Buying a new fire apparatus can be overwhelming, expensive and compounded by evolving national standards. Tom Shand and Mike Wilbur are industry experts when it comes to helping you understand and write a fire apparatus specification for your department.
Shand and Wilbur will offer “Basic Specification Writing,” a four-hour, pre-conference program as part of the Fire Department Safety Officers Association (FDSOA) 29th Annual Apparatus Specification and Maintenance Symposium, Sunday, January 15-18th, 2017, at the Wyndham Orlando Resort I-Drive, Orlando, Fla.
“Purchasing a piece of fire apparatus today can become a complex process of determining your department's needs, meeting with manufacturers’ representatives, specification development and securing adequate financial support from your community’s purchasing authority,” said Shand.
The duo will also cover a host of purchasing options: using a nationally-recognized consortium, tagging on to a neighboring department’s contract or writing your own specification. Which is best, which is most cost effective and how do you make sure you actually get what you asked for? These and many other topics, issues and concepts will be covered in the fast paced, four-hour class.
Tom Shand is a 40-year veteran of the fire service and has 28 years in engineering and sales with several apparatus manufacturers. Mike Wilbur has over 40 years as a volunteer firefighter and spent 32 years as a career firefighter with New York City Fire Department. Shand and Wilbur are contributing writers to Firehouse magazine and Fire Apparatus Journal.
The FDSOA 29th Annual Apparatus Symposium is presented with support from the members of the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers Association (FAMA).
The 29th Apparatus Symposium will also include the topics of:
- “Building Maintenance into Apparatus Specs,” Mike Bowman, Smeal Fire Apparatus
- “Boston Apparatus Experience,” Ralph Craven, Chief Robert Calobrisi and James Obrien (BFD)
- “Rear Suspension for the Fire Service,” Dave Archer, Pierce and Neil Davis, E-ONE
- Aerial platform design, battery and charging systems, camera systems and more!
On Sunday, January 15th, a welcome reception for all attendees and vendors will be held from 5 – 6:30 p.m. Don’t miss this opportunity to network with a focused group of fire chiefs, fleet supervisors, EVTs and manufacturing leaders. For a complete conference agenda and registration, visit www.FDSOA.org.
The Fire Department Safety Officers Association (FDSOA) was established in 1989 as a non-profit association, incorporated in Massachusetts. In 2013, the offices moved to Michigan. Its mission is to promote safety standards and practices in the fire, rescue and emergency services community. The association is led by a volunteer board of directors and has a small staff to handle the day-to-day operations. The association is dedicated to the issues that affect the critical role of the safety officer in protecting and promoting the safety and health responsibilities of fire departments, communities and first responders. FDSOA works to helps fire departments achieve proficiency and promote the recognition of training, skills and a secure future. In May 2016, FDSOA won the Paul S. Sarbanes Fire Service Safety Leadership Award for its work over 28 years, “as an organization fully dedicated to the health and safety of the nation’s firefighters.”
