Hale Products, Inc. - Experts & Thought Leaders

The city of Orlando is known for its amusement parks and attractions. However, so many of the city’s residents and tourists don’t see the daily acts performed by the city’s brave firefighters from Orlando Fire Department. Beyond running the typical daily calls that many departments run, the fire department also operate in the parks on technical rescue calls and to assist the park’s response teams with emergency medical incidents. Although, those technical rescue incidents are low frequency, runs to the park can increase due to the warm weather. Engine Company 11 An increase in medical calls can be the norm for many units. Across the city of Orlando, Florida, large neighborhoods and commercial complexes exist and need fire and EMS protection. A good distance from all the attractions, on the east side of the city, is the fire department’s Engine Company 11. It’s housed with Tower 11, Rescue 11, and District Chief 4. They provided protection to numerous single-family dwelling neighborhoods and have more than 100 garden apartments and commercial buildings in their district. The firehouse does its share of running and work, and it has earned the nickname of ‘The Beast of the East’. Sutphen’s custom Monarch pumper Engine Company 11 recently received a 2021 Sutphen heavy-duty custom Monarch pumper Engine Company 11 recently received a 2021 Sutphen heavy-duty custom Monarch pumper. The cab is a five-person, 62-inch, extended tilt-cab, with a 10-inch raised roof. It’s painted in the department’s color scheme - black over red. The black paint also encompasses the upper portion of the apparatus body, over the roll-up compartments. Running along the base of the cab and around the entire body of the apparatus is red, black, and gold reflective striping for apparatus visibility, in the periods of reduced lighting. Front cab door signage The front cab door signage is the fire department’s Maltese Cross with the ISO Class One running through the center of it. On the crew cab doors, the company patch is proudly displayed. The logo portrays the cartoon character - Yosemite Sam with a nozzle in one hand and an axe in the other. Also, on the crew cab doors is a signage that states – ‘Outstanding Service Since 1885’. The front of the cab sports a LED brow light to illuminate the incident scene. In addition, the front grill has a unique feature – ‘Orlando’ is laser-cut into the stainless steel grill, giving it a nice appearance. Cummins L9 450hp diesel engine The rig is powered by a Cummins L9 450hp diesel engine with an Allison Gen5-EVS 3000 automatic transmission. The fire department went with a Hendrickson Steering Max 45° and a 176-inch wheelbase, enabling the engine to be ready for urban duty and maneuver in tight spaces, such as the garden apartment complexes located throughout the city. The pump is a Hale Qmax 1,500-gpm single-stage pump with a pre-piped deluge gun. Apparatus body ensures less slips or fall injuries The body is a different style, when compared to the previous purchases of Sutphen apparatus that the fire department has received. It has a lower hose bed, measuring 60 inches from the ground to the base of the bed. This enables firefighters to pull attack lines, without having to stand up on the rear step, thus reducing the chances of a slip or fall injury. Most of the attack lines come off the rear of the apparatus, there are four rear discharges with three having 1 ¾-inch lines and one 2 ½-inch attack line. Rig is unique in design The rig is somewhat unique in that it has no cross-lay hose lines, there’s compartment space in that area The rig is somewhat unique in that it has no cross-lay hose lines, there’s compartment space in that area. The hose bed also allows for storage of 1,000 feet of four-inch supply line and 500 feet of three-inch hose. There is also a quick-release safety net that keeps the hose from falling off when the vehicle is in motion and enables a firefighter to release it while standing on the ground. The other hose line area is located on the front bumper trough where a trash line can be stored. On the officer’s side of the bumper, it has a five-inch elbow intake mounted on it. The front bumper also sports a safety chevron design with reflective striping and company designation. High-side roll-up compartments The apparatus body has high-side roll-up compartments on the engineer’s side. On the officer’s side, there are shorter compartments which also have roll-up doors. The roll-up compartment doors on the exterior of the body are made by Amdor. Stored above the officer’s low side compartments is the engine’s complement of portable ladders. The engine’s ladder package is made up of Alco-Lite ladders with a 24-foot extension ladder (PEL-24), 14-foot roof ladder (PRL-14), and a 10-foot folding ladder. They are lowered by an electric/hydraulic ladder rack to a height where it makes removal easier for firefighters. Long storage trough for high-rise hose packs There’s also a long storage trough for the company’s high-rise hose packs mounted above these compartments. There are quick-release buckles on the securing straps, to speed up the process of removing these hose bundles. The rear step compartment does not have a roll-up door, it has standard-hinged doors The rear step compartment does not have a roll-up door, it has standard-hinged doors. In this rear compartment the company stores its foam containers, foam nozzle, and the foam eductor. The rear of the apparatus also has the DOT safety chevrons adhered to it for scene safety. Wide range of hand tools provided In the rear compartment on the engineer’s side, the unit carries a variety of hand tools for forcible entry, including a set of irons, 36-inch bolt cutter, cable cutter, and sledgehammer. On the upper tray, the Stryker stair chair for medical runs is stored. On the base of the compartment, the Elkhart Brass Ram XD is stored with a straight tip on it, the fog tip is secured in a bracket to the left of the portable monitor. Traffic cones are also stored inside this compartment, in order to help provide additional scene safety. In the rear compartment on the officer’s side, the unit stores all its emergency medical equipment. Engine Company 11 of the Orlando Fire Department will surely see its share of running and work on the east side of the city. Its Sutphen pumper will make the workload much easier and safer for all the firefighters during their responses.

