For the Record 4/20

LAFD Purchases Electric Fire Truck

The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) became the first fire department in North America to purchase a pre-series vehicle that’s based on the Concept Fire Truck (CFT). The electric apparatus from Rosenbauer will be delivered before the end of the year and will be put into practice as part of a comprehensive test operation in 2021.

The pre-series vehicle will have two batteries that provide a charge capacity of 100-kw hours. This enables fully electric operation for roughly two hours and covers about 90 percent of all applications. A 200-kw range extender is integrated for longer application times. The apparatus will be adjusted to meet the needs of the LAFD in terms of usage and loading, without limiting the flexible vehicle architecture in the process. The vehicle is designed to meet all standards of the NFPA.

“The electric fire engine is an innovative tool that will help reduce noise and harmful diesel emissions and provide a flexible tool for firefighting and rescue operations from a technologically advanced platform,” LAFD Chief Ralph Terrazas said. “We are looking forward to evaluating it in a real-world environment once it hits the streets of Hollywood next year.”

Rosenbauer’s CFT was first presented to the public in 2016. The main application area for CFT technology is municipal firefighting vehicles, but it also will be applied to other types of vehicles down the line. Rosenbauer estimates that the number of vehicles that have technology that’s similar to CFT will increase to about 3,200 by 2030; as many as 400 such vehicles could be in service in North America by 2025.

For more information on the CFT, visit rosenbaueramerica.com.

NFPA Conference & Expo Set for JuneThe NFPA Conference & Expo, which will be held June 15–18 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL, will offer more than 120 sessions on a variety of topics, including: the Fire & Life Safety Ecosystem; code compliance; emergency preparedness and response; emerging technologies; system inspection, testing and maintenance; wildland fire mitigation; public education; and data collection and analysis.

This year’s program provides dozens of distinguished speakers, hundreds of exhibitors, and the chance to share your expertise and connect with a global network of colleagues collaborating to make the world a safer place.

The 2020 General Session will focus on the leadership principles that will allow the fire service community to lead the way toward a safer world. NFPA CEO and President Jim Pauley will reflect on his own leadership challenges as the head of an organization on which many have relied for more than a century.

Admiral William H. McRaven, who is a retired U.S. Navy four-star admiral and the former chancellor of the University of Texas System, also will be a featured speaker during the General Session.

During his time in the military, McRaven commanded special operations forces at every level, eventually taking charge of the U.S. Special Operations Command. His career included combat during Desert Storm and both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. He commanded the troops that captured Saddam Hussein. McRaven also is credited with developing the plan and leading the Osama bin Laden mission in 2011.

For more information, visit nfpa.org.

Application Period Opens for Globe Gear Giveaway

A pplications are being accepted for the 2020 MSA Globe Gear Giveaway program. Sponsored by MSA, DuPont and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), the 2020 program will equip 13 volunteer fire departments with four new sets of state-of-the-art turnout gear and four new helmets to enhance their firefighters’ safety.

Since the program began in 2012, 507 sets of turnout gear that totals in excess of $1 million have been awarded to 108 departments. MSA donated four helmets to each winning department for the first time in 2019 and will continue to do so in 2020 to help to provide full ensemble protection.

“Protecting firefighters is what we do at MSA,” said Eleni Lucido, who is vice president and general manager of MSA’s business in the United States and Canada. “For more than a century, we’ve been committed to providing workers all around the world with the equipment they need to help keep them safe. We’re proud to partner with the NVFC to provide state-of-the-art turnout gear to departments in need.”

To be eligible to apply, a department’s volunteer membership must exceed 50 percent, serve a population of 25,000 or fewer, be located in the United States or Canada and demonstrate significant need for new gear. The person who submits the application or the department chief must be a member of the NVFC. MSA will provide a complimentary NVFC membership to the first 500 applicants to help departments meet the membership requirement.

“Volunteer fire departments often struggle to fund the resources and equipment necessary to do their jobs safely and effectively,” NVFC Chair Steve Hirsch said. “We are grateful for the generosity of MSA, Globe and DuPont in providing critical, life-saving gear to the dedicated volunteers who serve their local communities. Through this incredible program, we have been able to increase the safety and protection for hundreds of firefighters throughout the U.S. and Canada.” John Richard, vice president and general manager for DuPont Safety, added, “With the increase in wildfires over recent years, firefighter safety has never been more important. We are proud to provide firefighting teams with the latest personal protective equipment to build confidence in their safety when battling the next blaze.”

For more information, visit nvfc.org/globe-gear-giveaway.

Line-of-Duty Deaths

4 U.S. firefighters recently died in the line of duty. Two firefighters died during fireground operations, one died in a motor-vehicle accident and one death was health-related.

FIRE CHIEF MANUEL GALINDO, JR., 71, of the Fort Hancock, TX, Volunteer Fire Department, died on Feb. 12. Galindo was driving a fire apparatus on East Highway 20 in Hudspeth County when his vehicle veered off of the road. He reportedly attempted to get the vehicle back on the highway but overcorrected. The apparatus flipped over, and Galindo was ejected. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.

CAPT. RAMON “RAY” FIGUEROA, 35, and FIREFIGHTER PATRICK JONES, 25, of the Porterville, CA, Fire Department, died on Feb. 18. Firefighters from Porterville, as well as the counties of King, Fresno and Tulare, responded to a fire at the Porterville Public Library. The fire broke out at about 4:15 p.m., and Porterville crews made their way to the library, which is only a block away from a fire station. Figueroa and Jones perished battling the blaze. Two teen boys were arrested on suspicion of starting the fire.

FIREFIGHTER/EMT DONALD “DONNY” LEPPER, 46, of Indianola, NE, Fire and Rescue, died on Feb. 23. After returning home from a grass fire, Lepper collapsed. He was taken immediately to the Community Hospital of McCook, where he was pronounced deceased.