The Fire Department Instructors Conference, now in its 74th year, is the largest fire service conference/ exhibition in the nation. This year, it has the distinction of being the first large gathering of the nation’s fire service since the tragedy of September 11. Here’s a preview of just some of what’s in store for attendees during a week of “down-and-dirty” hands-on training, moving keynote speeches, riveting seminars, and more than 700 exhibits, as told by some key players at the show.
The Players:
Bob Pressler, lieutenant (retired), Fire Department of New York.
Rich Anderson, program lead for life safety, loss prevention, and emergency management, Merck & Co., Rahway, New Jersey.
Jack Murphy, fire marshal (retired)/former assistant chief, Leonia (NJ) Fire Department.
FE: What is special about the show this year?
BP: We have increased the number of H.O.T. offerings from 17 to 22 classes, adding more training slots to accommodate more people. New classes include elevators, ignitable flammable liquids, engine company water supply, and a revamped arson program. Also, it is the first large-scale meeting of the American fire service after the tragedy of September 11. It will be the first time people who have made tremendous friendships through the FDIC from all over the country will be reunited with FDNY members who come to the show-the first time we will all be together.
 Photos by Tony Greco |
RA: With the tremendous loss of brothers and friends in the World Trade Center, it is hard not to focus the Main Program around that tragedy. Our Line of Duty Deaths Tribute will be different than in years past. The entire opening ceremony is intended to celebrate the lives of those who made the ultimate sacrifice and to honor them, including a tribute to the H.O.T. instructors who perished. True to our tradition of having fire service leaders presenting to the fire service, our featured speakers and keynote will be fire service leaders who played key roles in the WTC incident and have insightful lessons learned to share. We also will have presentations on the fire service response to the Pentagon on September 11. We have a report from Arlington County Fire on the firefight as well as one from the USAR team from Fairfax County on search and rescue operations. They will share their valuable insights and some real lessons. They will give the audience a sense of being there and an understanding of the logistical challenges they faced.
JM: Among the new H.O.T. Workshop offerings this year are “Axioms for Leadership,” “Training Officer 101,” and “Elevator Emergencies.” The need for a back-to-basics approach for training officers is essential for the fire service. Other new classes will be offered from many familiar instructors and many new ones.
FE: What makes the FDIC unique?
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BP: What has set the FDIC apart from other shows is the H.O.T. training. Nobody does it like we do. Others have tried but have not been as successful with the attendance numbers. H.O.T. is partially responsible for the rise in attendance we have seen since Fire Engineering bought the show six years ago. A successful H.O.T. program sets the mood for the remainder of the week. If we have two good days of H.O.T., that follows through for the rest of the show. The quality of the speakers and the intensity of the main program also add to the show’s success.
RA: More than 1,600 fire officers, fire service instructors, and line firefighters attend the Opening Program with great expectations. They place great trust in us. They are away from their jobs as protectors of lives and property. We had better have something important to say to them. My entire team is very sensitive to the responsibility of providing a cutting-edge, thought-provoking, visionary, educational opportunity.
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Our programs are intended to be beyond motivational-they are intended to be inspirational. It is about fufilling the Fire Engineering mission of “training the fire service” ellipse it is about sharing lessons learned, about new ideas and addressing key issues, such as, “What can we do to save lives and property while saving our own?” There are plenty of opinions on how to do this. It is our job, collectively, to present a platform where these opinions can be expressed so they might stimulate dialogue among peers. We have used dramatic presentations very effectively to this end-presenting both sides of very sensitive issues. This is something you can’t do with a speaker because the speaker has his own opinion. It takes a lot more time, energy, and effort to put together and produce a dramatic presentation than it does to have a speaker present his opinion. And the results are far more dramatic. Learning occurs, and those in attendance formulate opinions. Dramatic presentations are what set the FDIC apart from every other venue.
JM: The four main components equally-H.O.T., educational classes, main program, and exhibits-make the show unique. The show gives everyone an overview of the entire fire service-the practical side, the current issues firefighters face. The talents of people in the fire service who come in and give these classes-you’d like to bundle them up and put them in one department-this way you’d know you have a great department. One attendee told me, “There are too many good instructors on at the same time.” What a happy dilemma for the conference! Because of the quality choices, you really have to look at the program and pick and choose. When people attend as a group, they learn to split up so they can cover more classes and bring more back to their department.
FE: What is the funniest thing you have seen at the show?
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BP: The first year, we did H.O.T. training in the convention center parking lot. Safety was a huge concern because no one had ever tried to hold such a large hands-on training program. We had several “safety experts” constantly evaluating the seven or so classes in the parking lot. I returned from an indoor meeting only to be summoned to a “hydraulic fluid spill” in the parking lot. Two of the safety people had found that one of the hydraulic tools had sprung a leak; the fluid was running across the parking lot. They were busy spreading an absorbent in an attempt to stop the flow of fluid. While I was listening to the report of what happened and what was being done, I happened to look over and see Steve Dixon and Tommy Roberts, two Indianapolis Fire Department personnel, who could barely contain their laughter. I excused myself and went over to them. They told me that the fluid leak, which happened to be running UPHILL from the hydraulic tool, actually was an orange Gatorade spill that these two had made! While moving a cooler of Gatorade to the opposite end of the parking lot, they dropped a bottle of it, creating the spill. And no, we never did stop the safety people and their cleanup!
