femsa news fall 2010 newsletter

FEMSA NewsThe Resource for Public Safety Businesses

Fall 2010

www.FeMSa.org

and FireFighterNation.com are the proud sponsors of the FeMSa 2010 Fall Newsletter

INTerSchUTz 2010They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and that can be applied to the INTERSCHUTZ show held in Leipzig, Germany

MeMber NewS. 8-22

weLcoMe To SaN aNToNIo. FEMSA Annual Meeting, Page 6

PreSIdeNT’S MeSSage. Working together is success Page 2

hoMe daYIllinois and MichiganPage 9

Trade Show

UPdaTe

REPORTCARD

Working Together with a Unified FocusFeMSa & FaMa working together San antonio, Texas - october 7-8

are You Making the Most out of This business Time Frame in the Manufacturing Industry?

Welcome to San Antonio! I certainly hope you are reading this newsletter at our annual meeting. Un-less you have been living in seclusion, you couldn’t possibly have missed the marvelous promotions created by Paul Andrews, Debbie Murray and Kathy Whitehead from our marketing committee to promote the annual meeting. I thank you for making the commitment to learn about the future of the fire service, and for working with other FEMSA and FAMA members to further improve our industry.

“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” ~Henry Ford

This statement by Henry Ford pretty much sums up what FEMSA repeatedly has been doing over the last decade with its members and with other organizations, in particular FAMA. This, however, is only the beginning of what needs to be done to make FEMSA and the industry stronger.

As I mentioned in the last newsletter, the FEMSA and FAMA boards have been coming together more frequently to understand all industry issues, share resources, and work together to help the members of both organizations, government regulations, EPA emissions, shrinking budgets, and many more issues either directly or indirectly affecting you and your company. Just as the emergency services industry has an all hands approach, we as a trade association also must take that approach.

With our industry being so small, issues that affect one segment of our industry certainly will have an impact on others. For example, if a government regulation makes fire apparatus more expensive, im-practical, and more costly for the department to operate, this has a direct impact on the department’s ability to buy other equipment or services that we provide. The same would be true if a government tariff raised the price of materials going into a garment, or a tax would be added to services that are provided by our member companies. Our customers’ ability to buy other products, apparatus and services would greatly be limited.

So you may ask, what does this mean for me? If you are attending the annual meeting, take the time to meet and learn about FAMA or FEMSA member companies you may not know about. Plus,throughout the year, don’t pass by industry issues that seem like they have no effect on your business because indirectly they probably will. This small act will help the boards of both FEMSA and FAMA as we work together to make our industry the best!

In addition, some FEMSA members will have another opportunity to work together to strengthen our organization by participating in a statistics program that will help us promote and defend the importance of what we do; that is, providing products and services to those who protect us. This type of statistical gathering is something that FAMA has done for years. The system they use is tested and proven by the sands of time, and it will be the starting basis for our project.

This project is no small undertaking, but it is what the board feels is needed to make FEMSA take the next step to strengthen our organization and to provide even more value to its members. As we gather in our caucus groups, I am asking everyone to come with the notion of going beyond keeping together; to take the next step of working together by bringing open feedback and ideas to get this valuable project off the ground. I thank you again for attending the annual meeting to make this type of project possible.

Finally, I would like to offer a special thanks to Bill Lawson and Janet Wilmoth for their enormous efforts in planning what should be a magnificent annual meeting. I feel they have built a program that is not only interesting, but one that will bring a solid return on your investment of time and money. It is the efforts of folks like these, and the efforts of all of our committee members and chairs, that makes this organization great!

Dan Reese

Thank you,

Fall 2010

Official Publication of The Fire and Emergency Manufacturers and Services Association, Inc.

P.O. Box 147Lynnfield, MA 01940-0147Phone - 781-334-2771Email - [email protected] - www.femsa.org

Provided to members as a benefit of mem-bership. Articles from members are invited. FEMSA reserves the right to edit for factual content, brevity and clarity.

©Copyright 2010, FEMSA, MA (USA)Editors: Karen Burnham, Dan Reese

Newsletter Committee:Jennifer Altfield-Schlett

Board Liaison: Paul AndrewsLayout: Simon Steinbach

Events Calendar: Bob Barraclough

Thanks to our advertisers...

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President’s Message

Annual Meeting Planning Bill Lawson / Janet Wilmoth, Board Liaison • Education Greg Toritto/Crosby Grindle Committee Chairs; Janet Wilmoth, Board Liaison • Governmental Affairs John Granby, Board Liaison • Marketing/Newsletter Joe Skey Committee Chair; Paul Andrews, Board Liaison • Membership Joe Porter, Committee Chair; Roger Weinmeister, Board Liaison • Nominating Lila Gillespie, Committee Chair; Doug Bonney, Board Liaison • Strategic Planning Dan Reese, Board Liaison • Trade Show Advisory Ken Nielsen Board Liaison • UIG Bill Burke, Committee Chair; Don Welch, Board Liaison

Current Active FEMSA Committees:

2 Fall 2010 • FEMSA.org

FEMSA News

Certificates of Insurance 101

10

2010 FEMSA Board of Directors

Roger Weinmeister (2010)Executive Committee MemberSuper Vacuum Mfg. Co., Inc.(970) [email protected]

Doug Bonney (2011)Kochek Co., Inc.(860) [email protected]

Paul Andrews (2010)FirefighterNation.comGo Forward Media(240) 595-2352 [email protected]

Ken Nielsen (2010)Paratech Incorporated(815) [email protected]

Janet Wilmoth (2011)Fire Chief Publications(312) [email protected]

John Granby (2010)Lion Apparel, Inc.(937) [email protected]

Rick Singer (2012)Akron Brass Company(330) [email protected]

Giff Swayne (2012) Past President Holmatro, Inc.(410) 768-9662 [email protected]

Board Members

Officers/Executive Committee

Dan Reese (2012)President Alexis Fire Equipment Company(309) [email protected]

Bill Lawson (2011)Vice President PBI Performance Products, Inc.(704) [email protected]

Melinda Freeman (2012)Secretary-Treasurer (352) [email protected]

Don Welch (2011)Executive Committee MemberGlobe Manufacturing Co.(603) 435-8323, [email protected]

Mike Natchipolsky (2012)Firehouse.com(301) [email protected]

Karen Burnham Administrator(781) [email protected]

James J. JuneauLegal Counsel(972) [email protected]

Bob Grimaldi Travel PlannerRome Travel Bureau, Inc.(904) [email protected]

Simon Steinbach Gabe SteinbachWebmaster, NewsletterWindmill Hill Consulting, LLC(314) [email protected]

David GattonGovernmental Affairs ConsultantDevelopment Initiatives, Inc.(202) [email protected]

FEMSA Professional Resources

contents

Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI)

Interschutz 2010

NFFF Vulnerability Assessment Program

President’s Message22010 FEMSA Board of Directors4FEMSA Annual Meeting6

Are You Making the Most Out of this Business Time Frame in the Manufacturing Industry?

NAM: GOTV Resources for Employees

Winner of the FEMSA 2009Survey on the Economy

Interoperability Technology Today

In Memoriam

Why Machine Shops and Job Shops Qualify for the R&D Tax Credit

FEMSA Welcomes its Newest Members

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GAC: Congress Fight to Restore Funding for AFG ContinuesCanadian Governmental Committee (CGC)

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Home Days: Illinois and Michigan

14

17

18-22

Trade Show Report Card Update

Member News

Save the Dates.

March 21-26, 2011 Indiana Convention Center & Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN

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FEMSA Annual MeetingBy Bill Lawson and Janet Wilmoth

The FEMSA Board and the Meeting Planning Committee look forward to welcoming you to the FEMSA annual membership meeting in San Antonio, Texas - October 7 and 8.

“In addition to the business meeting, FEMSA will explore the potential for gathering industry statistics to help member companies better understand the f ire service market. Caucus groups will be charged to discuss this topic, and we will be assisted in the procedures by Nicole Better, CPA, with Schenck Business Solutions (which currently manages FAMA’s industry statistics gathering and reporting).

Several interesting and informative speakers are slated to address FEMSA and FAMA members during joint meeting sessions. They include:• Dr. Denis Onieal, Superintendent of the US Fire Training

Academy … Future Direction of the Fire Service in North America• Ross Ashley, Former Assistant Administrator, FEMA Grants …

Fire Grant Program• Bill Webb, Executive Director, Congressional Fire Services

Institute … Capitol Hill Review and Political Landscape• The Fire Chiefs’ Roundtable, comprised of knowledgeable f ire/

emergency off icials from across the country, will answer your questions on what they see as the Future of the Fire Service. It is an honor to host:

Chief Dennis Compton (ret.) – Moderator and panelists:Chief Mack Borchardt (Frisco FD)Chief Charles Hood (San Antonio FD)Denis Onieal (Superintendent, US Fire Training Academy)Chief Shane Ray (Pleasant View Vol. FD)Chief Jay Reardon (President, MABAS-II)

• Mark Light, IAFC Executive Director … Economy Insight• Ron Siarnicki, Executive Director, National Fallen Firefighter

Foundation … Vulnerability Assessment Project • Fire Drill Breakouts – Popular with all members, allowing them

to learn from the experts on many different topics, such as Social Media Marketing, Blogging, Trade Show Effectiveness, Smart Phone Apps for Business, Insurance, Mutual Aid Purchasing, Legal Issues, Fire Chiefs and Salespeople: improving the connection, Conducting Online Surveys, Coordinating a “Home Day” and “Hands Only” CPR Demo.

