Carbon Monoxide Safety
Keep yourself informed about the dangers of Carbon Monoxide. Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, toxic gas which interferes with the oxygen-carrying capacity of blood. CO is non-irritating and can overcome persons without warning. Many people die from CO poisoning, usually while using gasoline powered tools and generators in buildings or semi-enclosed spaces without adequate ventilation. Below is a collection of resources that will help you stay informed about the dangers of Carbon Monoxide. Protect Your Family and Yourself from Carbon Monoxide Poisoning. Carbon Monoxide Poisoning. What to Know: Generators and CO (Carbon Monoxide).
FRI 2014 is just around the corner!
We can’t wait to share what Frazer has in store for you with FRI2014 only two weeks away! The IAFC’s Fire Rescue International Conference is in Dallas this year, with the exhibit from August 15-16th. We’ll be showing off one of our terrific 12-foot generator powered EMS vehicles just recently completed for the Grand Prairie Fire Department. We’re sure to see both new and old faces at FRI, where many of the world’s leading first response experts come to learn, network and develop their skills. We knew we couldn’t miss this opportunity to connect with fire chiefs from around the country and around the world. While you’re there, let us show you what generator power can do for your team. Our standard 5.5 kW on-board generator gives you more power than you thought possible. Plus, our vehicles come already equipped with tons of other features you won’t find standard anywhere else, including: all-LED interior lighting, all LED emergency lighting, all stainless steel interior cladding, all-aluminum cabinets, horizontal O2 storage, an exclusive, custom-built 120VAC air conditioning unit, and so much more. We will be live-tweeting throughout exhibition weekend, so be sure to follow @frazerbilt for updates! Along with the other 600+ exhibitors showcasing anything you can think of fire-rescue related, you’ll be able to see us on Friday from 10:00-5:00 and Saturday from 9:00-2:00 at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center. It’s sure to be a blast! We’ll be in Booth 3743. See you there!
Come See Us at the Show
Sunday, July 20, 2014 marks Frazer’s return to the Municipal School Vendor Show for the 25th year in a row! The show kicks off the festivities of the 85th Annual Texas AM Engineering Extension Service’s Municipal Fire School. Having worked with numerous Fire and EMS departments across Texas through the years, we appreciate the continuing education and hands-on training the Fire School provides to local, state and federal agencies. On display this year is a 14 foot Frazer Generator-Powered Module built for Midland Fire Department, which is mounted on a 2014 Dodge Ram 4500. Although this is only the second unit we have installed with this system, it has received positive reviews for its excellent comfort, steering responsiveness, easy installation and minimal maintenance. Like all of our other Generator-Powered EMS Modules, the Midland unit has a host of standard features you won’t find anywhere else in the industry. From LED interior and exterior warning lights, to all-aluminum interior cabinets, to the outstanding power and comfort provided by our separate on-board generator and 120VAC air conditioner, we give you the things you need for performance right out of the box. Just like those other modules, the Midland box will eventually be ready for a cost effective and pain free remount. Be sure to learn more about our remount services as this can have a major impact on long term costs and total cost of ownership. If history holds true, it will be hot in College Station this weekend. Make sure to stop by to see us and escape the heat. We look forward to seeing you there.
2014 Frazer Trade Show Schedule
If there’s one thing we love more than building life-saving EMS vehicles, it’s the chance to show them off — and we like to do so every chance we get. Going out on the road is very exciting for us here at Frazer. It’s a great opportunity for you, our fans and customers to see what the Frazer culture is all about. If you are interested in getting to know us, seeing our diverse product line, or just hanging out with us, then by all means come out to see us. You can count on us being at all the major EMS trade shows this year, plus a few other shows you might not expect us to be at. One thing is for sure, we would love to see you there. EMS Today February 6, 2014 Washington, DC Firehouse World February 16, 2014 San Diego, CA Texas Ambulance Association April 3, 2014 South Padre Island, TX FDIC April 10, 2014 Indianapolis, IN CareFlite 35th Anniversary and Emergency Care Update Conference May 19-20, 2014 Arlington, TX Government Fleet Expo & Conference June 2-4, 2014 San Diego, CA Texas A&M Municipal Vendor Show July 20, 2014 College Station, TX IAFC Fire Rescue International August 13-16, 2014 Dallas, TX Golden Crescent RAC August 17, 2014 Victoria, TX Mobile Health Clinic Association Forum September 20-21, 2014 Savannah, GA TML October 1-3, 2014 Houston, TX EMS World Expo November 11-13, 2014 Nashville, TN Texas EMS Conference November 23, 2014 Fort Worth, TX
Maintenance Tip: Shore Power
One of the most beneficial aspects of your Frazer is its plug-in feature to supply power for air conditioning, which helps with environmental and drug temperature control, and miscellaneous circuits, off “shore power” (not that you are in a boat). We recommend two things when taking advantage of this benefit. First, it’s best to kill the power when plugging and unplugging it. If you have an easy way to turn off power to the plug — through the breaker at your breaker box, a switch just outside your quarters, or a switch at the cord — then no arc can occur. Second, if you are unable to ensure a dead cable, then try hard to remember to turn off the generator before you plug into shore power. Avoid energizing the shore power if the generator is running. If two sources of power are vying for dominance, “chatter” can occur, depending on how fast you are at plugging, which could result in a stuck relay. Oh, and remember: When you leave the station house, unplug the cable. We don’t want cords hanging as you drive down the road.
