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5 Pest Control Truck Customizations to Improve the Way You Work

November 14, 2019

5 Pest Control Truck Customizations to Improve the Way You Work

How can pest control technicians complete more service calls in a day, making them more efficient and productive for their companies? With strong competition continually pushing prices down, it is critical that pest control companies reduce costs per service call. Reducing time at a job site allows companies to service more customers daily, reducing their costs over their competitors.

In addition, from crawling into tight spaces and balancing on roofs to encountering pests that sting and handling toxic chemicals, pest control technicians need to be ready for anything. And since they are constantly on the go, their work vehicle needs to be outfitted with all the tools and equipment they need for quick and easy access. Organizing and securely storing this equipment is critical in order to prevent dangerous chemical spills and work injuries from loading and unloading heavy tools.

Give your pest control vehicles an upgrade with Extendobed’s Pesticide Unit, a slideout bed extender made expressly for pest control technicians and the on-the-job challenges they face each day. Read on to find out five ways Extendobed’s Pesticide Unit can help your technicians save time, increase efficiency, and prevent injury while on the job site.

Hose Reels

Our Extendobed Pesticide Unit includes space for one or more hose reels that can be bolted into the unit, and easily accessed by sliding out the extended bed. When you’re done, simply crank the hose reel to roll up the hose, slide the extension back in the truck, and you’re ready for your next service call. No heavy lifting, no messy or damaged equipment, and no backbreaking climbs in and out of the truck bed. Extendobed units save you and your company service time and work injury costs.

Include one, two, or more hose reels on the Extendobed Pesticide Unit. The great thing about our products is that they can be customized to fit your needs!

Ladder Rack

Hold ladders firmly in place — and at a place where you can easily access them — on your truck, and without bungee cords or ropes. The Extendobed Pesticide Unit comes equipped with a ladder rack that keeps ladders secure while driving, and easy to grab and go while on the job. The unit slides out of the truck bed with ease, and the ladder can be accessed without crawling into the truck bed or unloading it from the truck’s roof.

Saving time unloading and loading ladders from your work truck for each service call adds up! It could mean fitting in one, two, or even more service calls that day — a number that becomes even more significant when considering your monthly and yearly service goals.

Chemical Tanks

Safely store and haul toxic chemicals in our Pesticide Unit with built-in chemical tanks. These tanks will keep chemicals safe from spills during transport and ensure that they are easily accessible when needed on the job site.

Properly securing potentially hazardous chemicals becomes even more vital when accidents occur. Our Extendobed Pesticide Unit includes space designed for chemical tanks to be bolted into the unit, which itself is made from heavy-duty steel, for added protection and secure storage that will prevent chemicals from spilling or flying out of the vehicle during an accident.

Even when having to brake suddenly or driving on bumpy roads, you can trust our Pesticide Unit to keep chemicals and equipment secure.

Locking Chemical Drawer

Control access to toxic chemicals with the Pesticide Unit’s locking chemical drawer. This locking drawer ensures that only pest technicians, and others who are certified to handle these chemicals, can gain access to chemicals while on the job site. Homeowners, children, and others on site will be protected from the dangers of chemical exposure, accidental or otherwise. This feature also helps protect technicians and the pest control company from lawsuits and liability.

Pressure Regulation

Keep sprayers properly calibrated by installing a pressure regulator on your Pesticide Unit. This feature will let you control the flow of the pesticide spray, adjusting it to fit the application. Not only does it control pressure and keeps sprayers — and technicians — working efficiently, but the pressure regulator also protects pumps, seals, and other sprayer parts from damage caused by excess pressure, saving time on the job site as well as maintenance costs for parts.

With an over 100% bed extension that brings the entire bed out past the taillights, Extendobed’s Pesticide Unit makes it easy to find what you need when you need it, and without spending extra time (or breaking your back) loading and unloading equipment. From hoses and ladders to chemicals, everything has its own storage space for easy access and safe transport. And since the unit also improves safety while reducing time on the job, it allows more service calls per technician daily.

To learn how a custom Extendobed solution can meet your specific needs, email us at: websales@extendobed.com.

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Law and Traffic Enforcement Solutions

October 16, 2019

Law and Traffic Enforcement Solutions

Regardless of your job, having an organized workspace where everything you need is at your fingertips is important. And if you’re a crime scene investigator, SWAT team member, or traffic control technician, your “workspace” is wherever you’re needed at that moment.

