With a patriotic-themed Ferrara fire truck  To help celebrate 150 years of service, FDNY selected Ferrara Fire Apparatus to decorate one of their Ferrara aerial ladders to use as a show piece throughout 2015. The truck was taken out of service in New York City and brought to the Ferrara factory where it was refurbished, including getting a new paint job and an elegant graphics package. Deviating from the normal red and white cab and standard FDNY graphics, this special edition truck features a beautiful metallic silver cab top, silver leaf stripping and lettering, and a blue silhouette with white stars of the New York City skyline representing the five boroughs. “It is an honor and a privilege to present one of our aerial ladders as the center piece to commemorate FDNY’s 150th anniversary,” said President/CEO Chris Ferrara. FDNY has recently placed an order for twelve more aerial ladders which will bring the total to 71 Ferrara ladders in service in New York City. The FDNY 100’ aerial ladders are built on the Ferrara Ultra custom chassis with a 3CR12 stainless steel split cab and feature a heavy duty stainless steel body, a quick 4-section 100’ rear mount ladder, and an 8kW hydraulic generator.

Teaser: Birmingham, UK Website: http://www.emergencyuk.com/

Teaser: Chicago, IL Website: http://www.nfpa.org/training/conference

Alexandra Grandpierre, Director of POK SAS, tells International Fire Buyer about her time at the company, and how they are looking to expand their workforce How long have you worked at POK? I joined the family business in 2012 as Managing Director. I brought my manufacturing experience from the USA, Germany, and the UK, which has proven to be very useful today. The reason I came to POK is that I’ve always wanted to do something of my own. So after working for several employers, I decided to look for a product to manufacture and to sell. I wrote down the ground rules for a product I could stand behind. The last question I asked was, “Would Richard Branson invest in it?” It needed to have all the elements of the perfect industry. It needed to be a product that people would recommend, something relevant and useful. It needed to be customisable, capable of handling special requests, and, ideally, something very technical, requiring constant innovation. Finally, it should be ethical. It had to be something that I would be very proud of. My partner pointed out: “Alexandra, you just described the products of POK! Why not move back to France?” So I joined the family business in Nogent-Sur-Seine. What I found there was better than I could have imagined. We have fantastic manufacturing facilities: A machine workshop filled with Mazak tools, a mounting shop, a hose reel factory, and a welding shop. POK manufactures fire-fighting products developed for the entire planet: hand nozzles, monitors, wyes, fittings of every size and kind. Best of all, all profits are always re-invested in the technology and research and development, which is the recipe for a long lasting business! What is your background? I studied electrical engineering at Rouen University in France. I spent my last year as an exchange student in the USA at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. I should have stayed one year but remained five to complete my Masters’ and my PhD thanks to a grant from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research. After that, I found an excellent job at Infineon, an electronic chip manufacturer in Germany. I am half German so the language is not an issue for me. Working in Germany in a six sigma, improvement-driven environment was essential in order to experience the ‘quality’ culture. This experience applied to POK means that I will ensure that the quality manager has high-level input in production processes — that quality has priority. I also learned a great deal about communication, being involved in technology transfer. So when I want to make sure someone understands what I’ve said, I ask questions! It’s a good way to check for understanding. Projects often fail because of a poor communication. I spent a lot of time in clean rooms improving processes with operators. I was impressed by the high level of expertise at our ground shop. I’m sure this is because we used an assessment centre for recruiting. And the fact that Germans tend to be very well educated. At POK, we give multiple tests before we hire anyone because we only want to work with the best! I also went back to school for an MSc degree in management. I chose the London School of Economics because of the history of the English with the workforce which is very fascinating. My scientific background made it challenging to be forced to consider shades of grey. Most of all, I learned the importance of being consistent. A good organisation has consistent processes. After that, I worked for two other UK-based companies. What is your biggest challenge at POK? In my first few months, adjusting to the French mentality was difficult. I accepted many things when I first