Quality Under Pressure--Blog
Quality Assurance
Posted on Jul 25th 2018
Testing...Testing 1,2,3
The final step of Dalmatian’s refurbishment process is Quality Assurance (QA). According to Code of Federal Regulations and Standards, completion of a valid Posicheck and Hydrostatic test is sufficient for verifying a pack is safe to use. But Dalmatian goes one step further. It’s this extra step that changes everything. Once we began using this proprietary QA technology, our warranty dropped to just a fraction of what it was - which means the packs that go out our door are that much safer for you.
We guarantee our packs for 10 years. This means that we have to get it perfect when it goes out the door. We don’t want packs coming back for additional work. We want that pack to function for another 10 years without a problem. Our proprietary test is what makes a huge difference in the quality of Dalmatian’s packs.
The last essential part of QA is Order Validation - to pair the pack specification to the order. It is really important in preventing us from shipping the wrong pack or the wrong components to someone. This QA piece ensures exceptional results.
Every pack is individually taken through the entire QA process and when you receive a pack from Dalmatian it will have a paper tag on it with the initials of every person that has worked on it at every station. The QA person ensures this and initials as well.
Quality Assurance is the most vital step in the refurbishing process because SCBAs are personal: they provide the most critical of all functions — the breath of life while the firefighter is in the fire. This equipment needs to be trustworthy through all types of emergencies.
To support the dangerous task of fighting fires, the packs are massively robust and overly designed, which is a great starting point for the Dalmatian Fire process. The team classifies, standardizes configures, disassembles, cleans, stitches and polishes, corrects prior repairs, reassembles, exhaustively tests, and adjusts before shipping out to the customer in need.
But most of all, Dalmatian Fire creates renewal and rejuvenation with massive TLC.
Fire Work Safety
Happy Independence Day!As we head into the week of Fourth of July there will be a lot of fun, happiness and fireworks. Dalmatian Fire Equipment is in the safety business and we would like to share some firework safety tips with you all. This week remember to:Obey all local laws regarding the use of fireworksKnow your fireworks; read the [...]
Cylinders
Cylinder ProcessingCylinders are handled within a separate line in Dalmatians refurbishing process. Under this line, Dalmatian is regulated by the Department of Transportation (DOT) and certified with a DOT RIN number. This means that we are subject to random inspections to make sure that all of our procedures are followed. After a cylinder is [...]
Final Assembly
Put It All TogetherThe key goal of final assembly is to verify that every component is put into place correctly so that it passes all of the code of federal regulations testing that is required for Dalmatian to meet. (29 CFR 1910.134) This is a very comprehensive testing process and sometimes requires additional disassembly and [...]
The First Step to Refurbishment
Step OneDalmatian’s business is renewal and rejuvenation. Our business takes items that have little or no use when they arrive, and add value to capture the remaining service life. The advantage Dalmatian has at the outset is that the products themselves are designed to withstand massive abuse. They are designed to be drug through mud [...]
Industrial Cleaning
The Second StepWe call the next step of the refurbishing process industrial cleaning. This step of the process happens after an order has been received from the customer. The pack is torn down for deep cleaning and preliminary repair. The preliminary repair process includes disassembly, industrial cleaning, sewing and reassembly.DisassemblyThe first step is disassembly. Here [...]
How safe is your SCBA breathing air cylinder?
How safe is your SCBA breathing air cylinder? “They’re very safe,” said Russ Kates, president, Dalmatian Fire Equipment. “They are extremely strong and built to withstand many times the pressure they are designed to operate at for firefighting, according to Department of Transportation (DOT) Standards.” Even with their strength and durability, carbon fiber and aluminum cylinders must be hydro tested [...]