In law and traffic enforcement, it’s especially critical (and even at times lifesaving) that your work vehicle become your mobile “command center,” with all your tools and equipment ready, organized, and safe from damage and theft. Here are three Extendobed solutions designed specifically for you and your team’s needs.

The DC Metro: Compartmentalized Command Center for CSI Applications

For crime scene investigators, storing and preserving physical evidence from a crime scene is crucial. Such a methodical and careful job requires a mobile space that is both well-organized and secure. The DC Metro unit is one of the most compartmentalized extension beds that we offer; its functional design features multiple storage compartments, a full-extension drawer, pull-out trays, and an upper platform for optimal organization. Safely and securely store evidence collection kits, flagging equipment, toolkits, PPE, and all other equipment (large and small) that investigators need handy at the scene.

The DC Metro is fully customizable for any type of CSI vehicle, from vans to trucks, and its storage design is also customizable so that it’s made to function best with how you work.

The St. Charles: Compact Design, Easy Access to Traffic Control Equipment

Transporting traffic control equipment is tricky; it involves hauling a lot of heavy, bulky equipment that often needs to be loaded and unloaded quickly, and accessible at all times. Heavy traffic control equipment includes weight scales that typically weigh between 40-50lbs. This can be a back-breaking, work injury nightmare with constant loading and unloading at various sites. The compact design of our St. Charles unit addresses this common industry challenge, and others, when it comes to hauling and organizing traffic control equipment.

The St. Charles extended bed comes equipped with scale racks that make weight scales easily accessible. A creeper shelf and an upper platform with steel cage containment is also part of the St. Charles design, allowing easy loading and unloading of traffic cones, barricades, barriers, flare tubes, and other traffic control equipment and supplies. Fully customizable to fit the size and function of your traffic control vehicle, the St. Charles can have up to a 3,000 lb. capacity in a compact, multi-functional design.

The LA Van: Securable Storage for Valuable SWAT and Tactical Equipment

Double the amount of storage in your SWAT vehicle with our LA Van slideout, which creates vertical storage (especially effective for taller vehicles) with multiple, stacked storage compartments made from heavy-duty steel caging. This unit’s ultra-functional design includes full-extension locking drawers to keep tactical equipment secure, and storage compartments large and small for transporting everything from weight scales and air compressors to medical bags and weather tents — all in an organized, easy-to-find manner.

Designed expressly for SWAT and tactical teams, the LA Van is also fully customizable to fit the size and usability of your van. Additional custom options include a power drive, which makes extending and retracting the slideout from the vehicle effortless, especially on steep inclines and rough terrains. Custom shelving for van walls and on the slideout unit itself is also available as an option.

At Extendobed, we have been serving the law and traffic enforcement professionals for over 30 years with our industrial-strength extended beds. With an extension of over 100% that brings the entire slideout past the taillights and a weight capacity of up to 3,000 lbs., our heavy-duty bed extenders are fully customizable for how you work best.

To learn how a custom Extendobed solution can meet your specific needs, email us at: websales@extendobed.com.

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Make Your Work Vehicle Work for You: Installations for Every Industry

September 29, 2019

Make Your Work Vehicle Work for You: Installations for Every Industry

Regardless of the industry, if you depend on a work vehicle to haul and store tools and equipment, you need a system that works for you. Not only do you need to keep tools and equipment undamaged during transport, but you also need to find what you’re looking for quickly when on the job. Expensive equipment and toolboxes also need to be protected from theft; and heavy equipment needs to be stored so that it’s easy to load and unload without wasting time or causing injury.

For over 30 years, Extendobed has made it our business to construct custom-made truck and work van bed extensions for every industry, from law enforcement to pest control. With a 1,000- to 3,000-pound load limit, these units are custom built with everything from multi-storage containers and chemical storage to ladder racks and full-extension pull-out trays. These extended bed units are built with heavy-duty materials to safely and securely transport a large number of tools and heavy equipment, while keeping everything organized and easy to load and unload.

