Generation SAM

McKinley County Fire Rescue: Gallup, NM

McKinley County is situated in the western-most portion of the state, bordering Arizona. With 21 fire stations and 240 firefighters, 10 of which are paid, the McKinley County Fire Rescue (MCFR) team responds to 4,500 calls per year.

With an aging department, the discovery of their solution came from an unlikely source: TikTok. After reaching out to the influencer on social media, Captain Rich Austin reached out to Akron Brass to schedule a demo of the SAM BOOST system.

Like many things on the internet, Captain Austin was fearful that what he saw online would not match his real-world expectations. However, after his first interaction with the SAM BOOST system, he was already asking about the cost effectiveness of the retrofit to install on their engines.

After introducing the system to the team, Chief Montoya was convinced it was the solution they had been hoping for. “SAM BOOST helps us take a big step forward in trying to overcome short staffing issues while keeping in mind firefighter safety.”

Overall, SAM BOOST has increased volunteer engagement with members attending more trainings, increased efficiency of limited firefighters responding to fires as two people can deploy two lines and suppress faster compared to one person on the nozzle and one on the truck without SAM BOOST and increased direct communication with fellow firefighters on the fire ground.

Further, Chief Montoya noted the tech support behind the system with accessible and responsive team members. Chief Montoya said “We are proud to be advancing and progressing the fire system. It increases safety, but also increases our recruitment efforts as people want to be ahead of the times and on the progressive side of the industry.”

Read their story here: https://bit.ly/3XOyBFF

Walkerton Fire Department: Walkerton, Ontario, Canada

The Walkerton Fire Department services 10,000 people, three small hamlets, and has service agreements with 3 other departments. The department has 2 full time staff, roughly 60 volunteers, and responds to roughly 200 calls per year, 25% of which are fire related.

Short-staffed and facing recruitment difficulties, Chief Wells was hoping for a solution that could aid in personnel challenges. After learning about SAM, there were two primary reasons Walkerton purchased the system.

First, SAM allowed the pump operator to attend to multiple jobs rather than being locked to the truck. Second, Chief Wells had to rebuild their previous pump twice as volunteers accidentally overheated the pump. SAM provides a failsafe backup by recirculating water to keep the pump cool, and ultimately this minimizes maintenance bills and extends the life of the pump.

The SAM system has impressed the Walkerton Fire Department with its ability to save time and increase efficiency.

For other small, volunteer-led, cash-strapped departments, Chief Wells offers this advice: “For my department, when we buy a truck, we need it to last for 25 years. If I bought this truck without SAM, I would be waiting 25 years before I used the technology of today. For us it was a no-brainer. SAM frees up a firefighter and prolongs the life of my pump. Why would I wait to buy it?”

Full story here: https://bit.ly/4bujpRg

Toronto Pearson International Airport: Toronto, Canada

The Toronto Pearson International Airport welcomes over 50 million passengers per year. With over 6,000 calls per year and 3 different fire stations, the Pearson Fire Department covers 10 square miles and a diverse range of calls.

When it came time to replace their front-line engine due to corrosion, the team was initially skeptical of adding more electronics to their truck. However, in a short amount of time, Division Chief Sanders and the entire department were impressed with the easy-to-use system, self-diagnostic components, and its emergency response efficiencies.

Further, Sanders noted “The SAM system frees up one of our staff members to set and open lines.” From initial skepticism, the Division Chief now states that it would be a “big mistake” for any department not to consider SAM.

Read their full story here: https://bit.ly/4bnrHKT

Viejas Fire Department: San Diego County, California

The Viejas Fire Department is just 15 minutes from the city limits of San Diego. The Department services the Viejas Tribal Reservation and its large tourist, hotel, casino, and outlet centers with only 15 paid firefighters.

When faced with the decision of purchasing a new engine, Captain Jim Bingham was looking for updated technology and a way to combat retention and recruitment issues.