RA: There is a danger when you “mic” people with a live microphone. They can leave the stage and forget it’s on. One year, a speaker went to the bathroom with it on and was commenting on how bad he had to go to the bathroom. The sound technicians heard him say something about “having to ___ like a racehorse.”
JM: One time we snuck two pallets of beer into a hotel for a hospitality room. We hid the pallets under a sheet. We hit a bump in the floor, the sheet fell off, and cans went flying. Like hockey goalies, we tried to quickly kick the cans back from the hotel floor escalator and remain discreet and undetected by hotel staff. Final score: FD 1, Hotel 0.
FE: Highlight a few instructors specifically and what they bring to the show.
BP: Mike Lombardo, a captain from the Buffalo (NY) Fire Department, and Tim Klett, an FDNY firefighter from Engine 69, are lead live burn co-instructors. They, along with their live burn crew, bring an unbelievable amount of professionalism, dedication, and knowledge that they’re willing to share with the American fire service in their quest to keep younger firefighters alive. Just the way they conduct themselves and talk to the students-they don’t talk down to anybody; no egos are involved. Mike Lombardo says about his H.O.T. evolution, “The only difference between this and a real fire is we know when this one’s gonna start!” Their evolution is just as dangerous. Things could go just as wrong; firefighters could get just as hurt or killed as if they were home at a real fire. As a testament to how well they instruct, in five years of burning at the FDIC and two years at FDIC West, they have had only one reportable injury-the ceiling came down and hit an attendee, making him a little lightheaded. This is a testimony to how they handle themselves and treat the students. With Tim’s engine and Mike’s truck company knowledge, they present a great overview; between the two of them, they have the whole fireground covered.
RA: Our goal is to search out new and exciting speakers every year and provide them with an opportunity to bring their information to the future leaders of the fire service. Presenters this year, to name a few speakers, will include chief officers from the Fairfax (VA) USAR Team, Arlington County Fire Department, and survivors who were rescued by firefighters from the WTC.
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JM: We have offered “Fireground Command: The First Five Minutes and Beyond” for the past six years with Jim Murtagh from FDNY, Skip Coleman from Toledo Fire, and Billy Goldfeder from Loveland-Symmes (OH). Jim gives his perspective from an urban area that is densely populated, Skip from the medium-sized department, and Billy from a combination department. All three instructors run through the same fire scenario from the different perspectives. What would you do at this building fire? they ask. One would respond with many fully staffed fire companies and special units from their district, one would respond with several companies with limited staffing, and one would be calling for mutual aid. The class has been very well received over the years. This year, these instructors will be leading a new class, “Boot Camp for Battalion Chiefs.”
Over the six years that the late Andy Fredericks, FDNY firefighter, has taught at the FDIC, he gave us the best in practical experiences and education on nozzles, water streams, hose deployments, and engine company operations. His class content on such topics as “Fighting fires in buildings with standpipe and sprinkler systems”; “First-due engine company-key to success”; “Engine company support of RIT/FAST operations”; “Little Drops of Water-50 Years Later”; “The millennium engine company, bunker gear, black fire and balloons”; and his keynote presentation “Don’t worry ’bout that nozzle, kid, ’cause we don’t do fire anymore” got us to think about how to best approach a fire. His fellow firefighters at Engine Company 48 and Squad 18 and ranking officers from across the country embraced his knowledge on how to best suppress a fire. He gave us more than “Little Drops”; he flooded our horizon with knowledge we can best apply to our own fires to make our jobs easier and safer. Every time you grab a straight-bore nozzle and discharge a stream, Andy Fredericks will be at your side. He will be greatly missed as an FDIC instructor and a friend.
FE: How do firefighters use their past experiences to help them teach?
BP: There really is nothing brand new in the fire service-nobody is really inventing anything, just using ideas that have been passed down for years. The differences are that we fine-tune what is passed down and change direction a bit, especially in the H.O.T. classes, where we get instructors from across the country drawing on each other’s experiences. It makes the instructors better firefighters. For example, a few years ago during a power saw class we conducted in an o1d housing project, following two days of setup and a half-day class, six instructors spent their lunch hour forcing doors with each other while a group of students watched, just to share what each of them knew about forcible entry.
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RA: This is exactly what the FDIC does-presents instructors with an opportunity and a platform to use their past experiences in a social setting. Whether in H.O.T., the Main Program, or the classrooms, participants can live vicariously through the presenter and wonder, What would I do if it happens to me? This is of tremendous value-one of the real reasons we present firsthand information from the person who has been there and done that.
