Laboratory Information:
FS - San Dimas Technology and Development Center
444 East Bonita Ave.
San Dimas, CA 91773
Website: http://www.fs.fed.us/eng/techdev/sdtdc.htm
Agency/Department: Dept. of Agriculture
Region: Far West
FLC Laboratory Representative:
Mr. John Fehr
Phone: 909-599-1267 Ext. 211
Fax: 909-592-2309
Email: jfehr@fs.fed.us
Background/History of the Laboratory:
The San Dimas Technology and Development
Center (SDTDC) was established in 1945 to standardize fire
equipment. At that time the Center known as the Arcadia Fire Equipment Development Center was located
in
Arcadia, Calif. It consolidated all Forest Service fire equipment problem-solving efforts into a laboratory
sufficient to serve the fire control requirements of the Western Regions. Southern California was selected
due
to the large fire activity in the area, its evolving industrial and academic centers, and the availability
of space in
an existing Los Angeles County Forest Service facility. Additional program sponsors brought new work
to the
Center and its name was changed to Arcadia Equipment Development Center. In 1965, a new facility, 13
miles
east of Arcadia, was designed and constructed to house the Center. In conjunction with the move, the
Center's
name was changed to the San Dimas Equipment Development Center. For the past 10 years, the Center has
been known as the San Dimas Technology and Development Center.
Technology Areas of Expertise:
- Composting
- Soil hardeners
- Soil nail launcher
- Spark arrester qualification
- Timber yield estimation
- Transponders for marking timber boundaries
- Water handling fire equipment qualification
- Fire and aviation
- Fire chemicals qualification
- Forest/campsite food lockers
- Crossing wet sites on soils of low bearing capacity
- Multiposition small engine exhaust systems qualification
- Noise control
- Recreation
- Road reconditioning equipment capabilities
- Scenic byways
- Self-monitoring water treatment systems for remote sites.
