Recent Deliveries - Caribou, NS

The Caribou District Fire Department in Caribou, NS, took delivery of their new Metalfab Pumper on April 19, 2013.  This unit is the fourth Metalfab Apparatus purchased by the department.

The Top Mount Pumper Body is mounted on an International 4400 four door chassis.  The chassis has a 330 HP engine and a Allison automatic transmission.


The pump on this truck is a Waterous CSU 120 IGPM Midship Pump.  The foam system is a FoamPro 2002 dual foam tank system with electric pump pick ups for foam for each foam tank.  The poly water tank has a capacity of 800 Imp. Gallons of water and two foam cells with a capacity of 20 Imp. Gallons each.  The truck features two 1-3/4" speedlays located beneath the walk way for the top mount panel.  This allows for ease of access and ease of reloading the hose beds.

The body is an extruded aluminum body with intermediate height compartments on each side of the unit.  A combination of roll up and flush mount doors were used on this unit.  The truck has manual drop down racks for both the ladders and the portable truck.



Metalfab LTD would like to thank the Caribou District Fire Department for choosing Metalfab to manufacture this pumper.

Throwback Thursday - Aylesford, NS - 1996 Metalfab Custom Pumper

This 1996 Metalfab Custom Pumper manufactured for the Aylesford, NS Fire Department is Today's Throwback Thursday featured Truck.

The chassis for this pumper was a Spartan Custom Chassis.  The chassis had a Cummins C8.3-300, 300 HP Diesel Engine.  The transmission was an Allison MD 3060 P Automatic Transmission.



The extruded aluminum body had high side compartments on the left side of the chassis and low side
compartments on the right side of the chassis.  The doors on this unit were all flush mounted doors.  There was a manual drop down ladder rack and three suction hose trays mounted on the right side of the unit.

The Metalfab custom Pumper was equipped with a Hale QSG 1050 IGPM Midship pump with a Foam Pro 2001 foam system.  In place of the standard crosslays mounted above the pump, 1-1/2" speedlays mounted at the frame height forward of the pump were utilized.  The poly tank had a capacity of 1000 Imp. Gal. of water and 20 Imp. Gal. of Foam.

Merry Christmas

All of Us at Metalfab would like to wish Everyone a

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

 

 

Photo - North Shore, PE Fire Department

2009 Metalfab Tandem Axle Tanker

Photo Courtesy of Ernie Gallant, New Glasgow, PE Fire Department

Recent Deliveries - Port Hood, NS

On April 14, 2013, Metalfab delivered this new Pumper unit to the Port Hood Volunteer Fire Department located in Cape Breton, NS.  This was the department's first Metalfab unit. 

This new pumper features a Hale QFLO 1050 IGPM Midship pump with a Foam Pro 2001 foam system.  The poly water tank on this unit has a capacity of 1,000 Imperial Gallons of water and 20 Imperial Gallons of Foam.  The truck also has a 10" Newton Dump with a 180 degree rotating swivel and 36" Tele-chute installed at the rear of the unit.


The warning lights on this unit are a Federal LED Lighting Package.  The truck also features ditch lights in the rear wheel fender area to light up the area behind the truck.  These lights are wired to turn automatically when reverse gear is selected in the chassis cab.  They also have a separate switch in the cab for the ability to activate these lights manually.  The 110 V circuits on the truck are powered by a Raven 5 KW PTO driven generator.

The truck body features low side compartments on each side of the truck with a combination of flush mount and roll up doors.  The truck has storage for a portable tank enclosed above the right side compartments.  There are two tubes for suction hoses and pike poles located at the rear of the truck.  There is a tube for the storage of an attic ladder in the right corner of the main hosebed.  The ladders are stored on a manual drop down ladder rack on the left side of the truck.




Metalfab would like to thank the Port Hood Volunteer Fire Department for choosing Metalfab to manufacture this new pumper.

Throwback Thursday - Saint John, NB - 1993 Metalfab Enclosed Pump Panel Pumper

Today's featured unit for Throwback Thursday is a Metalfab Pumper with an Enclosed Crewcab Pumper manufactured for the Saint John, NB Fire Department.  The unit was delivered to the department on May 10, 1993. 