JM: It takes unique individuals to get the message of their experiences across-whether formally or informally. Those firefighters have a love of instruction. It doesn’t matter if they have formal education as a teacher. It’s their experiences and how they present them. Our instructors have insight on how to get their message across to people. When they see someone not grasping a concept, they take them aside, explain it further, even after the class. You can see this after class as you walk through the halls: students and teachers talking. It goes beyond a one-hour, 45-minute class. Teaching goes on formally in the classroom as well as informally in the halls and restaurants after class.
FE: What is the strangest thing you’ve ever seen at the show?
BP: I actually think the strangest thing at the FDIC will happen this year. I still cannot fathom having a show without Andy Fredericks looking for tonight’s meal, Billy McGinn looking for pizza with pineapple on it, Dana Hannon doing his typical hard work and always with a smile, and Chris Blackwell smoking his cigars during collapse class. And I can’t imagine not seeing Ray Downey standing in the hallway with a group of people around him who are thirsting for information. This will be the strangest thing about the FDIC.
RA: We were working with one of the AV producers doing last-minute work on the Main Program. We were putting together a montage for the opening scene. We went to the producer’s house and stayed up all night, and he was cutting and putting it together. We reworked it many times. Well, it was finally showtime, and the montage was supposed to come up on the screen as a rotating globe of a sunrise, as a background piece as a jazz group on stage sang an inspirational song. Well, we don’t know how it happened, but instead of the rotating globe appearing on the big screen, a cactus came up and then went out of focus. And then the sun came up. We never did figure out how the cactus got in there!
JM: The strangest thing I ever saw at a show was when the handheld remote used to activate a speaker’s slide tray in one room kept activating another speaker’s slide tray in another room instead. The second speaker wasn’t even holding his remote when suddenly his slides started showing themselves. The remotes must have been on the same frequency.
FE: Describe the safety procedures necessary for such a big event.
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BP: One of great things about the FDIC is that, except for the live-fire evolution, there are no prerequisites for any of the H.O.T. classes. You could be in the fire service a day and be allowed to participate in classes. As one instructor says, “You don’t have to know how to spell rope to get into our rope class.” Because of that, instructors are put in a difficult position: They have to be able to judge the capabilities of all the students and to be able to present training that covers the spectrum from the one-month firefighter to the 30-year veteran and be able to conduct the training in a safe manner. We assign safety officers to each site and to specific classes that require a stronger safety presence. Our instructor-to-student ratio for live burn is 2:1. Our highest ratio is just under 8:1.
RA: You could easily overlook safety in the Main Program, but we are careful: The AV cabling cannot interfere with egress from the ballroom; we make sure the cameras are not in the way as people walk in and out; speakers have to get on and off the stage via stairs in the dark. We have a review team that looks at every aspect of safety and makes recommendations-add another railing, move stairs, remove a cable. Our motto is “Safety first”-even during the Main Program.
JM: As far as safety in the classrooms, we watch the occupancy loads of rooms. One year we had to shut Alan Brunacini’s class down. There were too many people, and we couldn’t let in any more. We knew he was a popular instructor but had no idea he was that popular. The room he taught in held 400 people. They were packed around all four walls and outside the door in a long line. Always the gracious one, Brunacini said, “The IC worked well here. I gave everybody sectors.” He was asked to repeat the class again the next day and did on a moment’s notice. He taught an additional 200 people.
FE: Describe class sizes and what you consider the “big draws.”
BP: The smallest H.O.T. class-high-angle rope evolutions-has 15 students; the largest class-firefighter safety and survival-has 200 students. Most of the four-hour classes have 25 students so that in two days students can take four different evolutions.
Live burn is the most popular class-you’re truly fighting fires. It’s not make-believe; it’s the real thing. There’s fire, hot smoke, heavy heat; you’re pushing a line in. All the other classes are real to a degree but not 100-percent real. They are staged, and we’ve added things. The truck company classes are the next most popular. Students get to do things they can’t do at home-cut real roofs, force real doors. The closer to true firefighting a class is, the more appeal it has to people looking for the training. We had a 25-year veteran and captain from a big East Coast city sign up for live burn one year. When the instructor found out who he was, he asked the captain if he wanted to take in a crew; he said, “No. I’m here to learn. I’m here to see how you guys are doing it.”
RA: The main ballroom seats 1,600 people, and more stand outside (watching on monitors) and in the back of the room. Each day is different. At the Opening Session, everyone knows that this is the inspirational meeting. It draws them. Everyone is looking for an opening tribute, the moving ceremonial part. They look forward to that event. They say, “It charges my batteries; it inspires me.” We measure our success by the continued rise in attendance and by the critique forms. The first day is the big draw. Also, people like the dramatic presentations-they are unique, different, outside the box. The awards presentations bring people, too.
