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Canadian content
First Canuck pavilion at Interschutz |
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Written by Lyle Quan
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Canadian fire service vendors who want to expand their businesses globally should think ahead to 2015 and the Interschutz International Exhibition for Rescue, Fire Prevention, Disaster Relief, Safety and Security.
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The open air midway at Interschutz with more than 700,000 square feet of displays. Photos by LYLE QUAN
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“I think that if you want to grow you have to be there,” says Bruce Whitehouse, president of roll-up door maker AMDOR, in Burlington, Ont. “This is a truly international show with more than 100,000 attendees and if you want to be in the global marketplace it’s the place to be.”
Whitehead and eight other Canadian vendors – Air Boss-Defense, C.E.T. Fire Pumps, CGT Custom Tactical Gear, Demers Ambulances, Fort Garry Fire Trucks, Innotex Northline Coupling Equipment, Stanfield’s and Wildfire Environmental – ventured to Liepzig, Germany, in June for Interschutz. Months of planning for the massive trade show, spearheaded by Dave Connor of Stability Dynamics, resulted in the first Canadian pavilion at Interschutz with Canadian vendors all under one roof.
The Canadian fire service industry was well represented at the six-day show. Whitehead says, with vendors from the garment industry, apparatus industry and the equipment industry along with Wildfire and CET.
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The Morita wildland firefighting vehicle on display at Interschutz in Germany in June.
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“For us it was a long haul but it was an unqualified success and we did feel that the other members of the pavilion felt it was worthwhile,” Whitehouse says. “Personally, I think the concept is fantastic. You’ve got a booth, you’ve got an area in behind your booth where you can go and talk to customers, and an area for refreshments – that whole concept works really well. It’s the way things are done in Europe and it’s a civilized way to do a show.”
Edward Macdonald, director of marketing for Stanfield’s Ltd. in Nova Scotia, went to Interschutz to promote the company’s line of firefighting products. He said the value of networking with other vendors, along with demonstrating products such Stanfield’s new fire hoods, is a great opportunity to expand internationally.
Jose Maria Sanchez de Muniain, managing editor of the U.K.-based Fire & Rescue Magazine and Industrial Fire Journal made a good point about fire-service equipment. “Borders,” he said, “should not exist when it comes to making the industry safer for everyone.”
Interschutz is held every five years and, because of its reputation for being one of the biggest and best shows in the world, was attended this year by more than 125,000 people over the six days.
There were more than 1,200 vendors in the Leipzig Conference Centre. The centre’s five large buildings, which total approximately one million square feet, along with numerous open-air displays on the 700,000 square feet of outdoor space, gave show goers an opportunity to see vendors, equipment and demonstrations.
The three pillars on which Interschutz is founded are:
- Rescue;
- Disaster relief;
- Fire prevention.
Based on these three pillars, the organizers did an excellent job sharing information about what is being offered in the fields of fire safety, emergency planning and prevention. There were numerous displays that represented the training and educational fields, both private and public. On the public side, for example, Gloucestershire Fire Service College showed what the government-funded college offers students in the way of firefighter training. From a private perspective, Texas A & M University promoted its programs for prospective clients and students. It offers on-site training and can tailor-make a training package for your organization.
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Nine vendors participated in the first Canadian pavilion at Interschutz in Germany in June.
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The aim of any conference (of this type) is to bring members of the emergency services industry together to share information and exchange ideas. The fire conferences I have attended have done this to varying degrees. Some, like the training officers association or fire prevention officers conferences, are more focused on their specific audiences and, as such, the information being exchanged is streamlined and tailored for their particular needs. This in no way reduces the value of these conferences; it can, however, limit the ability to demonstrate how the specialized information you are gathering at these job-specific conferences can join together with other aspects of the industry.
With this concept of networking in mind, Interschutz was able to bring all of the key players together under one roof (so to speak). By doing this, whether you are in fire fighting, emergency planning, rescue, fire prevention or EMS, you have the opportunity to look at what is being offered in your specific part of the emergency services industry. And, because everything is at one main location, there is an the opportunity to look at how it all complements other areas of emergency services.
The variety and types of equipment on display were almost overwhelming. Some of the leading-edge concepts almost made me feel as if I were in a Star Wars movie (see the photo of the Morita wildland firefighting vehicle).
The displays ranged from vehicles and equipment to information technology, rescue, emergency equipment, first aid, building construction, equipment for fire stations, fire extinguishing equipment, and, of course, personal protective equipment.
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Interschutz brings together key players in fire fighting, emergency planning, rescue, fire prevention and EMS. Having everything at one location provides an opportunity to see how each area complements other areas of emergency services.
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The open air displays allowed many of the vendors the opportunity to actually demonstrate the operation of their vehicles. For example, one of the big draws in the open air midway was the Bronto Skylift 110-metre (350-foot) articulating aerial. Imagine having an aerial device that can reach 35 storeys into the air. In my neck of the woods, the average aerial device ranges from 100 to 120 feet – this is equivalent to a 10- to 12-storey building.
Because Interschutz promotes and prides itself on its international participation, countries such as Germany, Sweden, Japan, Korea, India, Canada, the United States, England and China had booths to showcase their equipment and to promote the sharing of information and technology with other organizations and countries. More than 45 nations participated in this expo.
Having spent most of my adult life in the emergency services and training industries, I was truly impressed with the displays, presentations and opportunity to interact with colleagues from other countries. I have written articles on the value of networking and the sharing of ideas to help the emergency services industry better meet the needs of its staff and the communities it serves. Interschutz was an excellent example of how public and private organizations can join together to share information and demonstrate what each group can offer others within the fire and safety fields.
At Interschutz, I had many opportunities to talk with emergency services personnel about how they identified their equipment needs and other topics. I found out that whether you are a firefighter in Canada, England, Korea or any other country, we all face the same demands in relation to training our staff and finding the funds to meet our equipment needs. In fact, I found this one-on-one interaction with some of my international counterparts to be as beneficial as the conference itself.
If you ever have the chance to attend Interschutz, take full advantage of this opportunity and bring some good walking shoes, you’ll need them.
Interschutz 2015 is scheduled for June 8-13 in Hannover, Germany.
-with files from Laura King
Lyle Quan is a deputy fire chief with the Guelph Fire Department in Ontario. He has a business degree in emergency services and a degree in adult education. Lyle is an Associate Instructor for the Ontario Fire College, Lakeland College and Dalhousie University. Email:
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