- UNICATION’s G4 P25 Voice Pager is now operational with the state of Michigan’s public safety communications system (MPSCS). The MPSCS has already worked with state, local and private agencies to test this new paging solution. The MPSCS, a part of the Michigan Department of Technology-Management and Budget, has received national and international recognition as the standard for large and multiple partner land mobile radio systems. The system spans nearly 60,000 square miles and includes 246 tower sites with more than 60 integrated local and state public safety dispatch centers and a network communications center that serves more than 74,000 radios. www.michigan.gov/mpscs.
- IMPACT POWER TECHNOLOGIES (IPT) was awarded a contract with the Boston (MA) Police Department (BPD) for the conversion of BPD’s XTS radio batteries to the IPT-9858 LiP 36, one of the Lithium Polymer batteries in IPT’s Lifesaver Series™ line. IPT beat out five other vendors in the bid process. The extended-life batteries feature a runtime exceeding 30 hours, 900 guaranteed recharges with no memory effect, and are backed by a two-year lifespan. The initial order is for 600 batteries, each able to power radios two to 2½ times as long without a charge as the original manufacturer’s batteries. www.impactpowertech.com.
- The FIRE EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS’ ASSOCIATION awarded its Fire Safety Advocate Award to South Fire District (Middletown, Connecticut) CEO and Chief Robert Ross. The award is given to a person who has demonstrated a commitment to enhancing the safety of the public through innovative efforts including legislative, educational, enforcement, or other effective means. Ross is a 33-year veteran in fire protection, emergency management, administration, and senior-level management. He has served as a member, a board member, a committee chairman, or a president with various local, state, and national organizations such as the American Red Cross, the International Association of Fire Chiefs, and the International Association of Firefighters, among many others. www.femalifesafety.org.
- HALE PRODUCTS, INC. hired Matthew Butcher as the company’s Southwest Regional Sales Manager. In this sales role, Butcher will be based in Fort Worth, Texas. He will be fully responsible for the company’s growth initiatives and for providing support to Hale’s customers in the southwestern United States. His territory will include Arkansas, New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. While working in similar roles with other strong brands within the industry, Butcher has demonstrated continuous sales success in the industrial safety and fire service markets. www.haleproducts.com.
- INDIAN SPRINGS MANUFACTURING Production Engineer Alex Kass was awarded the 2015 Robert P. Turkington Innovation and Technology Award at this year’s Continuing Challenge HazMat Workshop. The Robert P. Turkington Award is presented to the individual, group, organization, or other association who has developed or was instrumental in the development and/or creation of a new technology or innovation for the hazardous materials community. Kass won the award for his initial concept and overall design work for the new Chlorine Institute Emergency Kit‐B, Device 28C. The new design is a major advancement for the containing of potential leaks that may occur on chlorine one-ton containers. Kass is a 30-year employee with Indian Springs Manufacturing. www.indiansprings.com.
- MIDWEST FIRE EQUIPMENT & REPAIR, an SBA-certified, woman-owned small business, has partnered with the Minnesota State Fire Chiefs Association (MSFCA) to honor Albertville (MN) Fire Department (AFD) Assistant Chief Tate Mills as the 2015 Fire Officer of the Year for fire departments covering an area with a population less than 10,000. As part of the sponsorship, Midwest Fire provided funds toward Mills’ monetary stipend for leadership training. Mills has been a member of the AFD for 18 years. For eight years, he was the paid-on-call chief for the city of Albertville while also working a full-time job from which he took off every other Friday to dedicate his time to the needs of the AFD.
- GLOBE, DUPONT PROTECTION TECHNOLOGIES, and the NATIONAL VOLUNTEER FIRE COUNCIL provided the Cairo (Booneville, Mississippi) Volunteer Fire Department (CVFD) and the Mountain View (Muskogee, Oklahoma) Volunteer Fire Department (MVVFD) with four sets of new Globe turnout gear as part of the 2015 Globe Giveaway Program. The CVFD serves 1,200 residents in a 25-square-mile area. It also runs mutual-aid calls with four other departments. MVVFD provides fire protection and first responder services for 2,500 residents as well as a variety of buildings and businesses, a section of a river, and several highways. In 2015, 13 departments were awarded a total of 52 sets of Globe turnout gear to help protect their firefighters. The recipients were selected through a competitive nationwide application process and demonstrated a great need for the gear which they were unable to fulfill on their own. www.globeturnoutgear.com.
names in the news
- DAN BOOKER was appointed as the new chief of the Margate-Coconut Creek (FL) Fire Rescue Department (MCCFRD). Booker, who started working in the city as a police dispatcher around 26 years ago, rose up the ranks through the MCCFRD. He has held many roles within the department including firefighter/paramedic, rescue supervisor, lieutenant, dive team commander, and planning and fire prevention division chief.
- TIM DIETMAN was sworn in as the new chief of the Sturgeon Bay (WI) Fire Department (SBFD). Dietman, a 15-year fire service member, replaces former Chief Tim Herlache, who has retired. In addition, Matt Austad was sworn in as SBFD’s new lieutenant, and Ethan Jorns was elevated to full-time firefighter status. Kaylen Montevideo, who has been a firefighter since August 1999, was named SBFD’s new assistant chief, making her the first woman to hold an administrative position within the department.
- JEFF LEAMING was sworn in as the new chief of the Sugarcreek Township (OH) Fire Department. Leaming previously served for eight years as chief of the Xenia (OH) Fire Division, from which he resigned in 2011 to join the state fire marshal’s office. Previous STFD Chief Randy Pavlak retired, and will leave in February.
Fire Engineering Archives
