Allison delivers fire trucks to the U.S. army fleet in Germany

The U.S. Army in Germany recently added eight Scania structural pumper P410 B4x4HZ trucks with Rosenbauer-body and Allison 4000 Series™ fully automatic transmissions to its fire fleet. The vehicles, featuring the new CP 31 Crew Cab, are powered by a 302 kW (410 hp) diesel engine combined with an Allison 4000 Series™ fully automatic transmission. They will be stationed at different locations across Germany.

The U.S. Army has procured this vehicle configuration for the last 10 years, partly because of the advantages of a standardised fleet for staff training and vehicle maintenance, but also due to its positive experience with Allison transmissions over the past three decades.

Operate Water Pump Via The Power Take-Off

“So far, the transmissions have fulfilled all requirements of the U.S. Army with regards to performance, operation and maintenance,” said Sigurd Mack, Fire Protection Specialist at the U.S. Army Installation Management Command’s European Headquarters in Sembach near Kaiserslautern. “This also applies to the integrated hydraulic retarder and the Power Take-Off with the pump and roll function. It enables us to manoeuvre the vehicle safely and, at the same time, operate the water pump via the Power Take-Off – which is indispensable for efficient firefighting. For our operations and emergency responses good acceleration, easy handling and robustness are essential.”

According to the American NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) 1901 (Standard for Fire Apparatus) directive for firefighting vehicles, fully automatic transmissions are mandatory for heavy firefighting vehicles. In its solicitation, the U.S. Army does not only specify fully automatic transmissions, it also identifies bespoke emergency vehicle transmission software.

“A fully automatic transmission will only properly benefit the driver during operation if the shift pattern is tuned to the vehicle and the transmission works together effectively with the driver. It has to meet the specific mission for emergency response,” said Mack.

Improved Acceleration and Higher Average Speed

Allison fully automatic transmissions differ from other technologies. Among other factors, they have specially developed shift calibration programs for the fire and rescue application. When combined with continuous power-shifting, this results in improved acceleration, higher average speed and faster response times.

The transmissions shift smoothly at precisely the right moment, allowing the driver to concentrate fully”

The fully automatic Allison transmission with its patented torque converter and Continuous Power Technology™ multiplies engine torque during vehicle start-up and acceleration. Gear changes are made without interruption, resulting in the smooth transfer of power to the drive wheels and maximum efficiency between engine and transmission.

“The transmissions shift smoothly at precisely the right moment, allowing the driver to concentrate fully on the road, which contributes significantly to accident prevention,” said Mack.

“In addition, to have competent and highly skilled service technicians, as well as spare parts service locally available greatly limits down time and contributes to our readiness,” said Mack. “The transmission manufacturer infrastructure has also supported our goals so far in this regard.”

Reliability and Durability In Extremely Difficult Conditions

The oldest Allison transmissions in the fire brigade of the U.S. Army in Germany have clocked up over 30 years of service

Allison fully automatic transmissions have demonstrated their outstanding reliability and durability under extremely difficult conditions and are consequently used by numerous fire brigade fleets worldwide. There are currently about 70 Allison fully automated vehicles in the fire truck fleet of the U.S. Army in Germany.

The oldest Allison transmissions in the fire brigade of the U.S. Army in Germany have clocked up over 30 years of service. In 2007, the drivetrain components from 12 older Amertek 2500L trucks were removed and installed into 12 overhauled firefighting trucks, so called “glider kits.” The Detroit diesel engines and Allison HT 750 DRD transmissions of the Amertek 2500L trucks, which at that time were already around 25 years old, were fitted to a new HME 1871 SFO chassis with a body made by Hensel.

Glider Kits Used For Multi-Purpose Vehicles For Firefighting

“In the USA, general vehicle overhaul is a recognised procedure for vehicle maintenance and service life extension. The engines and transmissions, especially in fire trucks, are still in relatively good working condition and have proven to be very reliable, even after a long period of time. This contributed to the decision for a service life extension,” said Mack.

Compared to a new purchase, the “glider kits” helped to save approx. 80,000 – 100,000 USD per vehicle without compromising the functionality. The “glider kits” are used as multi-purpose vehicles for firefighting and for providing technical assistance.

www.allisontransmission.com/

DuPont provides nearly five million coveralls to COVID-19 frontline workers

DuPont has signed a contract with the European Commission and EU countries, opening the door for countries to place orders for the delivery of millions of Tyvek® hooded coveralls to COVID-19 frontline workers across Europe. The contract allows for over 4.9 million coveralls over the next 12 months to be delivered to key workers.