Contractor Helpers

Extendobed’s Contractor Caddy is a contractor’s dream. With a tool rack, removable lumber rack, and full extension pull-out tray and drawer, this customizable slideout bed can be made to fit the needs of any type of contractor. Safely and securely haul tools and larger equipment, while keeping them organized and free of damage during transport. Even heavy equipment like generators, compressors, or welders can be mounted on the sliding deck for easy access. Additionally, the Contractor Caddy is easy to access and unload at the site. For example:

Concrete finishers can safely and securely stow larger tools, such as portable mixers and wheelbarrows, making them easier to load and unload without injury. Smaller tools, including shovels, buckets, and floats, can also be organized along with these larger tools for safe transport without damage or spilling.
Framers can safely store their toolboxes to avoid theft, while storing lumber in a separate, pull-out tray that prevents it from falling or shifting during transport and makes it easy to unload.
Drywallers can transport sheets of drywall securely in the full-extension pull-out tray, making them easy to remove without damage to the drywall, your back, knees, or shins while unloading.
Tile setters can transport hundreds of feet of tile while still having room for heavy bags of mortar and tools — all of which can be organized and secured in separate compartments for damage-free delivery to the site.
Painters can keep extension ladders and poles secure and organized in a separate compartment from messy brushes and other paint tools. They also have quick access to air compressors with sliding storage trays.
Roofers can secure ladders and their nail guns and compressors in the caddy instead of on the roof or in the bed of the vehicle, deterring theft and making them easily accessible while working.

Surveyor Solutions

In surveying work, sophisticated and expensive equipment such as GPS and terrestrial scanners are used frequently. Not to mention the fact that surveyors spend a lot of time on the road in rugged environments of all sorts — from frozen landscapes to wet jungles. Add to this the need for surveyors to make efficient use of daylight hours; making time-management a crucial part of their job. All of this can make the transport of surveying equipment a challenge.

Extendobed’s Kennewick Surveyor and Carbon County Surveyor were built specifically for storing and transporting surveyor tools so that they are protected from damage. With separate storage compartments for tools (including a separate tripod storage area in the Kennewick), and a full-extension drawer and fold-down gates, tools are well-organized and easy to find — and grab fast — when on-site. Expensive surveying tools are also protected from weather and theft with multi-level compartments and heavy-duty caging.

Pest Control Problem-Solvers

Many are the tools of trade when it comes to pest control. In a day’s time, you can encounter everything from termites to scorpions — in other words, you need to be prepared for anything, which means stowing insecticides, traps, sprayers, bug steamers, foggers, hose reels and all other tools on your truck. With hauling such an array of tools comes the need for proper storage to prevent chemicals from spilling and larger equipment from injuring your back when unloading. The easy access to and storage of equipment gets you from one job site to the next quickly so you can do more jobs in a day.

Extendobed’s Pesticide Unit includes a chemical fill tank and locking chemical storage drawer, pressure regulation, hose reels, and a ladder rack. Everything you need in a day’s work is available to you in an extended storage bed custom made for pest control professionals. Also available in aluminum, the Pesticide Unit keeps chemicals stored safely and hoses neatly rolled to prevent kinks and ensure they are ready to go when needed.

Extendobed Has the Answers

Whatever the industry, Extendobed can design a custom mobile storage solution built for it. Not only do Extendobed’s products keep work tools and equipment safe and organized, they also help professionals save time and stay efficient during their workday.

To learn how a custom Extendobed solution can meet your specific needs, email us at: websales@extendobed.com.

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Protect Yourself with an Organized and Safe Service Vehicle

August 23, 2019

Protect Yourself with an Organized and Safe Service Vehicle

For those who utilize service vehicles to perform their jobs, the probability of suffering a workplace injury is high. In fact, the top worker compensation claims involve overexertion and repetitive stress injuries, as well as slips, trips, and falls. These types of injuries result in lost work, decreased productivity, and increased health care costs — and in the worst case a life-long disability.

Service vehicles present many opportunities for these injuries to occur, especially if the vehicles are disorganized or the job requires workers to utilize heavy equipment. Even lighter equipment that must be lifted and transported regularly can result in an injury. Sliding equipment out to you rather than reaching into vehicles is proven to reduce injuries and worker’s compensation claims. Eliminating even one back injury can pay for an entire fleet of Extendobeds.

