The National Fire Protection Association(NFPA) has long been known to mandate innovation and design requirements. In proper fashion they’ve just passed
the 2017 revision of NFPA 1901, which on the surface might seem pretty mundane. NFPA 1901 is kind of a boring standard mostly written to provide guidance to apparatus manufacturers, although this revision gives us something a little different and WE ALL SHOULD BE PAYING ATTENTION. The 2017 revision to NFPA 1901 mandates that all Class A Pumpers be Quints. Let that sink in for a moment. An all quint fire service nationwide? What’s really going on here?
According to an American LaFrance spokesperson, the idea behind this drastic change is to standardize the nation into utilizing one firefighting platform nationwide in order to further the goals of the National Incident Management System’s (NIMS) requirement for interoperability. We’ve long imagined a fire service where we knew exactly what was showing up for mutual aid. Now every apparatus can arrive on scene as an engine or a ladder or both leaving the initial size-up and tactics up to the officer. Furthermore any and all mutual aid requests will no longer be a mystery. All apparatus will be the same so there is less guessing involved.
This is not a new concept Great Britain, Europe, Japan, Philippines and many other countries run a standardized apparatus fire service. If you really think about it the U.S. is just catching up.
The long debated topic within the NFPA wasn’t an easy decision to digest for fire apparatus manufacturers who strongly opposed the measure due to the end of the custom chassis market and possible loss in profits until they realized Quints could start at $750,000 thus doubling the price of current class A pumpers.
Stay tuned for more information on the 2017 revision. The date currently set for nationwide compliance is 2025 giving departments a mere 9 years to gather the funding necessary.
This article is satire. We sure hope you’re not emailing the NFPA 1971 committee chairman and complaining.
This is an April fool’s joke right??
At the very top it is labeled “SATIRE”. It is a joke.
that’s my thoughts ALEX
Another regulation that small volunteer fire depts will never be able to afford. Stupid
Unless you’re on Long Island where tax payer money is not a problem. Most departments here answer only to their own commission made of of wait wait THEMSELVES with no community input… welcome to the world of the Smith and Jones..My rig is bigger and newer then yours…..
Hardy har
I would say yes unless someone resurrected ALF and dug up a spokesperson for them…..
Ok K9 K9 mo no No I 0 no
I almost got sucked in until I read “According to an American LaFrance spokesperson”
I can confirm this is an April Fool posting, presumably a prank! Ken Willette, NFPA.
Hi Ken, Jon from Station Pride. The April Fools Day article seemed pretty far-fetched to us but people seem to be biting on it. Thanks for being a good sport, hope this doesn’t cause any undue hardships for the real 1901 committee.
This is what happens when manufacturers gain control of a consensus based standard that has become an accepted standard by the fire service. Vote this down NFPA 1901 voting members. The quint is one tool in the box that may not work every where; Keep options available to the nations fire service.
So that there’s no mystery as to what you’ll be receiving mutual aid? Isn’t that were the chief specifically requests what apparatus he/she wants to their incident? What’s next, throwing a stick on a Tanker or Heavy Rescue? This is absolute malarkey at its finest. NFPA, the mandatory of innovation, pinch me please.
Can someone tell me how (and when) the NFPA received the authority to MANDATE any damned thing? Unless it’s different these days, they have exactly ZERO regulatory power.
Just another bullshit NFPA guideline. Just like the one that said about all firefighters beIng EMT’s. Never gonna happen!! Cause the Federal Goverment would have to dish out way too much money!! And a lot of the volunteer departments can’t afford things like this.
Think of the construction industry, how many new apparatus bays will have to be built to hold these higher and longer apparatus. Amazing that the apparatus and construction members haven’t figured out the profits that can be made, and the governments how much employment can be triggered with building all new fire houses.
If you would read above where the story starts, there in capital letters SATIRE….just saying
😉 we were wondering if it was invisible.
Not gonna happen!!! There is no way every single department in the country can afford to replace their fleets with quints. You will not be able to sell the engines if we’re going to an all quint fire service and to make this decision based on taking out the guess work involved when asking for mutual aid, I’m not buying it!!
If you’re a firefighter and you believe this. Retire or Quit. You’re to ignorant.
If you read the word “SATIRE” which starts this article the meaning is below:
SATIRE—the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people’s stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.
We were beginning to wonder if it was invisible… 😉
If you read the beginning the first word above is “SATIRE” if you want to know the meaning read below:
SATIRE
the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people’s stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.
also look at the date April 1,2016 (april fools day) Just saying
Yeah this is fake people it said AL spokesman remember they outta business lol
April fool’s joke or not. Quints were Jack’s of all trades and Masters of None in Richmond. Don’t be fooled by the politics of the pushers of the BS.
I wonder how many times this will change between now and 2025?
great another overweight chassis
This idea may be good for cities but doesn’t take into consideration rural situations like farm access roads or small underpasses.