R-O-M Corporation Introduces Horizontal Shutter for Emergency Vehicle Truck and Hose Beds

R-O-M addresses the growing concern for the fire service of loss and destruction caused by uncovered equipment in an emergency vehicle truck or hose bed. Hoses blowing off at highway speed, appliances falling off on uneven terrain, and equipment being stolen while personnel are fighting fires and saving lives can be prevented with the Horizontal Shutter for truck and hose beds.

(PRWEB) June 13, 2005 -- Visit nearly any firehouse in the country and personnel can recall incidents of loss and destruction caused by uncovered equipment in an emergency vehicle truck or hose bed. Hose blowing off at highway speed. Appliances falling off on uneven terrain. Equipment being stolen while personnel are fighting fires and saving lives.

Addressing this growing concern for the fire service, R•O•M Corporation announces the introduction of the Horizontal Shutter for truck and hose beds. Covering openings up to 226 inches long and 60 inches wide (for wider openings, please contact R•O•M), the Horizontal Shutter eliminates ejection of equipment and hose while the vehicle is responding to the scene, and protects contents from theft, the elements and flying embers on the fireground.

Steve Briggs, R•O•M vice president of sales and marketing, says the Horizontal Shutter innovation is the result of requests from the fire service and from R•O•Ms research into trends and issues facing the industry.

Apparatus manufacturers and the customers they serve have approached us for a solution to using tarps with bungee cords or -- worse yet -- nothing at all to protect the beds of their vehicles," Briggs says. Theyve shared stories about the destruction that can be caused by unsecured articles flying out of apparatus or hose inadvertently deploying from the bed on the way to a call. Were out to change that."

R•O•Ms research and development engineers began designing ways to utilize the companys vertical roll-up compartment door technology for horizontal openings on truck and hose beds. For its first installation, the company -- which introduced roll-up doors to the North American fire service and holds 10 U.S. and Canadian patents -- partnered with Precision Fire Apparatus to install the Horizontal Shutter on a new vehicle for the Neosho (Mo.) Area Fire Protection District.

Chief Greg Hickman of Neosho welcomed the opportunity to install a Horizontal Shutter on their new first-response vehicle from Precision.

We were looking for a better way to protect the pump and other equipment in the back of the vehicle," Chief Hickman says. After awhile, tarps get worn from the exposure, tie-downs have to be replaced often ... it just becomes a hassle for personnel. In our search for a hard cover, we looked at two-door or single-door options, but either would have been swinging up or out and would have been in the way. The R•O•M option protects and secures our equipment on the way and at the scene of motor vehicle accidents, EMS calls in rural areas and when the vehicle provides extra equipment for structure fires."

Installation of a Horizontal Shutter helps:

• Prevent equipment from falling off the vehicle

• Eliminate hose line from being ejected during travel

• Protect hose and equipment from flying embers

• Secure stored equipment from theft

• Increase ease-of-access to the bed

• Allow access to the hose bed without having to move hydraulic ladder racks

• Meet NFPA requirements for hose protection and hose bed lighting

The Horizontal Shutter can be painted to match the exact appearance of the vehicle, and offers optional LED or halogen lighting, door ajar notification and power operation for quick, easy access. Visit www.horizontal-shutter.com for more information.

R•O•M Corporation is an international competitor headquartered in a 65,000 sq. ft. facility in suburban Kansas City, MO. The companys product line includes R•O•M Robinson Shutters, the industrys leading roll-up doors for emergency apparatus and service vehicles; LoadMaker, Generation II and Center ZoneMaker insulated bulkhead systems for the food transportation industry; RoadwarrioR and SidekicK safety walkramp systems for food transportation; and LinksGuard security chain closures for building security. ISO 9001-certified and owner of 10 U.S. and Canadian patents, R•O•M serves its national and international customer base with a field staff of 10 territory managers and a 10-person inside customer development team. The companys website is www.romcorp.com.

For more information, contact:

Steve Briggs    

R•O•M Corporation

6800 E. 163rd St.

Belton, MO 64012    

Phone: 816-318-8000

SteveBriggs@ROMCorp.com

Darrin Widick

Widick Marketing

415 Delaware, Suite 200

Kansas City, MO 64105

Phone: 816-753-2420 ext. 334

DarrinWidick@widick.com

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