- The FIRE DEPARTMENT INSTRUCTORS CONFERENCE was ranked 76th in a list of the 200 largest trade shows of 2002, according to Tradeshow Week, an industry magazine.
- The U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (DOT) has introduced a new training video, Responding to Trucking Incidents Involving Commercial Explosives, funded and produced by the department’s Research and Special Program Administration. (RSPA). The video provides awareness of the basic procedures for dealing with such incidents including controlling the scene and identifying the explosives. The video’s production also involved the Institute of Makers of Explosives (IME), which provided the accompanying Leader’s Guide, and the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC). Courtesy copies are being distributed to more than 20,000 fire departments nationwide. Additional copies are available at cost through the RSPA’s Web site, http://hazmat.dot.gov/pubs.htm, or by calling (800) 467-4922, ext. 3.
- SYDISTRAR, INC., a fire safety and prevention publishing firm, offers a free 20-page color guide to help promote National Fire Prevention Week (October 5-12). The guide gives detailed instructions for assembling a complete public relations campaign, including producing media advisories, press releases, news conferences, and newspaper opinion pieces. Printed versions may be obtained by calling (800) 841-9532, faxing (504) 733-2232, or writing to Syndistar, Inc. at 5801 River Road, New Orleans, LA 70123.
- UNDERWRITERS LABORATORIES INC. (UL) and BRE IMAGING, a fire film specialist, produced the video Your Office Fire to help fire professionals, training managers, and health and safety managers promote office evacuation and workplace fire safety messages. The video demonstrates the possible consequences of an office fire and the speed at which it can destroy an office, recording the dramatic progress of a fire in an office in real time from ignition to flashover—just four minutes. It also instructs office workers on simple precautions to take to avoid this disaster. Your Office Fire is available from UL’s Web site, www.ul.com/firevideos. For more information on ordering Your Office Fire, contact Nora-Cay Ryan at (847) 664-2271, or by e-mail at Nora-Cay.Ryan@us. ul.com.
- The PUBLIC SAFETY FOUNDATION OF AMERICA (PSFA) awarded nearly $3.1 million to 57 grantees in 27 states. The PSFA was established by the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials International to provide critical funding and technical support to public safety answering points and local emergency response officials to enable the implementation of wireless E-911. Grants include $500,000 to the Iowa Emergency Management Division E-911 Program, $117,000 to the Garfield County (WA) E-911, $111,000 to the Geauga County (OH) 911, and $105,000 to the Broken Arrow (OK) Police Department. Wireless E-911 technology enables geographical location of calls to 911 from mobile phones, thus reducing response time. For more information or to obtain an on-line grant application, visit the PSFA Web site at www.psfa.us.
- The Peabody (MA) Fire Department, one of five departments selected in the country, received $10,000 from the TUMS grant-in-aid program and leveraged the award to obtain more than $40,000 in matching funds from local businesses. The funding enabled the department to purchase an advanced air system that will provide breathing air to its technical rescue team in trench and confined space rescue situations. The national grant program, established through the “TUMS Helps Put Out More Fires Than You Think” campaign, donated $.10 to the First Responder Institute (FRI) for each TUMS bottle purchased, up to $200,000, to help fire departments needing new equipment. Interested fire departments are invited to apply for additional grants. Additional grants from the TUMS grant-in-aid program will be made throughout the year. Applications for grants ranging from $2,500 to $10,000 ar
The One Price for Service Program allows customers to repair a unit that is no longer covered by a warranty at a single fixed price for all repairs to the unit other than sensors and the PID lamp. An available option includes sensors and the PID lamp. This program offers an expedited turnaround time, first priority for service, and a fixed price for all repairs after a unit is out of warranty. Customers can purchase both programs through RAE sales managers or RAE distributors; call RAE Systems for more information at (888) 723-4800, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST.
The Cole County (MO) Emergency Response Team (C-CERT) purchased RAE Systems’ 10,000th MultiRAE in addition to wireless AreaRAE and ppbRAE gas detection instruments to assess and monitor potentially hazardous environments that occur as a result of hazardous materials accidents or terrorist events. C-CERT supports first responders across a seven-county area and is frequently called to assess and secure petroleum spill sites related to the heavy volume of railroad traffic that passes through the region. Recently, the department responded to more than 187 anthrax calls over a three-month period.