• Chief Butch Cobb, National Director, Community Hazard Mitigation … Innovative Ideas Concerning ISO

The FEMSA/FAMA welcome reception will be held Thursday evening with a Western theme - “Western duds” are encouraged. The annual dinner on Friday will feature entertainer Donna Ingham, Humorist and Folklorist with a “Texas Twist”.

A Special Thanks to All Our SponsorsThe generosity and support of these f ine companies provide added value to all members and enhance meeting events. For that, we are truly appreciative. Please be sure to thank them in San Antonio.

Fire Engineering / FDIC – Hospitality Suite

Fire Chief Magazine – Business Speaker

Firehouse Companies – Coffee Breaks

FireRescue Magazine – FEMSA Breakfasts

FireRescue1.com – Friday Reception

W e l c o m e t o S a n A n t o n i o


As Congress returns from its August recess, it does so with one thing in mind, the fall elections. With 9.6 percent unemployment, the Obama

Administration will propose initiatives to help jump start job creation within the private sector, mainly through infrastructure proposals and research and development tax credits. A final push in September will be made to pass a $30 billion initiative to community

banks to increase lending to small businesses, which is endorsed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Federation of Independent Business. But even with this support, these efforts are likely to fall victim to political grid lock that often occurs in the months prior to close elections.

All of this means that no one knows for sure whether Congress will pass by October 1 a final Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2011 which determines funding for next year’s Assistance to Fire Grants (AFG) program. If Congress fails to pass a final bill by the close of the fiscal year, it will resort to a Continuing Resolution that allows federal agencies to continue operating (spending) at the same rate as the previous year (FY 2010). Then, when Congress reconvenes either after the elections or in early January, it will pass a final appropriations bill.

The good news that goes with this uncertainty is that both the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security and the Senate Appropriations Committee have passed their FY 2011 Appropriations bills for the Department of Homeland Security. The House subcommittee funded the AFG equipment program at $420 million, a $30 million increase over this year. Unfortunately, the Senate Appropriations Committee gave the program level funding at $390 million. Still, these are good numbers in a year when the Obama Administration has proposed a freeze in domestic discretionary funding.

The next step is for both the House and Senate to pass their respective DHS appropriations bills and move to a Conference Committee to iron out any differences. The FAMA and FEMSA memberships through their Government Affairs Committee will be working hard to encourage adoption of the $420 million funding level.

Thanks to all the members of FAMA and FEMSA who participated in this year’s Hill Day in conjunction with the Congressional Fire Services’ annual fire dinner. Over 30 participants held over 60 meetings with Congressional offices to push for higher funding levels. I am convinced that without this push, we would not have received the funding levels seen in the House and the Senate bills. Remember, the Administration had proposed only $300 million for the AFG program, and in this tough budgetary environment, FAMA and FEMSA should be proud that we achieved these initial funding numbers.

To that end, the fight to preserve and restore funding for the AFG program will be ongoing. Please look for action alerts from the FAMA/FEMSA GAC to help us reach this goal. And mark your calendar for next year’s Hill Day, April 6-7, 2011 in Washington, D.C. again in conjunction with the CFSI dinner.

In the meantime, the GAC thanks everyone in advance for their participation and hard work to fund and equip the nation’s first responders.

Fall 2010 • FEMSA.org 7

Congress Fight to Restore Funding for AFG ContinuesBy Dave Gatton, GAC Consultant

Our June report talked about the issues facing fire services in Canada and how those challenges essentially mirror the challenges

facing their US counterparts.

It is still too early to tell whether the “grass roots” campaign introduced earlier this year has been effective. That campaign has used print advertising

in a magazine sent specifically to municipal administrators to draw attention to the need for increased funding for the fire service. The overall objective was (and still is) to encourage municipal managers to ask the questions “why does my fire department need more money?”, or “why do fire trucks cost so much?”, or better yet, asking proactive questions like “is my fire department getting the funding it needs?” And when they do start asking the questions, we have given them a place to go to start getting answers – our new website: www.famafemsacgc.org.

Thanks to assistance from Gabe Steinbach, the website is now up and running. There is still much opportunity to add meaningful content and that will be a priority over the coming months.

Another topic of discussion has been “how can the CGC help the fire service in general, and municipal fire chiefs in particular, raise awareness of their needs?” A key requirement is that the fire services in Canada and the US be ready to call for help. Too often it seems that the leaders in our fire services are so committed to answering the call and to helping their fellow humans, that they don’t have the time, the tools, or the energy to stand and say “We will do what is necessary and right, but we need help to do so”. When we have established the relationships and the tools that help fire chiefs and leaders to clearly express and justify their needs, then we will have helped to unify the message and helped empower a powerful voice – that of the fire service.

Members of the CGC will be meeting in San Antonio to discuss and develop a Strategic Plan to help guide the next months and years – and to help build and reinforce the relationships and messaging necessary to advance the needs of the fire service.

As always, thanks to those whose efforts have helped us get to where we are, and stay tuned for the next steps.

Canadian Governmental Committee (CGC) By Bruce Whitehouse, CGC Consultant

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The Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI) has produced an educational video designed to increase awareness about the importance of the Assistance to Firefighters (AFG) and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant Programs. Featuring prominent fire service leaders and a cadre of firefighters from various fire service fields, the video highlights the many benefits of the two grant programs - from enhancing the response capabilities for all types of emergencies to stimulating local economies through the manufacturing of equipment and apparatus. The video can be watched on the CFSI web site - www.cfsi.org. Fire service officials and industry are encouraged to share the video with their members of Congress - and for that matter, their state and local officials. Our elected leaders need to understand the many roles of today’s firefighters and the training, equipment and personnel they need to protect our homelands. While firefighters continue to perform their mission of fire suppression, EMS, rescue and prevention, so much has changed within the service that our elected officials need to understand. The fire service will remain a local responsibility but because of the added homeland security responsibilities the fire service has assumed in a post 9-11 world, our elected leaders need to understand the obligations all levels of government must assume to train, equip and staff our nation’s fire and emergency services. By design, the video is succinct. Lasting approximately six minutes, it highlights some of the key benefits of both AFG and SAFER as communicated by actual firefighters. It can be played during meetings with elected officials and their staff or mailed to congressional offices. If the latter, a letter should accompany the video explaining from a local perspective why support for AFG and SAFER is so important to the fire service. Congress is in the process of approving funding for both AFG and SAFER for Fiscal Year 2011. The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security approved $420 million for both programs. The Senate Appropriations Committee, however, approved $420 million for SAFER and $390 for AFG. The two programs are equally important as they both address critical needs for departments in rural and urban communities. Hence, in your communications with your members, urge them to support $420 million for both programs for Fiscal Year 2011. In your communications, include the key points enumerated in the video. Remind them that the American fire and emergency services responds to 22 million emergency calls, annually. Also express in your own words how AFG and SAFER are having a positive impact at the local level. As the late former Speaker of the House Thomas “Tip” O’Neill once said, “Politics is local.”

To receive a copy of the video, send an email request to CFSI at [email protected]. Include your name and mailing address.

Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI) 2011By Bill Webb


On April 6-7, 2011, the Congressional Fire Services Insti-

tute will host the 23rd Annual National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner and Seminars in Washington, DC. It is an

extraordinary opportunity for fire service lead-ers to engage Congressional leaders and Admin-istration officials in discussions about federal programs and legislation addressing the needs of local first responders.

The National Fire and Emergency Services Din-ner is an annual fundraising event for the Con-gressional Fire Services Institute. The Dinner is in its twenty-third successful year and continues to attract over 2,000 state and national fire ser-vice leaders.

The CFSI Dinner is not just a dinner; it is the culmination of a two-day program featuring an impressive schedule of seminars conducted by leading fire service and federal officials. Provid-ing ample opportunities for dialogues, the semi-nars are a unique learning experience helping fire services leaders – from both industry and the firehouses – understand how federal legislation and policies are developed and implemented.

During their time in Washington, guests are encouraged to meet with their members of Con-gress to discuss federal issues and how they are having an impact at the local level. To facilitate these meetings, CFSI will offer a shuttle service between Capitol Hill and the Hilton Washing-ton.

The National Fire and Emergency Services Din-ner and Seminars is a unique opportunity for fire service officials to meet with Congressional leaders. A large presence of fire officials work-ing their way around Capitol Hill sends a strong message to the Congress to maintain focus on our agenda. The event also creates many net-working opportunities. Industry leaders can in-teract with the representatives of the preeminent state and national fire service organizations, sharing ideas and exchanging information on how to address each other’s goals and missions.

