Plainfield, Indiana, December 30, 2024 — On a cold winter’s morning against a towering backdrop of leaning industrial pallet racks, Plainfield Fire Territory conducted the first-ever pallet rack collapse rescue training to feature the new ShoreFit Shoring Strut to Pallet Rack Adapter, the critical connection between a first responder’s shoring strut and a collapsed pallet rack structure.
The simulated collapse scenario featured a rescue training manikin trapped beneath a pallet rack structure laden with steel beams and shelves, packages, pallets, and other debris. Captain Alan Trauner provided a brief introduction to the ShoreFit system and walked through the simple assembly process. From there Keith Rinehart, Division Chief of Safety and Training, provided scene details, informed rescue teams about the unique, inherent threats of a collapse and outlined the parameters and objectives of their rescue efforts. Using ShoreFit and their own shoring struts the structure was quickly and easily stabilized to prevent further collapse, allowing teams to swiftly – and more safely – begin the delayering process to extricate the victim from the rubble.
“The Plainfield Fire Territory ShoreFit training was time well spent and a success,” Chief Rinehart reported. “The crews were highly receptive to this innovative product and appreciated being involved in the demonstration and planning process. The ShoreFit Adapter proved to be user-friendly and straightforward to install, showcasing its practical value. A product like ShoreFit equips rescuers with an additional stabilization option, enhancing safety and efficiency in high-risk, low-frequency situations.”
Jeffrey A. Dixon, Deputy Chief of Plainfield Fire Territory also had high praise for ShoreFit. “Plainfield boasts over 50 million square feet of warehouse space, with rack storage in every building. This new product will be an essential addition to our toolbox for safer and effective operations in the event of a collapse in one of these structures. While the art of rescue is inherently complex, the ShoreFit product stands out for its ease of use, requiring minimal training for practical application. Although it doesn’t eliminate all hazards, ShoreFit is the first product of its kind to significantly reduce our overall risk.”
Due to the wide variety of products stored in a given warehouse, and the dynamic nature of a pallet rack collapse itself, no two scenes will look the same. Some may include HAZMAT threats, others may involve live utility, and still others could include risk of secondary collapse or other concerns. The critical piece however, where rescue efforts are required, is the ability to reliably stabilize the collapsed structure as you get closer to the location of any victims. This key element helps prevent further collapse, minimizes additional injury to the victim, and reduces the risk for first responders.
“I was humbled to see this play out before my eyes,” said Daniel Klinger, ShoreFit Vice President. We (Carole Klinger, ShoreFit President, and I) have been working tirelessly to develop, engineer, patent, and produce this solution with the hopes that someday this adapter would be at the right place, at the right time, and in the right hands to actually save a life. We appreciate PFT’s efforts to take this threat seriously and proactively engage in preparing their crews for ‘that day’.”
The ShoreFit Adapter will be introduced in April 2025 at FDIC in Indianapolis. The booth in the Ignite location will include a small display of ShoreFit attached to a collapsed pallet rack frame. The bigger story, however, will be in the Drill Yard, where ShoreFit will be deployed in a much larger collapse scenario. Visit FDIC to learn more about this timely solution.
For more information about ShoreFit, or to place an order, email daniel@shorefitadapter.com or call 317-281-4776.
About ShoreFit
Founded in 2024, ShoreFit is the exclusive provider of the ShoreFit Shoring Strut to Pallet Rack Adapter, a unique rescue solution that creates a more reliable connection for engaging collapsed pallet rack. Carole Klinger, President and retired Firefighter/Paramedic, and her husband Daniel Klinger, Vice President, have combined their years of experience in rescue response and pallet rack collapse prevention to provide a cost-saving, time-saving, and most importantly, life-saving solution for fire departments that are in proximity to the clusters of warehouses that are now so prolific across the country.
About MTAC Industrial Solutions
Founded in 1999 by Daniel Klinger, MTAC Industrial Solutions is a subject matter expert in the space of pallet rack and rack collapse prevention with decades of experience in warehouse safety innovations, and a focus on pallet rack maintenance and repair. MTAC inspects, repairs, and maintains hundreds of thousands of frames, and the hugely diverse rack systems they support, in facilities all across the United States.