One of the products offered is Tyvek® 500 Xpert, category III, Type 5-B and 6-B coverall, which is designed to protect wearers against biohazards as well as liquid and particulate threats. Featuring stitched external seams, elasticated wrists, ankles, and face, it is ideally suited to protect workers in healthcare and other frontline occupations from contamination by droplets, while also providing optimal ease of movement and comfortable wear.

Alternatively, if the delivery of the products is time-critical, instead of Tyvek® 500 Xpert, member states can also opt to receive another type of DuPont™ Tyvek® garment that offers similar performance and may be more readily available.

In total, the contract entitles the participating countries to order more than 8 million garments over a period of 12 months from DuPont, if demand persists and production processes allow. Since being signed in early May, the contract currently allows procurement from Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Latvia, Malta, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, and Slovakia.

Since March, DuPont has increased its production volume and shortened its supply chain to optimize the manufacturing capacity in response to the global crisis. It has also donated 50,000 Tyvek® coveralls to help protect healthcare workers in some of the worst affected countries in Europe. The company has many years of experience in supplying protective garments during viral outbreaks, and some of its Tyvek® and Tychem® hooded coveralls have been successfully used by frontline workers during past epidemics, including Ebola and Bird Flu.

“It is vital that healthcare workers have access to PPE that they can rely on so that they can turn their full attention to the task in hand,” said Albrecht Gerland, Product Manager for DuPont Personal Protection in Europe.

”We are proud to play a part in the ongoing battle against COVID-19. As we manufacture both the fabric as well as the actual coveralls, we are well-placed to quickly respond to the current demand without disrupting the supply to our existing customers.

“This contract will bring our proven DuPont™ Tyvek® technology to those most in need, and we will continue to work tirelessly to meet the European Commission’s requirements in this evolving situation.”

For more information on DuPont, visit dpp.dupont.com.

Johnson Controls’ solutions for Naval and Marine applications

Johnson Controls has over 100 years of specialised marine experience – protecting vessels at sea and safeguarding life and assets. Their range of solutions are critical in helping to protect vessels and crew from the risk of fire and flooding to the Naval and Commercial sectors within the marine industry.

For over 120 years, Johnson Controls have been working in partnership with the leading companies in these sectors to safeguard vessels and personnel from the threat of fire. As a result, they offer the complete service and support of integrated solutions for marine applications.

Johnson Controls has considerable resources and are staffed by qualified and experienced personnel with a keen focus on customer care, ensuring consistent delivery of high quality service. They have design, engineering and manufacturing expertise in both mechanical and electronic disciplines, together with project management skills and their installation, service and commissioning staff are all in-house trained to provide the best possible service to our clients.

Johnson Controls Marine Services operates through selected business entities located around the world, ensuring a global reach with local partners—essential for marine customers who need on-the-spot assistance while their vessels are in service. With an installed base consisting of about 10,000 vessels, Johnson Controls’ customer base includes more than 20% of all larger ocean-going vessels.

www.johnsoncontrols.com/industries/global-marine-and-navy

Bristol Uniforms releases new stock styles for structural PPE

Bristol Uniforms’ new stock styles for structural PPE are proving popular with fire and rescue services around the world, with orders received from Malaysia to Germany to Saudi Arabia, and many customers already putting their new kit through its paces.

Launched at the end of last year, the three stock styles (XFlex, Ergotech Action CEN and Ergotech Action NFPA) are particularly suited to international customers since they adhere to a variety of international standards and offer a cost-effective means of obtaining excellent quality PPE.

As the kit is ready-made, customers benefit from swift delivery times, while each coat can still be personalised by adding a heat-sealed patch to the back. Firefighters at Shannon Airport in Ireland were in need of a PPE upgrade and arranged a competitive tender.

According to Brian Casey, Airport Police & Fire Service Training Manager at the Airport, the XFlex stock kit was the clear frontrunner. He commented, “XFlex is good value and certainly offered the best quality. It was also recommended to me by others in the industry.”

Brian Casey’s team ordered 73 sets of XFlex stock PPE from Fireguard, Bristol Uniforms’ distributor in Eire

Brian Casey’s team ordered 73 sets of XFlex stock PPE from Fireguard, Bristol Uniforms’ distributor in Eire. The new kit was delivered in May. He continues, “The Bristol Uniforms stock kit is by far the best kit we’ve ever had. I can honestly say we’ve had no issues whatsoever with any of the items we received. They fit very well and are comfortable to wear. My crew is really pleased with them.”