If you are interested in attending the dinner please contact Mike Alderfer at [email protected] or 202-371-1277.

… and Hill Day 2011 ties right into the CFSI events. In 2010, the FAMA and FEMSA Boards approved that “Hill Day” be moved to the spring each year to be in sync with budget discussions on the Hill. It’s also when many fire depart-ment officials are in DC for the CFSI seminars and dinner, and to visit with their congressional leaders. Plan now to be part of this effort April 6-7, 2011. More information will follow on the GAC’s coordination with your legislative leaders as well as the CFSI for group dinner tickets.

New video advocating for support of the Assistance to Firefighters and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grant Programs: Fire service & industry encouraged to share video with their members of congress and other officials


Home DaysBy: Krystal Higgins

Michigan - Spartan Motors: “Relationship Building … Congressional Leaders”

On August 23rd, Spartan Motors, located in Charlotte, Michigan, hosted 17 people from the state

of Michigan who included Congressman Mark Schauer; Fred Hoffman, Governor Granholm’s business development lead; representatives from Senator Debbie Stabenow’s off ice, and other dignitaries.

The primary purpose of the meeting was to illustrate the importance of continued support relative to enabling Spartan to compete in markets that offer growth and serve a national interest – such as the FIRE Act grants.

While this was a one-day event, we now meet or do something locally at least four times per year, usually on a much smaller scale.

An interesting data point we shared during the meeting is that since Spartan’s inception in 1975 (16 employees) to 2010 (1,580 employees) we have experienced a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of employment of just over 14 percent.

We will be hosting a similar meeting at Utilimaster in Indiana on September 9th.

September 2nd, 2010 marked the 2nd Annual Legislative Meet and Greet hosted by Paratech, Inc. and Frankfort

(IL) Fire District. In attendance was U.S. Representative Deborah Halvorson (D-IL), MABAS 27 President, Chief Chuck Exner of University Park (IL) Fire Department, along with several village trustees, f ire chiefs and Paratech employees.

The event began with introductions followed by a tour of the Frankfort Fire Station #3 Training Academy. This training facility is one of the many facilities utilized by the Illinois Fire Service Institute to help train f iref ighting personnel from all over the state of Illinois. The training academy includes tankers and training props that were made possible in large part by government funding.

The event continued with a tour of Paratech and a speech by Congresswoman Halvorson. “Saving lives is important which is why I continuously vote for funding for our nation’s f ire departments,” said Congresswoman Halvorson. She also thanked the many f ire departments for their continued service and effort in saving lives and reiterated the importance of government funding to make their jobs a little easier.

In order from L-R: Hans Frank Normolle (Chief Sales Officer, Paratech, Inc.), Matt Resler (National Accounts / Government Sales Manager, Paratech, Inc.), Imelda Macías (Sales Coordinator, Paratech, Inc.), Congresswoman Deborah Halvorson (D-IL), Chief Jim Grady III (Frankfort Fire District).

Illinois - Paratech’s 2nd Annual Legislative Meet and Greet

After the Legislative Meet and Greet’s closing question and answer session, awards were presented to Congresswoman Halvorson, Fire Chief Jim Grady III and the Frankfort Fire District for their continued support and dedication to the community.

This year’s Legislative Meet and Greet was another successful opportunity to allow legislators to see how their decisions directly impact and inf luence people and f ire departments. It is important to engage our elected off icials and allow them to see f irsthand how their vote counts.

Several FEMSA and FAMA members participated at the Illinois Fire Service Home Day held June 3rd at the Carol Stream Fire Protection District’s fire training facility. In order from L-R: Dan Reese, Kevin Hunter (Alexis Fire); Pete Sremac (C.E.Niehoff); Jody Joy, (Federal Signal); Greg Toritto (Fire Chief ) and Matt Resler (Paratech)

In the Summer 2010 edition of this newsletter, we provided you with an introduction to the Vulnerability

Assessment Project. I’m honored to give an introduction and update on this important project at the 2010 FEMSA & FAMA Annual/Fall Meeting and Conference in San Antonio on October 8, 2010.

The high rate of line of duty f iref ighter injuries and deaths continue to be an issue of interest to all f iref ighters. All of the national f ire service organizations have taken steps to reduce preventable f iref ighter injuries and deaths. We may be starting to see the fruit of these efforts.

Each year, the number of on-duty f iref ighter injuries has hovered around 80,000. Most of these injuries are relatively minor in nature -- strains and sprains. There are, however, a number of injuries each year that can end a f iref ighter’s career and have a signif icant impact on their lives. Historically, there have been over 100 f iref ighter deaths each year from on-duty incidents. In 2009, the number of on-duty f iref ighter deaths was one of the lowest in the last decade at 80 deaths. While this number is still unacceptably high, we are hopeful that this lower level of deaths continues.

The Vulnerability Assessment Project is intended to develop an on-line tool that can

NFFF Vulnerability Assessment ProgramBy Chief Ron Siarnicki

be used by local f ire chiefs and f iref ighters to assess the level of f iref ighter safety in their f ire departments. When a f ire chief or a f iref ighter completes the assessment, they will be provided with information on areas of risk within their departments as well as tools and sample programs that can be used to address these risks.

The Vulnerability Assessment Project was developed and exists in its current form due to the hard work of Chief Kelvin Cochran. Chief Cochran served as the United States Fire Administrator until this May when he accepted an appointment as the Fire Chief of the Atlanta Fire Department. While he served as Fire Administrator, Chief Cochran was able to secure funding for the Vulnerability Assessment Project and partnered with the National Fallen Firef ighters Foundation for its development.

Acting United States Fire Administrator Glen Gaines is fully supportive of the project and has pledged USFA assistance going forward. Chief Cochran will continue to be a driving force behind this important work.

The project is currently in the research phase. A contractor has been hired to perform research on risk assessment modeling as well as summarizing the information that is currently available related to risk reduction in the f ire service.


Chief Ron Siarnicki is the Executive Director of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation based in Emmitsburg (MD) on the campus of the National Fire Academy/USFA.

A diverse steering committee guides this work and a summit held in late April brought in representatives from all of the major f ire service membership organizations for a brief ing on the project. An update for the steering committee is planned for November.

A major corporate partner has signed on to the project and has agreed to provide funding for the continued development and f ielding of the Vulnerability Assessment Project. Honeywell hosted the April meeting at their off ices in Washington, DC and has agreed to be a major corporate sponsor of this work. We are very grateful for Honeywell’s support and involvement.

The project plan includes a three-year timeline for this effort. As work continues, I promise to keep the members of FEMSA and FAMA up to date. If we can provide you with any other information on this project, please let me know.

FEMSA Welcomes its Newest Members

FireShowsReno

Dayle Wellbrock / Jo Anne Hill, Show ManagersPO Box 11856Reno, NV 89510(800) [email protected] Fire/EMS training conference and exposition

Heiman Fire Equipment

Ron Heiman, President25814 Rudolph AvenueSioux Falls, SD 57108(605) [email protected] and distributor of f ire equipment to mu-nicipal and industrial f ire departments throughout North America.

Kaza Fire Equipment Co.

Andrew F. Kaza, Owner155 Lovell AvenueEbensburg, PA 15931(814) [email protected], distributor of f ire apparatus and equipment

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

Crosby Grindle, NW Regional ManagerOne Batterymarch ParkQuincy, MA 02169-7471(617) [email protected], publishes and disseminates consensus codes and standards intended to minimize the possibility and effects of f ire and other risks.

Here’s the who, what, when, and why about certif icates

of insurance (C.O.I.). Let’s start with the fact that each state has its own department of insurance. Mix that with the number of insurance

companies times the number of agents and you could get quite a variation of opinions on this subject. What we offer is a definition and examples that should help determine your use of C.O.I’s. The intent here is to make you more familiar with the subject. Definition: A certif icate of insurance is a document issued by or on behalf of an insurance company. It is a snapshot that indicates policy type and limits. It is not intended to modify coverages or change the terms of the policy. Who needs them? If you manufacture, sell or distribute, you need to be asking for a C.O.I. from companies that you sell to, distribute to, or buy from. If you use sub-contractors, you should be asking for C.O.I’s. Chances are that these companies are asking you for the same. When should you ask for a C.O.I.?Certainly, the best time to ask for a C.O.I. is before you start doing business with the third party. If for some reason, they cannot produce a C.O.I., you should consider this as a red f lag. Certif icates are not new to the industry, just misunderstood for the most part. If companies cannot furnish them, you should be asking why. Why ask for certif icates? The following examples should help clarify the need for a C.O.I. Think about your dealer meetings where you have a trade show and ask vendors to participate. What if a display falls and injures someone? You did not cause the accident but you certainly could be involved in any legal action. Without a certif icate of insurance showing you as an additional insured, you could be without defense costs. Those vendors should be sending you certif icates showing you as an additional insured. What if you are having your roof repaired by a contractor? If his company has no workers’ compensation, you could be held responsible for injuries to

Certificates of Insurance 101By Patrick Hull, Jacobs-Weber

his workers. You need a certif icate showing that the roofer has workers’ compensation to keep you out of that gar hole. You hired the contractor and you have workers’ compensation, you’ll lose that one every time. Do you have dealers pickup equipment or trucks at your factory? What if they run over another dealer while on your property? Remember, you did not cause the accident. You need a certif icate from them showing you as an additional insured so that you have coverage under their policy. Some companies often request special wording on the certif icate of insurance. Insurance agents should be careful not to misrepresent the actual policy, either accidentally or intentionally. Agents are caught in the middle. They want to provide for the client’s requests but need to follow laws and regulations regarding certif icates. Violations of insurance code can result in monetary penalties and revocation of your agent’s license. Lawsuits can develop as a result of shoddy certif icates. Three problems for insurance agents are failure to add additional insureds, improperly identifying additional insureds and misrepresenting coverage.

