The 20th annual Pittsburgh FireRescue & EMS Expo, produced by Kelly Simon Productions, Inc., of Latrobe, is moving from the Pittsburgh Expo Mart in Monroeville to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh.
The expo, the largest trade show in western Pennsylvania and the fifth largest fire expo in the nation, will be held July 13-15, 2007 and feature several hundred exhibitors providing information and demonstrations of the latest equipment and apparatus vital in the business of saving lives. Last year, over 10,000 emergency first responders from nearly every fire and EMS department in western Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio and West Virginia attended the three-day expo at the Monroeville site.
Kelly Simon, president of Kelly Simon Productions, said it was important for the expo to continue to grow.
“This show allows fire and rescue personnel to receive state-of-the-art training in new equipment, hazardous materials and rescue techniques,” said Simon. “It also allows for comparison shopping of competitive equipment.”
“And finally, the show is a way for fellow firefighters to get together in a spirit of camaraderie and networking under one roof.”
The David L. Lawrence Convention Center has 313,400 square feet of exhibit space and 76,500 square feet of secondary exhibit space. Located in downtown Pittsburgh, the center is situated near 17 convenient parking lots, prime hotels and great restaurants. There’s also access to Pittsburgh’s “T,” subway and light transit system, Port Authority buses and plenty of taxis.
Kelly Simon Productions and the Fire Expo have joined the Pittsburgh Convention and Visitor’s Bureau to establish exhibitor and attendee attractions and amenities to complement the 2007 Expo. These include hotel and restaurant discounts and other sporting, cultural and entertainment attractions.
An Exhibitor Advisory Committee has been developed and is scheduled to meet four times before the expo. On October 20, the first meeting brought together 25 exhibitors and association representatives. The group toured the convention center and discussed in-depth the compelling potential of the venue change and its positive impact on the region’s fire/EMS industry, associations and firefighters/EMT responders.
“We’ll be closer to the airport, mass transit and the heart of the city,” said Robert Beatty, of “O” Ring & Associates, Inc., Coolsprings, Pa. “Moving the show to a metropolitan area gives it a great chance of becoming a national show.”
Dave Anderson, of VFIS Insurance, York, Pa, said the larger venue offers more opportunity for fire departments, EMTs, and others.
“There’ll be more vendors so first responders will be able to accomplish more in one setting,” Anderson said. “And families will have the opportunity to spend quality time in Pittsburgh.”
Vaughn Seigworth, assistant secretary for the Fire Chiefs Association of Allegheny County, Pa., and Terry Pfund, vice president of Pfund Superior Sales, Lower Burrell, Pa., agreed that the show’s new location is beneficial for families.
“The attraction of the city is that it offers other activities for families,” Pfund said.
“Families can come and take advantage of the attractions of the city, such as museums, the stadiums and theaters,” Seigworth added.
Another advantage is that exhibitors will see no increase in booth costs and minimal increases in ancillary equipment/services.
The David L. Lawrence Convention Center boasts a one-level exhibit floor with no weight limitations, no height restrictions and easy drive-in access from street level for apparatus and exhibits. The entire interior floor space is air conditioned and has other amenities expected from a first class facility. The new floor plan strategically co-mingles the apparatus with the exhibitors to promote an exciting and advantageous attendee flow.
“With the move to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, we will draw more exhibitors to the show so that our firefighters, paramedics and EMTs will receive the latest information on technological advances in equipment,” Simon said. “We’ll also continue to offer demonstrations and seminars of interest to all emergency responders.”
Already, over 75 exhibitors and associations have joined the 2007 Expo. Simon anticipates that the 20th Annual event will be the largest and most successful in the show’s history.
A fire expo Web site is being developed which will include information for exhibitors and attendees. The site will also contain an exhibitor prospectus, floor plan, event attractions, a monthly newsletter, pre-registration and more. Inquiries about the show can be directed to Kelly Simon Productions at 800-747-5599 or ksimon@kellysimonproductions.com.