Tomorrow’s fire service leaders attend the main program. They attend because they want to pay tribute to their fellow firefighters, because they want to hear what other fire service leaders are saying, because they have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and understanding, because they want to do their job right, because doing their job right involves life-and-death decisions, and because the Main Program delivers this and more. After you have been in attendance and felt the energy present in that big ballroom full of America’s bravest, you will know why they keep coming back year after year to the FDIC and the Main Program.
JM: The conference center offers a variety of classrooms with capacities ranging from the main ballroom, which can hold more than 3,500, to standard classes that can go as low as 60 people. Sometimes the big draws are attributed to the class name: “The Art of Reading Smoke,” “Generation X Meets the Fire Service,” and “Truck Company Operations with or Without a Truck.” The draw could be a current hot topic or who’s speaking.
All the classes all popular. The selections offer enough variety to cover all aspects of firefighting-suppression, prevention, heavy rescue, ladder truck operations. Also, the quality of instructors is beyond compare. They’ve undergone a long process just to get there, so you know they’re top-notch.
FE: Describe the typical student.
BP: The students are hungry for training. They range from the rookie who’s 18 and just entering the fire service to a person in his late 60s who completed the eight-hour, grueling safety and survival course and got a standing ovation from the other 199 students and the instructors at the end of the day. For some of them, this is not all the training they get but truly the only hands-on training they get during the year. We do beat them up. One year, a H.O.T. student walked in the second morning after taking two truck company classes the first day and said, “I didn’t realize how tired I was. I got back to the hotel at 6:00 p.m. the first day, turned on the shower, and got fresh clothes out of my suitcase; when I woke up at 2:30 a.m., my clothes were still in my hand, and the shower was still running.”
RA: Our students are split between volunteer and paid/combination departments. Anyone who will succeed in the fire service attends the FDIC, where you get insight from other fire department leaders. It’s like a mentorship-you get to talk with these people, see them on the Main Program. You get more involved in the fire service by being there. The students are probably one-third instructors or aspiring instructors, one-third chief officers, and one-third line firefighters. They are future leaders; that’s why they’re there.
JM: These are high-quality people, people who choose to come. Since they come for a reason, there is more openness to the learning. They’re not forced. People who choose to be there are more receptive to new ideas-how to make the fireground safer, teach their department new things. Their receptiveness is a key for us to have them bring back the learning to their local department and integrate their knowledge into the system.
Bob Pressler is the Hands-on Training (H.O.T.) coordinator and a speaker. He organizes and contacts instructors for all the H.O.T. classes, obtains all equipment, secures sites, organizes the buses, supervises two days of setup, and troubleshoots two actual days of H.O.T. training by going to each site to make sure the classes are running smoothly. He solves any problems that come up involving injuries, broken equipment, and logistical problems. He has even personally loaded the buses in past years-he has done it all where H.O.T. is concerned. He also has been a speaker at the show-in 1999, the keynote speaker on training priorities and, every year, a classroom speaker on topics such as “common fireground mistakes”; “bread and butter operations revisited”; and, this year, “search.”
Rich Anderson is the program coordinator/executive producer for the Main Program and General Sessions. Like a conductor in a great orchestra, he leads a group of highly esteemed, creative, and dedicated individuals who are also leaders in the emergency service-Ron Kanterman, Mike Staley, Terry Anderson, and Raul Angulo. Dodd Technology Inc. provides sound and audiovisual support and additional creative input. Together, they work with Bill Manning, the conference director, to create the venue for the Main Program and produce the Big Room Sessions.
Jack Murphy is the educational coordinator for all interior H.O.T. workshops and classrooms. He receives approximately 400 proposals from speakers and, along with the Educational Advisory Board, whittles it down to 120. There is a long review process, with an extensive technical review of proposals by peers who sit on the board. At the show, he coordinates speaker needs and requests with available on-site resources to make sure classes run smoothly.
EXHIBIT HALL PREVIEW: Exhibitors Talk About Thier Products, the FDIC, and Their Special Events
Emergency One
Jay Johnson, vice president of marketing
FE: What do you like about FDIC, and why?
JJ: The entire program is well done. The Hands-On-Training (H.O.T.) Program and the conferences provide excellent educational opportunities for the fire service. Combining this with a trade show allows us the opportunity to meet many good prospective new customers and visit with many current customers.
FE: How long have you been involved with and sponsored the FDIC, and how?
JJ: To my knowledge, we have been involved with it for quite some time-certainly through the 1990s. We have sponsored the H.O.T. Program for the previous two years and will sponsor it again this year.
FE: How does the FDIC help you in the marketplace?
JJ: The relatively central location and time of year-combined with the attraction of the training and conferences-make it an opportune time to provide prospective customers with information on our current and new products. This is particularly important with prospective customers as they may be in various stages of considering the purchase of new apparatus.
FE: What new product/service/innovation will you introduce at the FDIC?