In the Midwestern Illinois city of Rochelle, the local fire department took delivery of its first Toyne Apparatus, a fully customized rescue/pumper. The Rochelle Fire Department's (RFD) new rescue/pumper will replace an older fire truck built-in 1995 that had served the department for 26 years. Built to take the call, the department’s latest fire apparatus addition is ready to protect the community. Established in 1877, the RFD has been serving the residents of Rochelle for nearly 145 years. The department has 34 firefighters on its roster and manages nine apparatus. Building robust apparatus In 2014, they responded to nearly 2,000 emergency calls. The department's firefighters will go through in-service training on their Toyne Apparatus before being officially put into service. "This is a highly capable rescue/pumper, and it's equipped with a wide variety of specialized hardware to assist the Rochelle Fire Department for a range of different emergencies," said Bill Bird, Toyne Product Support Coordinator. "We're proud to build an apparatus as robust as this one is." The rescue/pumper was stall-built at the Toyne manufacturing facility in Breda, Iowa. Constructed with bolted painted stainless steel, the apparatus body is made to stand up to the elements. Toyne mounted the body onto a Spartan Metro Star ELFD chassis, and the cab boasts a 24-inch raised roof. Under the hood of this commanding apparatus is a 380-horsepower Cummins ISL9 engine and an Allison 3000 EVS transmission. Vital hardware components The rescue/pumper has plenty of storage options to accommodate different tools On the inside of the cab, there is seating for up to six firefighters. Toyne outfitted the rescue/pumper with an array of vital hardware components that will be critical to operations and emergency response, such as a 360-degree backup camera system, FireCom in-cab intercom system, and an in-cab EMS storage compartment. RFD's Toyne tailored apparatus was designed to be a multirole platform during emergencies. The rescue/pumper has plenty of storage options to accommodate different tools for fire and rescue situations. Quick access to their equipment is ensured with ROM painted roll-up doors, Toyne custom slide-out shelving, custom slide-out tool boards, and rear slide-in storage for ladders and pike poles. Designs called for installing an on-board SCBA air bottle refill system, air hose reels, a custom-built air-bag storage unit, and winch receptacles that are anchored on all four sides of the apparatus. Addressing different emergencies For fire suppression, Toyne added a 500-gallon UPF tank, 1,250-gallon-per-minute Hale Qmax enclosed side-mount pump, and an Elkhart Cobra Monitor with an 8598 extender. A Waterous Overboard Foam Power Fill and Waterous Aquis 6.0 Class-A/B foam systems elevate the department's ability to address different emergencies. The pump is controlled by a fire research pump boss pressure governor, and the tank level is monitored by an ICI SL Plus tank gauge. Emergency lighting consists of a full suite of Whelen lights; including Whelen warning, PFP2 scene, PFH2 brow lighting, and LED arrow stick lighting. The body storage bays are wired with ILI LED strip compartment lighting. Dinges Fire Company from Amboy, Illinois, sold this Toyne rescue/pumper to the Rochelle Fire Department. As an authorized Toyne dealer, Dinges Fire Company serves fire departments throughout the state of Illinois.

