The mobile websites provides customers with the same information as the regular Mohawk Lifts site and has been optimized for browsing without a mouse and keyboard.

“Analytics show that traffic coming from mobile devices is increasing”, says Steve Perlstein, Sales Manager at Mohawk Lifts. “Creating the mobile site will allow access to Mohawk’s products at night and on weekends, when people may not be in front of a computer.”

The mobile site will automatically display when www.mohawklifts.com is accessed from a mobile device.

Xcel Energy has changed 530 high-pressure sodium (100-, 150- and 250-watt) fixtures in West St. Paul to GE’s LED street lights. Data collected during the testing will help the utility decide what sort of LED lighting products provide the most benefit to customers, how to price LED rate options, how much maintenance is required and how frequently it should be performed. It also will document customers’ perception of the LED fixtures.

Xcel Energy has installed GE’s Evolve™ Cobrahead fixtures in West St. Paul, Minn., in a pilot project to measure the performance of LED street lighting.

In the meantime, West St. Paul will continue to pay its current street light service rate. Xcel Energy funded the $200,000 cost to install the fixtures, completed in January 2013. 

“These new LED systems have improved the quality of light that our residents rely on to navigate our streets at night,” said West St. Paul Mayor John Zanmiller. “With the help of Xcel Energy and GE Lighting, our community is seeing the promise of a new technology that can yield significant savings. The preliminary data is promising, and other cities—large or small—should keep a keen eye on the results.”

GE Lighting anticipates the switch to provide annual energy savings of about 45 percent.

The Evolve LED Scalable Cobrahead Street Lighting fixture, a product of GE ecomagination℠, wasrecently awarded “Best in Class” for roadway lighting in the 2012 Next Generation Luminaires™ (NGL) Competition and won the 2013 LightFair International Innovation Award category for Parking, Roadway and Area Luminaires. Significantly reducing energy use compared to traditional high-intensity (HID) street lighting systems, the fixture is offered in four sizes to meet a variety of municipal codes.

“We’ve been looking at LED fixtures as a source to light up roadways,” said Ed Bieging, project coordinator for Xcel Energy’s outdoor lighting department. “We wanted to be sure not to put in a product that is inferior or that we’d have to make adjustments to. In recent years, we saw advances in technology—from light distribution patterns, designs of fixtures, and heat-sink efficiency—and we’re really excited for what GE has to offer with the scalable Cobrahead fixture.

“We’ve received a lot of feedback from municipalities where we have street lights, and they have always asked when we were going to offer LED options. Our response has been that we weren’t confident with the technology and wanted to wait until it was better. It is better today.”

The utility chose West St. Paul, a city of nearly 20,000 residents located just south of Minnesota’s capital of St. Paul, as the pilot location because of its proximity to Xcel Energy’s service center. Additionally, its street light distribution, fixture types and adjacent vegetation allows it to illustrate a “real-world application” of LED street lights, Bieging said.

Xcel Energy’s goal is for its customers to benefit from new technology, Bieging said.

“We are taking steps to be more proactive in how we light our roadways, and this is one way we can do that,” he said.

Many municipal customers are seeking ways to reduce costs, and Xcel Energy is sharing recommendations that include the ways LED fixtures affect operations and maintenance dollars. Currently, Xcel Energy has a five-year preventative maintenance cycle in place to proactively replace lamps in the street lights on its system.

“If the Evolve LED fixtures work as expected, we won’t have to check as frequently,” said Sylvia Rossi, a scheduler with Xcel Energy. “We can go longer between intervals.”

To learn more about how GE is lighting America’s roadways with energy-efficient LED street lighting fixtures for streets of all sizes, visit www.gelighting.com. To learn more about GE’s commitment to innovative solutions for today’s environmental challenges while driving economic growth, visitwww.ecomagination.com.

About Xcel Energy
Xcel Energy (NYSE: XEL) is a major U.S. electricity and natural gas company with regulated operations in eight Western and Midwestern states. Xcel Energy provides a comprehensive portfolio of energy-related products and services to 3.4 million electricity customers and 1.9 million natural gas customers through its regulated operating companies. Company headquarters are located inMinneapolis. For more information, visit www.xcelenergy.com.

