NEEDA - National Emergency Equipment Dealers Association

Shawnee County and the City of Topeka, KS signed a contract for New World's Aegis(R) Public Safety software and services. The Shawnee County Sheriff's Office, Shawnee County Emergency Communication Center (CECC), Topeka Police Department and Topeka Fire Department licensed New World Systems' integrated Aegis multi-jurisdictional CAD (Computer Aided Dispatch), Records Management, Mobile Computing, Corrections Management and many optional modules.

AETHER AND FIELDSOFT OFFER WIRELESS SYSTEM TO FIRE AND EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS
Originally Posted: November 27, 2001 9:01 AM
Last Updated: December 9, 2001 4:57 PM

As reported previously by NEEDA NEWSLETTER, more and more fire and public safety departments are looking at wireless communications options. Here is another story about a wireless marketing plan to penetrate the fire and emergency market. The 9-11 national tragedy has provided a boost to this market. For other news on this subject use the “Search” application in the upper right of your screen to see the fourteen NEEDA NEWSLETTER stories featuring an aspect of the wireless emergency communication business.

Aether Systems, Inc. (Owings Mills MD), a provider of wireless data products and services, and FieldSoft, Inc., an incident command software company, are offering a automated firefighter and emergency responder accountability system. Fire and other incident commanders working in a mobile environment will be able to make more timely decisions that improve the management and effectiveness of emergency response.

AMBULANCES EQUIPPED WITH PALM COMPUTERS RELAY CRITICAL INFO TO HOSPITAL
Originally Posted: November 26, 2001 7:12 PM
Last Updated: November 26, 2001 7:12 PM

Handhelds based on the Palm OS(R) platform are helping emergency medical workers more easily capture critical patient information in emergency situations, both at the scene and on the way to the hospital. The handheld electronic data-capture systems are eliminating paperwork, saving time and helping ambulance personnel to provide better-quality patient care. This is one of several articles published in NEEDA NEWSLETTER about helping EMTs improve performance in ambulances. Click on this article for specific examples from Virginia and Pennsylvania.

SELLING YOUR BUSINESS? BUYING A BUSINESS? HERE IS HELPFUL INFORMATION ON HOW TO VALUE BUSINESSES
Originally Posted: November 25, 2001 9:37 PM
Last Updated: November 25, 2001 9:40 PM

NEEDA has reviewed several books for people selling and buying businesses, or people creating Employee Owned plans, or seeking loans or venture capital. These books, all available from Bizbooks in Charlotte NC could help you.

BANKRUPTCY REFORM LEGISLATION MAY GET ICED DUE TO BAD ECONOMY, LAYOFFS AND BUSINESS CLOSURES: LEGISLATORS FEAR CITIZEN BACKLASH
Originally Posted: November 25, 2001 9:16 PM
Last Updated: November 25, 2001 9:20 PM

When Congress reconvenes following Thanksgiving recess, the question will arise again: Should Congress pass long-delayed bankruptcy reform legislation? Whereas NEEDA NEWSLETTER predicted months ago that a bill would reach President Bush's desk, chances have dimmed. Reason: the economy is already closing businesses and putting millions of Americans out of work. Therefore a tighter bankruptcy law would just force more citizens into bankruptcy court, making the Congress and Bush Administration look hard harted at a time when citizens expect some compassion. Many in Congress still agree that bankruptcy laws need reform, giving creditors such as small businesses stronger ways to collect from debtors. But, as the House and Senate leaders look at this after Thanksgiving, they may decide to let the House and Senate passed versions of bankruptcy reform legislation roll over to 2002 in hope that the economy will be better and the climate will be appropriate for such pro-business legislation.

CONGRESS TO CONSIDER FIRE ACT FUNDING INCREASE: AMENDMENT TO SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS BY REP. DAVE OBEY
Originally Posted: November 23, 2001 11:54 AM
Last Updated: November 23, 2001 11:54 AM

Earlier this year, as part of FEMA funding Congress passed the first $150 million for Fire Act matching grants in FY 2002. Grants in the first year of the program totaled $100 million.

When Congress reconvenes in November 2001 after the Thanksgiving recess it will consider emergency supplemental appropriations that will be attached to the annual Defense Appropriations bill. Rep. David Obey (D-WI) will offer an amendment to the Supplemental Appropriations bill that contains a variety of Homeland Security measures, including an additional $150 million for FEMA's Fire Act grant program.

