The Apparatus Architect - Part 36
When the next edition of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1901 Automotive Fire Apparatus Standard hits the streets later this year, there will be a new round of safety-related requirements that all new apparatus will have to comply with starting in 2009.
Among the changes will be requirements for an event data recorder that will document and store such activities as vehicle speed, braking, warning-light activation, antilock braking system (ABS) events and other important data. Also required will be a seatbelt monitoring system visually showing seats that are occupied and when the seatbelts have been properly deployed and engaged as well as a requirement for chevron striping across the rear of the apparatus body.
All of the new requirements in the standard are designed to improve and advance firefighter safety. As statistics continue to show, a large number of firefighter injuries and fatalities occur when responding to incidents and operating around our own apparatus. These new standards should cause us to take pause and carefully evaluate not only how well we enforce our standard operating guidelines (SOGs) with respect to apparatus operations, but look at where and how we can improve the safety of the present units in our apparatus fleets.
First let's look at our warning lights. NFPA 1901, in Chapter 13, gives us a good start to determine the location, color and intensity required for the four different zones around the apparatus. Chances are that if your apparatus is more than 10 years old, it probably does not meet the current standard. With the increasing number of accidents occurring while responding to alarms, we must understand that some motorists -- with all of the distractions of soundproof cars, radios, cell phones and other devices -- at times do not recognize our units as emergency vehicles. One step we can initiate is to ensure that our present apparatus fleet is current with respect to NFPA 1901 as it relates to emergency lighting and reflective materials to outline each piece of apparatus on all sides of the vehicle. Also, it is important to note that the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) in conjunction with the federal Department of Transportation (DOT) is scientifically studying and evaluating the best, safest lighting package for all emergency vehicles. Information on that study should be available by the end of the year.
Custom- and commercial-chassis apparatus have historically positioned warning lights on the cab roof and lower portion of the cab around the grill area. As warning light technology has advanced, we have moved from halogen flashing and rotating lamps to strobe lights and now have many versions of LED lights to choose from. The full-width bar lights mounted on the cab roof do a good job of alerting traffic that is approaching from a distance; however, as these lights are typically over eight feet above the ground, they do little to alert vehicles that are several car lengths in front of the apparatus. Lower-level lights strategically placed below the windshield in several locations may alert more civilians than the larger bar lights on the cab roof.
Consideration should be given to locating warning lights at two different levels both in the grill area and the bumper area to alert traffic. When laying out the location of these lights, be careful that the light output would not be blocked by other components such as hose, tools or front-suction swivels. The front surface of the bumper can be used to place several surface-mount LED or strobe lights that will provide additional coverage without being blocked by other components.
NFPA 1901 is a minimum standard and when evaluating your apparatus fleet, consider adding additional lower-zone lighting along the length of the vehicle and at the rear to provide additional protection in this area. With the advent of lower-amperage draw lighting, the apparatus electrical system is not generally being overtaxed as compared to the era when you could build your own halogen lamp light bar that by itself could draw over 70 amps! The mission should be to upgrade the emergency and scene lighting on the apparatus to improve our safety when responding to incidents and operating at the scene.
Another area of concern is when we have to climb anywhere on the apparatus to secure a piece of equipment, pull an attack line or load hose after an incident. Chances are that your present apparatus is equipped with a series of folding or fixed steps that enable your to climb from the ground up into the hosebed. While these devices are compliant with NFPA 1901, are they really safe? Why do we install folding steps at the front of the body of a pumper? Maybe in years past it was to gain access to the booster reel or some other equipment. With fully enclosed four-door cabs and rescue-style body compartments, attempting to climb up several fold-down steps that are on 18-inch centers in a narrow space may not be the best and safest way to access the top of the apparatus. Consider installing a series of fixed steps at the rear of the body or a full-width ladder with appropriate lighting and handrails to climb into the hosebed area. Train personnel to always access equipment that is carried on top of the apparatus from the rear where there are sufficient steps and handrails to improve safety.
When designing new apparatus, consider removing all fold-down steps and provide adequate stepping surfaces at the rear body when necessary. On engine company apparatus, when specifying a master-stream appliance above the pump, make sure that the deck gun can operate in a 360-degree arc without restriction. Introducing a raised-roof cab or high body sides can often restrict the operation of the appliance to 90 degrees to either side of the unit. While you can spend additional money to specify an electrically controlled master-stream device, make sure you require a stream shaper tube and smooth bore tips. The fog nozzle may look nice on the gun, but does not provide the reach and penetration required when operating a master-stream device. Many departments have designed hosebeds to accommodate 200 to 250 feet of three-inch pre-connected hose to supply a lightweight portable deck gun. These devices can be deployed by one person and do not require you to climb up to the top of the apparatus, making it much safer and easier to position and rapidly deploy a master-stream device.
If the equipment locations, hose loads and stepping surfaces on your apparatus have not changed since the unit was placed into service, and assuming that the engine is at least 10 years old, it may be a good time to evaluate the safety and operational aspects of your apparatus. The safety of personnel should be paramount in the design, maintenance and testing of apparatus. Just because your units may have some age on them does not mean that you cannot identify and address safety concerns to make each piece of apparatus as safe to operate from as possible.
The next installment of "The Apparatus Architect" will discuss unique design concepts for mobile water-supply units together with new components that you may wish to specify for your next apparatus.
TOM SHAND, a Firehouse® contributing editor, is a 33-year veteran of the fire service and works with Michael Wilbur at Emergency Vehicle Response, consulting on a variety of fire apparatus and fire department master-planning issues. He is employed by Seagrave Fire Apparatus LLC as a regional sales manager. MICHAEL WILBUR, a Firehouse® contributing editor, is a lieutenant in the New York City Fire Department, assigned to Ladder Company 27 in the Bronx, and has served on the FDNY Apparatus Purchasing Committee. He consults on a variety of apparatus-related issues around the country. For further information, access his website at www.emergencyvehicleresponse.com.