started that I no longer tolerate today. I’ve definitely gotten more demanding. For example, we are slowly changing to better suppliers. Initially, I proposed changes, I listened, I even warned, but I when I saw no improvement, I began to implement positive changes. The result is, we’ve all seen that it is possible to get what we want! This, of course, is a never-ending process. So, now, when I hear that I’m too tough, I just take it as a compliment! Probably, if I were a man, nobody would care. My biggest challenge today is finding planning time for staying ahead of the game because I must still spend time in production and shake hands with hundreds of staff members. I’ve acquired a consultant to help me with this every Thursday morning. It’s a bit like getting slapped in the face because it’s a constant reminder to do things now – in this lifetime and not wait for the next. Fortunately, we are a ‘flat’ organisation – a family business. So we can make decisions very quickly. However as with any project, they only move forward if you place the right people on them. For example, to increase our market share abroad, we need more English speaking people. I recently offered a marketing position to an excellent lady from California who will move to Nogent-Sur-Seine in May. One of her goals will be to speak English each day to all of us. I would like for our official language to become English. Last year in 2014, we did more sales abroad than in France and this trend will only increase. What types of people are you hiring? You can see several profiles are listed in the career section of our website, though that’s only part of what we need. We need sales staff members in our Nogent-Sur-Seine factory which are technical and speak French, English, German, Spanish, and/or Portuguese. We also need French and English speaking trainers to demonstrate equipment on the field and teach our staff and distributors abroad. They will also need to promote our new products. It’s not an easy task as we launch two new products per week, and there’s a constant need to keep people trained and current. We are

One of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organisations, with a global network active in over 100 countries, WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the earth’s natural environment. It aims to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s biological diversity and ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable. Instantly recognisable thanks to its famous panda logo, WWF was originally set up in 1961 for the purpose of campaigning to save species endangered by human activity. With Prince Charles as the current president of WWF-UK, the organisation currently supports around 1,300 conservation and environmental projects around the world. Prior to October last year WWF’s base had been at Panda House in Godalming since 1987. However, as the end of the lease approached, some big decisions had to be made. Following a large donation form the Rufford Foundation, WWF determined to create its own exemplar building where it could work more effectively and spread its message. After carrying out an extensive search a brownfield site, on land that had previously been a car park owned and run by Woking Borough Council, was chosen for the new build. Completed and opened in November 2013 by WWF Ambassador, Sir David Attenborough, the £20 million Living Planet Centre is at the forefront of sustainable design and construction, incorporating a wide range of renewable energy technologies such as ground source heat pumps and solar photovoltaic (PV) panels. One of the greenest buildings in the UK, it is an impressive timber framed structure that as well as housing WWF’s administrative facilities is also home to the WWF Experience – an exciting interactive exhibition that brings to life the secrets of the natural world and the threats it faces. Ensuring the safety of the Living Planet Centre’s occupants was a key concern of WWF during the design process. Although the life safety system would obviously need to give the earliest possible warning in the event of a fire, it would also need to be sympathetic to the unique design features and minimise any disruption to the fabric of the building. With a reputation for excellence as a result of its work on high profile projects across the UK, Cheshire-based Fire Bright Solutions, a BAFE accredited Hochiki Systems Partner, was invited to tender for the project and present its recommendations. Its Sales Director, Haydn Greeves, says: "Formed in 2003, Fire Bright Solutions aims to demonstrate the highest levels of technical competency, professional working practices and ethical conduct, so that our clients can be convinced about our quality of service. To do this we need to be 100% confident in the reliability of the products we install and that’s why we suggested the use of a fire detection system from Hochiki Europe for the WWF." Specialising in system design, installation, commissioning and maintenance, Fire