NEEDA - National Emergency Equipment Dealers Association

Have you ever accepted a notarized statement or proof of identity as the basis for establishing an account or beginning a financial relationship with an individual or organization? Do you know that numerous rubber stamp companies will make up a notary stamp for anyone with a copy of the stamp for them to work from? Usually the cost is about fifteen dollars! Instead of a notarized copy or statement, ask for a reference from another know financial institution that you can verify directly with that
institution. A notary stamp is worth about as much as the paper it is printed on, according to John Kammin who was a professional identity thief and now assists law enforcement and banks regarding how to protect themselves.
MORE INFO? www.TheProsAndTheCons.com

FIRST CLASS POSTAGE RATE WILL RISE TO 39 CENTS IN JANUARY 06
Originally Posted: November 11, 2005 7:52 AM
Last Updated: November 11, 2005 7:52 AM

The cost of a First Class postage stamp will go from 37 cents to 39 cents in January if, as expected, the Postal Service's Board of Governors approves the rate hikes recommended by the independent Postal Rate Commission last week, the Associated Press reports. The Postal Service had requested an across-the-board increase of 5.4 percent, which was accepted by the Commission with a few revisions.

EVERY FIREFIGHTER GOES HOME CAMPAIGN TO REDUCE LOSS OF FIRST RESPONDERS: 16 SAFETY INITIATIVES
Originally Posted: November 10, 2005 5:45 AM
Last Updated: November 10, 2005 5:45 AM

Born from the 16 Life Safety Initiatives compiled during 2004s Life Safety Summit, this is a collection of resources on just what the 16 Life Safety Initiatives are and the first Life Safety Summit Report.

16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives
1. Define and advocate the need for a cultural change within the fire service relating to safety; incorporating leadership, management, supervision, accountability and personal responsibility.

2. Enhance the personal and organizational accountability for health and safety throughout the fire service.

3. Focus greater attention on the integration of risk management with incident management at all levels, including strategic, tactical, and planning responsibilities.

4. All firefighters must be empowered to stop unsafe practices.

5. Develop and implement national standards for training, qualifications, and certification (including regular recertification) that are equally applicable to all firefighters based on the duties they are expected to perform.

6. Develop and implement national medical and physical fitness standards that are equally applicable to all firefighters, based on the duties they are expected to perform.

7. Create a national research agenda and data collection system that relates to the initiatives.
8. Utilize available technology wherever it can produce higher levels of health and safety. 9. Thoroughly investigate all firefighter fatalities, injuries, and near misses.
10. Grant programs should support the implementation of safe practices and/or mandate safe practices as an eligibility requirement.

11. National standards for emergency response policies and procedures should be developed and championed.

12. National protocols for response to violent incidents should be developed and championed.

13. Firefighters and their families must have access to counseling and psychological support.

14. Public education must receive more resources and be championed as a critical fire and life safety program.

15. Advocacy must be strengthened for the enforcement of codes and the installation of home fire sprinklers.

16. Safety must be a primary consideration in the design of apparatus and equipment.

ARIZONA SHIFTING $113 MILLION IN FIRE MONEY TO BORDER ENFORCEMENT
Originally Posted: November 10, 2005 5:19 AM
Last Updated: November 10, 2005 5:19 AM

Arizona director of homeland security Frank Navarette told the Arizona Daily Sun that he is shifting Federal funds from fire vehicles and fire fighting equipment to border enforcement. He said public safety personnel take too long to make up their minds on what fire equipment to buy while the need for border enforcement is great. He said approximately $113 million fire money that the state receives from the US government will be used for bofder enforcement.

NEW YORK AND ARKANSAS USE GLOBAL POSITIONING DATA IN FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES
Originally Posted: November 9, 2005 3:39 PM
Last Updated: November 9, 2005 3:39 PM

Genesee County, NY (population 62,000) won a Homeland Security Department grant for Critical Infrastructure back in 2002 which they used to buy ArcView and ArcPad software, data, and training. Emergency Management Services in the county used the data obtained from maps, added their most vulnerable structures and sites, and projected the plumes that would be created by various incidents. The data obtained from the various plumes shows how many people are affected and what structures would be directly affected.

In Arkansas, they used data from ArcView which offers 15 data layers including boundaries, highway maps, airport locations, topography, and aerial photography to locate forest fires. Once the fire is entered in the database and centered there are 15 layers to display and query.

Often fires are called in by the general public without the ability to site the latitude and longitude or other geographic information such as the section or township. Using 15 layers of information, Arc View provides firefighters a lot of data to pinpoint the fire.

NEW FEDERAL TRUCK ENGINE STANDARDS AND NEW ENGINE TECHNOLOGIES DISCUSSED BY VEHICLE ENGINEERS AND EXECS
Originally Posted: November 7, 2005 3:59 PM
Last Updated: November 7, 2005 3:59 PM

Regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for 2007 and 2019 concerning emissions are big topics in the truck business these days. At a recent conference in Chicago, speakers predicted that companies will most likely announce their compliance strategies with 12-24 months in order to have their 2010 emissions solutions ready.

Other topics discussed were vehicle security in the post 9-11-01 world and integration of mechanical, hydraulic, electrical, and electronic systems. There were speakers from Argonne National Lab, Lawrence Livermore National Lab, National Renewable Energy Lab, Scandia National Lab, and Pacific Northwest National Labs to discuss new applications for powertrain systems, aerodynamic drag reduction, hybrid vehicle propulsion, composite materials and low emission engines for commercial vehicles.

One of the topics at the conference was maintenance who will provide future maintenance services and the role of fleet managers in direct or indirect management of these services.

