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.