Other satisfied customers include Kettershausen Fire Brigade and the Verallia Glass Factory in Germany, who recently received their stock XFlex PPE.

Uwe Raschel is the Owner of Fritz Raschel Feuerschutz GmbH, Bristol Uniforms’ distributor in Germany. He comments, “Both customers are fairly small fire services with a limited number of firefighters. They were impressed by the quality of the kit, but also particularly keen on the swift availability.”

The XFlex design is based on Bristol’s flagship XFlex structural firefighting range, providing excellent range of movement and breathability. It is certified to CEN standard EN469 Level 2.

The two Ergotech Action stock styles have been adapted for different certifying bodies. One adheres to the CEN standard EN469 Level 2, featuring a navy Hainsworth TITAN1220 outer layer and a Gore Crosstech Fireblocker moisture barrier. The second conforms to NFPA 1971:2018 and comes in a Desert Tan color, with box bellow pockets on both the coat and trousers.

Interest in the stock styles continues from all corners of the globe, with orders for Ergotech Action EN469 PPE received from customers in Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong. The Ergotech Action EN469 kit was also recently delivered to Kennelbach, Rothis and Riefensberg fire brigades in Austria, and to the Petronas oil and gas company in Malaysia.

www.bristoluniforms.com/

NVFC offers webinars, virtual training and in-person courses on fire services

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) offers dozens of on-demand webinars, live virtual trainings, and in-person courses on a variety of key fire service topics.

Until in-person trainings can be offered again, the NVFC is pleased to announce an afternoon of live, virtual training providing a condensed version of our popular in-person full-day course offerings focused on successful departments. The NVFC Virtual Leadership Symposium is sponsored by the Motorola Solutions Foundation.

Fire And Emergency Services

The training sessions will take place on Friday, August 14, from 1:00 – 5:30 pm ET. Registration is required; attendees can choose to attend one or both courses.

  • Leadership for the Fire and Emergency Services
  • 1:00 – 3:00 pm ET
  • Instructor: Chief Jeff Cash

Quality leadership is essential for the fire and emergency services to accomplish the mission and improve your department. This course examines leadership styles, qualities, ethics, and best practices to help the department function at a high level and avoid fire and emergency services leadership pitfalls. New retention research will also be discussed to help leaders understand retention concerns and identify solutions.

  • Volunteer Fire Service Culture: Essential Strategies for Success
  • 3:30 – 5:30 pm ET
  • Instructor: David Lewis

The NVFC published the textbook Volunteer Fire Service Culture – Essential Strategies for Success as a guide to fire service leaders who desire to change their department’s culture and attitude towards personal health and safety. This training delves into key points from the guide to reinforce the need for change and provide a roadmap for implementation of change to improve the health and safety of volunteer fire and EMS responders.

www.nvfc.org/

Resilient communications for tall buildings with the Hytera E-pack 100 from Radiocoms

Lack of radio coverage inside buildings can severely hamper the ability of fire services to tackle fires, locate occupants or oversee emergency evacuation procedures. Poor communications can lead to increased loss of life and damage to property.

Maintaining voice coverage in tall buildings, tunnels and basement areas is critical for firefighters. But radio signals can be severely reduced or even blocked entirely inside tall buildings due to height and space propagation issues and difficulties in penetrating modern construction materials. A simple and reliable way to overcome this challenge is to deploy an ad hoc repeater such as the digital wireless Hytera E-pack 100for resilient communications in tall buildings.

Based on DMR Tier II technology, the E-pack 100 offers fast and flexible networking for situations that require a temporary communications system based on simplex voice calls. The E-pack functions as a radio to make and receive calls or to create a wireless mobile ad hoc network up to a maximum of 32 repeater nodes – all on one frequency, greatly increasing spectrum efficiency.

An unlimited number of DMR radios can be supported, but as they operate in ‘simplex’ direct mode, only one person can talk at a time. E-pack also supports emergency calls, GPS location services and DMR Tier 2 services such as radio checks and remote stun and revive.

Self-configuring network software ensures each repeater node immediately looks for other repeaters when powered up and automatically ‘buddies up” with them. The E-pack is a self-healing network. If a node moves out of network range or malfunctions, voice calls will automatically route to another node to guarantee link continuity.