2014 Chevrolet C3500 Chassis Ordering
Here at Frazer, service is key. We are always working hard to ensure that your ordering experience goes as smoothly as possible. We also understand that having the right chassis options available to our customers is instrumental to the ordering process. We recently received word that the Chevy C3500 chassis ordering for 2014 models (Yes, you read that right, we said 2014 models) will be coming to a close sometime between now and July 31st, and we wanted to spread the news to our customers. If you are planning on taking delivery of a Frazer Generator-Powered EMS Vehicle and are looking to mount it on a Chevy C3500 chassis between now and August 2014, please let us know as quickly as possible. Doing this will help us get your chassis ordered and ready to go in time for your delivery. If you plan on taking delivery after August 2014, then no worries — ordering of the 2015 models will begin in time for those vehicles. Making sure that there is no interruption in the outstanding service you have grown to love from Frazer is our priority. If you have any questions please call us toll free (888) 372-9371 or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you.
Happy Independence Day
Frazer will be closed on Thursday, July 4th and Friday, July 5th. We’ll be back on Monday, July 8th, 2013. Have a safe and wonderful holiday weekend.
The Many Uses of Generator Power
Generators are everywhere. They can power a job site, a residential building, or a recreational vehicle. A generator can serve as the main source of power or as a backup option. Generators come in a variety of wattages and prices, and their benefits are vast and varied. Here’s a quick rundown on the merits and applications of generator power. 1. Campers Portable power allows you to bring the comforts of home to the campground. 2. Tailgate Parties Compact generators have been providing tailgaters with hot plates and cold drinks for decades. 3. Food Trucks Mobile kitchens rely on generators to power essential appliances. 4. EMS Fire, rescue, 911 and various emergency services rely on generators to run critical devices, from life support to communication devices. These are typically heavy duty generators designed to run for long hours without interruption. 5. RVs Gasoline, diesel, and propane generators are viable options when it comes to powering your home away from home. 6. Marine Rugged marine generators power military and recreational boats. 7. Mobile Clinics Generators enable mobile health clinics to provide preventive care and education to those who need them. 8. Tactical Operations Tactical units find generator power useful. For example, the Allen Police Department houses a complex, tactical SWAT robot named HAL in an ultracool Frazer generator-powered EMS module. 9. Residential Emergency generators, with their large engines and efficient design, are capable of restoring power to critical appliances in the event of a blackout. 10. Geophysical Onboard generators help power geophysical equipment used in mining and seismic exploration. 11. Repair trucks Your neighborhood cable trucks employ generator power to keep repair equipment running. 12. News trucks Ever wonder what’s in the back of a news truck? The contents of your average news truck — tape decks, editing bay, vectorscopes, assorted light and camera equipment — require reliable electricity. Onboard generators power the various equipment necessary for live broadcast. Can you think of any other industry that uses generator power? Join the conversation on Facebook.
Maintenance Tip of the Week: Tire Pressure
Proper air pressure is one of the most important things you can do to promote tire health. Avoid overinflating or underinflating your tires. You can find the chassis manufacturer’s “recommended” tire pressure on your vehicle’s side door jamb. The pressure stamped on your tire is actually the “maximum” pressure. Proper pressure is essential to tire durability. The key word here is “proper” — do not overinflate your tires. If you overinflate substantially, you’re simply asking for trouble. Underinflation can be just as bad as overinflation. Keeping your tire at the proper pressure level ensures a comfortable ride and optimum performance. Use a proper tire gauge to check your tire pressure regularly — at least once a week. Oh, and make sure you’re using a gauge that can read over 100 PSI. When in doubt, go with the manufacturer recommendation on your tire pressure placard.