Trading views of the cornfields of Iowa for forested mountains of Southern Washington state, a new Toyne pumper–named engine 11–has been delivered to its new home with Skamania Fire District #1 (SFD). This is the department's second Toyne tailored apparatus, and just like the other Toyne in their fleet, it is geared explicitly for SFD's needs. Established in 1959, Skamania Fire District #1 has been providing fire protection to the residents of Carson, Cook, Stabler, and surrounding communities in Skamania county for over half a century. Hazardous material emergencies In total, the department watches over a mountainous territory that spans nearly 44 square miles. To cover such a large area, the fire district has 35 highly trained volunteers that respond to fire, medical, trail, rope, vehicle, and hazardous material emergencies. Their new Toyne apparatus is designed to reinforce their dedicated response efforts to those they serve. This versatile Toyne Pumper will be a valuable addition to Skamania Fire District's fleet" "This versatile Toyne Pumper will be a valuable addition to Skamania Fire District's fleet and a big help to the volunteers serving their communities," said Bill Bird, Toyne Product Support Coordinator. "We are proud to be a part of their process, and to be trusted by this fire department to build highly capable apparatus." Backup camera system Skamania's pumper is mounted to a Spartan metro star MFD chassis with a ten-inch raised roof. Under the hood, the apparatus is equipped with a 450-horsepower Cummins ISL9 engine and an Allison 3,000 EVS transmission. The cab's interior has enough seating for six occupants and hosts several different features, including a backup camera system, in-cab custom storage, and an in-cab radio system with mounted headsets. Engine 11 is covered in a two-tone black/red paint scheme with custom lettering and striping. Main storage compartments This pumper body is stall-built with bolted-painted stainless steel. Designs called for plenty of customized storage to meet the fire department's needs. Fitted on each side of the engine's storage compartments are ROM-painted roll-up doors for fast, easy entry to equipment. For added ease of access to all of the tools of the trade, the main storage compartments feature Toyne's custom slide-out shelving and custom swing-out toolboard. Enough storage is available over each wheel well to accommodate up to eight SCBA bottles Enough storage is available over each wheel well to accommodate up to eight SCBA bottles, with additional SCBA mounts added to the primary storage compartments. On the top-side of the equipment compartments is room for hard suction hoses. At the rear end of the apparatus is an area for slide-in ladder and pike pole storage. Telescoping tiller extension At the heart of the department's new pumper is a 1,250-gallon-per-minute Hale Qflo pump. To feed this beast of a pump, Engine 11 is equipped with a 1,000-gallon UPF tank. For added fire support, Toyne installed a FoamPro 2001 Class A foam system with a 30-gallon foam cell. In addition, the Skamania firefighters have an Elkhart Vulcan perm monitor with a telescoping tiller extension at their disposal. A host of electrical components ensures Engine 11 can support these first responders beyond fire suppression. Toyne mounted a hefty 10,000-watt Onan hydraulic generator that can provide continuous power to the apparatus' two electric cord reels and fire research telescoping lights. SFD’s pumper is also wired up with Whelen warning lights, Whelen MV9 scene lighting, Firetech Hiviz 72-inch LED brow light, and ILI LED strip compartment lighting.

