>> TOYNE INC. debuted a corporate rebranding initiative focusing on the quality of its fire and emergency apparatus along with its unique, personalized production process. Toyne revealed its new brand and corporate positioning, Built to Take the Call™, at the company’s annual dealer summit following an internal launch with employees. Company leaders emphasized every member of the Toyne team as an integral part of its dedication to setting the highest quality standards in the industry. There is also a renewed focus being placed on the company’s customization capabilities, known as Toyne Tailored Apparatus, reflecting its commitment to being American owned and operated. www.toyne.com.
>> The INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS (IAFC) presented Violet Township Fire Department (VTFD), Pickerington, Ohio, with the 2013 Billy Goldfeder Fire Service Organizational Safety Award. VTFD was recognized for improving the health and safety of all of its members by implementing a mandatory seat belt policy and partnering with a physical therapist to treat and prevent injuries. The department was also credited with using a traffic control device called “Opticom,” which ensures that all responding apparatus stop at red lights and stop signs. Additionally, VTFD was also singled out for its emphasis on preventative medicine, requiring annual physicals for all of its more than 80 employees from 2010 to 2012. www.iafc.org.
>> FOXFURY LIGHTING SOLUTIONS celebrated its 10-year anniversary with Web and Twitter contests and by partnering with 1st Responder Treatment and Chasing4Life on the “Reach 4 The Light” crusade, which focuses on critical stress management. FoxFury formed in August 2003 to create a wide-angle LED headlamp for night surfing. Within months, first responders approached FoxFury asking if the lights could be made fire resistant and weatherproof. 10 years later, the company now offers LED headlamps, flashlights, area lights, pistol lights, shield lights, and forensic light sources. More than 100,000 civil servants from around the globe have benefited from FoxFury lights. www.foxfury.com.
>> GLOBE, in partnership with DuPont and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), awarded East Glacier Park (MT) Volunteer Fire Department and Happy Jack (AZ) Fire Services with four sets of new, state-of-the-art Globe gear in the 2013 Globe Gear Giveaway program. Through the program, Globe and DuPont are providing up to 52 sets of gear to volunteer fire departments in need. The program is administered through the NVFC and open to NVFC members in the U.S. and Canada who are all-volunteer departments that serve a population of 25,000 or less. www.globeturnoutgear.com.
>> RAE SYSTEMS INC. received an Exceptional Service Award from New Jersey’s Berkeley Emergency Response Team (BERT) for its actions during Hurricane Sandy. As Sandy approached Ocean County, New Jersey, BERT was down two of its multigas detection monitors, critical tools used in disaster operations to monitor environments for toxic gases. The response team contacted Gen-El Safety & Industrial Products, who requested emergency help from RAE Systems. New Jersey-based regional gas detection expert G. Robert Ladzinski responded to the request within hours, delivering two MultiRAE multigas monitors with photoionization detection capabilities to BERT for use during the storm.
>> PHENIX FIRE HELMETS celebrated its 40th year in business by announcing the winners of its Facebook photo contest at FDIC 2013. After reviewing 10 finalists, Phenix decided that it would increase its donation to help two departments instead of just one. From March 1 to April 1, finalists submitted supporting documentation describing in detail why they needed and deserved the helmets. Teaming with the National Firefighters Endowment and Eye Safety Systems, Phenix awarded its NFPA-compliant firefighter helmets to Wears Valley Fire Department (Sevierville, Tennessee) and Ozark (MO) Fire Protection District. The helmets were delivered to the two departments in mid-July. www.phenixfirehelmets.com.
>> The CENTER FOR LIFE SAFETY EDUCATION (CLSE) awarded its Philip L. DeCamara, Jr. Memorial Scholarships to University of Maryland (UM) fire protection engineering students Catherine Hamel and Conor McCoy. Hamel, a junior with a 3.91 grade point average (GPA), was awarded the $4,000 first-place scholarship. She is an active member of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers’ student chapter and has performed a life safety analysis evaluation of a UM campus building using the code laid out in NFPA 101. McCoy, also a junior with a 3.93 GPA, was awarded a second-place scholarship of $3,000. The scholarship recognizes excellence in academics and leadership. www.clse.org.
>> The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE FIRE MARSHALS (NASFM) awarded Casey Grant with its 2013 Norman Y. Mineta Excellence in Transportation Safety Award. Grant, research director for the Fire Protection Research Foundation, was selected based on his management of a large body of research conducted to support the National Fire Protection Association’s Electric Vehicle Safety Training Project, which is designed to educate emergency responders about hybrid and electric vehicles. The award was established by NASFM in 2005 and is given annually to an individual or team that has made a significant and lasting contribution to the safety of people, products, and materials in transit.
>> The NATIONAL FALLEN FIREFIGHTERS FOUNDATION (NFFF) partnered with Nickelodeon Suites Resort in Orlando, Florida, to sponsor the Hal Bruno Camp for Children of Fallen Firefighters. The camp, held August 8-11, provided an opportunity for children ages 4-6 from across the country to meet with others their age who share a similar experience. The camp provides a therapeutic component in combination with a fun setting, allowing campers to process their grief in a fun and safe environment. Campers met SpongeBob, Dora the Explorer, and other favorite cartoon characters and had the “Slime of their life.” Meetings with parents focused on how to help children who are grieving. The NFFF assisted with travel expenses and provided lodging and meals. www.nickhotel.com. www.firehero.org.
>> TRUE NORTH was awarded the 2013 North American APEX Award for its Briteline Fleece Jacket. The award goes to the finest Polartec®-based garments. Winners were slected based on the style, function, and fit of the garment as well as the most innovative and appropriate uses of Polartec® fabrics in the designs. The Briteline offers flame resistance without the weight and bulk of other cold weather jackets. The jacket is ANSI 107 Class 3 level 2 compliant and comes in hi-vis orange to comply with CSA Z96-09 Class 2. www.dragonwear.com. www.truenorthgear.com.
Fire Engineering Archives