The E-pack also features an embedded GSM card slot for backup, so if two meshed networks are separated, they can stay in touch via a public cellular 2G network. The repeater’s display shows the caller’s ID, their location within the tall building using the in-built GPS function, and change of talk groups. It can also support a list of GSM phone numbers, so it can be used to ring a mobile phone if the number is in the pre-listed call list. It can also see alarms triggered by the DMR radios.

The E-pack nodes are light, small and rugged (IP67 and MIL-STD-810G certified for dust and moisture, shock and drop resistance), so they can be deployed in harsh environments like a fire. They can be carried in a backpack, so this provides a highly mobile network to enable fire crews to communicate with each other on different floors inside a tall building and to keep in touch with colleagues outside.

Conversely, if one node is too close to another intelligent software in the E-Pack will turn one of them off to avoid interference. The nodes have a battery life of about 10 hours with a blue light display to show how much battery time is left.

E-packs provide firefighters with reliable, fast deployable, temporary wireless networks inside tall buildings to ensure they can stay in contact with each other at all times.

Hytera E-pack 100s can also be easily installed within tall buildings for instant resilient communications as there is no need for cabling, thereby greatly saving on infrastructure and installation costs. By installing critical communications equipment, organisations not only address risk but also provide a solution to manage it.

In the event of loss of normal communications or an emergency evacuation, for example, building safety and fire teams can use the equipment to manage incidents when they occur. By being proactive organisations can also mitigate their insurance risk.

Deploying critical communications equipment like the Hytera E-pack 100 either on a temporary or a permanent basis can minimise disruption, reduce the loss of life and damage to property and potentially lessen the impact of a disaster.

Hytera Communications Corporation Limited is a leading global solution provider of Professional Mobile Radio communications, dedicated to bringing the most valued and user-centric solutions to clients across the world.

Radiocoms Systems Ltd support clients in both the public and private sector globally. Their team of experienced radio communications and software manufacturer qualified experts are based at five offices around the UK.

www.radiocoms.co.uk/

Ultra Fog’s water mist systems

Ultra Fog water mist fire extinguishing systems provide robust, effective, quality engineered solutions for applications which require optimal fire suppression while minimising the volume of water consumed and deployed. High pressure pumps force water through the stainless steel Ultra Fog water mist nozzles, discharging the water in the form of millions of tiny droplets – typically 30 – 200 µm diameter.

An activated system will create a blanket of water mist droplets which maximise heat absorption from the fire, and subsequently displacing oxygen upon evaporation and expansion of the water mist as it converts to steam. Water mist systems are differentiated from sprinkler systems by mist’s unique ability to present a much greater water surface area (enabling rapid heat absorption), combined with the mist’s ability to remain suspended in the air for a much longer duration – thereby creating more exposure time for the heat absorption to take effect. This enables water mist systems to cool and suppress fire using considerably less water than sprinkler systems.

www.ultrafog.com/

TrueAlert ES from Autocall Fire Detection Systems

Autocall TrueAlert ES appliances are the industry’s most advanced line of intelligent, fully addressable notification products. Constant electronic supervision of each notification appliance and revolutionary self-testing capability help ensure that appliances will work when needed and enable building owners to avoid tedious and potentially expensive after-hours manual testing.

Highlights:

  • Delivers better protection: Each appliance has the intelligence to report its location and status to the Autocall fire alarm control panel, improving protection and giving facility managers and system operators the confidence of knowing all their notification appliances are ready to perform in an emergency.
  • Minimizes disruption to business operations with appliance self-testing: Built-in light and sound sensors enable the fire alarm control panel to detect the operation of the strobe and sounder and confirm whether the device tested properly. This means testing can be performed at any time, without disrupting building occupants and operations—it can even be scheduled to take place automatically.
  • Provides greater design and expansion flexibility: Flexible wiring architecture allows system designers to go further with less wire and face fewer design roadblocks. TrueAlert ES systems are also highly scalable, so they can grow and expand as buildings change and life-safety needs evolve.
  • Allows faster, easier, lower-cost installation: Addressable technology and a flexible wiring scheme make it possible to significantly cut installation time and cost. In many cases, TrueAlert ES appliances can be installed with smaller gauge, unshielded wiring, and the forgiving wiring architecture helps avoid mistakes during installation.
  • Provides stronger documentation and reporting capabilities: Appliance information and test history are stored and can be easily retrieved from an Autocall ES panel to generate reports for compliance officials.

www.autocall.com/

The PSS® 4000 from Dräger

The Dräger PSS® 4000 is one of the lightest professional self-contained breathing apparatus for firefighters. Combining comfort with exceptional pneumatic performance, this SCBA is designed for applications where simplicity and ease of use are crucial. Lightweight yet robust, and easy to don, the PSS® 4000 provides outstanding breathing protection.