Equipment Access

A sliding bed in any service vehicle makes equipment access easy and safe regardless of size. While heavy equipment provides the greatest risk to employees, the repetitive motion of moving smaller equipment is also dangerous. Having to reach into a truck bed or van does not allow for the use of proper lifting technique and will no doubt lead to an injury. It’s not a matter of if it will happen, it’s simple a question of when.

Our sliding beds assist with any equipment and storage needs. They help protect employees from objects falling, as well as prevent slips, trips, and falls that result from accessing equipment or putting it away when tired or in a hurry.

Vehicle Entry/Exit Injury Prevention

A common but often overlooked cause of injuries is the simple act of entering and exiting a vehicle throughout the day to access equipment, tools, paperwork, and other job-related items. Stepping into and out of a vehicle leads to bruises, falls, and repetitive stress injuries. Shuffling around for items in a disorganized space opens the door for random injuries such as cutting your hand on a tool while trying to locate something in a dark space. Bruised shins and knees are common, leaving employees sore and distracted by pain — and opening the door to even more serious injuries.

Customized Extendobeds are a simple solution to these problems. They bring the equipment to you in a safe and secure manner. Whether added to a truck, van, or SUV, these beds will protect you and your employees. We have five sliding beds designed to meet various needs and that offer 75% to over 100% extension and hold 300 to 3,000 lbs., including:

Customer Testimonials

Our customers will attest to the increased safety our solutions provide. See the following testimonials:

“I work for one of the largest municipal owned utility companies. In the last 7 years we have installed 60-70 Extendobeds in different types of trucks. Of that number, we finally had one go down. One bearing gave out … after receiving a replacement bearing, it took less than an hour to repair it. Your product has us wondering how we got along without it. We have a better safety record now with no back injuries due to climbing into our utility trucks.”
– E. Peltz

“I love this thing! And so does everyone that sees it. Some of my co-workers are just one more bashed shin (from climbing into their trucks and slipping) from buying one. Me, and my shins, thank you!”
– T. Hall

Don’t wait for an injury to occur before you learn how we can help keep you and your employees safe. Injuries of all types can and will impact your bottom line and could destroy your business. Avoid the risk of an injury creating lifelong pain and suffering for you and your employees.

To learn how a custom Extendobed solution can meet your specific needs, email us at: websales@extendobed.com.

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Accessorize Your Mobile Working Environment for Optimal Efficiency

July 25, 2019

Accessorize Your Mobile Working Environment for Optimal Efficiency

There is no limit to the number and types of accessories available to customize mobile working environments. Regardless of your role within fire, law enforcement, or industrial services, there are dozens of accessories designed to make your work life easier — and they just might save a life.

Efficiency is of paramount importance at Extendobed. We know that efficiency not only helps professionals and law enforcement officers do their jobs but can also be the difference between life and death. With over 30 years’ experience designing and fabricating custom solutions to meet individual and department-specific needs, our dedication to excellence has cemented our position as a leading provider of mobile working environment accessories.

Solutions for Chevy Tahoes, Chevy Suburbans, and Ford Explorers include accessories for on-the-go offices, attachments that help save space, and fixtures to support mobile command centers.

Offices On The Go

Accessories for mobile offices include the following:

Evidence boxes — Properly preserving evidence is essential to protecting information related to job execution, a perpetrator’s guilt, and victim advocacy. Our aluminum-wrapped lockers allow for evidence preservation and support chain of custody requirements.
Bookcase enclosures — These enclosures help you keep information, procedures, and forms in a single convenient location to ensure that process and procedural requirements are met.
Drawers — All drawers are full extension and are standard with slam latches. Locking file drawers provide quick access to information, as well as security; drawers with dividers allow you to store critical documents more economically; and a drawer housing a power lift map board provides an instant command center for improved accountability.

Space Savers

Space-saving attachments include:

Backboard/stokes slot — The equipment necessary to perform your job should not create problems but it often does. Add backboard accessories to accommodate multiple boards or stokes basket slots to simplify storage, create ease of access, and maximize your space.
Bottle racks — SBCA cylinders not only take up a good amount of space but can also be dangerous items to transport if not properly secured. Our bottle racks solve this problem by keeping cylinders organized and contained.
Cone storage racks — Cone storage racks make efficient storage of large, cumbersome traffic cones simple.