- BRK BRANDS, INC., the maker of First Alert® home safety products, is distributing What You Should Know About Smoke and Fire Alarm Sensing Technologies kits to fire departments nationwide. The educational kit provides fire service professionals with information about the differences between ionization and photoelectric sensing technologies in smoke and fire alarms. Although all smoke alarms are designed to detect smoke, certain sensing technologies react differently to certain types of fires. It is important for homeowners to be sure smoke alarms use both ionization and photoelectric sensing technologies. Photoelectric sensing technology is generally more sensitive than ionization sensing technology at detecting the large particles produced in smoldering fires. Ionization sensing technology is generally more sensitive at detecting small particles produced by flaming fires. The kits include an educational video, consumer brochures, a PowerPoint® Training Guide CD, and press materials.
- SCOTT HEALTH & SAFETY has been notified by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) that the organization has approved several models of the latest edition of the Scott Air-Pak SCBA. This approval is in accordance with the new voluntary standard for respiratory protection against chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) hazards. This standard was developed to help ensure that first responders are adequately protected from respiratory threats in the event of an attack involving weapons of mass destruction.
- With a personal donation of $1.2 million from Bank One Chairman Jamie Dimon, the CHICAGO (IL) FIRE DEPARTMENT purchased 120 Bullard thermal imaging cameras, equipping every fire station in Chicago, and making the organization the largest user of thermal imagers in the world.
- More than 50 city, state, and other public officials from Florida and across the country learned firsthand what it was like to be a firefighter and paramedic at a day-long interactive training session hosted by the INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE FIGHTERS (IAFF) at the Broward County Fire Academy in Davie, Florida. The first-ever “Fire Ops 101” put public officials through a series of realistic firefighter exercises, including riding on a fire engine, rescuing a victim from a smoke-filled structure, feeling the heat of a flashover, performing defibrillation on a cardiac arrest victim, and more. Participants wore full protective clothing and equipment for the exercise, including self-contained breathing apparatus and mask.
The training was designed to educate public officials about the realities and risks of being a firefighter and a first responder on the front lines of America’s domestic war on terrorism. The IAFF will hold similar events at upcoming conferences, including the 2003 Redmond Symposium in San Francisco (October 5-9, 2003) and the 2004 IAFF Convention in Boston (August 15-20, 2004). Thirteen fire departments, more than 30 fire-service training instructors, and IAFF local affiliates from across southern Florida conducted the workshop.
- CRIMSON FIRE, a division of Spartan Motors, named Jim Salmi vice president of aerial operations. In the newly created position, he will be responsible for increasing Crimson’s manufacturing, sales, and service capabilities for aerials. Previously, Salmi was general manager at American LaFrance aerials.
- FREIGHTLINER LLC named Marc F. Gustafson president of American LaFrance Corporation. He will be responsible for improving American LaFrance’s market and financial performance and in building on investments in products, facilities, and customer support. Previously, Gustafson served as president and CEO of Volvo Trucks North America and was head of sales and marketing for Mack Trucks Inc.
- The INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL (ICC) named James Lee Witt chief executive officer. Witt previously served as director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Witt succeeds Bob Heinrich, who oversaw the transition from three model code groups (Building Officials and Code Administrators International, International Conference of Building Code Officials, and Southern Building Code Congress International) into one, the ICC.
NAMES IN THE NEWS
- ROCHELLE T. JONES, who has served more than 20 years with the Fire Department of New York, has been promoted to battalion chief, the first female to do so in FDNY’s 138-year history.
- WILLIAM R. CHRIMES, a firefighter and paramedic with the Roanoke County (VA) Fire and Rescue Department, was named the 2003 Stihl National Forestry Heroism Award winner. Chrimes helped rescue two firefighters in Happy Camp, California, after their fire engine plunged more than 1,200 feet over an embankment. Nominations for the 2004 Stihl National Forestry Heroism Award are now being accepted. Applications can be downloaded from Stihl’s Web site, www.stihlusa.com, or can be requested by calling (800) GO STIHL [(800) 467-8445].
- BILL LEWIS received the prestigious Level A Award from the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT) Committee. Lewis, a staff member at the United States Fire Adminstration, was recognized for his many years of meritorious service in supporting hazardous materials safety and operations training for state and local-level first responders.
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