On August 1, Tempest celebrated its 25th anniversary. The family-owned company manufactures positive-pressure power blowers and is a proponent of positive-pressure ventilation and attack, a tactic now used by fire departments around the world to ventilate heat, toxic gases, and smoke away from firefighters and potential victims.
Twenty-five years ago, the company was a small operation of two men, working to design a safer, higher performance inflator fan which hot air balloonists use to inflate their balloons. Shortly after, owners Dexter Coffman and Don Hamman found another use for their tool. This time it was in the fire industry, helping firefighters replace the potentially deadly environment surrounding a fire, to one that could sustain life. Since then, Dexter and Tempest have spent their time promoting the fruits of positive pressure.
The company now provides tools such as its Power Blower, VentMaster Chainsaw, MVU, Shadow Smoke Machine and Tempest Fireco Tower. Coffman says, “Over the 25 years, I have met many dedicated firefighters who have embraced PPV and PPA. They’ve put their careers on the line in teaching firefighters to safely use ‘air as a tool’ in order to clear a hostile environment of heat, gases and smoke. Without their dedication and commitment, PPV would have never been accepted. I am proud of their dedication and willingness to step forward. Because of them, we have been able to dramatically change firefighting worldwide.”
Although the company has grown tremendously in 25 years ago, it still does business in a very similar way. Every Tempest Blower is manufactured in the United States, and every employee is active in helping support Tempest’s commitment to firefighters and customers.
For more information, visit www.tempest-edge.com.