Command Centers

Fixtures that support mobile command centers include:

Dry-erase backsplash — Optimize your command center and keep it separate from your gear. A dry-erase backsplash allows you to focus on what needs to be done and when it needs to be done.
Dry-erase top surface — A modern-day chalkboard on the move lets you communicate with teams in a cohesive and time-sensitive manner while collecting data in a unified space and brainstorming solutions and actions based on real-time intelligence.
Easel board assemblies — Magnetic steel with a porcelain-coated, dry-erase surface hangs on an angle frame to give teams multiple points of communication and separate tracking options. These boards fold for easy storage.

Accessory Installation and Warranty

Our durable and unique accessories are not only customized for our clients but also installed with care by trained representatives. Our products are guaranteed up to 20 years because we know they can last that long. In fact, some of our products manufactured in 1987 when we opened our doors are still in use.

The proper accessories allow you to quickly and efficiently do your job. You will know where all your equipment and paperwork are stored every day in your office on the go. No more “looking for lost keys” because you will be organized and prepared for any situation you encounter.

If the accessories highlighted in this article don’t meet your mobile workstation needs, we have many more that are featured on our website and in our catalog. If we don’t have what you are looking for, we will make it!

To learn how a custom Extendobed solution can meet your specific needs, email us at: websales@extendobed.com.

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How SWAT and Bomb Units Stay Effective and Keep People Safe

June 19, 2019

How SWAT and Bomb Units Stay Effective and Keep People Safe

SWAT teams and bomb units are highly trained, and they require specialized equipment to do their jobs safely and effectively. When these teams are called in, they face tense, time-sensitive situations — and seconds matter.

Developed in the 1960s by the Los Angeles Police Department, SWAT teams now exist in 90% of cities with a population of more than 50,000 residents. That translates to around 1,200 police department-coordinated SWAT teams.

Bomb squads are trained to handle and safely dispose of potentially explosive materials, and they deal with more than just intentionally fabricated bombs. A bomb squad may also handle fireworks, dangerous chemical combinations, and accidents involving volatile or combustible materials. These specialized teams are full-time forces, sometimes supplemented by reserve officers, and they work with local law enforcement to keep communities safe.

Having well-organized and easy-to-access equipment in their mobile units makes SWAT teams and bomb units safer and more effective. Let’s consider what the field might look like for these crisis specialists.

What Emerging Scenes Look Like

SWAT stands for Specialized Weapons and Tactics. These teams respond to a variety of dangerous situations. For example, a SWAT team might be called in to a hostage situation, in which innocent people are in a vulnerable position between law enforcement and suspects. These types of situations are rarely clear cut, and they often include rapidly changing environments and many unknowns.

SWAT teams may also be called to assist with crowd control or dispersal during events where a large number of people congregate, including rallies, marches, and sport gatherings. In each of these settings, there’s a real possibility of a riot breaking out. Law enforcement units with specialized training designed to keep crowds safe are sometimes the difference between a peaceful gathering and a dangerous public incident. Other circumstances include active shooter scenarios, barricaded suspects, and counterterrorism situations.

For bomb squads, circumstances can vary broadly. Someone may call in a bomb threat to a school, shopping center, or other populated public location, prompting immediate mobilization, evacuation, and slow, careful implementation of safety protocols. Traffic accidents or job site accidents may also require a bomb squad.

Bomb squads and SWAT teams each have their own specialized tools and equipment, which must be safely transported in the correct quantities and in a neatly organized and accessible fashion.

Specialized Tools

You’ll find SWAT teams carrying specific equipment such as advanced imaging tools to see where people are inside a building, body armor and shields, and specialized gas. Each tool they carry addresses the safety of the SWAT officer, the people involved in the incident, and bystanders. In addition, SWAT team members use standard law enforcement equipment such as evidence collection kits, first aid medical supplies, and weapons.

Bomb squads use robots that are specifically designed to approach potential — and actual — explosives. They also utilize x-ray equipment, special suiting material to protect their specialists, containment vessels, and much more specialized materials. Incident locations are diverse and often unpredictable, so getting each situation under control quickly and safely is the top priority.

Because of the wide variation of circumstances that SWAT teams and bomb squads encounter, safety, organization, reliability, and quick access to equipment are of the utmost importance. Custom organizational solutions go a long way in helping ensure a safe and effective work environment for these law enforcement units.