50 Years of LED Innovation
Oct. 9, 1962, GE scientist Dr. Nick Holonyak, Jr., invented the first practical visible-spectrum light-emitting diode (LED). In the 50 years since, GE has been on the forefront of LED innovation. The company has released inspired LED products for both residential and commercial settings, from the first ENERGY STAR^®-qualified A19-shaped LED bulb to LED street lighting that illuminates cityscapes the world over.

We are excited to add a new South regional edition to our distribution. We feel that the issues that affect the North and South regions of our country, as they relate to managing our cities and towns, are unique to each area. Our new South edition will begin in August 2013.

The first deadline will be Friday, June 28, 2013.

More than ever, municipalities are looking for products, equipment and services that will allow them to make cost effective decisions. On a monthly basis we direct mail the North magazine to local buyers and decision makers and now we are adding a new South edition.

If you would like more information about either the North or South edition of The Municipal, please call 866-580-1138.

The First Year as a Newly Promoted Chief Officer

May 30, 2013; 11:00 a.m. EDT

Webinar Description – This session focuses on the first year as a chief officer from the standpoint of a systematic approach to learning and assessing a department and using basic strategic planning principles to help a new officer effect change while gaining acceptance.

Speaker – Chief Steve Pegram, CFO

Recruiting and Retraining Diversity

Tuesday, June 11, 2013; 12:00 p.m. EDT

Webinar Description – Diversity and inclusion has NOTHING to do with numbers. That old conversation actually increases the chance of law suits and consent decrees. This session will demonstrate through research and promising practices how diversity and inclusion reduce safety risks and increase the reach and impact of prevention, emergency response and disaster preparedness.

Speaker – Mr. Larry Sagen

Growing Your Organization’s Leaders

Monday, June 17, 2013; 11:00 a.m. EDT

Webinar Description – The fire service industry has begun to experience the major loss of its fire department leaders as the “baby boomers” retire out of key leadership positions. It is just the tip of the iceberg as Institutional knowledge and leadership walks out of the door for retirement. Traditionally, natural leaders or “politically savvy” fire officers are selected to fill vacancies without any formal organizational development. But the new normal in today’s fire department culture necessitates growing your organization’s future leaders. With this webinar, learn the significant necessity of developing leading habits, attitudes and behaviors uniquely required for effective leadership in the fire service industry today. Learn the huge benefits of growing your organization’s future leaders.

Speaker – Chief Rick Fagan, CFO

Looking Past the Numbers

Tuesday, July 16, 2013; 2:00 p.m. EDT

Webinar Description – After diligent work to collect, organize, and validate data, many departments find that the numbers alone don’t necessarily offer successful strategies. By shifting the focus from the answers (numbers) to the questions, departments can identify more achievable outcomes, generate AHJ fiscal support, and engender employee support for the strategic direction.

Speaker – Ms. Maria Ratliff

Visit http://publicsafetyexcellence.org/news/upcoming-workshops-events.aspx for details and registration.

Cost for each 90 minute webinar is $100.

Questions – contact info@publicsafetyexcellence.org or 866-866-2324

The American Public Works Association selected “Because of Public Works…” as its theme for 2013’s National Public Works Week, which will be celebrated May 19-25. The theme is about the quality of life brought to communities around the world. Artist Jannie Ho shows the many facets of public works in her whimsical and bright illustration. (Photo provided)

National Public Works Week, May 19–25, will be both a celebration of success and a somber review of how much farther U.S. infrastructure improvement and maintenance has to go.

On March 19, the American Society of Civil Engineers gave the U.S. a D+ on its assessment of the nation’s major infrastructure categories, using a typical A-F rating. While 2013’s D+ is an improvement over the last grading period, it leaves plenty of room for improvement.

“It is a grade that is completely unacceptable for the country and one that puts us in a position that does not allow for economic growth,” said Clark Barrineau, manager of statistics for the ASCE.

The U.S. received below average ratings in most of the 16 categories that comprise its overall GPA: aviation, dams, drinking water, energy, hazardous waste, inland waterways, levees, roads, schools, transit and waste-water. Only four of the categories earned grades in the C range: bridges, public parks, ports and railroads. Solid waste was the only category to receive a B-.

“We received a B- in that area because we recycle a ton. But clearly our infrastructure is not meeting the needs of families and businesses in this country,” Barrineau said.

He’s quick to point out that the dismal grade does not mean that lives are at risk. What it means is that a significant investment needs to be made in order for projects to move forward and for the country’s grades to rise.

