Equipment New products
In the Watchroom: June 2007

NEW B.C. REP FOR STOKES
Mal Wood is the new British Columbia sales rep for Stokes International. Mal can be reached at mal@stokes-int.com or 604-302-2613. Stokes president David Miller says the company has known Mal for several years and is excited to have him join the sales team in B.C. "Mal's experience with our many products and passion for his fellow firefighters and customers will surely make for great success and a winning team," he said.

FSI NORTH AMERICA HAS NEW CANADIAN SALES REP
FSI North America, a division of Fire Safety International, Inc., has hired Phil Graham to handle all sales for Canada. Phil comes to FSI with 30 years experience in the fire fighting and life safety market in field sales and senior management. FSI offers portable, mobile, and fixed hazmat decon showers, shelters, isolation shelters, surge capacity systems and accessories. FSI also offers EMS, fire and life safety products. Graham can be reached at pgraham@fsinorth.com

LACROSSE FOOTWEAR LAUNCHES NEW LINE
Portland, Ore.-based LaCrosse Footwear introduced its new station boot series at the Fire Department Instructors Conference in Indianapolis in May. The boots use LaCrosse's quad comfort technology and are handcrafted with full-grain, black polishable leather. There are several new boots: the 8-inch Responder, side-zip station boot; the 5-inch Halon slip-on station boot; the Halligan 11-inch slip-on boot, which is a traditional, unlined Wellington; the Gunnison structural firefighting boot; and the Maltese II, which is made for intense environments. For more information about LaCrosse Footwear, see www.lacrossefootwear.com and www.danner.com.

PIERCE ULTIMATE CONFIGURATION UNVEILED AT FDIC
Rescue apparatus manufacturer Pierce Manufacturing Inc. unveiled its newest product – the PUC – at FDIC in Indianapolis. The Pierce Ultimate Configuration (PUC) changes the way the fire service configures apparatus by removing the bulky pumphouse without compromising fire fighting capabilities. Pierce calls the PUC "an industry-changing multi-purpose response vehicle". "Some may find it hard to imagine that you can actually design a truck without the bulky pumphouse. By making better use of this space, the PUC will change how fire fighters do their job better and safer, and has the potential to change the industry," said Pierce president John Randjelovic. Pierce asked fire departments what they wanted and needed in a first response vehicle. The most significant benefits of the PUC for firefighters are that it's easier to use, easier to store, easier to service and maintain and easier to manouevre, therefore making it easier for firefighters to stay safe. For more details, go to www.piercemfg.com.

CARSON RELEASES SC-1000 VOLUNTEER SIREN
After much research, Carson Sirens has unveiled what the volunteer fire market considers to be the "ultimate siren for their needs", the company says. The SC-1000 Volunteer Siren series offers all the standard siren tones, as well as a high-rasp mechanical tone and light control outputs. All these features have been incorporated into a small unit that comes in either a console, remote or hand-held version. Now, volunteer firefighters can have the siren often associated with large fire trucks – the mechanical siren as well as light control outputs all in one unit. The new series was introduced at FDIC in Indianapolis in April. The SC-1000 Volunteer series can be used in several different applications: a self-contained console mount; a space-saving remote mount; or a hand-held version. Each model is designed to work with a single 100-watt speaker and includes an output indicator light for easy diagnostics. For more information, go to www.carson-mfg.com.

ALPHA GLOVE RECEIVES NFPA CERTIFICATION
Waubridge Specialty Fabrics and Fireman's Shield announced in April that the Alpha structural firefighting glove has achieved full NFPA 1971-2007 certification as tested and verified by Safety Equipment Institute Labs in McLean, Va. Certification of the Alpha structural glove is attributed to its thermal liner made from the patented high-performance Kovenex fabric, which is completely flame-, heat- and tear-resistant. Kovenex fabric won't burn or tear but still gives users dexterity for grasping small objects and tools. The fabric provides fire professionals with critical protection against fire, intense heat and burn, shattered glass particles and sharp metal edges they may encounter on the job. The Fireman's Shield Alpha glove with Kovenex is available for purchase at www.firemanshield.com and www.kovenex.com.

LIFEGUARD UNVEILS HANDS-FREE SCBA DOCK
LifeGuard Technologies has introduced its LifeGuard SmartDock, the first hands-free SCBA holder for fire apparatus. SmartDock is available exclusively on Pierce fire apparatus and in the after market for use on any apparatus through Pierce Aftermarket Parts. Current SCBA holders require firefighters to operate release levers and straps that can become entangled with seat belts and fire fighting gear. The SmartDock is a strap-free docking station that offers single-motion SCBA insertion and hands-free release when the firefighter rises out of the seat. In the event of a collision, inertial forces cause the top jaws to lock around the SCBA, retaining the cylinder and preventing it from becoming a dangerous projectile. SmartDock adjusts to accommodate the majority of SCBA models on the market. For more information, visit lifeguardtechnologies.com.