The Metalfab pumper body was built on a Freightliner Low Cab Forward Chassis.  The unit was equipped with a Hale QSMG175 1500 IGPM midship pump and a Akron 2120 Foam System.  The poly tank had a capacity of 500 Imp. Gal. of water and 100 Imp. Gal. of Foam. 

The body had intermediate compartments on both sides of the unit.  Compartment doors were a mix of roll up doors and flush mount doors.  There was a manual drop down ladder rack on the right side fender top and there were 2 suction hose trays on the left side of the body.

Metalfab Minutes - December Edition

The December Edition of Metalfab Minutes has been released today.  If you haven't received a copy but would like to, please sign up for the newsletter at the link below.

 CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO RECEIVE YOUR FREE MONTHLY DIGITAL COPY

 

Photos of the Apparatus featured in the recent deliveries section of the newsletter are posted below.

Wellington, PE

Oakhill, NS

River John, NS

 

East Zorra - Tavistock, ON (Tavistock Station)

Baker Brook, NB

Minto, ON

Dover - Foxcroft, Maine

LANXESS - Sarnia, ON

Mabou, NS

Saint-Isidore, NB

North Shore, PE Tanker
Photo by Ernie Gallant
New Glasgow, PE Fire Department

Time Management - Part1

 Time Management – Part 1

As an engineer, I started with projects. I had one thing to do and I worked until it was done. As time went on, I got more projects, so I would prepare a To Do list. Check off the list each day and I was done. Further along, I had appointments as well as projects so I started using a day book with my schedule and a list of things to do which I checked off each day.

I bought the original Palm Pilot, then carried on through a series of electronic organizers which synchronized with my computer. All of these were efforts to manage my time. As I continued into management roles, I found that I was no longer able to get all my work done each day. This is when I started to get interested in time management.

I enjoy reading so my first move was to start reading books on Time Management – Getting Things Done, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, The Effective Executive, etc. In a lot of ways, these books all say the same thing, just in different ways. Here’s what I’ve learned.

Start by not trying to remember everything – come up with a system to get all your tasks out of your head and on paper or in your computer. If you try to remember everything, your mind will be in a constant state of chaos. You’ll remember that you want to buy batteries when you go to turn on a flashlight when the power goes out and it does not come on! You want to remember to buy batteries when you’re in a store!

David Allen’s metaphor in Getting Things Done is “mind like water” which is a martial arts term. Imagine throwing a pebble into a still pond. How does the water respond? The answer is, totally appropriately to the force and mass of the input; then it returns to calm. It doesn’t overreact or under react.

It is the idea of a mind that is highly focused in the here and now, yet flexible enough to deal with the bigger strategic picture, reflect on the higher issues that we consider truly meaningful, and therefore keep our actions consistent with core values and crucial goals.

In practical terms, you empty your mind of everything, then process each item. If you have long term goals and objectives, you prioritize your tasks to help you reach these goals and objectives. If not, you try to prioritize by impact – which task will have the greatest impact, which is busywork – the 80/20 rule.

Your ability to be effective is directly proportional to your ability to concentrate.

Everyone applies GTD differently – Younger people are looking for tips and tricks. As you get older, you want less stress while doing more

Once you have a system, your mind will let it go and save your mind for what it does best.

The Fearless Front Line Part Three

The final part of the Run-Improve-Grow model in Ray Attiyah's book "The Fearless Front Line" is Grow - Blazing a Trail for Growth.

To reach the Grow level, you have to make and keep Bold Promises. In other words, like a start-up, you have to be willing to promise to do new and different things that previously you would have said can't be done! It is important that the Run component be rock solid before making these Bold Promises!

As well, you need to make Bold Bets - and win them. These need to be educated bets - take small risks first so that when you make a Bold Bet, you're confident that you'll succeed. There is a good discussion on internal growth teams to make sure that there is more creativity and employee commitment to the growth initiative.

Continuing on the internal growth team is a final discussion on becoming a magnet for Talent - this only happens when you are considered a top performing organization.

I can see this is a long term project, but the results will be worth it. There is more information at http://www.rayattiyah.com/ and at Ray's blog at http://rayattiyah.typepad.com/

The value of equipment checks

One of the equipment checks that I find great value in is the abbreviated pump test. I say abbreviated because it does not take long to perform but verifies many items.

