Thieves swiping brass fittings, other firefighter gear
A fire captain from Irving, Texas, recently wrote to me about a growing problem: Thieves are stealing brass fire department connections and building placards and selling the pieces to scrap-metal recycling centers.
Such thefts are becoming a problem across the country. Chicago Fire Department Chief Michael Fox said FDC brass connections have been stolen, missing or vandalized from more than 200 buildings in Chicago. The department searched for solutions and opted for a product that can be carried on an engine and fitted quickly.
“It’s been a terrible problem,” Fox said. “We’ve applied for a grant to buy two adapters for each engine.”
That solution — the Speed Swivel — was developed by Mike Cornelius, a retired Phoenix fire captain who saw the problem with stolen or missing brass fittings from buildings and set out to create an adapter that firefighters could easily carry on their vehicles and quickly connect to the building or hydrant.
Read the entire story from FIRE CHIEF, our sister publication.