Overall, certif icates of insurance are vital to the operations of your business. Here are few helpful hints for handling certif icates. Gain control over the process, always ask why. Implement procedures to ensure that certif icates are reviewed when received or requested. Understand that not all requests can be met. Be careful signing contracts prior to reviewing insurance specif ications. Remember that the certif icate cannot change the policy. It is important that you do business with insurance professionals you trust. Your business depends on it.


Also Available in French and Spanish!

New! reVISed 2010 edITIoN

ProTecTIVe garMeNTS For STrUcTUraL aNd ProXIMITY FIre FIghTINg USer INForMaTIoN gUIde

User Information guides TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE USER INFORMATION GUIDE (UIG) GO TO:

www.femsa.org/uig

Official publications of FEMSA originally established in 1996. Manufacturers of PPE (ensembles and equipment) want first responders to know the strength of their products as well as their limitations. Proper care of garments is also ad-dressed in the publications. Al-most a dozen manufacturers comprise the UIG consortium, and attach a UIG to each item of their product when it leaves the factory. Cur-rently there are 15 guides that cover structural fire fighting protective cloth-ing, hoods, helmets, boots, and gloves; emer-gency medical opera-tions protective garments and face protection de-vices; wildland boots; proximity garments, hel-mets, footwear and gloves; and Urban Search and Res-cue protective garments. The UIGs undergo periodic review to maintain consistency with chang-es in NFPA standards. UIG Guides created by the Members of the FEMSA UIG consortium. New mem-bers are always welcome.

Visit www.femsa.orgfor more information


They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and that can be applied to the INTERSCHUTZ show just concluded in June of this year (held in Leipzig, Germany). Here to show what that

means are some photos, although they don’t do justice to the magnitude of this exhibition. For those who were there, you know the size and numbers of visitors were staggering. The basic statistics about the show are: More than 1,350 exhibitors from 46 nations showcased their products and services at INTERSCHUTZ. Occupying some 90,000 square meters (that’s more than 968,750 square feet) of display space, INTERSCHUTZ filled the entire Leipzig exhibition center. There were 125,000 in attendance from 53 nations over the six day event.

Many USA independent stands (booths) at the show included a second story landing which housed a reception area--pretty much a standard of all the bigger exhibitors. The USA Pavilion showcased many US companies and provided a turnkey operation -- hardwall booth, lights, furniture, Internet connection, lounge and refreshments--all under the US f lag.

INTERSCHUTZ 2015, takes place in

Hannover, Germany, June 8-13, 2015.

Interschutz 2010

Some of our Canadian members who visited Leipzig for the Inter-schutz show included (L to R:) Stephan Thibault (CET Fire Pumps); Bruce Whitehouse and Oran McNabb (AMDOR); Jerry Halpin (CET Fire Pumps); and Louis Carpentier (Innotex)

A BIG WELCOME SIGN HANGS IN THE

GLASHOUSE WHICH BECAME THE HOTHOUSE

WHEN TEMPERATURES INSIDE REACHED 47

DEGREES C. OR 110 DEGREES F. THIS WAS THE

MAIN REGISTRATION AREA FOR VISITORS.

MOST ALL SIGNAGE WAS IN ENGLISH.

International Exibitors from 46 nations.

Clockwise from left: A crowd scene taken from

the second story of an exhibit; Welcome sign;

France’s large exhibit area; Outdoor exhibit area showing all of the “sticks”

in the air. The tallest was 112 meters, or over

360 feet high; Interschutz welcome sign.

Are You Making the Most Out of This Business Time Frame in the Manufacturing Industry?By Dana Borowka, MA, CEO of Lighthouse Consulting Services, LLC

Most individuals and organizations are very concerned over the short term business outlook in

the Manufacturing industry. Today is the day to look beyond… to look at the many opportunities and the open horizons that can be in store for you and your organization. This is the time to rally the people that you work with and begin to collaborate and gather ideas in the following areas:

• Improving efficiency • Marketing and sales • Opportunities for acquisitions • Operational processes • Cost efficient ways to do things differently • Identify specific traits in people that

you’d like to add to your team • How to better mentor staff members

Those are just a few areas to explore. Looking out into the future you’ll want to take advantage of some of the fresh talent that will be available. However, you’ll need to be very selective as to who you’ll want on your team. Managing down just doesn’t work any longer. Understanding the strengths of an individual will help to promote a positive environment where people will want to share ideas that might not have been considered in the past. This is the time to build a positive reputation so your company is a magnet for attracting top talent.

Thinking Outside of the BoxI was at a restaurant recently and asked to see if an item that I didn’t see on the menu was available or if I had overlooked it on the menu. The restaurant didn’t have the item, but the staff response set me back. The server stated, “Our goal is to think out of the box. To do what we can to please the customer so that positive word of mouth is shared and that will result in more business for us!” Isn’t that what we all want… team members that will think out of the box… positive word of mouth about our business… to increase revenue. What we all need are people like that on our team. So the million dollar question is… how do we get staff members to think along those lines and how can we attract people like that?

What is Driving Your Top PeopleLearn what is driving your top talent people. If you help them to succeed you’ll create a high level of retention and become a magnet for recruiting. Here are some action items for you to consider:

1. Use an in-depth work style and personality assessment during the hiring process and for current staff.

2. Use the data to manage, which in turn will reduce the learning curve for new hires and help to better understand current staff members.

3. Place individuals in positions that they can succeed in based on their strengths.

4. Take the time to constantly mentor and create plans to help individuals grow.

5. Identify traits of individuals that you want in your organization and target those individuals through specific messages in ads, on the web, through networking and association gatherings.

For your A players (your major contributors), play to their strengths and help them grow. Don’t ignore them just because they are doing well. These are the individuals that if they don’t feel engaged in helping the organization to continue to grow and improve, they’ll leave.

For your B players, nurture them through mentoring so they can become A players down the road. For your C players, measure and possibly remove them if they are eating up your time. Never spend 80 percent of your time and energy on the people who are producing 20 percent of your results.

Peel the OnionBut don’t write those C players off too fast. A small hotel chain had reservation reps that were not meeting the volume level that was being required. The manager thought they were just C players and was a very unhappy camper with his team. That person was placed in a different department and a new manager came in who sat down with each individual and then with the group. She discovered that 24 hours before a guest was going to arrive at the hotel property that a high percentage were calling in to verify the reservation and to get directions. This used up valuable call time, so as a team they brainstormed together and came up with a brilliant idea. Since the reps were asking for email addresses why not send an email confirmation 24-48 hours prior with a fun page welcoming the individuals and include links for weather and directions.

Guess what happened? Calls were reduced and the reps were able to take more calls for new reservations with less hold time. All because the manager took the time to ask questions to peel the onion back to identify the underlying issue. When the reps were asked why this

topic hadn’t been addressed in the past they simply responded, “No one asked and we never thought of it”.

Set Your Sights on the FutureMake the most out of this business time frame by helping others in your team to be successful, build a positive reputation, ask your team for ideas and contribute to the well being of the entire organization, train staff to mentor others and be on the look out for adding fresh talent to your team! Remember, it is important to be precise in what you are looking for and do a thorough job interview by asking probing questions, doing reference and background checks and utilizing an in-depth work style and personality assessment.

This is the time to set your sights on the future of the Manufacturing industry, deal with the present by supporting your team and ask for input. Set your organization on a course for long term success by using proactive and collaborative mentoring, management and vision. We’d love to hear about your successes.

To get a free copy of the Personics Matrix form which can help in working with your team and for new hire selections, please email us at [email protected]. If you would like additional information on this topic or others, please contact your Human Resources department or Lighthouse Consulting Services LLC, 3130 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 550, Santa Monica, CA 90403, (310) 453-6556, [email protected] & our website: www.lighthouseconsulting.com

About the Author: Dana Borowka, MA, CEO of Lighthouse Consulting Services, LLC has over 25 years experience in the area of business consulting and helping organizations both nationally and internationally in raising the hiring bar in “bringing effective insight” to organizations through using work style and in-depth personality assessments. Dana is a nationally recognized speaker on this topic and has built a well recognized organization that provides expert interpretation of in-depth personality assessments during the hiring process, providing stress management workshops and in assisting those with communication challenges. He is the co-author of “Cracking the Personality Code”.