If Rep. Obey's amendment passes, the full $300 million allowed by the law which authorizes the grants will have been reached for FY 2002. Earlier this year, as part of FEMA funding Congress passed the first $150 million for Fire Act matching grants in FY 2002. Grants in the first year of the program totaled $100 million.

SAN DIEGO LAUNCHES AMBITIOUS PLAN TO PUT DEFIBRILLATORS IN EVERY PUBLIC PLACE TO SAVE PEOPLE SUFFERING CARDIAC ARREST
Originally Posted: November 21, 2001 10:58 AM
Last Updated: December 27, 2001 7:49 AM

San Diego is going to put defibrillators everywhere possible in the region's public places to help save lives. A person who suffers sudden cardiac arrest outside of a hospital has a 5 percent chance of surviving. Clinical studies have shown the survival rate increases to upwards of 30 to 70 percent when an automated external defibrillator is available and used on a victim within 3 minutes from the onset of cardiac arrest.

The San Diego City Council and Cardiac Science, Inc. (San Diego CA) will promote the deployment, training and implementation of life-saving automated external defibrillators in the region.

For more info in NEEDA NEWSLETTER on defibrillators, San Diego fire and rescue, and Cardiac Science, use the "Search" function on the upper right of your screen.

NEEDA LISTED IN EMS RESOURCE GUIDE PUBLISHED BY JEMS
Originally Posted: November 21, 2001 10:50 AM
Last Updated: November 21, 2001 10:52 AM

In January 2002 the National Emergency Equipment Dealers Association (NEEDA) will be listed in the JEMS EMS Resource Guide. JEMS is the independent voice for the improvement of patient care in the prehospital setting and publishes this comprehensive resource guide for EMS providers. The "JEMS' 2002 Resource Directory" puts need-to-know information at your fingertips-both in print (see the January 2002 issue of JEMS) and online at http://www.jems.com/jems/resource.html.

CONGRESS SAYS NO TO ANOTHER FEDERAL CENTRALIZED TAKE OVER OF STATE AND LOCAL PROCUREMENT; REP. TOM DAVIS (R-VA) PROMISES YET ANOTHER FEDERAL COOPERATIVE PURCHASING BILL TO HELP US GSA
Originally Posted: November 19, 2001 9:13 PM
Last Updated: November 19, 2001 9:27 PM

Thanks to NEEDA, and our allies such as the National Association of Police Equipment Distributors (NAPED) and the US Chamber of Commerce, the provision in the Treasury Postal Appropriations bill was deleted from the bill when the issue arose during a Senate-House Conference in October.

The new legislative effort to expand cooperative purchasing came suddenly this fall on the US Senate floor where an amendment was slipped into the Treasury Postal Appropriations bill by voice vote at a time when the nation was distracted by the crisis of September 11, 2001. Thanks to prompt action by NEEDA and key Members of the US House of Representatives, including Rep. Anne Northup (R-KY), Rep. John Sununu (R-NH) and Rep. David Price (D-NC), the House objected to the Senate Amendment and the Conference Committee deleted it from the bill.

During this campaign to defeat yet another Federal Centralized Cooperative Purchasing proposal, we picked up a new ally: the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) which under the Clinton-Gore Administration had been a proponent of the Federal government becoming the procurement Wal-Mart for all state and local governments. The newly appointed Director wrote a letter to the Conference committee.

PENNSYLVANIA'S NEW GOVERNOR TO CONTINUE SUPPORT OF EMERGENCY RESPONDERS
Originally Posted: November 19, 2001 8:42 PM
Last Updated: November 19, 2001 8:46 PM

At the annual dinner hosted by the Pennsylvania Fire and Emergency Services Institute, a statewide forum for fire, rescue, EMS and support organizations to address emergency response issues, Pennsylvania Gov. Mark Schweiker pledged his Administration's support for the emergency response community.

Among all the Governors, Schweiker is an important supporter of the fire services because as Lieutenant Governor he served as chair of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Council and he succeeds Governor Tom Ridge who President George W. Bush has appointed to head Homeland Defense from an office in the Bush White House.