JJ: We will have some exciting new aerial and pumper products there. This will include the various brands with our group of companies-E-One, Saulsbury, and Bronto Skylift.
FE: What special events do you have planned for your booth at the FDIC?
JJ: Usually, for the first day of the show, we will coordinate some activity around our newest products that will be there. The details are not available at this time.
FE: What distinguishes your company and products from others in your business area?
JJ: For E-One brand products, we continue to build on our innovative legacy of extruded aluminum cab, body, and aerial construction. For Saulsbury brand products, our expertise is with stainless-steel body construction and special service vehicles (rescue, haz mat, control, incident command). For Bronto Skylift products, we offer some of the most versatile and highest-reach platforms available in the world.
Bacou-Dalloz (Survivair/Biosystems)
Bob Hitchcock, vice president of sales for technology products
FE: What do you like about FDIC, and why?
BH: We think the FDIC is the most significant fire service trade show in the United States. We see this as our best opportunity to see the most buying influencers on the breathing apparatus and gas detection market in the fire service.
FE: How long have you been involved with and sponsored the FDIC, and how?
BH: We have been exhibitors with the FDIC since the beginning. We have been a Gold Sponsor since Pennwell first initiated the program in 1997. It’s an excellent opportunity for us, and it gives us enormous exposure. We’re appreciative and will continue to be a Gold Sponsor as long as we are able.
FE: How does the FDIC help you in the marketplace?
BH: The FDIC provides excellent exposure, and it’s very cost-effective. We’re very happy to be associated with Fire Engineering in general and the FDIC in particular.
FE: What new product/service/innovation will you introduce at the FDIC?
BH: We plan to launch the Biosystems Toxi Vision CO Responder Kit for use by firefighters when investigating carbon monoxide levels in residential situations. Although we may not be displaying it in the booth, we are working on a heads-up display in anticipation of an NFPA regulation to come this fall.
FE: What special events do you have planned for your booth at the FDIC?
BH: There will be daily drawings for Survivair Smoke Eaters and Biosystems Toxi Vision CO Responder Kits. Attendees can tour the booth to be eligible.
FE: What distinguishes your company and products from others in your business area?
BH: Together, Survivair and Biosystems, as the Bacou-Dalloz Technical Products Group, are dedicated to providing innovative products and superior customer service to give our customers the finest collective solution for fire protection.
Elkhart Brass
Danny Brogdon, director of sales
FE: What do you like about FDIC, and why?
DB: The FDIC is the best show and best training available to the fire service anywhere throughout the year.
FE: How long have you been involved with and sponsored the FDIC, and how?
DB: We’ve been involved with the FDIC since Day 1, when it was in Memphis, Tennessee. We’ve always tried to be in at the beginning of things. We’ve been a Silver Sponsor since the 1997 FDIC.
FE: How does the FDIC help you in the marketplace?
DB: It gives us a platform to show what’s new and to be exposed to the largest group of fire service personnel at one gathering.
FE: What new product/service/innovation will you introduce at the FDIC?
DB: It’s our 100th anniversary as a family-started, family-run business. We’ll have a new logo, a new booth, and a new catalog. We’ll be displaying our expanded LDH and Select-O-Matic Master Stream product lines.
FE: What special events do you have planned for your booth at the FDIC?
DB: As we have done for the past four years, we will provide our nozzles and appliances for use in the H.O.T. drills.
FE: What distinguishes your company and products from others in your business area?
DB: The quality of our customer service. Whether it’s training, service, or anything, our forte is taking care of the customers-we exceed their needs and expectations.
Hale/Hurst Jaws of Life
Rita Leonard, marketing service manager
FE: What do you like about FDIC, and why?
RL: Because of the seminars at the FDIC, the quality of the attendees is always excellent.
FE: How long have you been involved with and sponsored the FDIC, and how?
RL: We have been involved in the FDIC since its inception in Memphis-our booth has just gotten bigger and bigger. We have been an exhibitor and sponsor since Fire Engineering’s involvement.
FE: How does the FDIC help you in the marketplace?
RL: It’s the first really big show of the season where we are going to introduce our new products for the year.
FE: What new product/service/innovation will you introduce at the FDIC?
RL: We have a number of new products to introduce this year.
FE: What special events do you have planned for your booth at the FDIC?
RL: We will have a slot machine at the Hurst booth and will be giving away stuffed animals.
FE: What distinguishes your company and products from others in your business area?
RL: Hale and Hurst products stand out among others in the field because of their quality and innovation. The number of new products we introduce is unique in the industry.
American LaFrance
Jeff Anderson, marketing manager
FE: What do you like about FDIC, and why?
JA: At the FDIC, we get the best volume of traffic of apparatus/truck committees of any national show. In addition to chiefs, we also see a lot of fire department officers and members involved in apparatus purchasing. They’re giving a good lookover at what’s new and what’s available as they go into the new year.
FE: How long have you been involved with and sponsored the FDIC, and how?