Last spring while attending the Fire Department Instructors’ Confer-ence (FDIC) in Indianapolis, Chief Tom Konik f illed out the annual on-line survey conducted by the Fire and Emergency Manufacturers and Services Association (FEMSA). Survey responses help FEMSA members better understand issues facing the f ire and emergency ser-vices. All survey participants were eligible to receive $5,000 worth of equipment for their f ire departments supplied by FEMSA member companies.

A spokesperson from the Marysville, Michigan Fire Department could not believe it when FEMSA Board member Roger Weinmeister called to tell Chief Konik his department was drawn to win $5000 of equip-ment from FEMSA members. The department selected specialize res-cue items to enhance its response capabilities. Equipment included a set of stabilization struts that can be utilized during a vehicle crash or building collapse. In addition, a set of air tools was provided to aid in vehicle rescue for persons trapped in industrial machinery.


NAM: GOTV Resources for Employees

As Election Day approaches, every voter has the opportunity to let our elected off icials know how their actions impact manufacturers’ ability to do business in an increasingly

competitive global marketplace. If every person working in manufacturing goes to the polls to vote for pro-jobs, pro-manufacturing candidates, we could make a strong impact in November.

The NAM Get Out The Vote (GOTV) resource center has the tools employers need to encourage greater voter participation in their workforces. It includes alerts on major electoral events and timelines and the “Manufacturing Matters” strategy documents, which highlight the key issues facing manufacturers. These are important tools employers can use to educate employees and to help them communicate with candidates and elected off icials on the policies affecting their jobs.

Participation in voter registration and education activities does not need to be expensive or time-consuming. In fact, just a small effort can lead to a signif icant increase in participation. Your involvement can be as simple as displaying one of our GOTV posters, or it can be as elaborate as setting up your own on-site voter registration drive.

With these tools, you and your company can help strengthen manufacturing’s voice on Election Day.

Visit NAMelectioncenter.org

Manufacturing Means JOBS!Every Vote Counts

Lowertaxes! We need

more jobs.

Reduceour costs. Expand

markets.

Manufacturingmatters.

Help mecompete!

Visit www.NAMelectioncenter.org

Visit www.femsa.org/survey

Winner of the FEMSA 2009 Survey on the Economy

Congratulations to the Marysville, MI Fire DepartmentWinner of the FEMSA 2009 Survey on the Economy

ImmedIate.

Greg TorittoManaging Director, Fire Chief Publications312-840-8469 | [email protected]

EasTErn rEGionrich GluthRegional Sales Manager312-840-8454 | [email protected]

WEsTErn & midWEsTErn rEGionandy Van sciverRegional Sales [email protected]

Fire ChieF knows you have to justify your advertising investment.

Our exclusive, interactive Lead Generation Program provides actionable leads and Web traffic statistics for a measure of return-on-investment that you won’t find with any other industry publication.

To find out how you can hold us accountable, call today!

Fire Chiefs (94%) and Assistant Chiefs (83%) are the most involved in the decision-making process. Source: FIRE CHIEF Reader Profile Study 2009

measurable. actIonable.

accountable.

Interoperability Technology Today

Strategic Resource Group Enhances Virtual USA Progress

Imagine the immense improvement the emergency response community would experience when making critical decisions during emergencies were information-sharing practices to significantly improve. Practitioners at all levels would have immediate access to the critical information needed to help save lives, while emergency responders would regularly participate in input and feedback-driven forums. The Command, Control and Interoperability (CCI) Division has created the Virtual USA (vUSA) initiative – bringing all of these possibilities into reality.

CCI is leading the collaborative vision of vUSA, which creates a cost-effective nationwide capability that significantly improves information sharing and decision making during emergencies and day-to-day operations. vUSA enables practitioners at all levels of government to share information and collaborate while maintaining control of their data and systems. vUSA recognizes that all incidents begin at the local level and, therefore, any solution that is developed has to work toward the seamless integration of local, tribal, state, and Federal practitioners. With this in mind, vUSA works with states and their localities to help them create capabilities that are best suited for their state, and in turn will integrate these regions into a nationwide vUSA framework.

This collaborative approach led CCI to create the vUSA Strategic Resource Group (SRG). The SRG is a voluntary, collaborative body of emergency preparedness and response practitioners representing a wide array of disciplines at all levels of the government. SRG members are dedicated to cultivating awareness and understanding to

support and inform the emergency preparedness and response community. Specifically, members focus on the operational and technical aspects of vUSA, exchange ideas that improve national preparedness and information sharing, and promote interoperability and compatibility among local, tribal, state, and Federal response communities.

This body of experts work together with CCI in identifying equipment, technology research, and development needs; recommending program priorities; and undertaking efforts to facilitate the cultural and technological advances necessary to make vUSA a reality for the emergency preparedness and response community. Providing firsthand proficiency and strategic insight based on experience, SRG experts address issues related to Analytics, Investigative, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Resource and Operations Coordination, Security, and Operations Coordination, Security, Architecture, and Legacy Systems and Emerging Technologies.

Further, members also make recommendations aligned with community priorities. To enable a deeper understanding of the issues surrounding information sharing, the SRG identifies potential pilot opportunities that would provide real-time scenarios and produce findings related to lesions learned and best practices.

The inaugural meeting of the vUSA SRG convened in Washington, DC in the fall of 2009. Through in-person and virtual meetings, the SRG will continue to address key issues related to DHS projects, existing state and local projects, training for public safety, and other issues as they arise. This culture of collaboration within the emergency preparedness and response community enables practitioners to drive and effect the implementation of a nationwide capability of crucial information sharing – creating research that makes the vUSA vision a reality.


By Dr. David Boyd, Director’s MessagePersonal Responsibility Code (PRC)

The FEMSA Personal Responsibility Code (PRC) is a code developed by FEMSA members, for FEMSA members, for you to use:

- In training manuals and company brochures

- Posted on your web sites

- On your products

The PRC promotes the message that firefighters using the products and services of FEMSA member companies must be properly trained and aware of the role they plan in their own safety.

The PRC provides a uniform warning that encourages firefighters to take responsibility for their own safety by applying some common sense guidelines.

The PRC has gained industry acceptance and is endorsed by the IAFC, FDSOA, FAMA, and by the NFFF’s Everyone Goes Home Life Safety Initiative. Join the ranks of these respected organization and show your endorsement of the PRC by licensing yours today.

Protect your organizations and the fire departments you serve … Use the PRC to remind your customers that proper training and safety go hand-in-hand.

Visit www.femsa.org/prc.cfm

IN MEMORIAM

John P. Colletti (June 5th, 2010) – Father of Dominic Colletti (Hale Products)

Elizabeth Steinbach (June 28th , 2010) – Sister of Gabe and Simon Steinbach (Windmill Hill Consulting, LLC)

Jonathan A. McLaughlin (August 10th, 2010) – (Metro Fire Equipment VP)

Sylvain Thibault (August 27th, 2010) – Brother of Stephan Thibault (CET Fire Pumps)

Please keep their families and business colleagues in your thoughts and prayers.


Why Machine Shops and Job Shops Qualify for the R&D Tax CreditBy: Mark Lauber and Zee Makhani

Most machine shop and job shop (build-to-print) owners do not believe they qualify for the R&D (Manufacturers’) Tax Credit. In addition, this notion has been reinforced by their CPAs.

The average person would think the same because when one thinks of R&D, one thinks of scientists in lab coats performing experiments for large Fortune 500 type companies. Certainly that is not the image conjured up for a machine shop or job shop.

So why do they qualify? The answer is simple; the IRS definition of what qualifies as R&D.

The IRS definition is simply “the design or development of a new or improved product or process.” This can include products that are unique to the machine or job shop not necessarily to the entire industry.

In order to design or develop a new or improved product or process, some of the following common activities generally take place:• CNC&equipmentprogramming• Prototyping• Testing• CMM• CADdesignandCADsimulations• Weldingproceduredevelopment• Processinstructiondevelopment• PPAPdevelopment• Integrationofnewequipment• Processdevelopment• LeanManufacturingprojects• SixSigmaprojects• Designanddevelopmentofspecialtytoolingandfixtures• Evaluationofalternativematerials• Andmanymoreactivities.

As a machine shop or job shop owner, you recognize that these activities are performed almost every day by your employees. These are activities that qualify as R&D according to the IRS definition.

I’m sure you’re asking yourself, “How can I be sure this applies to my business?” Again, the answer is simple. Contact a firm that specializes in the R&D Tax Credit (their staff should include engineers that perform the work). Most firms offer a free conference call to discuss your company’s specific activities and tax situation to determine if you qualify and if you can take advantage of the credit. They can even provide an estimate of your credit.

