Chris Mc Loone recently sat down with Chris Watkins, technology sales manager for Whelen, to discuss the evolution and impact of intelligently controlled emergency vehicle lighting. The conversation offers a look at how modern technology is transforming the way emergency responders use lighting—not just for visibility, but also for safety and efficiency. Here are three key takeaways from their detailed discussion.

In this episode of the Apparatus Workshop, hosts Nick Wilbur and Win Slauch discuss setting the stage for the preengineering and the final inspection. This means requesting very specific information from your chosen manufacturer like turning radius reports as well as being very specific about angles of approach and departure. They also discuss how customization does not necessarily mean increased complexity. There are minor tweaks that can be made to a design that improve things like turning radius and angles of approach and departure.

Clear communication with manufacturers, an eye for detail, and keeping operational realities front and center can save departments from costly design oversights. From requesting precise turning radius measurements to understanding electrical and aerial load demands, the discussion underscores that the difference between a good rig and a great rig often lies in the questions asked early and the numbers tracked consistently.

Leadership and culture are discussed in many fire service circles today, and understandably so. Every fire department has its own challenges recruiting and retaining, but they often go beyond leadership and culture. If the desire to be a firefighter is not there, then leadership and culture don't matter. And while leadership and culture are critical, what often creates great culture is the pride we take in quickly and efficiently extinguishing fires. If we are not proficient with our equipment--fire apparatus, hoselines, PPE, SCBA--we cannot quickly and efficiently extinguish fires. That proficiency occurs when we continuously drill on our tactics. Leadership and culture are two keys critical to the success for any fire department, but at the end of the day, you have to put the fire out.

Purchasing modular fire apparatus allows fire departments to acquire new fire apparatus quicker and often at a lower cost than taking the custom route. In this Podcast episode, Deputy Chief Adam Chiles, White Cloud (MI) Area Fire-Rescue; Chief Dan Munsey, San Bernadino (CA) County Fire; and Chief of Training William Andrews, Chattanooga (TN) Fire Department share their recent experiences purchasing stock rigs for their departments.

Brought to you by our friends at the REV Fire Group.

Chris Mc Loone and Ricky Riley have talked about how to navigate the current apparatus purchasing environment, how to spec rigs, etc. But in this episode, they discuss what's on their wishlists for fire apparatus.

This episode of Moving Water covers cold weather challenges that require foresight, solid apparatus design, and deliberate training. Andy Soccodato and Bill Adkins make it clear that keeping water moving, protecting vulnerable components, and understanding vehicle mobility in winter conditions are the pillars of reliable firefighting when temperatures drop below freezing.

In this episode of the Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment Podcast, Chris Mc Loone sits down with John Sestrom, product manager at Whelen Engineering, to discuss getting more value out of the lighting you spec on your apparatus, how to measure visibility and what measurements really matter, and what Whelen is doing to address challenges that exist with “white lighting” for fire trucks. They’ll touch on how to put light where it matters and what departments should look for when selecting lights for their next rigs. Learn about how determining the application for the light actually drives lighting selection.