I like to start by pulling the fire apparatus outside of the fire hall and installing the wheel chocks. Next, I make sure there is water in the pump by opening the Tank to Pump valve. Now the pump is ready to be activated (I am not a fan of running a dry pump for any length of time). Once the pump is activated, I verify that all the indicator lights for the pump are functioning. If the pump is not primed, I activate the primer and once pressure is achieved - I open the Tank Fill valve so that the water in the pump can circulate and remain cool. At this stage, a pump could run all day without overheating in the summer or freezing in the winter. Next, I set the governor or the mechanical relief valve (standard levels are 1000 RPM or 90 PSI). I then open and close the Tank Fill valve to exercise the governor and mechanical relief valve. If the governor is set in RPM - the pump pressure will fluctuate and if it is set in PSI - the RPM will fluctuate to maintain the requested PSI. With the mechanical relief valve - the orange light will open and close showing that the relief valve responds and is not seized. Once I am satisfied that everything is functioning well - I return to idle, disengage the pump and drain the pump completely if it is winter time.

Another item that can be verified during this period is all the emergency and scene lights. By doing a quick 360, the majority of the lights on the truck can be verified. The generator can also be started in order to power the 110-volt lights and get some running time.

The entire test may take as little as five (5) minutes but now you know that the chassis starts, the pump runs, the primer functions, the relief valve / governor are good and the lights are OK. This also is a good refresher for an operator who hasn't operated the truck in awhile and gets to do it in a non-pressure environment.

The Fearless Front Line Part Two

The second part of the Run-Improve-Grow model in Ray Attiyah's book "The Fearless Front Line" is Improve - Liberating Leaders to do their Best Work.

The first step is to continue making improvements - to go from individual quick wins into a process of continuous improvement throughout the organization. For this to happen, the leader must change how he or she leads and commit to modeling quick action.

The author compares the RIG model to juggling - improvements throughout the entire business are implemented simultaneously so there is no focus on a single system, all systems are improved at once.

In order to sustain improvements, management systems have to be upgraded to reflect the front line's new role in leading the Run. An interesting point regards the questions that we ask - we should stop asking short sighted questions that can be answered with yes or no. Instead, we should ask more open ended questions that open the door to thoughtful discussion.

Finally, there is an excellent discussion of Reactive Improvements and Proactive Improvements. Most improvements are reactive in that we are solving problems brought on by the lack of reliability in our systems. Once our systems have improved and we have achieved some momentum in continuous improvement, we can pursue proactive improvements. These are necessary for the final part of the model - Grow. Proactive improvements help to develop the internal infrastructure that gives us the flexibility to add new capabilities and capacities.

Filling Tankers efficiently

During a water shuttle operation, filling tankers as efficiently as possible is a must. Any savings in time can make a critical difference on scene.

ULC and NFPA require Tankers to have a direct tank fill on the rear of the body that can accept 880 USGPM. This can be achieved by using a 4" Gated valve, a 4" Fireman Friend (which is a one-way check valve) or dual 2.5" gated valves.  These options will offer the easiest way to fill your tanker with the least amount of restrictions.

Some departments will fill through the pump so they will be restricted by the size of the tank fill valve which can be as small as 2". In the wintertime, filling through the pump could lead to freezing issues and require draining the pump between each load costing valuable time.


If a tanker has a 2.5" direct tank fill and the fill site is using 4" hi vol or vice versa, you should have an adaptor to convert from one size to the next. This will allow various Tankers to use the water fill site. Adaptors may sacrifice flow therefore a dual 2.5" wye to 4" may be another beneficial piece of gear in your arsenal. If there is only a single 2.5" direct tank fill available, you may want to consider using a second 2.5" line and filling through the pump at the same time depending on the weather.

Please note that most tanks have a pressure and flow maximums allowed in order to protect the tank and the internal baffles. The flow should also be reduced as the tank reaches close to full. A rear water level gauge is a nice option in this situation.

The Fearless Front Line Part One

I've been a member of Soundview Executive Book Summaries for around three years now - it's a great way to get a feel for a book without having to read the entire book. I like that the summaries are available in many formats as well as audio versions - great to listen to while walking!

