NEEDA - National Emergency Equipment Dealers Association

Police/rescue scanners, radios, guns, cell phones are among the things people are spending more on according to October, 2001 survey data.

Meanwhile, there has been a rise in interest among local governments in the E911 system which will help first responders locate people who call on cell phones but who don't know their location.

FIRE MANUFACTURERS WANT CONGRESS TO OK $1 BILLION TO HELP BUYING BY LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS
Originally Posted: October 29, 2001 5:23 PM
Last Updated: October 29, 2001 5:23 PM

Manufacturers are printing 160,000 postcards to generate requests to the US Congress for $1 billion per year for Fire Act Grants to local fire and EMS departments. The two organizations share the same headquarters in Lynnfield MA.

SENATE, HOUSE FOCUS ON ECONOMIC STIMULUS, INSURANCE CRISIS, AND AVIATION SAFETY
Originally Posted: October 29, 2001 5:06 PM
Last Updated: October 29, 2001 5:06 PM

While fire and emergency advocates are working on increased appropriations for the Fire Grant program and other ideas endorsed by the Congressional Fire Service Institute, House and Senate members working often from temporary offices in the US Capitol while anthrax searches are made in the main office buildings, are working on such items as economic stimulus, aviation safety, and the insurance crisis generated by the September 11, 2001 attacks. As October closes, here is a thumbnail sketch of these issues.

SPARTAN'S FIRE AND EMERGENCY COMPANIES CONTRIBUTE TO STRONG FINANCIAL RESULTS
Originally Posted: October 29, 2001 4:15 PM
Last Updated: October 29, 2001 4:15 PM

Spartan's EVTeam posted its fourth consecutive quarter of profitability, highlighted by improvements in sales, gross margin and backlog. Spartan's John Sztykiel said all three EVTeam companies -- Quality Manufacturing, Road Rescue and Luverne Fire Apparatus -- received excellent customer response to the new vehicles introduced during the International Association of Fire Chiefs show in New Orleans LA August, 2001. Spartan is a dealer oriented manufacturer and has contributed support to the National Emergency Equipment Dealers Association (NEEDA).

MEDIC MASTER IS NEW EMS DISTRIBUTOR FOR PYNG
Originally Posted: October 29, 2001 4:02 PM
Last Updated: October 29, 2001 4:02 PM

The MedicMaster EMS product sales force covers Florida, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arizona, Utah, Texas. Through a new distribution agreement it will sell Pyng products.

CHICAGO FIRE DEPARTMENT PAYS $3.5 MILLION TO BUY 1,100 AIR MASKS FROM MSA
Originally Posted: October 18, 2001 3:38 PM
Last Updated: October 18, 2001 3:38 PM

“MSA,” has been awarded a $3.5 million contract to supply the Chicago Fire Department with its MMR XTREME(R) Air Masks.

Chicago Fire Commissioner James Joyce said: " The 1,100 new air masks issued are a vital part of firefighting and will protect our firefighters from heat, smoke and toxic atmospheres.

MSA says this is the biggest self-contained breathibng apparatus award made by a municipal fire department.

The contract was announced at the Chicago Fire Academy but delivery was made the week of September 11, 2001.

MSA has $500 million in annual sales.

FEDERAL SIGNAL FIRE RESCUE, INCLUDING E-ONE, EARNINGS UP 47%
Originally Posted: October 16, 2001 10:57 AM
Last Updated: October 16, 2001 11:28 AM

Federal Signal Corporation (Oak Brook IL), owner of E-One fire apparatus manufacturer and related companies,reports Fire Rescue earnings increased 47% on a 2% sales increase. But, Tool Group earnings decreased 57% on a 22% sales decline.

The company is having significant Fire Rescue profitability improvement for the full year 2001 vs. 2000.

Federal Signal predicts continuing stable municipal markets, butvery weak industrial markets.

Federal Signal reported Fire Rescue Group earnings rose sharply, up 47% on a 2% sales increase. New orders decreased 7%.

U.S. new orders were down 4% while non-U.S. orders decreased 15%. During the third quarter, the Federal Emergency Management Agency began issuing grants and grant request denials to U.S. fire departments requesting assistance from the 2001 federal grant program for fire apparatus. As a result, new order activity began to improve in September. The group has received orders from New York City and is working to provide emergency replacement trucks as soon as possible.