When he found out about SAM, Captain Bingham responded, “We liked everything about it. This technology is something we need - it is the latest state of the art improvement.” A positive benefit to the Viejas Department has been the compact nature of SAM, which allowed the Department to save room for life-saving equipment in rural environments.

Captain Bingham further elaborates on the positive aspects of SAM, “This system allows our engineer to do other tasks, without running to a different side of the truck. It is state of the art, saves time, saves money, and saves space. I like to say, ‘why would you ever get a Tesla with roll-up windows?’ This is one of the most innovative improvements I have seen in my 40+ years of firefighting experience.”

Read their full story here: https://bit.ly/3xCiY9Q

Mascoutah Fire Department: Mascoutah, Illinois

With his father as the Chief, 17 years as Lieutenant Chief, and 4 years as the training officer, the Mascoutah Fire Department is in Greg Zinck’s blood. 100 square miles, two major highways, and an interstate make up the fabric of his territory.

With a department that is bucking the national trend by getting younger, Zinck is tasked with bridging the gap and escorting this new cohort into the next generation of firefighting.

By adopting SAM, Lieutenant Chief Zinck was solving many of the current and expected issues of the department. SAM has increased engagement with the younger firefighters, kept engineers out of the roadway when responding to roadside fires, and “...frees up the driver to do way more than he used to.”

With SAM, Zinck is ushering in a new age of firefighters, decreasing injuries at fire scenes, and providing a solution to a looming issue: fewer firefighters in the department.

Read Mascoutah's full story here: https://bit.ly/3zezPA3

Central York Fire Department: Newmarket & Aurora - Ontario, Canada

Situated just north of Toronto, the Central York Fire Department (CYFD) services the towns of Newmarket and Aurora. With a combined population of about 150,000 people, the unionized department is relatively large with 160 paid staff members. The team receives upwards of 5,500 calls per year, 20% of which are fire related.

Generally, the department embraces new technology, but the use of touch screens and electronic valves made Captain Andrew Burdette leery initially. After just a few trainings at FDIC in 2019, Captain Burdette quickly changed course and says, “SAM provides more safety, improves efficiency, and I personally like it as a system.” The system has improved internal operations and efficiencies.

To any technology-leery captains, Burdette issues a challenge: “You need to be open-minded. I know firefighters typically don’t want change, and I myself am mechanically inclined, not techy. But just get out and use a SAM truck.”

See Central York's full story here: https://bit.ly/4cpjarJ

Boone County Fire Department: Boone County, MO

Boone County is situated in the middle of Missouri and encompasses the capital city of Columbia. However, the Boone County Fire Department services the rural areas around the city. The department is made up of about 200 members, 18% of whom are female, and responds to 4,500 calls per year over a 490 square mile area.

Assistant Chief Gale Blomenkamp describes the challenge the department was facing and how SAM helped address those issues by saying, “Knowing how SAM worked from the beginning and the ease with which it operates, knowing the turnover of our staff, knowing our team keeps getting younger, and knowing they may only run the pump 3-4 times per year, using SAM takes out the guesswork.”

With a department that relies heavily on volunteers and faces high turnover due to recruitment outside the area, a simple, consistent, and effective solution like SAM significantly impacted the training and efficiency of the BCFD.

Put simply, Blomenkamp states, “Our citizens and our firefighters are better off with us having SAM.”

Read Boone County's story here: https://bit.ly/4cfD7RN

Freeburg Fire Department: Freeburg, IL

On the outskirts of St. Louis, the Freeburg Fire Department serves a primarily suburban population of 8,000. Like most volunteer fire departments across the country, Freeburg is confronting a shortage of firefighters.

With the average age of their department steadily increasing, Chief Mueller was looking for a well-designed and easy-to-use engine that fits in with the daily lives of his volunteer team.

In finding SAM, Chief Mueller discovered a solution that puts him at ease. His most seasoned volunteers will only touch the manual pumps a few times a month. However, they are interacting with smart phones and tablets every minute. The easy-to-use interface is only the start of SAM’s benefits to Freeburg FD.