Organization and Reliable Storage Complement Specialized Training

In high-pressure situations where circumstances change from moment to moment, being able to access the right tool makes a big difference — not just for efficiency but also for safety. If a barricaded individual suddenly threatens a hostage, officers need to be able to locate, activate, and deploy the correct tool to neutralize the situation with speed and ease.

A custom-built solution such as Extendobed’s Collier Unit (pictured below) — which includes a narrow tool rack with containment caging and a safety screen, a special weapons box, and a small table and bookcase enclosure — can ensure effective deployment, control, and communication in any circumstance. Likewise, Extendobed’s Henderson Bomb Unit (pictured below) features a uniquely configured upper platform with a safety screen and second shelf, an ATF Type-3 day box/explosives box, a locking compartment on the driver’s side, and a locking weapons drawer.

Collier Unit

Henderson Bomb Unit

Each Extendobed installation caters directly to each team’s needs and accounts for equipment, chain of custody, and officer and community safety. To learn how a custom Extendobed solution can meet your needs, email us at: websales@extendobed.com.

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Focus on Efficiency: Making Use of Smaller Mobile Spaces for Law Enforcement

May 16, 2019

Focus on Efficiency: Making Use of Smaller Mobile Spaces for Law Enforcement

Law enforcement vehicles tend to be chosen for speed and durability over equipment storage. The typical police cruiser is a sedan, which offers only a trunk for storage. Other law enforcement vehicle models can range up to the size of a large SUV, which provides more space. Variances in law enforcement vehicle sizes can present both opportunities and challenges for equipment storage and transportation.

Because each vehicle model and need is unique, organizing essential tools can be challenging. This is where Extendobed’s stationary units come in. These units capitalize on every inch of space in a vehicle, utilizing features such as full-extension drawers, storage compartments, worktables, and locking evidence boxes.

Organization is crucial for efficient law enforcement, and Extendobed’s stationary units are up to the task.

Custom Units Increase Safety and Efficiency for Law Enforcement

Extendobed’s customized units for vehicles create efficiency in the field for municipal, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. Radios, pepper spray, stop strips, post-event comfort items for victims, and other equipment must be quick to access and easy to restock. When chain of custody comes into play — such as when handling evidence, controlled substances, or dangerous materials — secure storage within the vehicle is important. Limited budgets in smaller municipalities can present additional concerns, further highlighting the importance of efficiency in day-to-day activities for both city and state police officers.

Necessary equipment such as guns, bulletproof vests, police-issue duty belts, handcuffs, tasers, batons, extra magazines, flashlights, and a host of other gear needs to be on hand and ready for officers to use. Imagine what might happen if an officer had to dig into a bag for a tool, while an active dangerous situation played out around them — the outcome of inefficiency in this scenario could be devastating. Having dedicated, safe, controlled spaces for each type of equipment keeps officers and the surrounding community safer.

Even when situations aren’t actively dangerous, the efficiency built into a well-organized mobile work unit makes a difference. Confiscating evidence, labeling it, and storing it can be optimized through a clear, step-by-step process that ends with materials locked in a secure repository. Extendobed’s custom solutions have built-in efficiency to allow each officer to be as thorough and complete as possible.

Several federal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. use Extendobed solutions, including the FBI, U.S. Marshals, and Department of Homeland Security. Knowing that the premier law enforcement agencies of the U.S. government already use Extendobed solutions gives state and municipal agencies the confidence to acquire their own Extendobed units customized to meet their specific needs.

FBI Uses

The FBI uses Extendobeds extensively for a variety of specific needs. Some of these include lockable storage for evidence or weapons, Type 3 explosives boxes in various sizes and configurations, and equipment storage for large and small items such as robots, battering rams, and other specialized supplies and accessories. In addition, FBI agents need mobile command centers with working tables, whiteboards, and radios and other telecom equipment — as well as specialized storage containers for this gear.

The FBI has customized Extendobeds for SUVs and pickup trucks with shells covering the truck beds. Their units include both slideouts and fixed/stationary units with slide-out drawers and worktables.

Application for US Marshals

State and municipal police aren’t the only law enforcement officers dedicated to making the population safe. U.S. Marshals have specialized jobs and specific job requirements that demand specialized equipment.