Another feature includes four or more webinars each month by an author presenting a session on his or her book. Last week it was Ray Attiyah and The Fearless Front Line. This book presents a system to empower front line employees to allow them to lead in running and improving the company. This allows the leaders to grow the company. This is an area that our company could benefit from.

The presentation was very good, and this evening I went ahead and ordered the book for my kindle. It has excellent reviews and I will enjoy reading it (I also added to my phone's kindle app). On the cover, it says "The key to liberating leaders to improve and grow their business." The book is divided into three sections which comprise the "Run-Improve-Grow" model proposed to empower each person to do their best.

The first section of the book outlines how to empower front line employees to be fearless and to be able to Run the company's core functions without help (interference) from management. If managers are constantly involved in the Run of the business, they do not have time to Improve or Grow the business, and front line employees cannot reach their potential. The goal is develop Fearless Front Line employees and reduce the bureaucracy that builds up over time.

A feature of this book is that it provides some specific instructions on how to implement these changes. One recommendation concerns daily huddles - as we currently have daily meetings with the front line staff, I can see areas to improve already! Once I've read through the Improve and Grow sections, I'll write more.

Throwback Thursday - Ryegate, VT - 1996 Metalfab Top Mount Pumper

Today's featured unit for Throwback Thursday is a Metalfab Top Mount Pumper that was manufactured for the Ryegate, VT Fire Department. The unit was delivered to Chief Gene Perkins and his team on November 3rd, 1996. This was the first Metalfab unit to be delivered in Vermont.

This unit featured a Hale 1500 USGPM pump and a 1250 US Gal Poly Tank. The body was an extruded aluminum body and had a mixture of flush mount and rollup doors.

Reading Books

I have always enjoyed reading, and still do!  In the March 2013 issue of the Rotarian , there were a couple of articles on reading that made me think about my reading habits.

I tend to have 2 or 3 books on the go at any one time. I always have a business book of one sort or another on the go – I’m always looking for ideas to help me improve my performance or that of the company. Currently I’m reading W. Edward Deming’s “Out of the Crisis” which describes his 14 points to transform management. I tend to buy these books as I like to keep them for reference and like to mark them up. I'll be writing more about the 14 points as time goes on as I can see a lot of benefit in implementing them. 

I also enjoy series of books – Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, etc. Currently I am reading Stephen R. Lawhead’s King Raven Trilogy which is an interesting take on the Robin Hood legend. I tend to read these on the Kindle, or on my phone with the Kindle app. One of the articles in the Rotarian justified reading fiction as it let us see how people interact and allow us to perhaps imagine what another person is thinking or feeling. Maybe I can say that this is helping me with business as well!

Finally, I enjoy biographies. These I tend to borrow from the library as an ebook and read with my tablet. I believe we can always learn from other peoples’ experiences.

Recent Deliveries - Rogersville, NB - Metalfab Top Mount Pumper

On April 6th, 2013, the Rogersville Fire Department took delivery of their Metalfab Top Mount Pumper, This unit was based on their 2007 Metalfab Pumper which was lost when their fire hall burnt in January 2012.

The new Pumper featured a Waterous 1250 IGPM pump with a 1200 Imperial Gallon Poly tank. Some of the upgrades from the 2007 unit were a 200 CFM Compressed Foam system and an extended front bumper with an attack line.

The ladder rack is a Zico electric access system and the lighting package is from Whelen. The rear compartment housed a 10" Newton Dump Valve, storage for two suction hoses in the tank and 4" Direct Tank fill.

Metalfab would like to thank Chief Marc Pitre and his team for purchasing two Metalfab units following their unfortunate fire.

Do The Work

A couple nights ago while walking I was listening to a podcast by Michael Hyatt about “how to overcome the Resistance”. This is a phrase coined by Steven Pressfield to describe the force that works against you whenever you try to do something new or different. This resonated with me as I often find it easier to stay with the status quo rather than make changes that I know need to be made.

The Resistance has three strategies – Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt. 

Our typical response to FEAR is Procrastination. What we need to do is START.

Our typical response to UNCERTAINTY is Distraction. What we need to do is FOCUS.

Our typical response to DOUBT is to quit and leave the work unfinished. What we need to do is FINISH.