Mueller notes its drafting capability, speed of setup at the scene of the fire, and self-diagnostic capabilities. When training new engineers on the SAM system, Mueller has encountered the same response: “That’s it?! It is that easy?”

Read Freeburg's story here: https://bit.ly/45huhAC

Lewiston Fire Company: Lewiston, NY

Just north of Niagara Falls sits the town of Lewiston, with a population of 8,000.

The Lewiston Fire Company is a well-staffed and well-equipped department that needed a new engine. With hesitation from some of the seasoned team members, the department converged on a decision that included SAM, but also kept the manual control valves as a backup.

In four years, the department has never once used the manual valves.

Former Chiefs Myers and Christman highlighted the primary benefit of SAM being stable water pressure, even with multiple lines running. Further, by controlling the pump pressures remotely with the tablet, Myers and Christman gleefully reported that, “SAM essentially gives us an extra person at the scene of every fire.”

Read more about Lewiston's story here:
https://bit.ly/3yD4kPM

Mount Hope Community Fire Department: Julian, NC

With 300 fire-related calls per year and a volunteer-only team of 47 firefighters, Mount Hope Community Fire Department in Julian, NC was looking to replace its front-line engine.

Of primary concern was dealing with high pressure hydrants within the town. An ongoing and secondary concern for the department was fewer volunteers and an aging department.

Chief Moser became aware of SAM in 2019 at a state show. After researching the SAM product, Chief Moser realized it could solve their two primary issues.

Now having utilized SAM since March of 2022, SAM seamlessly controls the pressure coming in from the hydrant so there is no conflict on the nozzle end. Further, SAM is attracting younger talent, is easy to use for veteran volunteers, and decreases the number of firefighters needed thanks to its smart automation.

By replacing one front line engine with a SAM-enabled truck, Chief Moser’s department is experiencing increased recruitment and engagement, easier onboarding, and simpler operations at the scene of the fire.

Read more about their story here: https://bit.ly/3yBAISN

Hadley Township Fire Department: Lapeer County, MI

In rural Michigan, the Hadley Township Fire Department began the process of replacing their front-line engine in 2018. Following the ban of front-mount pumps in the 1990’s, the department was hoping for a solution that would allow the operator to always have eyes on the fire, regardless of which way the truck was facing.

In April of 2019, after much research, the Hadley Township Fire Department became the first active user of SAM in the world.

According to Chief Nass, SAM has done much more than their original goal of allowing the operator to always see the fire. Without any official training from the SAM team, Chief Nass said, “We trained ourselves within 20 minutes of receiving the SAM-enabled engine and put it into service immediately.” Not only is SAM incredibly user-friendly, Chief Nass doesn’t parse his words by stating, “SAM is the number one advancement in the fire industry. Ever. There are no cons.”

Learn more about their truck spec process: https://bit.ly/4akUJKJ

South Hero Volunteer Fire Department: South Hero, VT

Just 30 minutes from the Canadian border, South Hero Volunteer Fire Department is a fully rural department serving 1,600 individuals in the wintertime and a growing population of 5,000 in the summertime.

With a small committee created to purchase a new truck, each member had their own priorities. Some focused on decreasing the number of staff needed to respond to fires, others wanted a more high-tech, future-focused solution, while Captain Reed himself was looking for a fool-proof, long-term investment engine. During the 7-year long search, SAM was the only system that checked all the boxes for each committee member.

After receiving their new SAM-enabled truck, South Hero VFD has discovered countless unforeseen benefits including its incredible drafting ability, equity in pump training and operation for all volunteers, self-diagnosis capabilities, and a failsafe solution in high-stress environments. When asked what he would say to departments looking for a new engine, Captain Reed responded, “You don’t have to follow tradition with your new truck… When looking at SAM, don't envision replacing your old engine, but rather imagine all the things a future truck could be.”