U.S. Marshals are responsible for the personal safety of federal judges. In addition, they are in charge of the Federal Witness Protection Program. U.S. Marshals are also heavily involved in apprehending fugitives and transporting prisoners. In all these cases — whether protecting criminals, civilians, or other law enforcement personnel — Marshals need custom solutions that ensure the safe transportation of equipment.

U.S. Marshals also use specialized electronic surveillance equipment. This equipment must be stored carefully and transported in a safe manner to ensure that it will be accessible when needed and will work as intended.

Solutions for Homeland Security

Homeland Security officers have increasingly complex and dangerous jobs. Border Patrol officers and Secret Service agents risk their lives every day to ensure U.S. security.

These law enforcement personnel benefit from access to centralized tools and communication hubs. Standardizing how evidence is collected and reported increases efficiency across many federal departments and sets expectations for the quality and organization of each Homeland Security department.

Hazardous waste is an excellent example of specialized equipment in action. Authorized Homeland Security personnel must be trained to handle specific substances using specialized equipment. They must handle, store, and dispose of those substances responsibly, as well as accurately report what was found, handled, and disposed of.

All types of law enforcement personnel benefit from custom mobile storage solutions. Extendobed’s solutions increase efficiency exponentially, while helping to keep professionals and the public safe.

To learn how a custom Extendobed solution can meet your specific needs, email us at: websales@extendobed.com.

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Organization and Planning Actually Save Lives

April 11, 2019

Organization and Planning Actually Save Lives

Firefighting crews are some of the most well-organized, tightly controlled teams in the world. Having a plan, the right tools, a team that backs each other up, and reliable equipment are all essential aspects of an effective firefighting team. The final piece is efficient communication, which is where command centers come in.

A mobile command center brings the power of a brick and mortar command location right to the front lines, where crews can take control of dangerous incidents. Therefore, a mobile command center can help meet the challenges of emergency response more efficiently — here’s how.

Command Centers Create and Maintain Accountability

Commanders are responsible for the lives of their firefighters in addition to control of incidents, so organization is a top priority. Thus, having the necessary tools on-hand and easily accessible helps to respond to changing conditions. Custom command centers allow commanders to control the entire incident site from one location.

Extendobed’s mobile command centers usually consist of:

file drawers,
bookcase enclosures,
map boards,
removable magnetic command easels,
pencil trays,
fold-down work tables,
and slideout mounting walls for equipment such as self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) tanks.

We’ve been building these types of products for the fire service. We know how to build them to withstand the intense rigors required for this industry.

Access Can Mean Life or Death

An organized custom mobile command center can be the difference between life and death. Taking extra time to find equipment or extract it from a messy vehicle could easily mean rescuers don’t reach victims in time to save their lives.

Every critical incident is unique, which is part of what makes firefighting a dangerous occupation. Wildfires behave differently depending on what grasses, trees, and other plants are burning — and depending on the constantly shifting weather conditions. Homes are built from various materials, and some homes contain more explosive hazards than others; thus fire will behave differently for each structure. Extraction tools and firefighter gear differ from incident to incident, so quick and reliable access to gear and tools is critical.

Fire, Fatalities, and Success Stories

Fighting fires and responding to other dangerous incidents will always involve risk. However, firefighters can take a variety of precautions, from improved equipment to well-planned executable strategies, to reduce danger and keep crews and the public safer.

Back in 2004, the “Everyone Goes Home” Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives were developed to better protect and prepare firefighting crews. In 2004, 107 firefighters lost their lives in the line of duty. In 2017, according to FEMA, the number was down to 86. Because of the implementation of Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives, the number of lives lost has reduced, and the continued advancements in equipment, planning, and accountability strategies has increased.

Example Implementations

In Clinton, Michigan, the Clinton Township Fire Department’s custom Extendobed solution allows access to equipment, coolers, air tanks, and other tools from every angle. Easy access means not wasting seconds running around the vehicle or having to park in a specific orientation. Access from all angles also improves efficiency during organization, stocking, cleaning, and repacking.

Another of our customers benefits from a custom Extendobed that helps perform fire pump testing and maintenance. Their 2,000-pound capacity slideout unit, built into their Ford F-250 Service Body truck, makes it easier to access hoses, pipes, and other equipment.

It’s clear from feedback we get from real firefighting crews that good organization for equipment and supplies is a real and continuing issue. We provide custom solutions that support firefighters, from the command center all the way to the fire line.