I picked up Pressfield’s book “Do the Work” and read it on the Kindle. This is a book in the same style as much of Seth Godin’s work. It was published by the Domino Project which was conceived by Seth Godin as a way to publish without bookstores and middlemen.

The book is short, an easy read, and it builds on ideas developed in Pressfield’s book “The War of Art” which I’ve added to my list of books to read. I have found that I’ve encountered “the Resistance” many times in my career without knowing what it was called. I always chalked up setbacks to inertia – people don’t like change. This book gives me some insight into setbacks and how to combat them. It also clarifies how committed you are to the change you are trying to make.

The  high point of the book for me was the test “How bad do you want it?”

Dabbling • Interested • Intrigued but Uncertain • Passionate • Totally Committed  

 If your answer is not the one on the far right, put this book down and throw it away.

Drafting operations

Drafting can be considered as a standard operation in certain departments or as a rarely utilized art form in some others.

The key element in drafting is eliminating the air in the pump system. Making sure all drains are closed and every inlet is capped tightly is essential. Also, a well maintained primer will make the task of drafting much easier. The primer is designed to remove air out of a pump so it will be more effective on a dry pump. If the pump and suctions are partially full of water, the primer will have to work harder in order to expel the water and air mixture out of the plumbing.

There are a few accessories that will make the task of drafting much easier. Lightweight suction hoses will allow the operator to see the water coming into the pump. The operator should always make sure that the suction hoses have a proper fitting gasket and that the suction hose is threaded on tightly. The slightest amount of air coming in by the suction hose threads will make it difficult to maintain prime.

Choosing the right strainer for the job is also another key component to drafting. A barrel strainer can be used when there is a lot of water and no chance of the strainer hitting the bottom. A floating strainer should be used in a pond or lake in order to keep the suction off the bottom where it could come in contact with sand. A low level strainer should be used in the portable tank in order to get out as much water as possible.

The shorter the height between the surface of the water and the center of the suction inlet, the easier the drafting operation will be. The maximum lift should be below 20’ high. The horizontal distance is not an issue so a porta tank can be placed in front or behind a fire apparatus. A suction elbow can make that operation easier by saving the suction hose from making a large loop by the operator.

How often does your department practice drafting operations?

Recent Deliveries - Havelock, NS - Metalfab Pumper

On March 24th, 2013, the Havelock, NS Fire Department received their new Metalfab Top Mount Pumper. This was the department's first Metalfab unit.  It was modelled after their neighbour's Metalfab unit to allow for better mutual aid and compatibility on scene.

The Top Mount Pumper body is mounted on a 2013 Freightliner M2 106 and is powered by a Cummins ISC 300hp engine. The Allison 3000 EVS transmission powers a 5KW PTO generator.



The pump on this unit is a 1050 IGPM and has
a flowmeter installed on the output. The electric governor is a FRC In-Control 400. There is a
FoamPro 2001 with a 20 Imperial Gallon foam cell. The left side suction is gated and a pre-primer is included. The Poly tank has a capacity of 1000 Imperial Gallons.


The light package is a Federal LED system and dual 110-volt LED extendable lights are mounted on the back side of the chassis cab.


The body compartments are equipped with Amdor roll up doors. The left side are full height while the right side are lower with the manual fold down ladder rack mounted on the fender top. Below the right side fender top, the attic ladder and pike poles are mounted in a compartment accessible from the rear. The hose bed has deck plate hose bed covers and the rear of the body has reflective Chevrons.
                                                                                        

                                                                                                                                                              

                                                                      

Throwback Thursday - South Bristol, ME - 1986 Metalfab Pumper

Today's featured unit for Throwback Thursday is a Metalfab Pumper manufactured for the South Bristol, ME Fire Department.  This truck was delivered to the department on October 24, 1986. This was the first unit to be delivered in Maine.

This unit was a 1000 US GPM Pump with 1000 US Gallons of water. The body and tank were made of steel. There was a 10" dump valve on the valve with a step above it. The hose bed was lined with Versa-Tile. This unit had a 3600 Watt Inverter installed.

Quick Tip - Drafting Tip

When arriving at a scene and preparing to draft with a dry pump, it is best to connect the suction hoses and prime so that the water is up the suction hoses to the suction inlet first.  After this is done, then engage the pump shift into pump mode.  This reduces the potential amount of time that the pump runs without water, reducing possible damage to the mechanical seal and the other components of the pump caused by running the pump dry.