The American Public Works Association will observe National Public Works Week May 19-25. Among notable recent infrastructure projects completed in the U.S. are Iowa’s $19.2 million project to reconstruct the I-680 roadway between Florence, Neb., and Crescent, Iowa. The project allowed the state of Iowa to continue its flood recovery efforts. (Photos courtesy ASCE)

The ASCE’s executive summary states that the U.S. has a “significant backlog of overdue maintenance across our infrastructure systems, a pressing need for modernization, and an immense opportunity to create reliable, long-term funding sources to avoid wiping out our recent gains.” It estimates a need of $3.6 trillion by 2020 in order to get infrastructure up to speed.

“We have roads and infrastructure that were established in the 1950s and ’60s that is no longer in line with the needs of a 21st century economy,” Barrineau said.

Despite the overall bad news, every state reported success stories in important areas. Iowa’s Department of Transportation replaced the U.S. Highway 6 Keg Bridge, built in 1953, using accelerated bridge construction that can shave months, if not years, off the typical bridge building process. Construction time was cut from six months to two weeks of traffic disruption for the public and serves as a model for other states to lessen the time and impact of construction for future projects.

Every state reported success stories in important areas during 2012. Iowa’s Department of Transportation replaced
the U.S. Highway 6 Keg Bridge, built in 1953, using accelerated bridge construction that cut construction time from six months to just two weeks of traffic disruption for the public.

In 2011, Iowa also began work on a $19.2 million project to reconstruct the I-680 roadway between Florence, Neb., and Crescent, Iowa. The ASCE report shows that the project was completed in 34 days thanks to the crews who worked on site for 24 hours each day during the first 10 days, then transitioned to 14- and 16-hour days thereafter. The ASCE said the “project was completed quickly due to a commitment to mitigate the costs of the detour for the closed portion of I-680 and to avoid working during the winter months. The quick turnaround and construction time allowed the state of Iowa to continue its flood recovery efforts and move resources to improve other vital infrastructure.”

Morgan Station, the first new CTA station in 15 years, opened in the West Loop neighborhood of Chicago, Ill., in 2012. It was designed to ease passenger movement.

In Illinois, the Chicago Department of Transportation and the Chicago Transit authority recently completed a number of renovations to the city’s aging elevated rail system. In the summer of 2012, Morgan Station, the first new CTA station in 15 years, was opened in the West Loop neighborhood and was designed to ease passenger movement. There are also plans for a $425 million reconstruction of the south branch of the Red Line — the city’s primary north-south transit line — as well as a $240 million rehabilitation of the bus/rail terminal at 95th Street, the southern end of the line.

Barrineau said that the lesson to be learned from these success stories and others around the nation is that innovation and leadership breeds success, and when we invest in these areas, good things happen.

“A D to a D+ improvement is not good, but we aren’t going to go to an A overnight,” Barrineau said. “A long-term solution will take time and the commitment of elected officials on both sides of the aisle, but if they take stock and care about these things, we’ll see the changes we need to. We’re doing poorly, but we’re not failing.”

Download: Wilcox Solves Road Repair Problems

Fire fighting in Columbia, Mo., has come a long way since Chief Albert Newman, his assistant and 11 parttime and volunteer firemen established the first paid department in the city in 1893. In the same way that advances in motorized vehicle technology replaced the horse and ladder wagons of the past, the department remains committed to staying on the cusp of technology in order to offer the highest quality of service to the public.

“We have a lot of exciting things going on right now,” said Battalion Chief and Fire Marshal Brad Fraizer.

The department consists of four divisions: administrative, emergency services, training and supplies, and fire marshal; nine stations and 140 personnel. For 2013 they have identified three strategic goals that Fraizer said will help them serve the public more effectively: distance learning, electronic records and improvements in department response time.

In an effort to keep stations properly staffed and ready to respond at all times, fire departments around the country are looking into the distance learning idea.

One of the Columbia City, Mo., fire department’s 2013 initiatives is to reduce fire-related deaths and cut down on response time. Budget cuts were making that difficult, but a grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has paid for the addition of five new firefighters. At top, the department battles a two-alarm fire in 2012. Pictured above, the Columbia City, Mo., rescue team practiced an ice rescue this winter. (Photos provided)

“Obviously this will not take away from the training that must be conducted in person. However, when personnel are training at the academy, it means that they are out of territory and unavailable to respond when a call comes in,” Frazier said.