Bright Solutions has worked with all types of fire detection technology. Greeves considered all the options, and comments: "Given the design of the building, the aesthetic considerations and the spaces that had to be covered, I felt confident that Hochiki Europe’s FIRElink-400 aspirating fire detection solution would tick all the boxes." The FIRElink-400 aspirating unit consists of an enclosure that houses the electronics that are powered from a supply, and a fan inside it that draws air in via four pipes that are connected to the unit. The air that is drawn in then goes into an aspirating chamber after passing through a filter. The air then passes across a laser light source that is projected into the air itself and if enough smoke particles are detected an alarm condition will be activated. All detectors in the FIRElink range have been approved to EN 54-20:2006 Classes A, B & C by LPCB. Paul Adams, Hochiki Europe’s Deputy Marketing Manager, explains: "Most types of buildings can benefit from having an aspirating fire detection system but it tends to be particularly useful where an early warning is desirable. The system provides the very highest levels of sensitivity and is able to give warning at the very slightest trace of smoke. This is because aspirating detectors are around ten times more sensitive than general point detectors." Most of the system at the Living Planet Centre is hidden from view, as the majority of the pipework is located in ceiling voids and the roof fabrication. Greeves states: "This aesthetic advantage is achieved without compromising the effectiveness of the system, which is configured around Hochiki Europe’s Enhanced Systems Protocol (ESP) – a robust addressable communications solution for intelligent fire detection and fully integrated systems." The system comprises a three loop Advanced MX4403 control panel, which enables a programed phased evacuation alarm strategy to meet the specific client and local fire authorities requirements. This is complemented by a wide range of Hochiki Europe devices including four FIRElink-400 aspiration detection systems, 63 ALG-EN photoelectric smoke sensors, 16 HCP-E(SCI) call points with integral short-circuit isolators, 11 YBO-BSB base sounder beacons, 39 YBO-BS base sounders and nine ACB-E multi-heat sensors. The ACB-E’s incorporate a variable temperature heat element and a rate of rise heat element, allowing either thermal element or both elements simultaneously to be active in making the fire decision. Part of the original car park has also been incorporated into the new building and Hochiki Europe technology has been installed here too in the form of 55 IP67 rated ACB-EW waterproof multi-heat sensors. The Living Planet Centre has proved immensely popular with WWF staff and visitors alike and it its being held as an exemplar of modern construction practice. The last word goes to WWF spokesman Richard Eaton, who concludes: "It is essential that a state-of-the-art building like this has an equally innovative life safety infrastructure. I’m delighted with the sound advice and skilled craftsmanship that Fire Bright Solutions provided us with in the installation of a fire detection system from Hochiki Europe." For almost 100 years Hochiki has led the way in the design and manufacture

Chris Beck speaks to Chad Christiansen, VP & CEO of Fol-Da-Tank, about how his company’s products can be used in a wide range of situations Tell us a bit about Fol-Da-Tank Fol-Da Tank was founded in 1954 by my grandfather, who invented the first portable folding water tank for rural fire-fighting. He was actually a banker at the time, and he ran a department in the local bank. One of his customers had a business rebuilding fire trucks for the rural fire service. Water supply was a major issue at the time; there was no way of getting a reliable water service out there, and fire-fighters were having to lay out extension liners in a square then drape a tarpaulin over the top to form a tank or reservoir. My grandfather came up with the concept of the folding tank and soon after began developing the Fol-Da-Tank. It was introduced to the market in Illinois in 1954 and my grandfather then applied for his first patent. In 1979, my father bought out the company. I started out at about age 19 working in the shop, helping with all aspects of production, from assembly to fabrication to packaging and shipping, so I have really learnt the company from the ground up. My father retired last year, and I have become the third generation family owner. Family ownership is something that is very common in the fire industry. Do you think that keeping it in the family gives the company an important identity? Absolutely, yes. A lot of the bigger companies, such as W.S. Darley, are even older than us and they take a lot of pride in dealing with other family-owned organisations. What was your first product, and how has your product line developed from there? The folding tank was our first product, and not a lot has changed on the basic