STREAMLIGHT ANNOUNCES UPGRADED FLASHLIGHT
Streamlight's new 2AA LED flashlight and improved 2AA Xenon bulb model offer both longevity and power, the company says. "LEDs are becoming increasingly popular with firefighting and rescue professionals because of their long life span, extreme durability and their usefulness for close-up work such as examining a patient or conducting a search at a fire scene under smoke-filled conditions," Streamlight said in a press release. For professionals who favor incandescent flashlights, the 2AA ProPolymer, which features a super-bright Xenon bi-pin bulb, has been improved with convenient, single-handed operation. Offering a continuous runtime of 18 hours, the light uses two included 1.5 volt "AA" alkaline cells. The LED model features the same pushbutton tailswitch as the incandescent model. The 2AA ProPolymer Xenon offers a continuous runtime of up to four hours at 4,500 Peak beam candlepower (9 lumens typical) and uses two included "AA" alkaline batteries. The 2AA ProPolymer Xenon retails for $20.95 US and the 2AA ProPolymer LED retails for $29.95 US. For information visit www.streamlight.com.

MSA RELEASES NEW FIREHAWK SCBA
Safety equipment manufacturer MSA unveiled at FDIC in Indianapolis its new FireHawk M7 self-contained breathing apparatus. The FireHawk is designed to meet tough performance requirements established by the National Fire Protection Agency, most notably the stipulation that Personal Alert Safety Systems emit a 95-decibel alarm at temperatures up to 500o F. These devices, which can also function as stand-alone devices, were previously required to sound such an alarm at temperatures up to 200oF. The PASS alarm on the FireHawk M7 was developed by MSA with input from third-party acoustic experts. It uses patent-pending technology to exceed the NFPA high-temperature requirements as well as those designed to eliminate accidental alarm "muffling."

The FireHawk M7 also features fire-resistant electronics and the M7 accountability system, which serves as a fire-ground management system that combines computer software with a high-performance radio module to keep incident commanders apprised of multiple firefighter-related conditions. This includes SCBA cylinder pressure, service-time, PASS alarms (motion or manual), thermal alarms, battery status, radio connectivity, and evacuation acknowledgement of up to 100 firefighters within a one-mile-line-of-sight all on a computer-based user-interface. Fore more details, check www.msanet.com

QUIC-LOCK BRACKET FITS ALL SCBAs
Ziamatic Corp. has released a new mechanical SCBA restraint bracket called the Quic-Lock, which fits all SCBAs on the market at the time of its design. The bracket features an easy-to-use release mechanism. One pull on the release cord and the SCBA is completely free without any tugging or snags. All adjustments that need to be made to accommodate a different SCBA or bottle can be made to the front of the bracket without having to remove it from the seat. The Quic-Lock uses a top clamp restraining mechanism that holds the SCBA firmly without vibration or rattling. The release mechanism can be positioned to any location, allowing for complete versatility. The Quic-Lock will list for $498 US. For more information visit www.ziamatic.com.

RESPIRTECH UNVEILS inCOURAGE PAC at FDIC
RespirTech's new inCourage Portable Away Clearance, or PAC, is a tool fro firefighters in fight against the effects of smoke, fumes, dust and ultra-fine particle inhalation. RespirTech introduced inCourage PAC at FDIC in Indianapolis. The inCourage PAC is specifically designed for firefighters, emergency medical responders and victims. When the device is activated, rapid compressions of the chest wall produce oscillations within the airways that increase airflow velocities and alter flow patterns. The effects are threefold: mucus is loosened from bronchial walls; secretions are broken down to help clear airways; mucus and entrapped particles move toward central airways for elimination by coughing or spitting. This easy-to-administer therapy can be performed in any setting with access to a power source. Treatment is delivered from the unit through two tubes attached to an inflatable wrap-like garment or jacket. Simple controls are used to activate the therapy. For details visit www.resiprtech.com

NEW SWEDISH MONITORS UNVEILED AT FDIC
The Force series of electric, stainless steel, remote-control monitors, manufactured by Unifire AB of Sweden (www.unifire.com), made an impressive appearance at April's FDIC show in Indianapolis. The monitors were displayed at the booth of Crash Rescue Equipment Service, Inc. (a U.S. Distributor for Unifire AB), including on their 65' Snozzle. The Swedish-made Force monitors are made entirely of shiny, light-weight, acid-proof stainless steel and incorporate state-of-the-art design, craftsmanship and electronics. They have an advanced, CANBUS control system with a progressive joystick, which allows the operator to precisely control the monitor's speed of motion depending on how hard the operator presses the joystick shaft in any given direction. The monitor can accommodate two joysticks, or a single joystick and a radio remote control. The hand-held joystick and the optional radio remote control include a valve "on/off" button as well as a "park" button for one-step, programmable bedding of the monitor after operation, as well as an easy-to-use record and play-back feature. The monitors come standard with an electric, integrated gear-driven nozzle, with adjustable flow settings. The nozzle's spray pattern is controlled from jet to fog with a convenient dial on the joystick. The monitors can also be outfitted with alternative nozzles and foam attachments.

Unifire has recently begun selling and promoting its monitors in North America. The company says it is able to sell directly to customers in this region and provide full support. Unifire is looking for new distributors for the municipal and industrial firefighting industries. For more information, contact Roger Barrett James, Unifire's Director of International Sales and Marketing, at roger@unifire.com.