Columbia is also considering the transfer of its paper documents into an electronic database. That system will give trucks immediate access to the materials they need no matter where they are. Frazier said key personnel and each truck have been assigned iPads in an effort to streamline communication and give these members access to the records.

The challenge is scanning and indexing the backlog of paper documents. “It’s a big job that takes a lot of man hours and has to occur during our downtime,” he said. “Going paperless is never easy, but when it’s accomplished, we will archive the paper files for a while until they can be destroyed.”

The third and final element of their strategic goals is continued effort to prevent fire-related deaths and improve department response time.

This initiative is at the forefront of the department’s mission year in and year out. Over the last three years, however, the Columbia Fire Department has had its budget slashed, has seen a reduction in personnel and one station move to a part time operation. All three make the goal more difficult to achieve.

“It poses a change in the level of service we are able to provide the community and it is extremely challenging considering we want to offer the best to our citizens,” Fraizer said. “But we recently received a grant for just under $700,000 through the Department of Homeland Security that will allow us to hire five more personnel, which will help a lot.”

Last year also delivered erratic winter weather in the last few months but drought-like conditions during the summer caused an increase in the number of structural fires the department had to suppress.

“We are constantly looking for ways in which we can help our firefighters combat these situations in the safest way possible and we are always looking at ways to eliminate the hazards they experience on the job whether it is ice, extreme heat or our dedicated personnel overextending themselves.”

Despite having to run an efficient fire department during challenging economic and environmental times for cities and municipalities, the men and women on the Columbia roster have never been more committed to the public. No matter if they are “filling the boot” for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, collecting over a million pounds of food for the local food pantry or serving as a strong presence in the outlying communities, “our men and women work tirelessly for our department and are always willing to serve in their own communities. I couldn’t be more proud of them,” Frazier said.

An annual gathering of experts in fire protection happens next month in the Windy City.

The National Fire Protection Association annual conference and expo is slated to occupy McCormick Place Convention Center, Chicago, Ill., June 10–13. The largest industry event of its kind in North America features more than 150 educational sessions and 20 pre- and post-conference seminars — all of which provide continuing education credits. Sessions are divided into 12 tracks: building and life safety; codes and standards; detection and notification; electrical; emergency preparedness and business continuity; fire and emergency services; fire protection engineering; fire suppression; green; loss control/ prevention; public education; and research.

Doris Kearns Goodwin, historian, will give a keynote address Monday, June 10, presenting lessons in leadership, building and maintaining teams during challenging times. Additionally, William Fries III, fire marshal of the U.S. Department of Defense, and Ariam Kloehn, deputy fire marshal and fire protection engineer, DOD, will talk about the changes in passive and active protections and life safety systems that were implemented in the Pentagon after 9/11.

Don’t forget to stop by the exposition hall at the McCormick Place Convention Center from 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. June 10, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 11 and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 12 to see thousands of new products and talk to the experts who created them just for use in the fire prevention field. New to the expo this year is two features: The Inaugural Accessibility Expo and The Electric Vehicle Safety Showcase.

>> To register or for more information, visit www.nfpa.org.

Kois’ brine maker was among hundreds of pieces of winter weather equipment and vehicles on display at APWA’s North American Snow Conference in Charlotte, N.C., in April. (Photo by Matt Dudlak)

Matt Dudlak, The Municipal account executive, attended the APWA North American Snow Conference April 7–10 in Charlotte, N.C. The conference brought together snow fighters from municipalities across the country.

“SnowCon” offered educational programs, technical tours and an exhibit floor filled with all the newest equipment and products available under the sun to battle winter weather. It also provided The Municipal with an opportunity to stop by and say hello to familiar faces from companies like Clear Span Fabric Structures, Henderson Products, Kois Brothers Equipment, Monroe Truck Equipment, Trackless Vehicles and Unique Paving Materials Corp. New friends from companies like CFA Software Inc., The Godwin Group, Western Plows and WorkSafe USA Inc. also introduced themselves.

“I had a great time at the show and thank each of you who took the time to chat with me on the exhibit floor. If we didn’t have an opportunity to meet in Charlotte, hopefully, we’ll see you at the show next year!”