Now you’re wondering if it is worth the effort. Some examples may help. One of the fantastic aspects of the tax credit is that you can go back 3 open tax years. So for most shops, the first time you take the credit, you can take the credit for the current year and 3 previous years. These examples are for machine shops and job shops that have taken the credit for the first time and were able to go back 3 years.

Example 3Annual Payroll:$1.2 MM

Total Credit: $80,000

Example 1Annual Payroll: $4 MM


Example 2Annual Payroll: $2 MM


The trade year is well on its way and several Trade Show Report Cards have been released. FEMSA and FAMA members continue to do a good job ensuring that their

evaluations are completed. Our associations are the only organi-zations grading the major fire and emergency services trade shows.

The Trade Show Report Card is a valuable tool used to inform trade show organizers about the strengths and areas of improve-ment of each show. The annual historical reports provide five-year comparison results to determine how and if improvements have been made to trade shows each year. For members, the re-port cards provide a solid means to measure where and how busi-nesses will utilize their marketing budgets for the coming year. Therefore, it is important to fill out the evaluation surveys to ensure that each exhibitor’s voice is heard.

Chicago saw its first Fire-Rescue International trade show this year for the first time since 1969. The event was held at historic McCormick Place on August 27 – 28, 2010. There was much concern about the venue prior to the event. Your Trade Show Ad-visory Committee and FRI show managers worked hard to address and resolve all questions received in advance of the show.

The FEMSA and FAMA Boards acknowledge and thank the IAFC for its courtesies and generosity in assisting with association meet-ings and accommodations, and in the distribution of association materials. Their assistance was greatly appreciated.

Please be sure to complete the on-line survey evaluation now so that we can close out the 2010 report cards timely. We hope to have the results of FRI and Firehouse Expo available in the next issue of the newsletter.

Trade Show Report Card UpdateBy: Krystal Higgins

As you can see it can be well worth the effort and you can do this for every year going forward. With credit being so difficult to obtain, this is an opportunity to get a check back from the IRS for taxes you have “overpaid” and to reduce your current tax year liability. So don’t delay and contact a firm today.

About the Authors: The authors are Zee Makhani, a Senior Engineering Director and Mark Lauber, VP of Marketing, M.S. Industrial Engineering, both of Paradigm Partners. Paradigm

Partners is a national tax consulting firm specializing in niche tax services such as the R&D Tax Credit, the IC-DISC (U.S. Exporters’ Tax Incentive), WOTC (Federal and State Hiring Tax Incentives), Section 179 and Cost Segregation. Mark’s email is [email protected] and his phone number is (281) 558-7100 X-105. Our website is www.ParadigmLP.com.

Elkhart Brass Manufacturing Co., Inc.[July 16, 2010] Elkhart Brass is pleased to an-nounce Eric Sanders has accepted the position of Regional Sales Manager for the Pacific Southwest. He will be reporting to Scott Warbritton, Director of Sales, U.S. Municipal Market. Eric’s territory will include the client base in Arizona, Southern California, Nevada and Utah.

Eric joins us with over 10 years of sales experience and as a veteran of the fire industry. Most recently, Eric was a Regional Sales Manager for Paratech covering the Mid-Pacific Region. Prior to his tran-sition into sales, Eric was a firefighter for San Luis Obispo County Fire Department in California. Eric studied in the Fire Science Program at Allen Hancock College where he graduated from the Fire Academy in 1987.

Elkhart Brass is extremely proud Eric has chosen to be a part of our team as we continue to grow to better serve our customers. Eric will be focusing on the municipal fire service with an added emphasis on the industrial fire market as well.

Fire Apparatus / PennWell[August 20, 2010] — PennWell Corporation, a di-versified global media and information company, announced today that it has acquired Fire Appa-ratus & Emergency Equipment magazine and the website FireMagazine.com. Financial terms of the sale were not disclosed.

Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment, founded in 1996 in Tunbridge, Vermont by C. Peter and Kathryn Jorgensen under the company name Fire Apparatus LLC, is widely recognized as the leading source of information about fire apparatus-related products. Published monthly for a North Ameri-can readership of 35,000, Fire Apparatus & Emer-gency Equipment caters to fire chiefs, purchasing and finance committees, trustees, commissioners and other fire professionals who buy trucks, tools, turnout gear and firefighting equipment.

PennWell is a leader in providing information for the fire service as publisher of Fire Engineer-ing magazine and owner of the FDIC (Fire De-partment Instructors Conference) trade show. PennWell President and Chief Executive Officer Robert F. Biolchini said, “PennWell is pleased to expand our fire portfolio with this outstanding publication and website, which provides us a verti-cal extension focused on equipment and appara-tus. Since 1996 Kathryn Jorgensen and her late husband Peter Jorgensen have built their company based on editorial excellence and a strong industry reputation. Fire Apparatus offers a perfect fit with PennWell as we celebrate our own centennial an-niversary this year.”

Fire Apparatus, LLC President Kathryn Jorgensen will assist with the transition and expressed her confidence in PennWell as the best home for the future growth of the publication and website. “My goal in selling Fire Apparatus was to find a publish-er who would continue and strengthen the maga-zine that my husband founded. I am very pleased that PennWell, which has an excellent reputation in the fire service and in providing information to multiple global markets, will do that,” she said.

PennWell will manage the business from its head-quarters in Tulsa under Lyle Hoyt, senior vice president responsible for PennWell’s Dental and Fire Groups. Current Fire Apparatus publisher and sales manager Bob Kelly and editor-in-chief Lyn Bixby will continue in those roles under PennWell.

Fire Chef Publications[August 26, 2010] Fire Chief Magazine, part of Penton Media, Inc.’s Public Infrastructure Group, and Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE: OSK) company, today an-nounced the 2010 winners of the annual “Fire Chief of the Year” awards. Volunteer Fire Chief Timothy S. Wall of the North Farms Volunteer Fire Department in Wallingford, Conn. and career Fire Chief Thomas W. Carr, Jr. of the Charleston Fire Department in Charleston, S.C. received the awards.

Winners are honored for their dedication and leadership in the fire and emergency services. Sponsored by Pierce, the 15th annual awards were presented during the opening session at the 2010 International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) Fire-Rescue International Exhibits and Confer-ence in Chicago, Ill. Also in attendance for the presentations were 23 past winners of the award, who have previously been recognized for their lead-ership. It is the largest number of Fire Chief of the Year award winners ever assembled.

“The leadership, integrity and contributions to the fire service demonstrated by Chief Carr and Chief Wall are inspiring. All of us benefit from their dedication. And, we are honored to recognize their positive impact by presenting them with these Fire

Member News

BullEx Digital Safety[September 7, 2010] - BullEx Inc. CEO Ryan O’Donnell visited the set of NBC’s Today Show July 6th to discuss kitchen fire safety with hosts Meredith Viera and Janice Lieberman from Read-er’s Digest.

According to the National Fire Protection Associa-tion (NFPA), more than 40% of residential fires start in the kitchen. To educate the public regard-ing the effectiveness of proper extinguisher usage, Mr. O’Donnell provided vital safety tips and tac-tics as they relate to a kitchen fire.

After explaining the P.A.S.S. (Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep) technique for operating a fire extinguish-er to the hosts, Mr. O’Donnell expanded on the proper sequence of steps to be taken in an actual kitchen fire: calling 911, ensuring passable escape routes, shutting off electrical power to the source of the fire and leaving appliance doors closed. Kitch-en fires can spread rapidly with potentially deadly consequences.

Go to http://www.bullexsafety.com/news.aspx to watch the video of the Today Show personalities taking their fire safety training to the next level.

Class 1[August 18, 2010] Effective July 12, 2010, Mark Coley was promoted to Regional Sales Manager, Latin America. Mark will be reporting to Andrew Shiner, Vice President of International Sales & Marketing for the IDEX Fire Suppression Group.

Mark has a very strong background in the fire in-dustry and he has been very supportive of Hale’s sales initiatives in Latin America.

Mark has been with FSG and Class 1 since 2001, most recently as a Product Applications Manager. Mark has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechan-ical Engineering from the University of Florida.

Cutter Edge[August 20, 2010] - Tom Ruzich, president of Cutters Edge, has announced the hiring of Drake Walters as Western Region Sales Manager for the company.

Walters has more than 25 years’ experience with the fire service in Washington and has experience selling fire res-cue products throughout the Northwest. Drake is married and lives with his family in

Kitsap County, Washington.


www.firemagazine.com

The fire service magazine writtenexclusively for your best customers:

& Emergency Equipment

For advertising information contact Bob Kelly at [email protected] or call 914-391-3631

Apparatus and Emergency Equipment Buyers

2010 Career Fire Chief of the Year Thomas W. Carr, Jr. (left), Charleston Fire Department, Charleston, S.C., and Jim Johnson, Oshkosh Corporation executive vice president and president, Fire & Emergency.