Joseph J. Ross, chairman and CEO, stated: "Overall, most of our municipal markets are stable to good, but we have seen short-term order delays in certain segments directly as a result of the tragic events in September. With the increasing focus on security throughout the world, we expect demand for our fire, safety and warning products will remain good. "

Federal Signal includes: Bronto Skylift, Emergency One, Saulsbury Fire Equipment Corp., Superior Emergency Vehicles, Ltd.

RURAL METRO REVENUE'S DOWN, CASH COLLECTIONS UP, PULLS OUT OF ARGENTINA
Originally Posted: October 15, 2001 12:16 PM
Last Updated: October 15, 2001 12:16 PM

On a fully consolidated basis including restructuring, Rural/Metro Corporation’s (Scottsdale AZ) goodwill and other charges of $167.9 million after taxes, net loss for the quarter was $177.4 million, or $11.91 per fully diluted share, compared to a net loss of $44.2 million, or $3.02 per diluted share for the same quarter of the prior year. For fiscal 2001, revenue was $504.3 million, compared to $570.1 million for fiscal 2000.

TYCO COMPANY HAS NEW FOAM PRODUCT TO FIGHT FLAMMABLE LIQUID FIRE
Originally Posted: October 15, 2001 11:46 AM
Last Updated: October 15, 2001 11:46 AM

Ansul Inc, a unit of Tyco Fire and Security Services, and Williams Fire Hazard Control have created a new firefighting foam called ThunderStorm. The foam would work on flammable liquid fires such as those that might occur at a refinery.

Tyco Fire and Security Services designs, manufactures, installs and services electronic security systems, fire protection, detection and suppression systems, sprinklers and fire extinguishers. Tyco Fire and Security Services includes more than 60 brands, which are distributed in markets across the globe. Tyco has recently acquired a number of members of the National Emergency Equipment Dealers Association (NEEDA) which is headquartered in Annandale VA.

REP DAVIS PURSUES MORE COOPERATIVE PURCHASING LEGISLATION
Originally Posted: October 11, 2001 10:19 PM
Last Updated: October 11, 2001 10:19 PM

As predicted by NEEDA NEWSLETTER, Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA) is pursuing legislation that will allow local governments to buy their office technology products through the Federal goverments procurement agency: US General Services Administration. Davis is chair of a subcommittee which is holding hearings on the legislation. This is the second Congress in which Davis has advanced his Federal Centralized Cooperative Purchasing idea on behalf of the General Services Administration and a handful of technology firms in his Congressional District who want to penetrate the state and local markets through the Federal procurement window. Large GSA contractors want the free sales and marketing advantages the Federal government offers. These companies feel they are the nation's leading technology experts because they handle the big Federal systems contracts and they must be qualified to handle the little local government problems. Some IT company officials feel that the GSA offer would give them free advertising and promotion and credibility within the local market. The biggest advantage to using the GSA multiple award schedules: the local govenrment need seek no bids, engage in no competition, nor need it notify the public. Rep. Davis likes all these advantages because he is a previous leader in the National Association of Counties (NACO) and was an ally of former Vice President Al Gore who was a big advocate of Federal Centralized Purchasing through his Reinventing Government program. Davis is pursuing ideas that Gore was unable to achieve during the eight-year Clinton-Gore Administration.

CONGRESS AGAIN CONSIDERS NEW COOPERATIVE PURCHASING SCHEME
Originally Posted: October 11, 2001 11:10 AM
Last Updated: October 11, 2001 9:48 PM

The US Senate has passed by voice vote permission for local governments to buy buses through the US General Service Administration's Multiple Awards Schedules. This would be the first time the Senate has approved Federal Centralized Cooperative Purchasing since voting against it (Section 1555) twice in the late 1990s. If this provision is passed by the Congress and signed into law by President Bush, local transit authorities will be able to skip bidding, competition, and public notice of a procurement when buying new buses. Dealers and distributors of buses will be the losers as none are on the GSA list which lists manufacturers. GSA seeks companies which serve the US and various US installations abroad, whereas most dealers serve a particular geographic area such as a state or a couple of states. GSA has a long tradition of hostility to dealers and distributors, arguing that they just add unnecessary costs to most purchases. GSA seeks to be the national procurement agency for all state and local governments. This amendment, supported by GSA, would add substantial income to GSA because GSA gets paid a commission for every GSA multiple awards sale. The commission is paid directly to GSA by the manufacturer and is included in the price the manufacturer charges the local government. So, GSA acts as the dealer to earn the commission or rebate, but does no work, offers no service, extends no warranties, parts replacement or training.

