On the fireground, safety and operational efficiency are imperative. However, these priorities are not limited to the line of duty; with the stakes remaining high when firefighters return back to base.
Apparatus is carrying increasingly complex loads and departments are facing growing pressure to maximalize their output whilst ensuring all equipment is organised and safe.
These pressures mean it is no wonder that some important considerations are falling by the wayside.
One of these considerations would be the significance of proper tool storage.
Firefighters depend on their tools to be easily accessible, ready and secure because any damage to the gear can have financial implications, slow down the day-to-day operations or even injure crew members if items fall during transit.
With such high stakes, Performance Advantage Company (PAC) have worked to eliminate the issues surrounding proper tool storage.
For more than 30 years, they have been producing brackets and mounting systems that keep tools in place.
Each product has been tested against real-world conditions, ensuring that each design guarantees confidence in demanding environments.
PAC’s customers vary from large departments to smaller services because of their ability to offer a tailored solution regardless of size, their versality is what makes them such a staple in the industry.
Often, the mystery surrounding how to correctly use a piece of equipment or a product can lead to mistakes or issues arising.
This is why it is so important the individual operating the truck, whether that be guide mechanics, Chiefs or members of the truck committee receive advice on how to mount items, what fits where and how to ensure NFPA guidelines are met.
PAC have set out to remove any mystery by taking your tool list and matching it to their brackets.
Collaboration throughout the process of building a custom solution helps to guarantee a successful outcome.
PAC know all about the importance of smooth processes and upkeeping honesty and integrity.
The company have shared how they always tell a client if they do not have a bracket for their tool list, rather than just going ahead and risking a poor fit.
This transparency represents not only their integrity but their desire to put safety above else all.
Brackets need to make putting tools away a fast and clean action, it also needs to be easy to identify the tools so that it is clear if something is missing.
With efficiency at the forefront and the need for accessibly imperative, brackets need to be mounted inside the cab safely and securely.
If there is an accident, then any tools need to be secure so that nobody is hurt- this is also why education is a necessity.
It is not only important to accommodate to individual needs but also to stay up to date with trends and changes within the industry.
In recent years, one of the most substantial shifts has been the move from truck hydraulic rescue tools to battery-powered models.
Big brands like Hurst, Holmatro, TNT and Amkus have all welcomed the transition to battery equipment.
The same applies across categories; fans, drills, leaf blowers and saws.
This uptake in battery equipment means there is fewer requests for gas and oil cans or large equipment.
Similarly, apparatus is becoming smaller or combining two vehicle roles into one, with departments trying to fit two trucks worth of gear on one rig.
Smaller spaces mean efficiency is a requirement rather than an option.
PAC have shared how they have received requests from departments who are hoping to go from six pieces of apparatus to four of five- but still want to maintain the same load.
According to the company, this often means organizing setups and using their systems to make the transition possible.
Effective mounting and stable brackets offer a way to secure everything in place, whether that be a heavy rescue tool or a smaller rescue-pump combination.
With apparatus taking on a more defined role and the bandwidth of departments changing, requests and expectations have changed drastically in recent years.
PAC’s systems set out to improve day-to-day effectiveness and safety of fire crews and professionals through meticulous planning, collaboration and upkeeping integrity at every stage.
They work with clients on layouts of their custom solutions, using aluminium extrusion and tool boards.
These aluminium tool boards allow customers to move things around without drilling, with the ease of use meaning that clients often realize they have more room on the apparatus than they thought.
When something is easy to use, the possibilities are endless.
One example of this would be when looking at swing out tool boards, which PAC has shared is one of the bigger projects that they offer.
Over the wheel well of a truck you can potentially put two swing outs, offering five mounting surfaces in one compartment- the back wall, plus both sides of two swing outs.
If you are mounting large and deep tools then it may only be possible to swing out the back wall, but if mainly flat hand tools are being secured then you can take advantage of all five surfaces.
PAC highlighted how this can really expand what people think can fit.
PAC have always looked at building their custom solutions as a personal matter- many of the team members are firefighters themselves.
They even bring apparatus in and test their brackets with fire gloves on to make sure they the products work in real-life scenarios.
This personalized touch only helps customers to imagine how a piece of apparatus will be used on the fireground.
Every piece of equipment should be mounted and PAC take a great deal of pride in being the partner who can provide this solution.
This pride follows through to the effort showcased when designing, developing and engineering products.
PAC have detailed how they like to be involved from the very beginning when an apparatus is being built and integrated with the manufacturer.
Alongside support at every stage, PAC also test their products to the highest standards- with many of their products exceeding NFPA requirements.
Additionally, current product lines are always being scrutinized and adapted so that PAC’s offerings remain head and shoulders above the rest.
Their ethos has always been to ensure each customer gets a truck set for life.
This commitment is not just limited to new apparatus, instead, continuing through to clients who purchase 10-or 20-year-old apparatus that has never been mounted.
Effective tool mounting systems are a necessity regardless of the age of the equipment being used.
Minutes matter in firefighting and EMS and so your tool mounting system needs to work in real time and in high-pressure scenarios.
Proper tool storage is a necessity that is often an unforgotten priority.
PAC found their niche following their founder Dick Young’s realization that tool storage was an under-utilized industry.
It was through designing his own trucks that he understood the intricacies of safely storing equipment.
Young’s approach was rooted in a desire to offer safety and security while guaranteeing the apparatus can be quickly deployed.
This is a belief that has remained at the forefront through PAC’s more than 30-year history.
