The LAW ENFORCEMENT THERMOGRAPHERS’ ASSOCIATION (LETA) announced a full certification program for fire service thermal imaging. Working with the thermal imaging training team at BULLARD, LETA has developed a multi-level fire service certification. Within its new Public Safety branch, LETA has formalized a program that recognizes basic, advanced, and instructor level certification. Bullard is the first thermal imaging camera manufacturer to offer this training to the fire service, with two LETA-certified instructors on staff. More information on the LETA certification program is available at www.leta.org or www.thermalimager.com.
PIERCE MANUFACTURING INC. and LDV INC. have formed an exclusive marketing and supplier partnership to produce and market a full line of mobile command post vehicles used for homeland security applications. The marketing partnership focuses primarily on a full line of custom and commercial mobile command post vehicles featuring biological and chemical-ready bodies; satellite TV, phone, and radio data/ voice communications; interoperable communications center; video surveillance; conference rooms; and work stations. Pierce will provide the custom and commercial apparatus; LDV will integrate custom vehicle interiors and communications systems. The mobile command posts will be sold and supported through Pierce’s nationwide dealer distribution network to fire departments and state and county agencies. All are eligible to receive state homeland security grants to cover the purchase of this type of apparatus. In fiscal year 2003, the federal government approved almost $400 million for the State Homeland Security Grant Program (SHSGP) for equipment such as mobile command posts, haz-mat response vehicles, and bomb response units.
The WILL-BURT COMPANY introduced its E-Z Spec program designed specifically for fire apparatus OEM customers and dealerships. This online program easily incorporates Will-Burt Night Scan™ light tower specifications into apparatus requirements. The E-Z Spec tool includes written specifications, CAD drawings, and product photos; it is available at the Will-Burt Web site, www.willburt.com. For more information, visit the Web site or call (330) 682-7015.
MAPPING SOLUTIONS INC. will integrate its FIREbaseViewT software with FIELDSOFT‘s FDonScene software. The integration will join incident command, firefighter accountability, tactical browser, mapping, and prefire plan viewing features into a single software package called FIREbaseViewT IC Edition, to be release November 1.
The U.S. SMOKELESS TOBACCO COMPANY (USSTC) has established a national program to donate John Deere Trail Gator utility vehicles to state, county, and municipal emergency organizations. Applications are now being accepted for vehicles to be awarded in 2004. The Trail Gator all-terrain vehicle is used by police, fire, and other emergency service organizations for applications such as off-road search and rescue as well as urban emergency utility transport. The program is open to law enforcement, firefighting, emergency medical services, search and rescue, and wildlife conservation enforcement organizations. Applications are available at www.ussmokeless.com/content.cfm?id=62 or by calling the USSTC at (203) 622-3368.
The NATIONAL FALLEN FIREFIGHTERS FOUNDATION has partnered with R&M Arts and artist Robert Belinki to create a poster depicting a scene from the World Trade Center disaster. The poster is available for purchase, and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the foundation to help it in its work of assisting survivors of fallen firefighters. For more information about the foundation, visit its Web site at www.firehero.org.
CUMMINS POWER GENERATION, manufacturer of Onan mobile generator sets, and engine manufacturer CUMMINS, INC. awarded two FIRE RESEARCH CORPORATION (FRC) thermal imaging cameras (each valued at $15,000), one to the Assistant Chief Robert Samuelson of the Long Beach (CA) Fire Department and one to Battalion Chief Charles Teson of the Algonquin Lake (IL) Fire Department. The two officers won the cameras for their departments in the Cummins’ Thermal Imager Sweepstakes. A representative of each department traveled to FRC’s headquarters in Nesconset, New York, where they accepted the cameras and received training in their use.
MESHNETWORKS INC., which develops location-aware mobile broadband networking solutions, announced that Orange County (FL) Fire and Rescue Department (OCFRD) has begun a field trial of the company’s Mesh Enabled Architecture (MEA™) technology. OCFRD is working with the company to accelerate the development of a rapid-deployment, in-building personnel tracking system for first responders. OCFRD, which is responsible for all fire, emergency medical, and rescue services in the county, will conduct an extensive evaluation under real-world first responder conditions. Feedback from the evaluation will be incorporated into future commercial versions of the product. The MEA system being evaluated is also capable of supporting voice, video, and megabit data communications in addition to its location and tracking capabilities.
When deployed as part of a wide area MEA mobile broadband network, incident commanders can monitor and direct their units via voice, video, and data-enhanced communications either at the scene or remotely. Automatic vehicle location (AVL) and asset tracking are also available throughout the MEA network. The self-forming, self-healing networking technology developed by MeshNetworks enables emergency personnel to instantly communicate with each other, to public safety networks, to the Internet, and to other state and federal systems.
The Los Angeles County (CA) Fire Department recently purchased PELICAN Big Ed™ 4C alkaline flashlights for each member of its department as standard issue with their everyday gear.
FERRARA FIRE APPARATUS named Craig Mulvaney the company’s Midwest regional manager, responsible for leading the company’s sales organization and overseeing sales in Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Kentucky, and Iowa.
DRAEGER SAFETY, INC. named Michael Skorija supply chain manager—NAFTA. He will be responsible for all NAFTA hub operations for the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
AKRON BRASS named Douglas McClish product manager for industrial systems. He will work with the Industrial Systems team on new product development, industrial market strategies, and technical sales support.
INSTA-CHAIN has named Brian Bingaman its Midwest regional sales manager, based in Cedar Hill, Missouri.
NAMESINTHENEWS
JOHN R. KAMINSKI received the 2003 FAMA Scholarship from the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association. Kaminski is an honor student in the Fire Protection Engineering program at the Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland. He hopes to be a part of the proposed Center for Firefighter Safety Research Development at the university. Kaminski is a firefighter with the Perrysville (PA) Volunteer Fire Company and since 2002 has also been a member of the College Park (MD) Volunteer Fire Department. A certified Firefighter I, he is also a certified emergency medical technician.
TIM MALONE, a lieutenant with the Cumberland (WV) Fire Department, received the 2003 West Virginia Worker of the Year award, sponsored by Dickies Workwear. Malone has been a firefighter for 16 years and is also an EMT. He was nominated by his wife, Cara, and will receive more the $500 in cash and prizes.
JAMES A. WHITE, JR., senior fire scientist with the Western Fire Center in Kelso, Washington, received the 2003 Award of Merit from ASTM International for his contributions to standards activities. He has been involved in developing and standardizing product fire performance tests through research, service to the E05 Committee on Fire Standards, and leadership in global application and extension of that work.