product aside from a few little bells and whistles. There are new, heavier duty fabrics for the liners, for example. Handles on the interior of the liner are a hot item at the moment, as they make it easy to empty the last few gallons of water out of the tank at the end. Other designs have evolved since then. We have our onion, or pumpkin-style tanks, for example. These are ideal for the wildfire-fighting community. We are also proud of our quick-assemble tanks, which can take varying forms – they can be taken apart and put into a duffel bag for easy storage and transportation. We have several patents on our tanks. We have a patented roller tank, as well as other patents on accessories for them, such as a guard that protects your hand from the pinch points created on the folding sides, which fold inwards as the tank opens out. We also have a patent-pending tank as part of our single-lane range. This range consists of elongated rectangular or, in this case, hexagonal tanks, which are a much narrower profile and are ideal for use on narrow rural roads that may only be 15 feet wide and poorly paved with a large drainage ditch on each side. The narrow profile of the tank prevents the Fire Department from having to do one of two things. Firstly, it prevents the Department taking up extra road space with a larger, square tank, or indeed having the frame overhanging the edge of the road and being damaged. Secondly, the greater risk is that if a tanker truck has to veer off onto the shoulder of the road, it is at a great risk of rollover, especially if the shoulder is quite soft. By utilising these longer, narrow tanks, we create a much safer and efficient method for rural water shuttling operations. Would you say that remote, hard to access areas are what your products are designed for? The folding tanks are typically used in rural environments – anywhere that doesn’t have readily accessible water at the scene of a fire, such as a fire hydrant or a pond – where water has to be shuttled in. Our frameless range – the onion or pumpkin tanks – are more popular with the forest service. They are very lightweight and can be easily transported to the scene, where water can be flown in, pumped in or trucked in. a very common use is with helicopter dead-bucket operations. The helicopter carries the Bambi bucket and can dip it in the portable tank to dump on the fire if there isn’t a natural body of water around. They can cut their travel time in half and get twice as much water on the fire. Would you say that, in the future, unmanned vehicles will take over from helicopters in forest fire-fighting, and will your products still be as useful? I don’t see why not. The tank itself will still require manual set-up, of course, but once that’s done I can’t see any reason why an unmanned aerial vehicle couldn’t utilise our tanks on the ground. UAVs are becoming more popular in fire-fighting nowadays, and there are occasionally very tragic incidents where helicopter pilots are injured or killed when fire-fighting. Buckets can snag on trees or other large objects, and there are always fluctuations in weather patterns and wind direction that can affect the aircraft. I can see how an unmanned aircraft would be an advantage. What are your major international markets, and are there any regions you’re looking to expand into? We have, through export management companies, been selling our products throughout Mexico and South America. We are also getting stronger in Europe and Russia, and have a decent market in the Middle East, although we will always have room to continue growing in those areas. This will be done through the effective use of importers and exporters. How do you think the company as a whole will grow in the future? We have been increasing our marketing for not just the fire industry but also the oil and gas, oil spill

No weapons on board A nuclear submarine caught fire in a shipyard in Russia’s northern province of Arkhangelsk on Tuesday but there were no weapons on board, Russian news agencies reported. The Emergencies Ministry declined comment on the reports of the fire at the Zvyozdochka shipyard, where the agencies said the 500 metre-long 949 Antei submarine was being repaired. There was no word of any casualties. "There is a fire on the submarine. We are fighting the fire now," a shipyard source told Interfax news agency. RIA quoted a spokesperson at the shipyard as saying there were no weapons on board the submarine. A source told TASS news agency the submarine’s nuclear reactor had been shut down prior to the blaze. "The active zone of the reactor was unloaded at the start of repairs a few years ago," the source said. The news agency reports said the fire had started during welding, causing insulation materials to catch fire. A similar blaze in 2011 nearly led to a nuclear disaster as a blaze engulfed a nuclear-powered submarine carrying atomic weapons, a leading Russian magazine reported months after the blaze, contradicting official assurances that it was not armed.