Gov. Schweiker and former Gov. Tom Ridge were major supporters of the fire and emergency services community, establishing the first-ever direct grant program for Pennsylvania's volunteer fire and ambulance companies; signing into law a statewide building code; delivering incident-reporting computer software to fire departments statewide to enable them to track and report fires and emergencies as well as exposure to infectious diseases; supporting a $20 million appropriation for the Volunteer Loan Assistance Program to eliminate a debt backlog and stabilize the program; partnering with the Pennsylvania Fire & Emergency Services Institute to operate 1-800-FIRE-LINE, a recruitment and retention program to attract more volunteer firefighters; and signing into law the Child Beneficiary Education Act, which provides a free college education to children of firefighters and police officers killed in the line of duty.

For more information on Ridge, Schweiker and Pennsylvania, use the "Search" function on the upper right to access other NEEDA NEWSLETTER items about developments in Pennsylvania.

MOTOROLA SELLS NEW DIGITAL DATA & VOICE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM TO PULIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS: COMPLIES WITH NEW FCC PROJECT 25 REQUIREMENTS
Originally Posted: November 19, 2001 2:06 PM
Last Updated: November 19, 2001 2:06 PM

Motorola (Schaumburg IL) is now shipping advanced IP-based communications technology specifically designed for the mission-critical applications of public-safety departments. The system had been announced at an August 2000 trade show sponsored by the Association of Public-Safety Communications-International (APCO).

NEEDA NEWSLETTER has reported on other major developments in the extensive investment in communications products and services among police, rescue, fire, EMS and public safety departments. To read more, use the "Search" application in the upper right of your screen.

Customers include the states of Minnesota, Michigan and Colorado, and the following cities and counties: Hamilton Co., OH, Phoenix, Gilbert and Mesa, AZ, and Austin and Travis Co., TX.

Motorola, Inc provides integrated communications and embedded electronic solutions. Sales in 2000 were $37.6 billion.

BOMB, BALLISTIC, TACTICAL AND RESCUE WEAR FIRM HAS HIGHER SALES BUT NET LOSS
Originally Posted: November 19, 2001 2:00 PM
Last Updated: November 19, 2001 2:00 PM

Here is a company that has products that can be used in the war on terrorism: ballistic, stab and fragment protection vests; bomb and land mine retrieval suits; tactical clothing; emergency medical kits and rescue equipment; and flame resistant and industrial clothing.

Revenue was $2.88 million compared to $1.71 million in the comparative quarter last year. $945,000 of this increase is due to the inclusion of three months revenue from customers and products acquired in the AEGIS acquisition, compared to the inclusion of only one month in the same period last year. At the end of September there were approximately $3.2 million in customer orders scheduled for completion before December 31, 2001. This compares to $2.2 million for the comparative period of last year.

Pacific Safety Products Inc. (Kelowna, British Columbia) sales increased 68% over the first quarter of last year, however, lower than expected gross profit margins and higher than expected selling expenses resulted in a loss after taxes of $222,660, or $.02 per share.

DAVID WILSON, FORMER VOLVO TRUCK VP, SUCCEEDS GEORGE SZTYKIEL ON SPARTAN (LUVERNE, QUALITY, ROAD RESCUE) BOARD
Originally Posted: November 19, 2001 1:55 PM
Last Updated: November 19, 2001 1:55 PM

Spartan Motors, Inc. (Charlotte MI) board of directors elected veteran automotive-and-heavy truck executive David R. Wilson to serve as chairman, beginning in June 2002.

Wilson, a director since 1996, will succeed Spartan Motors Founder George Sztykiel as chairman of the Company's board. The 71-year-old Sztykiel announced in January that he would not run for re-election.

George Sztykiel has been a supporter of NEEDA, spoke at the NEEDA convention in Las Vegas, and contributed to the association because he believes in the dealer distribution system. "We appreciate all the years of service George has given to our industry and we thank him for supporting the dealers," NEEDA President James "Pat" Griffin (American Fire Equipment, Woodbridge VA) said. "We look forward to working with Spartan, David Wilson and Spartan leaders in the future."

HOUSE & SENATE HAVE BILLS TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES HURT BY THE 9-11 ATTACK
Originally Posted: November 16, 2001 2:13 PM
Last Updated: November 16, 2001 2:13 PM

The House Small Business Committee has approved legislation offering several forms of help to those small businesses damaged by the September 11, 2001 attacks. Similar legislation has the support of more than half the US Senate. To into effect, the legislation would need to be approved by both House and Senate and be signed by President Bush. In addition funding would need to be approved in Appropriations bills which also must reach President Bush's desk for his signature.