JA: American LaFrance has been a part of the FDIC for a number of years. We’re a Silver Sponsor for the first time this year.
FE: How does the FDIC help you in the marketplace?
JA: It gives a platform to showcase our corporate image and our product line and its diversity. The FDIC is an excellent opportunity to network with the industry as a whole, during the show and afterward.
FE: What new product/service/innovation will you introduce at the FDIC?
JA: We will have our new Medic Master Sprinter Type II ambulance at the FDIC for the first time. We will also have a new Freightliner M2 Business Class pumper that includes a new concept body.
FE: What special events do you have planned for your booth at the FDIC?
JA: We’re hosting a fundraiser Thursday night (7:30-9:30 p.m. at the Marriott) to benefit the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF), called “The American LaFrance Happy Hour.” The $5.00 cover charge will be donated to the NFFF. At this event, American LaFrance will host a hot-shrimp eating contest sponsored by St. Elmo’s Steakhouse; 10 fire departments will participate. There’ll be food, music, and a good time.
FE: What distinguishes your company and products from others in your business area?
JA: Our heritage and tradition dating back to 1832 and the continued high quality of our products. We have a completely integrated product line. We are uniquely positioned to provide the industry with the most complete line of fire apparatus-from ambulances, pumpers, rescues, and ladder and platform trucks to brush trucks and specialty vehicles.
Interspiro
Mike Brookman, president
FE: What do you like about FDIC, and why?
MB: It’s an excellent venue for bringing not only the leaders but also the fire service “change makers”-training officers and instructors-to one place. They are the driving force of the industry. The fire service evolves only through their insights into new practices and methods. We like to align ourselves with that and get their feedback on whether what we’re doing is consistent with that direction. It’s a very good forum for getting that feedback. Other trade shows don’t provide that view toward the world. The FDIC is all about learning, and the learning goes both ways-it’s a more intensive process.
FE: How long have you been involved with and sponsored the FDIC, and how?
MB: We’re developing an even closer relationship with the FDIC. We provide SCBAs for the H.O.T. program and sponsor the training manuals.
FE: How does the FDIC help you in the marketplace?
MB: We get better feedback from the FDIC than any other fire service show regarding where we should be going in refining our product line.
FE: What new product/service/innovation will you introduce at the FDIC?
MB: With so many people concerned about homeland defense and the resistance of SCBAs to chemical/biological agents, we’re borrowing from our military chemical warfare kit technology and bringing to our municipal market the first and only combination filter mask/SCBA. This product provides the protection of an SCBA and the on-scene duration of a filter mask. We will also be featuring new chemical counterterrorism outerwear and protective equipment.
FE: What special events do you have planned for your booth at the FDIC?
MB: We will be doing a live demonstration of the combination filter mask/SCBA unit. We will have an individual wearing the emsemble for the duration of the show so visitors can see firsthand how the technology works.
FE: What distinguishes your company and products from others in your business area?
MB: We have a tradition of constant innovation and improvement. We have been a technology and performance leader. With the combination filter mask/SCBA unit, we will demonstrate that once again.
MSA
Keith Iole, North American strategic accounts manager
FE: What do you like about FDIC, and why?
KI: We feel that the FDIC is a very well-run conference and exhibition. With the number of attendees continuing to grow, it is an excellent place to launch new products and services.
FE: How long have you been involved with and sponsored the FDIC, and how?
KI: We have been involved in the FDIC for quite a long time, going back at least 30 years. We were a Silver Sponsor in 2001 and are again this year.
FE: How does the FDIC help you in the marketplace?
KI: A well-attended exhibition and a good launching pad for new products, the FDIC gives us a lot of impetus in the marketplace with very effective product introduction. Also, it brings together very influential people from the fire service market in one location. We worked very hard on our exhibit and our ability to work our exhibit space properly.
FE: What new product/service/innovation will you introduce at the FDIC?
KI: Unfortunately, this year there will be no new product introductions because of the timing of our new product development. It is a first in a long, long time.
FE: What special events do you have planned for your booth at the FDIC?
KI: There will be a lot of innovation at our booth based on how we display our products and present our message. We’re looking at constructing a durability course to put our products through to show the quality that’s built into them.
FE: What distinguishes your company and products from others in your business area?
KI: We have a sophisticated, well-established sales and marketing organization, a large sales group of well in excess of 100 individuals, and a very significant and dedicated product development organization. With our large sales and marketing group, we bring the voice of our customers to our product development to market the product our customers want to purchase. We pride ourselves on having very significant quality programs and put out a very high-quality product.
Scott Health & Safety
Shirley Austin, marketing communications specialist
FE: What do you like about the Fire Department Instructors Conference?
SA: The FDIC is a well-organized convention with the classes and exhibits. It gives the fire service the exposure to manufacturers, sales, and training-all essential for the fire service.
FE: Why do you support the FDIC?
