As the 1990s began, the fire department officially established a fire protection district that included ambulance service for the city and the surrounding areas. It was also around this time, 1992 to be exact, that the department installed its source capture system for diesel exhaust—a system still in service today. The system not only has stood the test of time but has been adapted several times to fit changes in the department’s fleet.

THE ORIGINAL SYSTEM

Assistant Chief Sean Gudde says that Kearney installed its exhaust removal system in 1992 when it was becoming an industry standard to manage vehicle exhaust in the station. “Nederman proposed a MagnaTrack system that the department leadership approved,” he says. “We had some FDNY personnel help with our install as they had been using the system.”

The install was completed with four drops in the department’s original station. “All drops were low-level with MagnaTrack systems,” says Gudde. “We completed the install with spiral duct and fan/electronics to activate with the vehicles’ ignition.” In 1994, the department added two climate-controlled ambulance bays. “We added a complete separate system to accommodate this expansion,” Gudde adds.

According to Bob Newcomb, product manager, Nederman Division North America, MagnaTrack is designed to capture all diesel exhaust fumes from a fire truck or ambulance when inside the station. “The track and hose assembly covers the full length of the bay and has a hose drop that covers the exhaust pipe,” he says. “The firefighter connects the hose to the Nederman anchor plate mounted on the side of the truck above the exhaust pipe.” He adds that the Nederman system is designed so the firefighter does not have to bend over to connect the hose and risk breathing in exhaust fumes. “Everything else is automatic,” he says. “The exhaust fan starts and stops automatically. The hose automatically disconnects from the exhaust pipe as they exit the station.”

Newcomb explains that the MagnaTrack performs two functions. “First, it is conveying the exhaust fumes to the central duct and allows the trolley with hose drop to travel the length of the bay,” he says. “MagnaTrack is typically used for back-in bays. The MagnaTrack along with a blower removes all exhaust fumes to the outside of the station.

When a department decides on a Nederman system, Tom Nolan, regional sales manager, says qualified installers will build custom brackets, because no two stations are alike. The ductwork is assembled and cut to fit by a mechanical contractor. Then an electrical contractor, typically someone local to the station’s area, will handle that part of the install. When installation is complete, Nederman tests everything to make sure it disconnects at the right points; that the fans work properly; and after having the rigs run out at various speeds, making sure everything is set up properly.

SYSTEM EVOLUTION AT KEARNEY

According to Gudde, all the Nederman drops were MagnaTrack low-level systems until 2001, when the department purchased Freightliner Type 1 ambulances that had exhaust stacks behind the cab. “Nederman has a MagnaStack solution that accommodated this change, which was installed at that time,” he says. “These have been in service until our most recent ambulance purchase, which triggered the change we are currently working on.” That change involves two new ambulances.

Kearney Fire recently took delivery of two ambulances that were ordered in January 2022 to replace 2013 International chassis that, like the 2001 ambulances, had exhaust stacks behind the cab. “We needed to convert these two exhaust systems to low-level systems as the vehicle exhaust location changed back to behind the rear tires,” says Gudde. The department reviewed all of its options to change from the MagnaStack to a low-level exhaust management system. “We looked at other systems and found that the most logical solution was to stay with the Nederman MagnaTrack Green system that would work in this new application.” The new parts required would work with the old steel track, so Kearney would not need to modify the exhaust tailpipe on the newest ambulances that arrived with standard tailpipes. “If we were to add a flange to accommodate other systems, this would decrease the angle of departure behind the rear wheels and could damage the flange necessary to attach the tailpipe-mounted magnet system,” Gudde adds. “Another factor was as the vehicle exits the station, the pressure is applied to the body-mounted anchor plate. This seemed logical as opposed to applying this pressure to the end of the tailpipe on the vehicle each time it exits the station.”

MagnaTrack Green is designed for medium exit speeds of one vehicle per back-in bay. It can accommodate vehicles with low-level or high-level tailpipes. It is mounted on a track system available in lengths of 10 or 13 feet for low-level tailpipes or 23, 30, or 40 feet for high-level tailpipes. The system uses a 6-inch-diameter hose providing up to 800 cfm. The Nederman system attaches to an anchor plate, mentioned above, mounted on the vehicle body and uses that for the pulling force of the system, not the exhaust pipe, which was never designed to be pulled on by systems that attach to it. Nederman designs special nozzles to work with and fit the newer EPA 07 tailpipes. Departments do not need to change the tip of the exhaust pipe to work with the Green Magna system, which could void the manufacturer’s warranty. With the Nederman Auto Start System, the exhaust fan is activated prior to the start of the vehicle’s engine, ensuring 100% capture of exhaust.

BUILT TO LAST

According to Newcomb, Nederman offers turnkey solutions for many applications. It manufactures filtration equipment for dust and fumes along with vehicle exhaust equipment. The dust and fume filtration equipment can be used for welding or woodworking manufacturing plants. This equipment can also be used in any facility that produces dust and fumes. Along with the Magna system designed for fire stations, Nederman also has equipment designed for maintenance facilities and any shop working on engines. Other Magna systems include the MagnaStack exhaust extraction system for emergency vehicles with vertical stacks, MagnaTrack HS for stations with high-frequency/high-speed runs, MagnaTrack S for stations with fewer runs, MagnaTrack LS for stations with fewer runs, MagnaRail for stations with highest operational requirements, and the MagnaRail Green low-maintenance exhaust removal system. “The solutions provide clean, safe air,” Newcomb says.

Gudde states that most of the original Nederman system installed in 1992 is still in service. “We have made modifications as apparatus has been replaced, and Nederman has had solutions each time that have accommodated these changes,” he says. “We have rarely had repair issues with the system overall, and it has been largely trouble-free.”

Ultimately, Gudde says Nederman has been a dependable exhaust removal system that has improved the department’s in-bay atmosphere. “It has been a trouble-free system that has been adaptable as our fleet and station have changed and grown over the years.