SPARTAN MOTORS’ ROAD RESCUE AMBULANCES HAVE 12% SALES INCREASE
Originally Posted: November 16, 2001 2:01 PM
Last Updated: November 16, 2001 2:01 PM

Road Rescue, owned by Spartan Motors, Inc., produces five ambulance models, has 20 dealers in the United States and Canada, and employs more than 150 people. The company reports a 12% sales increase and has a backlog of orders.

NEEDA NEWSLETTER reported earlier that Road Rescue is building a new manufacturing plant in South Carolina. The company expects to finish this project early in the second quarter of 2002. This 100,000- square-foot facility will allow it to increase capacity and expand its vehicle offerings. Road Rescue will build custom Type II van-style ambulances, which account for about 28 percent of the market. For more news about Spartan or Road Rescue, use NEEDA's "Search" feature in the upper right of your screen; you will be searching three year's of valuable market information about companies, products, and events which affect the dealer market or are important to dealer owners and managers.

EMS RESPONDERS MAY SAVE TIME IN TREATING HEART-ATTACK PATIENTS BY GIVING DRUG IN AMBULANCE
Originally Posted: November 14, 2001 12:50 PM
Last Updated: November 14, 2001 12:50 PM

A clot-dissolving agent administered in an ambulance by EMTs could save 31 minutes for patients stricken by an heart attack. Because half the deaths from heart attacks occur within the first hour, and because today most clot-dissolving is administered at the hospital, administering an effective clot-bursting drug en route to the hospital could save lives. The longer a patient waits to receive treatment the greater the extent of the permanent damage. Pre-hospital administration of a drug like RETAVASE could save valuable time. Data suggest that about one-fourth of the patients who received RETAVASE in the ambulance already showed signs of heart muscle recovery upon arrival at the hospital; i.e., at a point in time when in-hospital fibrinolytic treatment would not even have been started yet.

COMPANY OFFERS SOFTWARE FOR RESPONSE & EMERGENCY ROUTES USED BY LOCAL FIRST RESPONDERS
Originally Posted: November 13, 2001 8:54 AM
Last Updated: November 13, 2001 8:54 AM

FireBase is a PowerENGINE-driven computer system that is used by firefighters to create the paths and maps for the communities they operate in. GiveMePower Corporation and Mapping Solutions Inc together offer software to create maps of cities and communities and help generate real- time emergency and evacuation routes. Other companies offer similar IT products to local fire and public safety departments.

Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA) wants information technology products like this to be sold to local governments through the US General Services Administration's Supply Serivce multiple-awards program thus putting the Federal government's channel in competition with local businesses. NEEDA believes the software and communications aspects of emergency, EMS, and rescue services should be left up to local governments and not controlled by, sold by, or influenced by the Federal GSA bureaucracy. The GSA takeover of the local emergency market amounts to the Federalization of the fire and emergency services, with GSA deciding which products and companies get on the Federal Supply list and which are left off. "This would give GSA huge clout of what has always been controlled and managed locally by the fire administrators, first responders and public safety staffs who rely on dealers and local distributors to help in times of crisis and specific incident support. To lose these dealers to the GSA giant in Washington DC would undermine one of the fundamentals that has made local fire, EMS and emergency response so effective in our country," commented NEEDA President James "Pat" Griffin, American Fire Equipment, Woodbridge, VA (703 491 2990).

MOTOROLA WINS LONDON FIRE & EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS CONTRACT
Originally Posted: November 7, 2001 4:44 PM
Last Updated: November 7, 2001 4:44 PM

Motorola has a $10 million, two year wireless communications project in London, England. This is another example of a fire and emergency service finding substantial amounts of money to upgrade communications systems, as reported earlier by NEEDA NEWSLETTER. Use the "Search" function to find other stories on cities and counties upgrading communications systems, including wireless.

INTERNET TAX MORATORIUM? PRESIDENT BUSH SIGNS INTERNET TAX MORATORIUM EXTENSION BILL
Originally Posted: November 7, 2001 3:05 PM
Last Updated: November 30, 2001 6:08 AM

Dealers have asked about the status of state internet taxes. Quite a few dealers do business over the internet and are concerned about state's imposing taxes. Fortunately, there has been a moratorium on such taxes and NEEDA predicts the moratorium will be continued. The US Senate is considering two methods of stopping state internet taxes. This issue will heat up once the Congress gets through with the long overdue appropriations bills needed to fund the agencies, the war on terrorism, fire grants, etc.