SA: As a manufacturer, we need to know ideas that would help us in producing new innovative products that support the fire service.
FE: What new products, innovations, or ideas are you launching at the 2002 FDIC?
SA: We will be introducing two new products: SEMS – Scott Emergency Management System (an accountability system) and also a new SCBA.
PARATECH
Jeff Garner, sales manager
FE: What do you like about the Fire Department Instructors Conference?
JG: Indianapolis is a great city in which to host a show. Everything is within walking distance, and there are fire personnel and vendors everywhere. The best attraction during the FDIC is the Hands-on Training program. Some of the best instructors in the world are brought in to provide knowledge and support to any firefighter wishing to become the best he/she can be. Other shows miss this important feature.
FE: Why do you support the FDIC?
JG: We have a great relationship with Fire Engineering, and we believe both Fire Engineering and the FDIC allow us to offer the highest level of support to the fire service. The FDIC is a great place to have candid conversations with firefighters from around the country. As a manufacturer, we learn a great deal from these conversations, and we appreciate the opportunities that the FDIC presents.
FE: What new products, innovations, or ideas are you launching at the 2002 FDIC?
JG: We are excited about our latest innovation in collapse rescue shoring, which we will launch at FDIC 2002. The Spiral Lockstroke Strut (SLS) offers both full adjustment for a soft placement and a self-locking mechanism for remote placement. The combination of these two features allows us to offer firefighters the most versatile piece of shoring equipment in the world.
Oshkosh Truck Corporation/Pierce
Kirsten Skyba, vice president-communications
FE: What do you like about the Fire Department Instructors Conference?
KS: The training and seminars are top-notch. The quality of these programs really draws in a great mix of paid and volunteer firefighters and officers, exactly the professionals who are interested in our fire apparatus. In addition, this is a good opportunity for Pierce to be able to showcase our extensive line of aerials, since we can elevate them in the Dome.
FE: Why do you support the FDIC?
KS: Again, the education and training provided at the FDIC merit our support. Today’s fire service is changing at a rapid pace, with new challenges appearing almost daily. Pierce strongly believes this type of education helps the fire service, helping share knowledge and skills that can benefit everyone. That’s something we definitely support.
FE: What new products, innovations, or ideas are you launching at the 2002 FDIC?
KS: We are bringing a number of products to the show. The TAK-4 Independent Suspension system greatly improves ride comfort, provides increased performance, and can extend the useful life of fire apparatus. It improves braking performance by 23 percent. A fire truck equipped with the TAK-4 system can stop from 60 mph to 0 in 200 feet instead of 260 feet. No other fire truck manufacturer has its own independent front suspension system. Since it was first introduced at last year’s FDIC, Pierce has sold almost 200 units equipped with this performance-enhancing option. Our new wildland/urban-interface pumper was built on the MTVR chassis by our parent company, Oshkosh Truck, for the U.S. Marine Corps. It can go where other trucks are unable to, getting into the backcountry where it’s needed most. This truck can climb 60-percent grades and travel in the roughest terrain on the planet. Pierce has upgraded its industry-leading Command Zone electronics system, which brings vehicle diagnostics to a new level. As soon as you start your vehicle’s engine, the system automatically checks each electrical circuit. Command Zone also displays all vital vehicle and pump operation data on a six-inch electroluminescent screen. This display screen provides at-a-glance readability, even in direct sunlight. Our Contender Series custom pumper was used at the Utah Olympic Public Safety Command (UOPSC) during the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. Pierce is the exclusive fire apparatus donor of the UOPSC.
Super Vac
Roger Weinmeister, vice-president
FE: What do you like about the Fire Department Instructors Conference?
RW: We like the FDIC because of the quality of the attendees. They are generally more influential than most show attendees, because of their position, aggressiveness to learn new things, age, and enthusiasm.
FE: Why do you support the FDIC?
RW: It is the prime show for introducing new products. As the first major show of the year, it is the one that gets everything started.
FE: What new products, innovations, or ideas are you launching at the 2002 FDIC?
RW: We have a new line of water-driven fans, a roll cage 24-inch fan, and increased air flow on all electric and gas PPVs. Command Light is introducing a new rotating Shadow light that is both versatile and affordable. SVI Trucks is introducing a Terrorism Response Truck in cooperation with Ford and Life Safety Systems. We are showing the ultimate in heavy rescue technology with a new tandem axle truck.
Niedner
Tom Troutner, director of sales and marketing
FE: What do you like about the Fire Department Instructors Conference?
TT: The professionalism of the FDIC staff and their desire to give us the best show possible.
FE: Why do you support the FDIC?
TT: Because of the contacts our company makes and because we support the exhibit staff. Without them, this show would fall down like so many others.
FE: What new products, innovations, or ideas are you launching at the 2002 FDIC?
TT: We are launching a product called Wedgee, which has a light and PASS alarm built into it, weighs approximately six ounces, and will cost approximately $35.00.
