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 process of creating a clean apparatus specification, also known Continue reading
Every year, thousands of fire department apparatus specifications are reviewed by Fire Apparatus Manufacturer’s Association (FAMA) member companies before they are used to produce fire apparatus. While items such as tire ratings, engine size, seating requirements, hose carrying capacities, etc., are often defined in minute detail, the working area of the apparatus (the pump operator’s Continue reading
Every fire department’s got one of them, or if they don’t, they know one of them: the person who knows every little model number and fact about every light fixture on the market. They can state how many flashes per second, how many lumens, and what the year a specific fixture was released. But, as Continue reading
Growing up as a kid I suffered through several long vacation rides to Florida in the back of my father’s station wagon with all the windows rolled down. I was always jealous of the kids whose parents had the “fancy” cars with power windows and air conditioning. Air conditioning for fire trucks started when early Continue reading
We at the Fire Apparatus Manufacturer’s Association (FAMA) stay intimately involved in the National Fire Protection (NFPA) standards process to make sure that new trends in NFPA 1901, Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus, and NFPA 1906, Standard for Automotive Wildland Fire Apparatus, are both positive and practical. One of the current discussions involves complaints from Continue reading
Has your department ever laid large-diameter hose down the freeway at 65 miles per hour (mph)? Have you ever dumped a crosslay onto the sidewalk while taking a corner? Well it happens, and it should be prevented! I can tell you first hand that it happens when you least expect it. My department, a small Continue reading
Members of the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association (FAMA) are committed to enhancing the quality of the fire apparatus industry and emergency service community through the manufacture and sale of safe, efficient fire apparatus and equipment. As part of this goal, we are here to help fire departments select the apparatus and capabilities that will work Continue reading
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.