It is vital that dealers make it clear to customers that whatever the changes and new configurations, dealers who offer service and maintenance can handle the new systems, NEEDA President James Pat Griffin said. NEEDA stands for the National Emergency Equipment Dealers Association.

The SAE Foundation (Warrendale PA) is focusing on the shortage of engineering graduates in the US. Presently, less than 2% of American high school graduates will earn engineering degrees. The Foundation is using a $1 million grant from Caterpillar to build bridges between corporations and students of engineering.

With emissions standards tightening in the US, manufacturers are responding with newly refined technologies to help engine designers comply.

At the SAE conference, Kolbenschmidt Pierburg AG displayed three innovations in Exhaust Gas Recirculation (ERG) technology. First, an electrically-actuated ERG valve allows exhaust gas removal after the particle filter with re-entry upstream of the compressor, contributing to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions.

Second, an advanced integrated intake manifold incorporates exhaust gas recirculating passages with electrically actuated flaps and an electric motor-driven valve to meter the volume of recirculated exhaust gases.

Third: an exhaust gas cooler that can reduce exhaust gas temperatures by more than 200 degrees C. This reduces combustion temperatures and nitrogen oxide emissions while also taking some of the heat off the downstream engine components.

Sensor Products LLD displayed their Pressurex tactile pressure indicating sensor film can be used to evaluate pressure between mating surfaces. Applications include gasketing, clutches, brakes, tire treat contact patches.

At the Caterpillar Technology Theater Dr. Stephen Charlton of Cummins described how technology, tools and processes can be used in developing ultra-low emission diesel engines for on-highway heavy duty applications while preserving total cost of ownership, fuel economy, performance, reliability and durability. He also looked at advanced technologies that will be useful in designing engines to meet future stringent emission standards.

There was extensive discussion of hybrid vehicle technology. Participants included Eaton, Ainternational Truck and Engine, Westart-Calstart, and the EPA.

There were three sessions on brakes: how they can contribute to the reduction of accidents. This is an important topic in the emergency apparatus field.

Information was provided on the Department of Transportation testing with Walmart and Freightliner, US Express and Volvo on voluntary programs to implement DOTs new vehicle standards in the aftermarket.

MORE INFO: WWW.SAE.ORG OR 724 776 4841

FUTURE DISASTERS: NEED ALL HAZARDS APPROACH IN WASHINGTON
Originally Posted: November 7, 2005 6:00 AM
Last Updated: November 9, 2005 9:17 PM

by Kenton Pattie
Executive Director
National Emergency Equipment Dealers Association (NEEDA)

After being obsessively focused on the hazards of terrorist attacks, to the exclusion of other emergency problems, top officials in Washington are moving back to using the phrase "all hazards" which gives slightly more than token recognition that there are a lot of things that can threaten life and property in our country . . . they are on going and may even exceed the capability of any outside enemy to wreck damage and distruction.

The Katrina hurricane disaster reminded leaders that there is a need for a comprehensive response to all hazards. And certainly, terrorism is one of those hazards.

Here are some of the other possible hazards that need to considered, according to some Washington policy makers.

A tornado cluster in Dallas TX which might trap thousands of drivers and cause multi-million dollars worth of property damage. Up to 5.7 million people could be affected. Worst time for the tornado cluster to hit: rush hour when almost everyone who works in the Dallas Ft. Worth corridore is in a car headed to work or home. This potential disaster is being looked at by the National Weather Service.

A tsunami on the East Coast which might be triggered by a volcano on La Palma island, part of the Canary Islands. The last time there was activity there was 1949. If an explosion occurs there, causing a 500 billion ton of the island to slide into the Atlantic there would be a mega tsunami which would cause damage throughout the East Coast.

A power failure in the Boston area of New England, something that could happen in the next three years. It would probably be caused by excessive summer heat. While there are possible new power sources in the future, a heat wave in the near future could cut off power for 14 million people and cause extreme economic problems in the North East.

For the New York City area, what would happen if there were a meltdown at the Indian Point nuclear plant which is 35-40 miles away? An incident there would affect power for 21 million people. As in New Orleans, many New Yorkers do not have cars and would be unable to evacute.

Most discussed recently has been the Mississippi River situation which was emphasized by the Katrina disaster.
The many ways in which the Federal government has straightened the river and built multi-million dollar levees to keep flood waters out of towns and farmland has also raised the potential that when the river exceeds the calculations of engineers the resulting disaster will be enormouse. The last flood disaster in the Mississippi River basin was in 1993. 72 million people, virtually everyone in the river valley and their property would be affected.

There has been discussion of a possible landslide in the Cascade Mountain Range along Mount Rainier by the US Geological Survey. The way it works: the eruption would melt the mountain's glacier sending a huge mountain of volcanic mud into Puget Sound posing a disaster for 2.4 million people.

As with the Mississippi, there is a leveee system on the Sacramento River in California. Like New Orleans, Sacramento is below water level and could be ruined by a flood affecting 22 millin people. University experts say this may happen in the next 50 years.

Yellowstone volcanic action could explode and affect an area that could stretch to Arkansas. When it blew years ago, most of what is now the US was affected...

Rupture of the Alaska oil pipeline where the permafrost is melting causing one third of the structures holding up the pipeline to fail. As the melting continues, the potential for a break grows. Right now this break would cut off 17 percent of the US oil supply. Just as Katrina cut off gas supply for the US causing gas prices to soar, a disaster in Alaska could affect world oil supplies, prices and the industries that rely on oil.

So, hearing Federal officials talk about all hazards as a focus is refreshing and appropriate. Will it focus more help to the emergency response and EMS systems in the country? Stay tuned!