Motorola
Jan Zabolotzky, trade show manager
FE: What do you like about the Fire Department Instructors Conference?
JZ: The FDIC provides an opportunity to meet face-to-face with firefighters and public safety personnel who use our products. We are able to get feedback on how our products are performing and what features and functions the customer would like to see added.
FE: Why do you support the FDIC?
JZ: We support the FDIC because the conference attendance represents a good cross-section of the overall fire service community. This provides an excellent forum for networking, delivering key educational sessions, and conducting market research for any company that supports the fire service.
FE: What new products, innovations, or ideas are you launching at the 2002 FDIC?
JZ: We are giving two seminars: “Future Fireground Communications for Firefighter Safety” and “Getting the Most Out of Your Fire Communications System.” Also, our booth will feature new mobile data and handheld devices, Customer Service Request systems, and Fire Station Alerting and Fault Monitoring systems.
Draeger Safety
Julie Malinowski, SCBA product manager
FE: What do you like about the Fire Department Instructors Conference?
JM: The FDIC is considered one of the most important fire shows for manufacturers. New products are targeted for introduction at this show because of the attendee list. FDIC attendees are instructors who use and train on equipment every day. They are often on the buying and evaluation committees for their departments. They are attending the show not only for the instructional venue but also to investigate what the manufacturers have and what is on the horizon. For manufacturers, this is a fabulous opportunity to talk with influencers and decision makers.
FE: Why do you support the FDIC?
JM: It is important to support the FDIC so that fire departments can have access to the latest training and technology. The FDIC is important to the attendees for the courses offered. The FDIC is invaluable to manufacturers to take the pulse of the fire service market. By talking with attendees, we can examine trends, practices, and needs.
FE: What new products, innovations, or ideas are you launching at the 2002 FDIC?
JM: With the upcoming NFPA standard changes high on everyone’s list this year, we will be introducing our new heads-up display, as well as our telemetry system. We will feature our new AirBoss Plus harnesses, our BAcomm communication system, and RIT Lifeguard.
Allison Transmission
Phyllis Wilkinson, media director
FE: What do you like about the Fire Department Instructors Conference?
PW: By participating in the FDIC, we get the opportunity to make contact with the professionals and decision makers who select and purchase products for the fire industry.
FE: Why do you support the FDIC?
PW: We feel the FDIC is the premier show in the industry, and it is the only major fire industry show that we attend and participate in.
FE: What new products, innovations, or ideas are you launching at the 2002 FDIC?
PW: We will be launching our new Allison Automatic EVS (Emergency Vehicle Series), which raises truck and driver performance to a new level. Specially engineered for emergency vehicles, the EVS accommodates higher horsepower engines to deliver more torque to the wheels. This, combined with Allison automatic full-power, fully automatic shifts, means faster acceleration for shorter trip times. Having no clutch to press and no manual shifting lever reduces driver distraction and stress. On scene, precise vehicle positioning is accomplished with just subtle presses on the accelerator. The new EVS also offers electronic controls that can be programmed to inhibit vehicle movement during the use of auxiliary equipment, for added safety. The series is backed by a five-year standard warranty.
Whelen Engineering
Anne Niles, director of marketing/communications
FE: What do you like about the Fire Department Instructors Conference?
AN: We have supported the FDIC for approximately 12 years. From the beginning, the FDIC has provided the best audience for showcasing our aggressive offering of new safety and warning products. At this one show, we meet with the decision makers, the specification writers, the builders, and the end users of Whelen products and are provided with opportunities to communicate with them on a formal and informal basis. The quality of the training seminars presented by the FDIC dictates a higher-quality attendee, and this is the profile of the person we want to work with and respond to.
FE: Why do you support the FDIC?
AN: As the FDIC has grown, so has our presence, from a 10 2 10 booth to a custom 20 2 60 exhibit. All along the way, the show management has been particularly well organized, helpful, and encouraging, providing a personalized approach that we find with no other trade show. We are also pleased that the show has stayed in the central location of Indianapolis, which seems to serve our needs and our customer’s needs very well.
FE: What new products, innovations, or ideas are you launching at the 2002 FDIC?
AN: We will showcase new products featuring advanced LED and strobe technology in low-profile lightbars and directional lighting. We’ll be demonstrating newly engineered optics and electronics for greater light output and performance, light and siren products with housings and fixtures designed to meet the specific needs of the fire apparatus and EMS industry.
Ferrara Trucks
Jeffrey A. Bean, executive vice-president
FE: What do you like about the Fire Department Instructors Conference?
JB: The FDIC allows us to reach a large and diverse group of attendees at one time.
FE: Why do you support the FDIC?
JB: Attendees at the show tend to have involvement specifying and/or purchasing equipment utilized by their departments.
FE: What new products, innovations, or ideas are you launching at the 2002 FDIC?
JB: We will show two new versions of our Inferno custom pumper apparatus. n