The Lowdown on DEF
What is DEF? Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) is a chemical compound that combines high purity urea with deionized water. DEF is basically an industry term for aqueous urea. Some prefer the term “DEF” because urea sounds like a different type of fluid — the stinky kind. Diesel exhaust fluid, however, is odorless and colorless. It’s used in Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) to help lower diesel exhaust emissions. How DEF Works Diesel engines create soot during the combustion process. Soot is a harmful air pollutant, so modern diesels are designed to run lean. This gives them a high air-to-fuel ratio. The excess oxygen creates more heat, which burns the soot. But it also combines with nitrogen in the exhaust stream to create nitrogen oxides. Nitrogen oxides are harmful air pollutants. This is where the aforementioned selective catalytic reduction comes into play. SCR is a process that uses DEF to reduce emissions by cutting down on the amount of nitrogen oxides released into the air. Got all that? Good. This is where it gets interesting. In January 2010, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) introduced a DEF requirement for most diesel vehicles. Consequently, several engine manufacturers adopted selective catalytic reduction technology, which uses DEF to convert toxic nitrogen oxides into harmless nitrogen gas. What Happens if the DEF Runs Out? Diesel exhaust fluid is stored in a special tank on board the chassis. Having an appropriate supply reduces emissions and extends refill intervals. It should be extremely difficult to run out of DEF, given the ample warning strategies utilized in a modern fleet. Most vehicles will show several warnings to signal a low DEF tank. If the messages are ignored, a speed restriction protocol kicks in. This speed limit can vary from chassis to chassis. In a Chrysler product, such as a Dodge Ram, the speed drops to 5 MPH. A Chevrolet vehicle will be limited to 55 MPH at first and ultimately to 4 MPH. Ford will be reduced to 50 MPH, but tampering with or disabling the exhaust system will cause the speed to dip to 5 MPH. Chassis Warning Signal / Range Speed Limit Ford A message is displayed in the message center when DEF level is low. 50 MPH and, ultimately, 5 MPH Chevrolet Warnings at 1000 and 300 mile range 55 MPH and, ultimately, 4 MPH Dodge Ram Warning at 200 mile range 5 MPH on restart, long idle, or refuel Freightliner DEF warning bar illuminates amber when DEF tank is very low 5 MPH on restart Regardless of the chassis, an empty DEF tank can activate the service mode and slow you down. So you should always maintain a proper DEF level in your vehicle. If you do happen to run out of DEF while driving a Frazer, the good news is that you’ll still have access to independent, unrestrained generator power. With a Frazer, you’ll still be able to run your emergency systems, radios, and ultra-cool air conditioner, while you wait for backup. Plus, you can always carry two or three gallons of DEF in one of our numerous exterior storage compartments. There’s no guessing game when it comes to maintaining a proper DEF level. Check your fluids regularly, pay attention to the warning messages, and always maintain a full tank of DEF. Any questions? Give us a call or send us a message on Facebook.
A Frazer Fit for a Robot
Here’s a sneak peek of our interview with Allen Police Department, home of HAL the robot. Stay tuned for the full episode on June 24, 2013.
Frazer Completes Stage I of OSHA Challenge
Good news. We’ve completed Stage I of the OSHA VPP Challenge. On May 31st, 2013, Mark Briggs, Area Director of the Houston South Area Office, presented us with a congratulatory letter on behalf of OSHA. He also spoke about the unique nature of our company. “This is a very unique product,” said Briggs. “I never thought that a product like this was made here.” He added: “I’m very proud of you all. I’m proud that you guys have made it through Stage I. I look forward to coming back here in the future.” Cindy Lewis of Gulf Coast Safety Institute and Challenge Administrator also praised our efforts. “I’ve been very impressed with the progress we’ve made,” she said. “I think it’s been interesting, too. It’s fun to see how you guys do this.” She echoed Mr. Briggs’ sentiment that Frazer is a unique company with a unique product. “Now as I’m driving down the road and I see an ambulance go by, what’s the first thing I look for? It’s that little logo on the back of the ambulance,” said Lewis. “Now awareness has gone up — and it’s the same thing with safety.” There are three stages in OSHA Challenge, each bringing us a step closer to the ultimate honor in workplace safety. One down, two more to go. Bring on Stage II.