Special Offers |  Special Services  |  Special Events

2 for 1 Colleague Offer During these tough budget times, take advantage of our "Bring a Colleague Free". Register Early!! Don’t miss the 2 for 1 offer.  One person registers – the second registration is FREE.

One-To-One Service Try out our new concierge Attendee-Exhibitor One To One Service.

Chili Cook-Off 2nd Annual Chili Cook-Off Challenge Get a team together and enter in this year’s cook-off. Monday, October 25 5:30 – 7:00 pm

Hotel Information  |  Exhibit Hall

Host Hotel Silver Legacy Resort Casino 407 N. Virginia Street    Reno, NV  89501 1-800-687-8733 www.silverlegacyreno.com Hotel Rate:  $59.00 + taxes Group Code:  FIRE10 Group Cut-off Date is 9/24/10

Exhibit Hall  Reno Events Center 400 N. Center Street      Reno, NV   89501 Located in Downtown Reno

Space is limited and registration is now being accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Complete the attached Student Registration and Invoice Information forms and return
with payment to the CFMA administrative office for processing. Your registration will be
processed and confirmed upon receipt of completed paperwork and payment.

International Multi-Plex System Training, Diagnostic and Troubleshooting

Training will follow the NCFMA Meeting

Fire truck maintenance is an essential part of every fire department’s routine and budget.  However, with the nation facing an economic downturn, fire department officials are looking for ways to save money.  FDNNTV.com’s Barbara Brooks and veteran fire department Maintenance Officer Sammy Dominick, Sr. bring you tips on daily fire truck maintenance practices that can help your department save money and keep your vehicles  in optimum working condition.

Fire Truck Maintenance That Can Be Performed By Firefighters

Unless a fire department has its own full-service maintenance shop, most fire apparatus repairs must be outsourced to a third-party fire mechanic.  However, there are several things that firefighters can do on a daily and weekly basis in the station to catch problems early and to prevent the need for costly repairs. These measures will also ensure the safety of the apparatus and its crew.

Apparatus Inspection Forms

Most fire departments have an Apparatus Inspection Form that operators must fill out prior to, and in some cases after, each shift.  Sammy Dominick, Sr., a retired Rancho Cucamonga Fire District Maintenance Officer with thirty years of experience, explains, "On that form the individual is signing that he has checked all of the emergency lighting, he’s checked the brakes, he’s checked the steering, he checked the tires, wheels and all of the particulars, all of the equipment that is essential to the firefighting component.  They’ve got to check that off daily."  Inspecting all of a fire department’s apparatus on a daily basis will insure early detection of potential problems, preventing a possible accident or malfunction.  Identifying these issues right away will also prevent additional, related problems, thereby saving the fire department money.

Fire Pump Maintenance

Fire pumps should be maintained on a weekly basis.  Dominick advises that pump operators should always backflush the pump to clear out rocks and debris that might have entered the pump during the use of a fire hydrant.  He explains, "Every time a contractor breaks into the main pipe, all of that concrete, those pieces and rocks, follow through the mains, come up the hydrants, and stay at the head of the hydrant."  He suggests that firefighters make a habit of flowing the hydrant before they hook up to it with their fire apparatus to flush that debris out of the hydrant and keep it from entering the pump.  He also recommends that firefighters operate the relief valve or governor on a weekly, if not daily, basis.

"Over and Under" Checks

Keeping a fire apparatus’ moving components properly lubricated is another preventative maintenance measure that firefighters can take.  Using a creeper, personnel can access the undercarriage of the fire truck and lubricate all of its fittings.  Sammy Dominick explains that this can also be used as an opportunity to check a myriad of other components, saying, "Going under with a creeper and doing what we call an "over and under’ – over is everything on top and under is getting on the creeper, check the drive shaft, the U-Joints, look for leaks in the pump, the differential, the engine, the transmission, maybe a major water leak."

Hoses

Besides looking for damage and leaks, operators should check that all hoses are securely mounted and are not chaffing against the drive shaft or wheels.

Drive Shaft

It is also important to make sure that the drive shaft is not cracked or bent.  Apparatus operators need to be sure that the drive shaft’s couplings are securely mounted and free of foreign objects.

Brake Slack Adjustor

Inspecting a vehicle’s front brake slack adjustor is also very important.  There should not be any broken, loose or missing parts.  With the brakes released, the push rod should not travel more than one inch.

Steering Linkage

Similarly, steering linkage should not have any worn or cracked connecting links, arms or rods.  Operators should also check to make sure all of these parts are securely mounted.

Importance of Doing Daily and Weekly Fire Truck Inspections

Dominick stresses the importance of firefighters doing daily and weekly maintenance checks on the fire apparatus in their stations, saying, "Anyone that has a license to drive an apparatus should be able to maintain it to the best level they can.  Like the "Out of Service Criteria".  Is it a tire problem? Is it a brake problem? Is it a major leak problem? Is it a steering problem?  Those kinds of things, you are out of service, no question.  You take that on a public road and you get into an accident with it and you haven’t checked it, it’s on you.  The liability is on the driver."

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Download the Information Packet .pdf

Here is the 2010 Schedule for the Bendix Brake Classes. Opportunities for CA are limited to one class.  There are two in Sparks, NV and one in Avondale, AZ.

Thanks to Tony for submitting this information.

Download the Newsletter: Adobe .pdf

Thursday, April 15th, 2010

NCFMA Business Meeting at 9:00AM

Allison Transmission Service Class begins immediately after

Please fill-out and fax the downloadable sheet by:

Thursday, April 8th to:

Burton’s Fire, Inc.
Fax: 209.544.1109

This will be a 2 day training course that is limited in size so please RSVP to Monica at KME to get your people in. (909)-937-3326 or mvargas@kovatch.com

KME and Hale will provide the lunch for all attendees.

We hope to have a good turn out and would like to see everyone here.

Please review the coarse outline:

The Hale Pump Operation and Maintenance Seminar will cover the following topics:

• Preventative Maintenance Functions
• Basics on Midship Pump Design and Construction
• Detailed information and hands-on training on various pump components such as the gearbox, impeller assembly, and pressure relief valve. Exercises such as the proper setting of relief valves, a pump installation inspection.
• Valves and accessories
• Troubleshooting

The Hale FoamLogix Foam Operation and Maintenance Seminar will cover the following topics:

• Preventative Maintenance Functions
• Basics on FoamLogix Design and Construction
• Detailed information and hands-on training on various Foam components such as the speed sensors, flow sensors, gear pump, calibration and setup 
• Troubleshooting