Back in Indianapolis for the first time since 2019, FDIC International 2021 offered a full slate of conference sessions, hands-on training and equipment exhibitions. Attendance was down, but everyone appeared happy to be back at the show, after cancellations and delay caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Masking compliance was low, despite continuing concerns about COVID-19 and the Delta variant. There was little social distancing. In many respects, the show seemed back to normal. A highlight of the event was the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation’s (NFFF) 9/11 Stair Climb. It’s a way for attendees to honor and remember those in the fire service community, who gave their lives in the 9/11 tragedy. Hundreds of FDIC participants paid tribute by climbing or walking the equivalent of the 110 stories of the World Trade Center. MSA’s LUNAR hand-held device on display As always, safety was a huge theme at the FDIC exhibition, including development in hand-held tools As always, safety was a huge theme at the FDIC exhibition, including development in hand-held tools. MSA Safety displayed the new LUNAR hand-held device that helps keep firefighting teams connected, combining direction and distance information with thermal imaging to help find separated teammates and decrease response time. LUNAR uses cloud technology to increase fire-scene management capabilities for incident commanders. LUNAR can be used as a stand-alone device or as part of an MSA SCBA (self-contained breathing apparatus) system. Thermal imaging with edge detection identifies hot spots and ventilation points, so as to simplify navigation through low-visibility environments. Tethered drone and Reveal FirePRO X thermal camera FotoKite (Perspective Robotics AG), which has a joint development agreement with MSA Safety, featured a tethered drone that hovers over the site of an emergency, in order to provide networking capabilities through the tether for better connectivity. Seek Thermal offers the ‘smallest and lightest’ thermal imaging camera, available for US$ 799 and seeks to bring the benefits of thermal technology to every position on the fire team. The Reveal FirePRO X can now be charged using a four-station charging dock priced at US$ 399. The compact size makes the FirePRO X easy to carry and manage, while its high resolution and fast frame rate ensure superior images. Teledyne gas detection systems exhibited Teledyne displayed a range of gas detection systems, starting with the simple Protégé ZM carbon monoxide meter that can clip onto pockets, helmets, and EMS bags. A new product is the Gas Laser, a hand-held device that can quickly scan common venting points from a safe distance, in order to identify the presence of dangerous explosive gas. Teledyne recently acquired FLIR and the combined companies will provide a spectrum of imaging technologies and products spanning X-ray through infrared and from components to complete imaging systems. FDIC International’s Innovation Hub focused on new technologies coming to the fire service Innovation Hub FDIC International’s Innovation Hub focused on new technologies coming to the fire service, featured in a presentation theater on the show floor. Leading the initiative was SafeTech, a College Station, Texas-based non-profit organization, whose mission is to bring new technologies to first responders and armed forces. One featured company was Tracks North America, which provides unmanned vehicles with fork-lift capabilities. Another was Infysort, which makes superabsorbent pellets – ‘hyper-blown polypropylene sorbent nanomaterial’ that can absorb 50 to 60 times its weight in oil. Hale Products SAM control system HURST Jaws of Life demonstrated eDRAULIC 3.0, a new underwater power extrication tool The SAM control system, by Hale Products, is gaining in popularity, offering computerized/integrated water flow controls that manage a fire truck’s pump, tank, intakes and discharges using touch-screen display for simplified interface. The new SAM Smart Nozzle allows firemen to control flow from the end of the fire hose. HURST Jaws of Life demonstrated eDRAULIC 3.0, a new underwater power extrication tool that can withstand salt water. The Lifeline Firehose provides a source of continuous breathable air coming from the nozzle of a fire hose. The patented coupler design enables the continuous air supply, which can also be used to power air tools. Seeking to help small and medium fire departments replace paper documentation, incident management systems offer low-cost digitization. Environmental awareness From Rosenbauer A topic among fire apparatus companies is idle reduction systems designed to shut off the main engine in a fire apparatus when not needed, eliminating loud diesel engine noise and exhaust, while maintaining power for lighting and air conditioning, for example. It is a reflection of growing environmental concerns among fire manufacturers. For example, Rosenbauer’s Green Star system makes idle reduction easy, using electronic controls to shut down the chassis engine on-scene (if the fire pump is not engaged or no aerial operations under way), and starting a diesel-driven Auxiliary Power Unit (APU). Pierce Volterra zero-emissions pumpers The first Pierce Volterra zero-emissions pumper has been placed in service in Madison Pierce launched their Volterra platform of electric vehicles. The first Pierce Volterra zero-emissions pumper has been placed in service in Madison, Wisconsin. At FDIC International 2021, the Pierce booth included an electric vehicle technology kiosk and took attendees through the electric fire truck’s attributes. CMC Rescue Rope and Harness Systems CMC Rescue Inc. demonstrated rope and harness systems for rescue operations, including special duffle bags and access packs for easy transport of harnesses. The CMC Clutch is now available in 13 mm and 11 mm models, for hauling, lowering, ascending, descending, belaying and deploying twin-tension rope systems. The CMC Triskelion 10-foot tripod features rapid deployment, for example, over a hole where a rescue is taking place and is certified to NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) standards.