- FIRE DEPARTMENT SAFETY OFFICERS ASSOCIATION (FDSOA) was awarded the 2016 Senator Paul S. Sarbanes Fire Service Safety Leadership Award by The Congressional Fire Services Institute and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. The award recognizes organizations for their outstanding contributions to firefighter health and safety. State Farm Insurance and VFIS serve as the corporate supporters of the award program. Established in 1989, FDSOA is being recognized for its work to promote safety standards and practices in the fire, rescue, and emergency services community. For 28 years, FDSOA has sponsored the Apparatus Specification and Maintenance Symposium that has brought together manufacturers, fire officers, and emergency vehicle technicians.
- DRONESIM PRO, a drone simulator designed and built on the real-world physics of drone flight, announced the availability of customized solutions to create specific scenarios and drones for its drone flight simulator. The simulator offers the unique capability to accurately recreate any real life situation or landscape and allows pilots to train and practice their flying skills in the safety of the simulator. Designed for fire departments surveying fire attack points, military surveillance, and other drone practice scenarios. www.droneSimPro.com.
- The CONGRESSIONAL FIRE SERVICES INSTITUTE’s (CFSI’s) Board of Directors awarded retired Oklahoma City (OK) Fire Department Assistant Chief Carl Holmes with its 2016 CFSI/Motorola Solutions Mason Lankford Fire Service Leadership Award. During his fire service career, which began in 1951, Holmes has mentored fire officers throughout the nation as well as advocated for modern and inclusive human resource management practices in fire departments. In 1991, he established the Carl Holmes Executive Development Institute (EDI) to develop the management skills and leadership potential of African-American firefighters. Now in its 25th year, EDI has graduated hundreds of students who eventually attained leadership positions in the fire service as company officers, chief officers and fire chiefs. www.cfsi.org.
names in the news
- ADAM K. THIEL was named as the new fire commissioner for the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Thiel most recently served as deputy secretary of public safety and homeland security for the Commonwealth of Virginia. In that role, he provided cabinet-level leadership, strategic direction, policy analysis, and management support for 11 state agencies with an overall budget of more than $3 billion dollars and 30,000+ employees. Prior to his appointment, Thiel served as Chief for the City of Alexandria, Virginia. Over his career, Thiel has served in fire and emergency service organizations in Maryland, North Carolina, Arizona, and Virginia.
- EDWARD CARY was named as the acting chief of the Southfield (MI) Fire Department (SFD). He was previously the SFD’s battalion chief. Cary will replace former Acting Chief Barry White, who retired. White had filled that role since August 2015 following the drowning death of Chief Keith Rowley. Cary has been with the SFD since 1993, where his roles have included line lieutenant, unit captain, and B-unit battalion chief.
- ROB ELWELL was appointed as the new chief of the Ontario (CA) Fire Department. Elwell takes over for Chief Floyd E. Clark, who retired at the end of the December 2015 after 30 years in public service. Deputy Fire Chief Raymond Ramirez had been serving as acting chief while a search was conducted. Elwell began his career with Ontario in 1985 as a firefighter and worked his way up the ranks to fire captain and his current role as a battalion chief. He has numerous state certifications, including as a background investigator and active shooter instructor.
- The AMERICAN FIRE SPRINKLER ASSOCIATION (AFSA) awarded its “Fire Sprinklers Save Lives” award to former Virginia State Fire Marshal Ed Altizer. Altizer began his tenure with the State Fire Marshal’s Office in 1974, where he spent 19 years in the Southwest Virginia field office as an inspector, engineer, and regional manager working with the state fire prevention codes and the fire protection and prevention aspects of the state building codes.Altizer was instrumental in getting fire sprinklers installed in numerous buildings at Virginia Tech as well as other locations, and he has been shown strong leadership and support in the effort to protect people in their homes through stronger residential fire protection requirements. He retired from his position on April 1, 2016. www.firespinkler.org.
- BRAUN INDUSTRIES, INC. presented footage from an ambulance crash test completed earlier this year at FDIC International 2016. As the fire/EMS industry’s first ambulance rollover test, the two-minute video showed the incredible force exerted on a 10+-years-old Braun ambulance and its effect on the module from a side-impact accident. According to data collected between 1992 and 2011 through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administrative and U.S. Department of Transportation, there are an estimated 4,500 vehicle traffic crashes involving ambulances annually. Of those accidents, 34 percent result in injuries, and an average 33 people are killed. Recognizing the need for improved standards, Braun Industries, Inc. focused its crash testing to meet and exceed the standards set forth by the Society of Automotive Engineers. www.BraunAmbulances.com.
- SMEAL FIRE APPARATUS CO. awarded United Plastic Fabricating, Inc. (UPF) with its first-annual Supplier of the Year award. Based in North Andover, Massachusetts, UPF supplies high-impact polypropylene water and foam tanks. UPF President and Chief Executive Officer Joseph Lingel accepted the award on behalf of UPF at the awards ceremony held at the Strategic Air and Space Museum in Ashland, Nebraska. Other nominees included Fastenal, Akron Brass, ROM Doors, Metals USA, Waterous, Harrison Hydro-Gen, and Task Force Tips, among others. Smeal recognized South Park, Milwaukee Tool, and Carlton-Bates as its suppliers of the month for the first quarter of 2016. www.smeal.com.
- INTERNATIONAL TRUCK named Tallman Truck Centre in Ontario, Canada, as its North American Dealer of the Year at its Annual Dealer Meeting. In addition, International Truck named Carolina International Trucks as its Medium Duty Dealer of the Year and Regional International as its Parts and Service Dealer of the Year. Tallman Truck Centre earned the top honor by growing its truck and parts sales, investing more than $25 million in their facilities in 2015 and significantly improving the speed by which they provide service in their shops. www.internationaltrucks.com.
Fire Engineering Archives
