on an apparatus safety training program returns for those who missed it last year, and several great sessions are scheduled covering best practices in both engine emissions and aerial maintenance

Connecting the Fire Service and Industry

One of the most unique aspects of the Symposium is the way it brings fire service representatives together with ambulance, fire apparatus, and equipment providers in an informal setting. While there are times to visit salespeople at their tables during the breaks, the presenters can be found listening in on the sessions along with the attendees. Whether you want your questions answered in the formal setting of the apparatus panel discussion or just want to chat with an engineer over lunch, the Symposium is a place where you have unfettered access to some of the most experienced folks in the industry. Evening receptions provide opportunities to network with other fire service personnel as well.

Presenters’ Passion

While it is true that FAMA member companies make their living selling products, the individuals working in FAMA companies almost invariably have a passion for the fire service. The FAMA members presenting at the Symposium are volunteer presenters because we want to feel we are contributing to the cause. Presentations are intended to be educational and informative and should never be a sales pitch for someone’s specific product.

See You There

If you are a regular Symposium attendee, then I am preaching to the choir. Join us again this year and see what Scottsdale has to offer. If you have never attended before, please consider trying it out. If you are a fire chief, send a few of your crew with good note-taking skills, and we will do our best to send them home with new knowledge that will benefit your department. FAMA and FDSOA have been partnering for many years to keep this event vibrant and relevant. Engaged participation by the fire service is critical to the continued success of the program.

FAMA is committed to the manufacture and sale of safe, efficient emergency response vehicles and equipment. FAMA urges fire departments to evaluate the full range of safety features offered by its member companies.

For the past 28 years, the Fire Department Safety Officers Association (FDSOA) Apparatus Specification & Vehicle Maintenance Symposium has been educating fire service personnel on the latest in fire and emergency vehicle topics. The Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association (FAMA) cosponsors this event and provides many of the speakers. Traditionally held in Orlando, Florida, this year’s event moves to Scottsdale, Arizona, and will take place just prior to the 2016 FDSOA Annual Safety Forum. The new location provides more convenient travel for West Coast participants and will allow attendees to stay the full week, taking in the Safety Forum if they so wish.

The symposium targets topics around the entire life cycle of fire apparatus and ambulances. This cycle starts with understanding the applicable apparatus standards, continues with the specification and acquisition process, and finishes with the safe operation and maintenance of the in-service fleet. Speakers come from both the ranks of the fire service, and the emergency vehicle and equipment supplier base.

Emergency Vehicle Standards
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards for both fire apparatus and ambulances are changing this year, and they affect any vehicle contracted for after January 1, 2016. Attendees will hear about highlights of the apparatus standards for both municipal and wildland applications. The ambulance standards are more complicated, and an entire session will be dedicated to how the various standards from the General Services Administration (GSA), NFPA, Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS), and the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) either complement, contradict, or supplement one another.

Specification and Acquisition Process
Whether you are just beginning the process of acquiring a new apparatus, in the middle, or just contemplating it, the Symposium features a number of educational opportunities that can help. This year’s presentations will cover best practices in specifications, the politics of specification writing, and the impact your spec can have on your ISO ratings. FAMA experts will describe specification decisions and new technology covering aerials, pumps, brush trucks, and mini pumpers. Nontraditional topics will also be included, with one presentation describing the highlights of Interschutz 2015, and another presentation on the use of drones.

Safe Operation and Maintenance
Safety is always center stage at the Symposium, and Jim Juneau returns after taking a year off with his usual high-energy look at emergency vehicle accidents, how to avoid them, and the legal trouble you can get into if you are not careful. FAMA’s recommendations on an apparatus safety training program returns for those who missed it last year, and several great sessions are scheduled covering best practices in both engine emissions and aerial maintenance

Connecting the Fire Service and Industry
One of the most unique aspects of the Symposium is the way it brings fire service representatives together with ambulance, fire apparatus, and equipment providers in an informal setting. While there are times to visit salespeople at their tables during the breaks, the presenters can be found listening in on the sessions along with the attendees. Whether you want your questions answered in the formal setting of the apparatus panel discussion or just want to chat with an engineer over lunch, the Symposium is a place where you have unfettered access to some of the most experienced folks in the industry. Evening receptions provide opportunities to network with other fire service personnel as well.

Presenters’ Passion
While it is true that FAMA member companies make their living selling products, the individuals working in FAMA companies almost invariably have a passion for the fire service. The FAMA members presenting at the Symposium are volunteer presenters because we want to feel we are contributing to the cause. Presentations are intended to be educational and informative and should never be a sales pitch for someone’s specific product.

See You There
If you are a regular Symposium attendee, then I am preaching to the choir. Join us again this year and see what Scottsdale has to offer. If you have never attended before, please consider trying it out. If you are a fire chief, send a few of your crew with good note-taking skills, and we will do our best to send them home with new knowledge that will benefit your department. FAMA and FDSOA have been partnering for many years to keep this event vibrant and relevant. Engaged participation by the fire service is critical to the continued success of the program.

Register for the 2016 Apparatus Specification & Vehicle Maintenance Symposium at FDSOA.org

FAMA is committed to the manufacture and sale of safe, efficient emergency response vehicles and equipment. FAMA urges fire departments to evaluate the full range of safety features offered by its member companies.