>> The ILLINOIS FIRE SERVICE INSTITUTE (IFSI) received an $899,269 grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Assistance to Firefighters Fire Prevention and Safety (DHS FP&S) program. The award will fund research on reducing the occurrence of heart attacks in firefighters (a major cause of line-of-duty deaths) and slip, trip, and fall injuries (a source of line-of-duty injuries). The Cardiovascular and Biomechanical Responses to Fire Fighting and PPE research project will investigate cardiovascular function, the biomechanics of movement (balance and gait), and PPE design. Researchers will recruit 120 firefighters to participate in firefighting drills at IFSI from which they will collect data. For more information, contact Dr. Gavin Hall at (217) 265-6563.
>> 3M donated $30,000 to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) as part of its Firefighter Appreciation Program. For every proof of purchase on a National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)-compliant set of turnout gear with Scotchlite reflective material fire coat trim, 3M will donate a percentage of the proceeds to the NFFF. The program raised $25,000 in 2006. For more information, visit www.3M.com.
>> INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS (IAFC) awarded Colorado Springs (CO) Fire Department (CSFD) members Lieutenant Brian Moffitt, Driver Engineer Christopher Richardson, and Firefighters Nicholas Chapel and Ryan Douglas the International Benjamin Franklin Fire Service Award for Valor.
Members of Truck 8, the firefighters were nominated as the leading representative of the CSFD’s nine crews that responded to nighttime apartment building fire. Truck 8 performed 20 of the 85 ladder rescues at the incident.
>> BANK OF AMERICA offers The Neighborhood Champions® Protected MortgageTM program exclusively for firefighters and other professionals with an insurance feature that will repay all or a portion of their outstanding mortgage balance (up to $300,000) in the event of accidental death, permanent paralysis, or dismemberment. The coverage applies to the first two listed co-borrowers on the loan. The loan offers 100-percent financing, competitive loan rates, little or no down payment options, and flexibility on credit scores and histories. For more information, call (866) 823-5446 or (800) 344-9403, or visit www.bankofamerica.com/loansandhomes.
>> The CHLORINE INSTITUTE (CI) offers a free training DVD for first responders designed to improve awareness and preparation for response to chlorine-related emergencies. The DVD and downloadable materials are available at www.chlorineinstitute.org.
>> 500 FOR LIFE donated Bullard T4 thermal imaging cameras (TICs), valued at $13,000 each, to 10 fire departments. 500 For Life, the Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company’s Heritage Program, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, and Bullard, have partnered to provided TICs to fire departments unable to afford one. For more information, visit www.500forlife.org.
>> AKRON BRASS has named Earl Williams the operations manager for its Weldon Division. Previously, Williams worked for a component supplier to the heavy truck industry. Additionally, the company added a 28,000-square-foot distribution facility to Weldon’s Columbus, Ohio, distribution operation for material storage and shipping. This additional capacity will expedite service for Weldon customers in the emergency response and pupil transportation markets.
>> PIERCE MANUFACTURING INC. received a five-year, $4.5 million contract from the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) for 10 Oshkosh heavy expanded mobility tactical truck (HEMTT) platform-based water tenders (HEWATT) vehicles. The initial order could lead to a total of 119 vehicles under this new contract, with an estimated value of $56 million. The HEWATT is designed as a multipurpose water distributor, capable of providing structural and airfield crash/rescue support alongside the Pierce Tactical Fire Fighting Truck (TFFT), can operate under extreme conditions and in a broad range of terrain, and is built to support the TFFT and provide supplementary fire suppression capabilities. Each HEWATT is equipped with a 2,500-gallon integrated water tank, a 500-gpm single-stage pump, a 50-gallon foam cell, and a 250-gpm front bumper-mounted turret/monitor.
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>> FDM SOFTWARE named Greg Cooke-Dallin vice president of marketing and sales. He has more than 20 years experience in sales, marketing, business development, strategic planning, and emerging markets.
>> WATEROUS has made three appointments in its fire pump/foam delivery group. Steve Toren was promoted to director of worldwide sales and marketing. Most recently, he was western area sales manager. Gregg Geske was named worldwide CAFS/foam system sales manager, and will supervise the development of the new AdvantusTM and AquisTM foam management systems. Heinz Gee, promoted to sales manager, will work with OEMs in North America.
>> STRUCTURAL COMPOSITE INDUSTRIES (SCI)’s new Web site offers SCBA replacement parts for North American first responders. Visit www.scifireandsafety.com to find information on SCBA, product line specifications, technical bulletins, product literature, FAQs, and price inquiry documents.