"GSA is overstepping its legal bounds by invading the state and local market," stated NEEDA President James "Pat" Griffin. "They were established to serve only Federal agencies. Once they become the national agent for bus sales, they will move into other vehicles such as fire, emegency, rescue and EMS vehicles. The business community is united against this attempt at Federal competition with local small businesses."

NEW LEGISLATION TO FUND 75,000 FIRE FIGHTERS NATIONWIDE
Originally Posted: October 11, 2001 10:28 AM
Last Updated: October 11, 2001 10:28 AM

The International Association of Fire Fighters and the International Association of Fire Chiefs are among those supporting legislation to add 75,000 new fire fighters to local fire departments. The bill is modeled after the successful COPS program, passed in 1993, which called for 100,000 new law enforcement officers across the nation.

FEMSA ELECTS NEW LEADERS AT ARIZONA MEETING
Originally Posted: October 11, 2001 10:19 AM
Last Updated: October 11, 2001 10:19 AM

The Fire and Emergency Manufacturers and Suppliers Association (Lynnfield MA) has elected new leaders completing its 2001-2002 Board of Directors. NEEDA congratulates FEMSA and the many volunteers who contribute leadership skills, time and commitment on behalf of our industry and the fire and emergency service.

FEDERAL INTERAGENCY FIRE COUNCIL ISSUES REPORT ON WILDFIRE SEASON: INCLUDES PREDICTIONS
Originally Posted: October 9, 2001 10:04 AM
Last Updated: October 9, 2001 10:04 AM

NEEDA NEWSLETTER has included several reports on wildfires which dramatically affect communities in the west, Florida, and other wildfire potential areas and the emergency equipment dealers who serve these communities. Everyone in these areas works together with various Federal, state and local agencies to prevent where possible and respond to the wildfire threat. The Interagency Council, with HQ in Boise, has continuous information on wildfires. Here is their October 2001 report. For other NEEDA NEWSLETTER reports on wildfires, use the "Search" button on your NEEDA screen.

ALL FIRE GRANTS HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY WASHINGTON: VEHICLES, PROTECTIVE & FIREFIGHTING EQUIPMENT, TRAINING AND PREVENTION
Originally Posted: October 9, 2001 9:45 AM
Last Updated: October 9, 2001 9:45 AM

All Fire Grant Act matching grants have been approved for the 2000-2001 fiscal year. Here is the final information based on information from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) which is administering the grant program. In an unprecedented hurry-up effort, using no new Federal employees, FEMA managed to complete the review process and approve grants in a few months of furious work. Now, Congress is working on the second year of funding for this new program and it is clear that appropriations will increase substantially. Grants for 2001-2002 cannot be considered until Congress has given the go-ahead and at the earliest would not be released until the Summer of 2002. The application process will probably begin by early 2002. Already, the Senate has approved a large increase, as reported by NEEDA NEWSLETTER.

To find out which fire departments in your state received which grants in the programs first year (2001), go to the FEMA website which has links to each state appended to each of the approximately one dozen grant news announcements.

The September 11 national tragedy and subsequent military response by the Bush Administration has increased Congressional awareness of the importance of meeting the needs of fire, emergency, rescue and EMS first responders. For more information on legislation being considered by Congress to go http://thomas.loc.gov.

If you wish to express your views concerning these grants and the capability of local public safety departments to respond to the fire, disaster, and terrorism problems, write to your US Representative and two US Senators. For the Senate website: http://www.senate.gov and for the House website: http://www.house.gov.

TEXAS AND PENNSYLVANIA: EXAMPLES OF STATE RESPONSE TO NEW SECURITY REQUIREMENTS FOLLOWING US/BRITISH STRIKES ON TALIBAN FORCES
Originally Posted: October 7, 2001 8:09 PM
Last Updated: October 7, 2001 8:22 PM

Texas and Pennsylvania show the wide range of agencies in a major state which have a stake in the increased security facing US governments at all levels for the months ahead. The cost of supporting increased security efforts by all these organizations has not been calculated, but will be very substantial. Many are preparing to increase their fire, emergency, EMS, law enforcement and related functions through new acquisition of equipment and training.