Supported by a carrying harness with a quick release fastener and simple pull forward mechanism you can quickly and easily adjust the carrying harness.

The extremely durable carrying system features our ultra-lightweight, high strength composite carrying space frame, which provides outstanding thermal, impact and chemical resistance properties. The professional carrying system of the harness follows the natural contours of the body, improving stability and reducing back strain, stress and fatigue.

The system offers optimal comfort for the wearer’s shoulders and waist with an even load distribution, which is comfortably and securely in line with the body‘s centre of gravity. Aside from maximum comfort, the Dräger PSS 4000 also uses the most rugged and durable materials available in order to minimise the impact of even the most hostile of environments.

www.draeger.com/

Globalstar deploys 550 SPOT Gen3TM satellite-enabled safety devices in Andalusia, Spain

Globalstar Europe Satellite Services Ltd announces that 550 SPOT Gen3TM satellite-enabled safety devices have been deployed to safeguard and track firefighters across the vast expanse of Andalusia in southern Spain.

For this rapidly-delivered project, SPOT Gen3 satellite messengers are the backbone of an advanced fire management technology platform from wildfire solutions specialist Technosylva to monitor and protect the region’s fire response teams and vehicles.

This was a particularly urgent requirement by INFOCA, the administrative authority for forest and wildfire management, a department of the Junta de Andalucia, the local government for this region. INFOCA needed a fast deployment of a far-reaching, reliable tracking system to monitor and protect firefighters as Spain deals with the many complications and risks created by the global Covid-19 pandemic.

INFOCA is one of the largest fire authorities in Europe with 5,000 response personnel. Andalusia is Spain’s most populous region with eight million inhabitants and several million tourists throughout the year. Fire is a major problem in Andalusia, its climate always subject to the extreme influences of the Sahara Desert. With its rugged and mountainous terrain, human exposure to fire risk is very high.

Along with the need to provide 24/7 operational safety to firefighters in this potentially volatile environment, Spain has been dramatically affected by this year’s Covid-19 crisis. Since the outbreak began, INFOCA has been collaborating with other emergency services to deploy measures intended to limit the virus’ spread, and it has engaged in extensive prevention activities to protect the public. For instance, INFOCA’s fire equipment has been deployed to help with disinfection operations.

Joaquin Ramirez Cisneros, Principal Consultant at Technosylva, explains: “INFOCA was very clear – this requirement was very urgent because of Covid-19.”

Technosylva provides sophisticated fire behaviour analysis and management software. Fire authority operations teams can precisely track firefighters’ locations, via a user-friendly display of GPS positions in near real-time via the Technosylva fiResponse™ platform, a wildfire decision support system.

Thanks to the pre-integration and smooth inter-operation between fiResponse and SPOT Gen3, the deployment for INFOCA was able to be completed in record time, in a matter of weeks. INFOCA already had confidence in the capabilities of Technosylva and SPOT because in July 2015, Junta de Castilla La Mancha fire authority selected Technosylva and SPOT Gen3 devices to safeguard its fire response teams in the neighbouring region.

“To keep crews safe, it is critical to accurately and reliably monitor where the firefighters are at all times, in relation to the engines, pumps and other equipment,” says Ramirez Cisneros. If a firefighter needs help urgently, with the single press of SPOT Gen3’s SOS button, INFOCA operations co-ordinators are alerted, the user’s GPS coordinates are instantly transmitted, and rescue or support procedures can be initiated.

“When there is a fire, it is also important to know how far away firefighters and resources are from the heart of it: The ability to track personnel, and the resources they use, all in real-time, is the Holy Grail in fire management,” he added.

Gary King, SPOT Regional Sales Manager at Globalstar, commented: “We’ve seen a dramatic uptake of SPOT devices among first responders, and we are proud that our technology is helping to safeguard and support Andalusia’s firefighters.”

The new agreement with the Junta de Andalusia builds on Technosylva’s earlier adoption by other firefighting organisations around the world. Technosylva has extensive and growing reach in the US, having numerous state-level fire authorities as customers, as well as supporting fire agencies in Spain, Canada and Latin America.

SPOT Gen3 is a rugged, pocket-sized low-priced personal GPS messenger that helps users stay connected via satellite even where there is poor or no GSM signal. SPOT devices have been used in over 7,000 rescues worldwide since Globalstar launched the technology in 2007.

www.globalstar.com/