BULLETIN ADDED BY NEEDA 11-30-01: PRESIDENT BUSH SIGNS INTERNET TAX MORATORIUM EXTENSION BILL: President Bush signed H.R.1552 on November 28, 2001 legislation that will extend the recently expired moratorium on Internet taxes for two additional years. The Internet Nondiscrimination Act, which extends the moratorium on new taxes through November 2003, aims to support the continuing success of e-commerce. In these two years, evaluation of e-commerce and its relation to state and local taxes will continue to be a focus, as officials work to further understand the impact of Internet transactions.

CARDIAC SCIENCE WINS US ARMY, NAVY & VA ORDER FOR 112 DEFIBRILLATORS FOR EMS & OTHER FIRST RESPONDERS
Originally Posted: November 6, 2001 5:08 PM
Last Updated: November 6, 2001 5:08 PM

The US military agencies purchased 112 Survivalink(R)-brand AEDs from Cardiac Science.

AED's are typically used by first responders such as EMS, police, fire and ambulance personnel, and are also being deployed at places where people gather or work, such as airplanes, airports, train stations, corporate offices, factories, schools, shopping malls, stadiums, casinos and federal, state, local government buildings as well as commercial office buildings.

The worldwide market for AEDs is predicted to expand to over 250,000 units a year by 2006, accounting for over $650 million in annual revenue.

The Company's products are marketed in the United States by its 36-person direct sales force and by independent distributors in 40 countries around the world.

PIERCE WINS $3.9 MILLION US FOREST SERVICE CONTRACT: 56 VEHICLES TO FIGHT WILDFIRES IN CALIFORNIA
Originally Posted: November 6, 2001 4:44 PM
Last Updated: November 6, 2001 4:44 PM

Pierce Manufacturing will supply the United States Forest Service in California with 56 fire fighting vehicles costing $3.9 million for combating wildland and urban fires.

According to Pierce the order includes 31 tanker trucks and 25 Hawk(TM) wildland trucks. As part of a national fire plan, the 56 vehicles will be added to 140 fire fighting vehicles that protect California's 18 national forests.

Nationally, there were 122,800 wild fires in the United States in calendar year 2000 that burned 8.4 million acres. The federal government spent $1.3 billion preserving the nation's natural resources.

For other stories on wildfire fighting in the US, use the "Search" feature on this NEEDA NEWSLETTER website and enter "wildfire."

NEW SECURITY AT AIRPORTS WILL INCLUDE DETECTION OF TERRORISTS BY FACE RECOGNITION
Originally Posted: November 1, 2001 2:58 PM
Last Updated: November 1, 2001 2:58 PM

Atick's Visionics Corp, Viisage Technology and Imagis Technologies are competing for security contracts to provide face recognition systems at the nation's airports. The September 11, 2001 attacks might have been thwarted had their products been used to apprehend the suicide hijackers before they boarded. The stocks of these companies are soaring as the nation's airports line up to be first with the new system which captures every face and compares the face to the database of known terrorists and bad guys.

FORMER FEMA DIRECTOR IS DISASTER CONSULTANT
Originally Posted: November 1, 2001 12:22 PM
Last Updated: November 1, 2001 12:22 PM

Wonder what happened to James Witt, Clinton Administration director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)? He has a pre and post disaster consulting company and has a new relationship with Durham NC Blue 292 for information technology support.

OSHKOSH (PIERCE FIRE TRUCKS, MEDTEC AMBULANCES) HAS 15% SALES INCREASE IN EMERGENCY BUSINESS
Originally Posted: November 1, 2001 12:07 PM
Last Updated: November 1, 2001 12:07 PM

Oshkosh Truck Corporation, including Pierce and Medtec, had a five percent sales increase for the year ending September, 2001. The fire and emergency business was up 15 percent in the final quarter.

Oshkosh CEO will present the companies growth strategies on November 5, 2001 at 8 AM Eastern Time. To access the webcast go to https://www.gs.com/ir/conf and then enter the user name "conference/confa" and password "capital" in each instance in lower case letters. The webcast will be archived until January 6, 2002.