CONGRESSIONAL FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES CAUCUS RAISES FUNDS FOR FALLEN FIREFIGHTERS IN NY
Originally Posted: October 6, 2001 7:36 PM
Last Updated: October 6, 2001 7:36 PM

Coming to the assistance of fallen rescue workers in New York, Congressman Curt Weldon (R-PA), Senator Joe Biden (D-DE), Congressman Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and other members of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus are leading efforts to assist the families of fallen emergency responders. NEEDA helps support this Congressional Caucus by attending the annual CFSI dinner in Washington DC each April and by serving on the CFSI Advisory Committee. Kenton Pattie, NEEDA Executive Director, represents NEEDA on the committee.

FIRE CHIEF ASKS FOR REPLIES TO SURVEY FOR FIRE ACADEMY EXEC FIRE OFFICER PROGRAM
Originally Posted: October 6, 2001 6:52 PM
Last Updated: October 6, 2001 6:52 PM

Fire chief working on survey for the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer Program seeks your help in getting answers to his 15 questions. Print this survey and fax him the results if you can help. NEEDA thanks Frank Livingston for forwarding this survey to us for publication on NEEDA NEWSLETTER.

CA SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAMS LEAVE NY: EMERGENCY WORKERS FROM LA, RIVERSIDE, SACRAMENTO, SAN DIEGO, MENLO PRK, OAKLAND
Originally Posted: October 5, 2001 10:36 PM
Last Updated: October 5, 2001 10:45 PM

The withdrawal of the California search and rescue teams reflects the dramatic turn of events at the New York and Pentagon tragedy sites: they are moving from search and rescue to clearing the sites and, for example, planning the rebuilding of the three layers of the Pentagon which were penetrated by the passenger jet.

Since September 12, 2001 six of OES' eight US&R teams, as well as nearly 100 other state OES and local government personnel, have played a major role in the search and response efforts at ground zero in New York and Washington D.C.

DEC. 31, 2005 IS STILL THE DEADLINE FOR NEW WIRELESS 911 SYSTEMS: BUT MAJOR CARRIERS GET MORE DEVELOPMENT TIME
Originally Posted: October 5, 2001 6:50 PM
Last Updated: October 5, 2001 7:15 PM

As NEEDA NEWSLETTER has reported several times, the development and installation of the wireless 911 system is moving ahead – to locate the caller automatically, just as callers can be traced when using home and office phones. The drive toward having wireless 911 caller location info began in 1996 and today would enable first responders to locate over 45 million cell phone users in event of fire, accident, injury, or other emergency.

But Nextel, Sprint, Verizon, AT&T Wireless, Cingular and Voice Stream, comprising 75% of the market, have asked for more time.

NEW PA GOV CREATES SECURITY TASK FORCE & APPOINTS 100 NEW STATE TROOPERS
Originally Posted: October 5, 2001 6:12 PM
Last Updated: October 6, 2001 6:24 PM

What! A new Governor? Yes, that's right, even before the November elections Pennsylvania has a new Governor because the last Governor was appointed by President Bush to head Homeland Security in Washington DC. He's focusing on a public security task force which will report in 45 days and is adding 100 new police. You recall that NEEDA NEWSLETTER previously reported a series of state grants to local fire departments to assist with new equipment. Hopefully, the new Governor and his task force will continue his office's support for this program and expand it to increase financial support to all fire and rescue departments in the state.

RAILROAD PAYS BALTIMORE CITY AND BUSINESSES FOR FIRE, POLICE AND RECOVERY FROM CHEMICAL CAR FIRE IN NORTH SOUTH TUNNEL
Originally Posted: October 5, 2001 1:30 PM
Last Updated: October 5, 2001 1:30 PM

The city of Baltimore has received $373,573 from CSX Corp. which owns the train, tracks and tunnel hit by the July 2001 tunnel and chemical car fire which closed down town Baltimore for several days and stopped north-south train service in the East cost corridor.