Question of the Week

  With the greater focus on safety, what option on your fire apparatus would you change to make it more safe for your firefighters or to make it more user friendly for your firefighters?

Product Spotlight - Zico LAS Extender

  When looking at the design of your new truck, one usually looks at the height of equipment and tries to keep everything to be easily accessible.  In the case of ladders mounted on the side of the truck, it is hard to have higher compartments over the wheel wells just because it raises the ladders up and makes them hard to access.  Sometimes even with a Zico LAS (Ladder Access System) the ladders still aren't easily accessed.

Ziamatic (Zico) has released a new version of it's LAS.  It is the LAS Extend Down.  It is similar to the standard LAS rack, but it incorporates a pulley system to allow the ladders to extend down an additional 12".  This means you are able to increase the compartment heights while maintaining the ladders accessibility.

Cold Weather Operations

   A common discussion in the Fire Service is running a “Dry” pump versus a “Wet” pump during the cold winter months. If a pump will be exposed to freezing weather conditions for a significant amount of time, running a dry pump would definitely be recommended. This practice reduces the possibility of pump components freezing and will identify if the tank to pump and tank fill valves are sealing properly. Caution - If these valves are leaking with the drain valve open, this could cause a situation where the booster tank may be low and the drain valve could freeze open rendering the pump inoperable. To completely drain your pump, please follow the simple steps that are typically printed on a label on the pump panel.

   Since moving water does not freeze, the fire pump should be engaged and water circulated while on scene. If operating from the apparatus booster tank, it would be recommended to operate the pump with the tank to pump fully open and the tank fill ¼ from closed. If operating from an external water supply, the operator should ensure that some water is being circulated through a discharge or tank fill valve. Care should be exercised to limit the amount of water spilling on scene. This could cause the area around the truck to become icy during a long emergency call.

   The pump house heat pan should be installed every fall and removed every summer. If your unit is equipped with an optional pump house heater, it should be used all the time during cold weather operations.

 

What precautions does your department make to the Fire Apparatus during the winter months?

 

Recent Deliveries - Tyne Valley, PE - Metalfab Walk In Rescue

On March 09, 2013, the Tyne Valley, PE Fire Department received their new Metalfab Walk In Rescue Unit.  The rescue was tested and certified by ULC to meet ULC Standard - ULC-S515-04 for a SSV (Special Services Vehicle).  This unit is the department's second Metalfab unit.

The 18'-00" walk In Rescue body was mounted on a 2013 International 4400 Chassis.  The chassis was equipped with a 300 HP Maxxforce DT Diesel Engine.  There was a sealed pass through installed between the chassis cab and the Walk In Body to allow for communication between the people seated in the cab and the people seated in the body.




A receiver was installed under the front bumper.  This receiver could be used for mounting a
removable winch or placing tow rings for tie off points, amongst other possible usages.

The rescue unit was equipped with a Federal LED Warning Light System, 12V scene lights, 110V telescopic flood lights, 110V Tripod Flood Lights, and other lighting options.  There was also a 7kw Raven PTO Driven Generator installed on the unit.

The 18'-00" Walk In Body included low side exterior compartments, rear and right side access doors, four interior SCBA seats , an interior flip down command table, and interior storage for 32 sets of bunker gear.  There was also a four bottle cascade system installed in the rear left exterior compartment.

Metalfab would like to thank the Tyne Valley Fire Department for this purchase.

Throwback Thursday - Maitland, NS 1984 Metalfab Pumper/Rescue

 

 

 

Today's featured unit for Throwback Thursday is a Metalfab Pumper/Rescue manufactured for the Maitland, NS Fire Department.  This truck was delivered to the department on May 18, 1984.  This unit was the first unit Metalfab manufactured for a Fire Department in Nova Scotia.  It was also the first unit manufactured that had a pump and tank with the rear body being a Walk In Rescue.

This unit was equipped with a Hale M-75 625 IGPM Midship pump.  The steel water tank had a capacity of 300 Imp Gal.  The steel Rescue Body had exterior high and low side compartments on both sides of the unit as well as storage in the interior of the unit.