Chief of the Year awards,” said Jim Johnson, Os-hkosh Corporation executive vice president and president, Fire & Emergency. “We are also pleased to have 23 past winners of the award here with us today. It’s a privilege for Pierce to be able to recog-nize and honor their collective achievements.”

[August 29, 2010] Penton’s Public Infrastructure Division recently announced that Greg Toritto is the new Manag-ing Director for the Wireless Communications Group and the Fire Chief Publications franchise. Besides his current

role with Fire Chief, Toritto will be responsible for the sales and promotions of the Wireless Commu-nications Group, which includes Urgent Commu-nications and the IWCE trade show. Toritto has been with Fire Chief since 1998 and will continue to be based in Chicago.

Fire Chief ’s Editorial Director Janet Wilmoth was one of the 2010 recipients of the International As-sociation of Fire Chiefs’ President’s Recognition Award. The award was presented on Friday, August 27, 2010, during the IAFC’s General Session of the 2010 Fire-Rescue International Conference and Exhibition, in Chicago, Ill. The IAFC President’s Recognition award recognizes individuals who are major contributors or people “who give more than they take…” said Johnson.

In presenting the award to Wilmoth, IAFC Presi-dent Jeff Johnson stated, “Janet Wilmoth received the award in recognition for her passion and pro-fessionalism in supporting the advancement of the fire and emergency service. Through her work as a journalist, and by her personal support of pro-grams and services benefiting the fire and emer-gency service and its personnel, Janet reminds us to celebrate who we are today and challenges us to create an even better tomorrow.”

“A supreme professional and a servant’s leader; tough as nails and the kindest, warmest person you could hope to meet,” said Johnson in his presenta-tion. “She is a gift to the fire service and the least recognized person in the fire service I can think of.”

Fire-Dex[June, 2010] - Abby Lehman has joined Fire-Dex as the new Marketing Coordinator. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Baldwin-Wallace College. She brings with her a variety of experiences in customer

relations and in her recent past was in charge of promoting several nonprofit agencies across the greater Ohio area.

[June, 2010] - Tony Moore re-cently joined Fire-Dex as the Regional Sales Manager for the Upper Mid-West which comprises Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, South and North Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.

He has over 20 years of sales experience and some of his former roles were General Manager of The Glove Corporation and International Operations Manager for Alfa Laval. He has a Mechanical En-gineering degree from Uxbridge Technical College. He lives with his family in Indiana.

[June, 2010] - Daniel Heng has joined Fire-Dex as the Manufacturer’s Representa-tive for the Asia and India territories. Daniel has sold turnout gear for over 20 years and brings with him a great product knowledge base. His

previous role was that of a Senior Regional Sales & Training Manager, covering a full range of products including US and European standard fire fighting apparels. He lives in Singapore with his family and travels extensively throughout his region.

Fire Facilities [June 28, 2010] – Fire Facilities Inc. is pleased to announce new additions to its sales department. These new sales positions will assist Fire Facilities in its continued growth in the live fire training in-dustry.

David Tusio and Steven Harms have joined Fire Facilities as sales representatives servicing Mid At-lantic and Western US, respectively. In this capac-ity, they will oversee all aspects of direct selling, which include facilitating the sales process from conception to completion and beyond. Mr. Tusio and Mr. Harms assist with coordinating the design and construction of Fire Facilities’ training towers. In addition, they handle all post-sale issues such as safety measures to follow while training with live fire.

With 19 years of firefighting experience and four years in the US Navy, Mr. Tusio possesses a thorough understanding of the importance of safe, effec-tive training and education. Mr. Tusio has served the Five Points,

DE Fire Company, Cheswold Fire Company, and is a member of the Regional Special Operations for Kent County, DE. He has a degree from Wilming-ton College in criminal justice.

Mr. Harms brings a wealth of leadership and firefighting knowledge to his customers. In addition to over 20 years in con-struction management, he has previously been president of the board for Genesee Fire Depart-ment in Colorado, as well as the

Highland Rescue Ambulance Team. He has over 16 years of fire experience, including four years as a chief, Fire Fighter 3 Certified, HazMat, Incident Command Certified, and First Responder roles. He is helicopter certified, has multiple lifesaving awards, and is Wildland Fire/Crew Chief certified. In addition to his fire background, Mr. Harms’s leadership experience includes 10 years running his own company. He has a BS from the Colorado Auraria Campus.

Fire Facilities welcomes Mr. Harms and Mr. Tusio to their new positions.

Fire News[August 30, 2010] – For the eighth consecutive year, Firehouse Expo and Fire News partnered together to choose a qualified individual who has excelled in the area of leadership within the fire, rescue and EMS community. Out of the many nominations received, Chief Stuart D. Pearson, Fire Chief, Harmony Fire District, RI, was cho-sen as the 2010 recipient. Fire News, represented by Frank C. Trotta, Publisher, and Tim Edwards, Vice President and Executive Editor, along with Firehouse Expo, represented by Marcia Schnaidt, Marketing Associate Project Manager, were on hand to present the award Saturday, July 24, 2010 in Baltimore, MD. Since taking his current position 11 years ago, Chief Pearson has overseen all aspects of manage-ment, operations and personnel within his de-partment. Establishing and maintaining standard operating guidelines and procedures that he has created over the years has enabled him to achieve an effective, efficiently run department. The ap-pointment and retention of qualified capable of-ficers has helped him to create a functional chain of command with strong leadership and oversight of individual crew members at all times.

Other achievements of Chief Pearson’s include: increased networking with other departments; ra-dio alarm boxes installed at all schools and public buildings; town-wide implementation of Incident Command System; Glocester Health & Safety Day; RIAFC Congressional Delegation to Wash-ington, DC; developed a system of dry hydrants


2010 Volunteer Fire Chief of the Year Chief Timothy S. Wall (right), North Farms Volunteer Fire Dept., Wallingford, Conn., and Jim Johnson, Oshkosh Corporation executive vice president and president, Fire & Emergency.


and cisterns for rural water supply within the Har-mony Fire District; operated within budget for the past ten years; and obtained many grants totaling over $425,000.

“Chief Pearson is a genuine leader deserving of such an honor,” acknowledged Edwards. As part of the award, Firehouse Expo and Fire News provided Pearson with travel, lodging and entrance to Fire-house Expo 2010.

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2011 Fire News Outstanding Leadership Award. Please visit www.FirehouseExpo.com for details.

Fire Rescue InternationalFire Service Leaders Convene for Exciting New Of-ferings at FRI

New education, live demonstrations, and excep-tional networking were just some of the things attendees were buzzing about as Fire Rescue Inter-national (FRI) took over Chicago. From August 24 -28, over 11,000 gathered in this new city for an exciting five days of leadership training and the op-portunity to see one of the largest expo floors in the fire service. Over half of the FEMSA membership was in attendance taking advantage of the oppor-tunity to meet with fire chiefs, chief officers and company officers from all over the world.

This was the first year for the Chief Officer Leader-ship Symposium attracting over 250 participants. These key decision makers found great value in the education sessions and the opportunity to meet with so many vendors on the expansive show floor.

“This was my first year attending FRI and my ex-perience was exceptional. The programs based on the chief officer classes were excellent,” said Jason Moore, La Plata (MD) Volunteer Fire Department.

The Chief Officer program is an extension of the Company Officer Leadership Symposium which was first held at FRI in 2007 and continues to be successful in helping company officers who are looking for career development courses. Together these programs are part of the growing Officer De-velopment Program bringing nearly 450 aspiring leaders to FRI each year. This year’s Chief Officer Leadership Symposium was sponsored by KME and the Company Officer Leadership Symposium was sponsored by Physio-Control. Both compa-nies provided great support and were happy with the turnout of current and future leaders partici-pating in these programs.

Several companies chose FRI as the place to show-case their newest program, technology or initia-tive. E-One drew a captive audience as they chose FRI as the event to make the big announcement about their ‘Tell Us Your Story’ contest winner. Owens Cross Roads Volunteer Fire Department in Alabama took home the new Tradition ES pumper after receiving the most votes. The competition — which drew more than 600 entries — asked de-

partments to submit essays explaining why they were the most deserving of the new truck. The contest drew nearly 70,000 votes online.

OnStar and the Chevy Volt announced their new-est training for first responders. In Fall 2010, GM will release the new Chevy Volt throughout the country, they partnered with the IAFC and other organizations to create awareness and used FRI to launch their training program. Hundreds of first responders listened to Ron Moore, Deputy Fire Chief of McKinney, Texas discuss the tools neces-sary for an electric vehicle extrication and then wit-nessed the first live extrication of the Chevy Volt.

Chiefs from all over the United States use FRI as the platform to research their buying decisions. Deputy Chief Michael Parker of Hartford, CT said, “At Fire-Rescue International I met with nu-merous vendors in order to select my department’s newest turnout gear. Having everyone in one place gave me the opportunity for great dialogue with various companies and allowed my department to do the due diligence necessary to make an in-formed purchase.”