NEEDA PRESIDENT'S BROTHER WRITES BOOK ON HOW FBI CRIPPLED THE MOB
Originally Posted: October 5, 2001 9:50 AM
Last Updated: October 5, 2001 9:50 AM

NEEDA President James "Pat" Griffin's brother Joe Griffin has just written a book on how the Federal Bureau of Investigation crippled organized crime. Joe Griffin had a 50-year career with the FBI and is now President and CEO of Quest Consultants International, a Chicago-area investigation firm. The book is called Mob Nemesis and shows how the FBI defeated the mob in Buffalo, Cleveland, Rochester, and Youngstown.

LMA NORTH AMERICA ANNOUNCES EXCLUSIVE CONTRACTS
Originally Posted: October 4, 2001 12:31 PM
Last Updated: October 4, 2001 12:33 PM

MDS Matrx will be responsible for pre-hospital sales in the southeast United States. The company is a US manufacturer and distributor of medical equipment and supplies for the emergency medical services market. A division of a large healthcare and life science company, MDS Matrx serves the EMS industry.

Bound Tree Parr LLC will be responsible for pre-hospital sales in the remainder of the country. Bound Tree Parr is a distributor of emergency medical equipment and related supplies in the United States. Bound Tree Parr services emergency medical service units, fire and police departments, hospitals, corrections, industrial, institutional and other pre-hospital services from four distribution centers - Henniker, NH;
Galloway, OH; Tempe, AZ and Gig Harbor, WA.

FEMSA MEMBERS RATE BALTIMORE AND NEW ORLEANS FIRE SHOWS
Originally Posted: October 4, 2001 12:10 PM
Last Updated: October 11, 2001 10:34 AM

FEMSA received 19 reports for the Baltimore show and 34 reports for the New Orleans show. Baltimore is sponsored by Firehouse Magazine and New Orleans by the International Association of Fire Chiefs. Both shows received a C+/B- rating.

OSHKOSH TRUCK ANNOUNCES FY RESULTS NOV 1, WINS $60 MILLION 10-YEAR US MARINE CORPS CONTRACT
Originally Posted: October 4, 2001 11:39 AM
Last Updated: October 4, 2001 11:39 AM

Oshkosh Truck, which makes Pierce and Medtec vehicles used in fire and rescue has won a parts inventory contract from the US Marine Corps. Annual financial results will be announed on November 1, 2001.

MAKER OF PROTECTIVE SUITS FOR VIRAL, BACTERIAL AND CHEMICAL INCIDENTS REPORTS SALES UP 28%
Originally Posted: October 3, 2001 7:32 PM
Last Updated: October 3, 2001 7:32 PM

Lakeland Industries of NY reports its sales of chemical protective suits are rising. Increased demand for such protective gear is generated by the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and the antiterrorism campaign which is focusing on future biological attacks.

US DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY GAVE $1.3 MILLION IN SURPLUS FIREFIGHTING, POLICE AND OTHER EQUIPMENT TO RESCUE WORKERS
Originally Posted: October 3, 2001 7:14 PM
Last Updated: October 3, 2001 7:14 PM

The US government has been distributing some of its huge supply of surplus firefighting and police equipment to the search and rescue workers at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. So far, Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service products total $1.3 million with more to come. DRMS is a part of the Defense Logistics Agency which is the central Defense supply agency for most products and commodities. DLA seeks to be the major supplier of fire equipment to all Defense agencies, using three exclusive suppliers, which leaves local emergency equipment dealers out of the business opportunity cycle for Federal requirements. Meanwhile, DLA's surplus equipment, much of it new and unused, is distributed to local governments with Public Safety and police departments under the Section 1122 program. Section 1122 employees in many state police departments have their salaries paid by the US Justice Department and specialize in chanelling US defense surplus property to local police departments.

US SENATE APPROVES HUGE INCREASE IN FIRE GRANTS: $2.4 BILLION OVER THREE YEARS
Originally Posted: October 2, 2001 10:18 AM
Last Updated: October 5, 2001 10:52 PM

The United States Senate approved by voice vote an amendment to the defense authorization bill to increase Fire Grants from $100 million per year to $600 million in the 2001-2002 year, $800 million in the 2002-2003 year, and $1 billion in 2003-2004.