To read more from happy customers, check out our Facebook page. To get started on your own custom solutions, email us at: websales@extendobed.com or request a quote online today!

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The Power of an Organized Workspace

April 02, 2019

The Power of an Organized Workspace

It’s frustrating to have trouble finding a specific tool when you need it. But in some industries, there’s more at stake than just frustration. If you work in a specialized trade such as law enforcement, fire mitigation, or construction/repair, easily finding your tools could be the difference between life and death.

Maintaining your workspace in an organized and efficient manner has numerous benefits. These include the ability to control costs, increase output, and manage your equipment maintenance and replacement more effectively.

Different Applications, Similar Needs

Extendobed offers a variety of specialized options and accessories for specific applications. These options can be purchased separately or customized to meet customers’ needs and budgets. In either case, these setups help your employees do their jobs more efficiently.

In law enforcement, special equipment can include weapons and ammunition, explosives, materials to gather evidence, and highly trained K-9 dogs. Weapons, ammunition, and explosives can be safely stored in weapons drawers, custom compartments, and day boxes for easy access when needed. Evidence presents its own challenges: it must be collected carefully and stored securely in locking compartments, as chain of custody is crucial. Other specialized equipment must also be safely stored during transport. For example, K-9 dogs should be safely transported in secure kennels during incidents of high-speed travel and over different types of terrain.

In fire mitigation, where minutes are a matter of life and death, specialized equipment must be secure and quickly accessible. Special equipment and storage include:

magnetic and/or dry erase accountability boards in stand-alone and drawer pop-up configurations;
slide-out walls for fast, easy access to self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) mounts and hand tools;
custom structures for easy access to extrication and rescue equipment;
file drawers for information organization;
and multiple levels of storage for transport of larger equipment including awnings, coolers, stokes baskets, and backboards.

In construction, tools must be secured for both safety and to deter attempted theft. Generators, compressors, and other large portable equipment can be stored on slide-out trays so they are easy to access and remove from the vehicle. Hand tools, fasteners, and other small materials can be organized in locking drawers or tool boxes.

Having quick, reliable access to the correct tools isn’t always a matter of life or death in every industry. However, it’s still essential to effective job performance.

Equipment vs. Space

Any vehicle has a limited amount of space available. For some lines of work, this presents an interesting challenge: balancing the right tools and supplies with enough space to transport them. When you can bring only a certain amount of equipment with you, having a well-organized mobile space becomes even more important.

For example, an HVAC technician must be able to service countless combinations of systems — but a few tools are always useful: a cordless drill (and extra batteries), tape measure, hammer, and step ladder. Secure storage for transport ensures items aren’t damaged en route to a job. And organized storage is key for speed and efficiency once on the job site.

In law enforcement, the work isn’t over when the “bad guy” is in handcuffs. Evidence collection, cleanup, and record-keeping all require specialized supplies with specific storage needs.

What Efficiency Looks Like in Practice

Just as different industries have different needs, so do individual customers. Here are a couple of examples of how Extendobed created custom solutions for specific situations.

An electrician who was working for a municipality was injured lifting a piece of equipment out of his work van. His back injury required time off work to heal, as well as physical therapy, before he could return to his duties. As he healed, the question arose of whether he would be able to use the equipment the municipality owned when he returned to work. The municipality contacted Extendobed for a potential solution. Extendobed created a custom slide-out unit to house all of this electrician’s tools and equipment. Each of his tools are now accessible without risking reinjury. Without Extendobed’s solution, the employee could not have returned to work for the municipality.

A commercial door installer used to load and unload doors from his truck manually. Each set of doors took an hour to load and another hour to unload. So no matter how long an actual installation took, he spent two hours per job loading and unloading. His Extendobed allows him to load a full set of doors using a forklift, which saves two to four hours per day, depending on the number of jobs. This time savings has reduced his labor costs, allowing him to lower his bids. This in turn has resulted in more jobs, thereby increasing his revenue. He can also complete more jobs in a day, further adding to his bottom line.

Good Design is Key

A well-designed workspace is crucial to organization and efficiency, especially in specialized industries. Customized solutions exponentially extend the value of an organized and efficient workspace.

To learn how your mobile working environment will benefit from customized organizational solutions, email us at: websales@extendobed.com

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