Throughout the show companies and attendees be-gan making their plans for FRI 2011. Next year’s conference will be held August 23-27 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Fire Rescue MagazineAt the Fire-Rescue International conference in Chicago in August, the Safety, Health and Survival Section of the International Association of Fire Chiefs presented FireRescue Magazine with a 2010 Award of Excellence as a token of appreciation for

exceptional service to the sec-tion and the association. The plaque stated “You have giv-en unselfishly in your efforts to help reduce the number of firefighter injuries and fatali-ties. Because of your efforts we all enjoy a better and safer fire service.”

FireRescue Magazine is honored to receive this award. It is a testimony to the dedication of the entire staff to support the work done by the section to keep all fire personnel safe on the job.

Hannay Reels[August 30, 2010] Hannay Reels today an-nounced two promotions in the company’s sales organization.

Denis Bleile has been promot-ed to the position of Midwest Regional Account Manager and National OEM Account Manager. He has over 25 years’ experience in the indus-trial sector, including extensive

Member News

experience in OEM sales.

Meanwhile, Ed Rash, Director of Marketing Communica-tions, has expanded the scope of his responsibilities and also will serve as Sales Manager. A 29-year veteran at Hannay Reels, Rash now supervises all activities and personnel in-

volved in sales, marketing and public relations.

Havis, Inc.[June 30, 2010] Havis, Inc. proudly announces Robert Simpson has joined their team as the Western Territory Re-gional Sales Manager. Robert joins Havis, Inc. from Grace Industries, and he brings 10 years of outside sales experi-

ence selling software and hardware to the public safety market. He originates from the Midwest (Peoria, IL area) up until he moved to Arizona in 1999 to pursue his career.

During his tenure as an outside sales person, he was repeatedly one of the top sales persons in Grace Industries’ organization, and was also instrumental in advancements of the technology to meet mar-ket demand. He has had experience within Ari-zona state government, as well as in earlier years he served in the military as an aircraft mechanic on both the F-16 Fighting Falcon and the C-130 Hercules.

Robert will be reaching out to a number of people in your organization, and looks forward to assisting each of his Havis partners develop Havis business in the western territory. He will work tirelessly to promote Havis’ core value of “Maximizing mobile worker productivity with comfortable solutions, built to the highest safety standards, with a focus on quality. Havis - Productivity in motion™”.As a commitment to our loyal partners, Havis con-tinues to invest in resources to help build our mu-tual businesses. Consequently, we are confident that Robert’s wealth of knowledge and experience will make substantial contributions towards our common goals.

Scott Health & Safety [August 18, 2010] – Scott Health & Safety is proud to announce 2,000,000 hours without a lost time accident – a milestone achievement in em-ployee safety at their Monroe, NC manufacturing facility. The North Carolina Department of Labor (NCDOL) has awarded the 2-Million Hour Safety Award for accumulating more than two million employee hours with no cases of injury or illness resulting in lost work days.

“Scott is very proud that our statistics are well be-low the industry average and that we have accom-plished such a significant task,” said Jim Holling-

Roger Weinmeister (2010)Executive Committee MemberSuper Vacuum Mfg. Co., Inc.(970) [email protected]

We are the #1 media leader committed to connecting you with the largest audienceof fire service personnel and decision makers in the market. Call us today for theanswers you need to strategically position your company within the industry.

year term as Chief of Staff.

Bill Darley, Chairman of the Board, stated, “We have made a concerted effort to find and add the best possible members to our Board. Based on our #1 strategic direction of growing our sales to the Department of Defense, we could not have found a more fitting Board member than Pete. His in-sight and his leadership will be critical as we move forward.

His input during our first Board meetings has been invaluable. We are honored to have him on our Board.”

According to General Schoomaker, “What I have enjoyed about the Darley Board is the family envi-ronment that is evident in the company. This com-pany has strong core values, principles, and com-mitment to excellence that are in play every day. It is exciting to see the agility, enthusiasm and energy that Darley exudes.”

General Schoomaker serves as a Director for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, consults widely, and serves on the boards of several public and privately-held companies.

sworth, Environmental Health & Safety Manager at Scott Health & Safety. “To date, we have worked 680 days without a loss time accident.”

The significance of this safety achievement is evident in the number of companies that have reached this goal. Only two companies achieved this award in 2009.

According to Paul Woodbury, Scott’s General Manager of Manufacturing, “As a safety company, we need to be a leader in providing a safe envi-ronment for our employees. We strive to promote a strong culture of safety every day, and with this latest award, it is proof that we are succeeding. We are extremely proud of all our employees for achieving this significant milestone.”

Streamlight[June 24, 2010] Streamlight® Inc., a leading manu-facturer of high-performance flashlights, donated $100,000 to the Breast Cancer Research Founda-tion® (BCRF), a not-for-profit organization with a mission to achieve prevention and a cure for breast cancer. The company raised the funds through proceeds from sales of its “pink” flashlight prod-ucts, designed to raise awareness of the disease. “Streamlight is proud to do its part to help BCRF fund major clinical research to help treat as well as find a cure for this disease,” said Loring Grove, Streamlight’s Director of Marketing, and a breast cancer survivor. “Our support also helps BCRF increase public awareness about ways to prevent this disease.”

Streamlight introduced its Pink Nano Light® in 2009, a tiny keychain light which includes a key fob with the Pink Breast Cancer Ribbon symbol, and recently began offering a pink version of an-other of its flashlights. The company is donating $1 from every sale of the lights to BCRF.

The American Cancer Society reported that, among women, there were 192,370 new cases of invasive breast cancer and 40,170 deaths from the disease in 2009. The disease also affects men, with about 1,910 new cases of invasive breast cancer di-agnosed and 410 deaths from the disease during the same period.

Towers Fire Apparatus Co., Inc.[September 7, 2010] - Towers Fire Apparatus is

Website rotating160x600 banner ad, (3 month min.)Maximum of 4 advertisers in the slot at any given time.3x ................................................$175/month6x ................................................$150/month12x ..............................................$125/monthNon-Members are welcome to advertise on the FEMSA website or in the FEMSA Newsletter. A one-time $750 set-up charge applies.

Postings online for FEMSA members is always FREE.

Members are allowed to post the following types of events: local, regional and national trade shows; training events and seminars; other Fire/Rescue/EMS events where the public is encouraged to attend.

Submission does not guarantee inclusion. We reserve the right to reject any listings.

FEMSA Advertising Rates for the Newsletter and Website

Quarter Page ...........................................$100Half Page .................................................$200Full Page (8.5” x 11”)...............................$400

Member News

pleased to announce the ad-dition of Mike McNeill to our sales staff. Mike covers the western part of Mis-souri. Mike has 38 years of emergency service experience including extensive back-ground in fire, emergency management and disaster op-

erations and he has been involved with response and recovery of numerous national level emer-gency events. He currently serves on a special sub-committee of the National Fire Academy Board of Visitors and is on the Board of Directors of the National Fire Academy Alumni Association where he represents FEMA Region 7.Mike has been with the Moreau Fire Protection District in Eldon, Mis-souri, for 14 years where he serves as the Training Officer for the District.

Towers Fire Apparatus has expanded their road service fleet with the addition of two new service vehicles and a new mobile pump test trailer. In Au-gust, Towers Fire Apparatus was appointed as the Rosenbauer dealer covering central and southern IL, part of MO and all of IN.

Towers Fire Apparatus recently had its territory ex-panded by Gardner Denver/Mako. Towers is now the exclusive authorized sales and service dealer of Mako Compressor Systems in MO along with cen-tral and southern IL.

W.S. DarleyDarley is pleased to announce that General (Ret) Peter J. Schoomaker has joined our Board of Di-rectors.

General Schoomaker is a retired four-star general of the United States Army and served as the 35th Chief of Staff of the United States Army from August 1, 2003 to April 10, 2007. General Schoomaker’s appointment as Chief of Staff was unique in that he was recalled and came out from retirement to assume the position. Schoo-

maker voluntarily retired from the Army for the second time in 2007 after completing the full four-

General Schoomaker served as Chief of Staff for the US Army from 07/01/03 to 04/10/07.


Member News is provided to members as a ben-efit of membership. Articles from members are invited. FEMSA reserves the right to edit for factual content, brevity and clarity.

Common Threads“I wanted to let all my fellow FEMSA members who ride know that I’ve been a Harley guy for 30 years. This photo is from a recent Sturgis trip. Mount Rushmore in the background obviously”

– Steve Elias, Firehouse.

B

July 2010 Read It Today, Use It Tomorrow Connect with us at FirefighterNation.comJuly 2010 Read It Today, Use It Tomorrow Connect with us at FirefighterNation.com

Preplanning water supply issues, p. 32

Water! Plus Combat radio background noise, p. 62

Why department accreditation matters, p. 36

3 methods of attack for WUI fires, p. 71

001 July FRM Cover.indd 1 6/17/2010 10:40:37 AM

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