Read more about South Hero VFD and SAM here: https://bit.ly/4boKNBi

Reedley Fire Department: Fresno County, CA

Located 30 minutes east of Fresno, CA, the Reedley Fire Department consists of 3 full time employees and 35 volunteer firefighters. With a relatively large team, the department was looking for a creative solution to decrease the number of accidents and falls as firefighters got on and off the trucks. With the best option Chief Watson could find, his staff was still climbing up to 7ft off the ground to reach the hose bed atop the engine.

After speaking with the engineers at IDEX Fire & Safety, because the SAM system eliminates mechanics and condenses space within the engine, the Reedley Fire Department was able to find a solution in which the hoses would be only 4ft 10in off the ground. The SAM system decreases the likelihood of injury to their employees and volunteers as they previously had to climb the engine to retrieve hoses.

Reedley’s Battalion Chief, Justin Watson, noted a surprising upside of being the first in the region to adopt the SAM system: increased collaboration and relationship building. SAM has become an important outreach and networking tool for the department, allowing the team to train others on the state-of-the-art system.

SAM has transformed the Reedley Fire Department in all areas - team culture, training, outreach, efficiency, and risk management.

Read more about Reedley Fire Department and SAM here: https://bit.ly/3UUmhlJ

New SAM Truck Delivery!

Fire Departments – this is for you: stop by our outdoor FDIC booth 19752 for the SAM Challenge. Test your skills against the clock! Try both systems to see how your times compare.

Don’t want to miss out? Get your name on the list!

Our FDIC 2024 outdoor booth 19752 will have THREE demo trucks. Come flow water with us!💦

✅Wooster Township Fire Department's brand-new SAM truck
✅All American's SAM BOOST truck
✅Our IDEX Fire & Safety SAM demo truck

Want on the demo list? Contact us today!

We are counting down the days until FDIC! Be sure to stop by our indoor booth #1823 & outdoor booth #19752.

Power Up A Safer Crew.

SAM BOOST multiplies force and unleashes power to allow attack crews to charge their own line, call for water, and check the tank level from the illuminated nozzle-mounted controller. BOOST can be added to most recent rigs currently in service in just weeks. No more waiting for water on the fireground or waiting years for a new rig. IDEX Fire & Safety is engineering the future of fire with the combined expertise of the industry’s most trusted brands.

Learn more about the SAM BOOST illuminated nozzle controller: https://bit.ly/3SGUZ0T

Engineering the future of fire is our mission every day, all across the globe. Today we're gathering in the Dallas, Texas area at IAFC - International Association of Fire Chiefs 2023 sharing the benefits of SAM with some of the most forward-thinking fire chiefs in the United States. Join us for a preview of the future! The SAM Nozzle, shown here, is just one of the trusted IDEX Fire & Safety brand family products that make equipping the future of fire seamless and simple.

Excitement is brewing across the country as our sought-after newest product, Akron Brass SAM BOOST, visits the Mid-Atlantic Region for the next two weeks.

The legendary IDEX Fire & Safety's demo truck affectionately known as "Blue" and Regional Sales Manager Tristan Wertman are making dozens of visits from Maryland to North Carolina.

Want to try BOOST for yourself? Let us know here or connect with Tristan directly for expert nozzle guidance with a side of fun.

Short staffed? Do your new recruits have a new mindset? Change is a constant in the fire service, but the staffing, environmental, and cultural shifts the industry faces today make embracing change more important than ever. Join us for a Firefighting in Canada Webinar on Sept. 19 featuring Generation SAM's Jason Cerrano and Twin Cities Fire Tactics' Eric Skinner.

Gain perspective by zooming out from the details of current tools and procedures to key goals, so you can re-engineer fire ground solutions like Mr. Cerrano or challenge standing procedures like Mr. Skinner.

Sign up today: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_LxutDfMFRT2tbg3l78W_TQ #/registration

We honor the first responders who gave all that September Day.