News in Brief

Senate confirms Paulison as FEMA head

Chief R. David Paulison was confirmed as Under Secretary of the Federal Emergency Management Agency at the end of May. A 30-year veteran of the fire and emergency services, Paulison had served as administrator of the U.S. Fire Administration from 2001 to 2003, when the USFA was integrated into the Department of Homeland Security, and as chief of the Miami-Dade (FL) Fire Rescue Department.

Paulison will report directly to Michael Chertoff, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. In congratulating Paulison on his confirmation, Chertoff cited Paulison for his “skill and vision” as he led FEMA since this past September. In addition to successfully coordinating the federal response to Hurricanes Rita and Wilma, Chertoff noted, Paulison also built cooperation with the Department of Defense and enhanced the communication capabilities for emergency response teams. Big Medicine, team EMS Inc., www.tems.ca, June 1, 2006.

National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend October 7-8

The annual National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend will be held October 7-8. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the event. A plaque with the names of 98 firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2005 will be added to the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial on the National Fire Academy campus. The names of six firefighters who died in previous years will also be added. The plaques that surround the Memorial, established in 1981, will contain the names of more than 3,000 firefighters.

Additional information on the Memorial Weekend is available at www.firehero.org.

Nine Westchester County (NY) communities form emergency task force

The Westchester (County, NY) Special Operations Task Force, a partnership of nine communities (Eastchester, Fairview, Greenville, Hartsdale, Mt. Vernon, New Rochelle, Scarsdale, White Plains, and Yonkers) protects a primary population of 501,000 residents. According to the Northeastern States Fire Consortium, composed of Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont, the Westchester Task Force can respond with on-duty personnel within minutes to incidents involving weapons of mass destruction (WMD), hazardous materials, and technical rescues.

The nine fire departments are organized into a haz mat/rescue team and six squads that operate under a unified command when responding together. The squads are multimission units consisting of five firefighters and an officer. The units are assigned a standard fire engine and a squad support unit (a donated used transit bus) to carry additional equipment.

Each squad is responsible for performing the standard duties of an engine company in the host department, including emergency response to fires and medical emergencies, inspections and fire prevention activities, training, and equipment maintenance. Also, the squad must train for and respond to incidents involving WMD, haz mats, and technical rescue (confined space, building collapse, and trench rescue, for example). In a large-scale emergency, the task force would immediately respond before any state or federal assets would be able to arrive-six hours for state response and 24 to 48 hours for federal response.

About 600 firefighters were trained in hazardous materials and WMD response in the first six months of the program. The task force developed policies and procedures, as well as intermunicipal agreements (IMAs) between the fire department’s governmental authorities (city, town, village, or boards of fire commissioners) and the County of Westchester.

Grass-roots support needed. On the federal level, the Firefighters Special Operations Task Force Act [S. 2587, introduced by Sen. Charles E. Schumer (NY); H.R. 5272, introduced by Rep. Nita M. Lowey (NY)] has been introduced in Congress. The Northeastern States Fire Consortium is urging that members of the fire service contact their representatives in the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives and ask them to cosponsor and support their respective bills. As of April 6, the Senate bill had been referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. The House bill, as of May 16, had been referred to the House Committee on Science, Subcommittee on Research.

Following are some key provisions of the Task Force concept provided by the Consortium. This information, it suggests, can be used to explain to legislators the Task Force concept and its importance for first responders and the public.

• The Task force would represent a partnership between local municipalities and the federal government.
• It would be capable of responding immediately to WMD, hazardous-materials, and technical rescue incidents.
• Local fire departments would be integrated into the Task Force and operate under a unified command system.
• Squad unit components of the Task Force would be strategically located throughout a region for maximum coverage, based on population, business centers, vital infrastructures, transportation corridors, and government centers.
• The matching requirements for the local fire department would come from already available assets.
• The Task Force would provide five company officers and 10 firefighters for each haz-mat, rescue, and squad company in the Task Force. The Task Force would provide also five chief officers and five firefighters for the Task Force Command Unit. Federal assistance would provide 15 firefighters for each haz-mat, rescue, and squad company (a total of 120 for 10 years) and the staffing for the Task Force Administrative Unit (a total of six for 10 years). The Task Force would provide fully equipped apparatus for each haz-mat, rescue, and squad company. Federal assistance would provide six fully equipped (haz mat/technical rescue) squad apparatus.
• Although it has been almost five years since 9/11, there still is no National Fire Response Plan for WMD.
• Every major terrorist attack in America involved fire and, except for the Pennsylvania plane crash, also involved building collapse. Only the fire service can handle these types of incidents.
• The fire service is the only agency that meets all federal laws (OSHA, SARA Title III), state laws (PESH), and National Fire Protection Association standards. The Task Force concept meets all standards.
• The Task Force concept meets the requirements for the “all-hazards approach” described in Presidential Directive 8.
• In conjunction with the FEMA Prepositioned Equipment Program, Task Forces can be prepositioned during times of natural emergencies nationwide. The regional approach and standardization make it possible for regions to more easily support one another.

Additional information on the contents of the bills and their current status is at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/thomas/.

FDA and NIOSH warn of oxygen regulator fires linked to nylon gasket

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) have issued an alert involving the nylon-crush CGA 870 seals used in oxygen tanks. The seals have been associated with the burning or explosion of tank regulators during emergency medical or routine use.

“The single-use gaskets need higher torque than the elastomeric multiple-use sealing washers,” the FDA explains. “With each use, more torque is needed to seal the cylinder valve/regulator interface. Wrenches or other hand tools used to provide this torque can deform the crush gasket and damage the cylinder valve and regulator, allowing [compressed] oxygen to leak across the gasket.” The thermal energy created by the “flow friction” caused by the oxygen’s leaking across the gasket surface can spontaneously ignite the nylon material, the FDA adds.

The FDA and NIOSH have issued the following recommendations:

• Do not reuse plastic crush gaskets.
• “Crack” cylinder valves to expel foreign matter from the foreign port before attaching the regulator.
• Use manufacturer-recommended sealing gaskets.
• Visually verify that the regulator and seal are in good condition before connecting the valve.
• Hand-tighten the T-handle to reduce the risk for damage associated with wrenches and the hand tools.
• Open the post valve slowly while maintaining a grip on the valve wrench so the valve can be closed quickly if gas escapes at the junction.

Questions related to the proper use of CGA 870 seals may be sent by e-mail to phann@cdrh.fda.gov; voice mail messages may be left at (301) 594-0650.

CDC analyzes firefighter line-of-duty deaths

Cardiac death is the leading cause of death among firefighters, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) analysis of U.S. Fire Administration data from 1994 to 2004. The findings, the CDC says, emphasize the need for adopting and enforcing existing fire service recommendations regarding mandatory medical examinations, fitness standards, and emergency vehicle response protocols.

Approximately half (53 percent) of the firefighters who died on duty during those years were volunteers; 32 percent were career firefighters. The remaining 15 percent of deaths occurred among other firefighters-e.g., wildland, paid on-call, and part-time paid firefighters.

Sudden cardiac death caused by stress/overexertion was the leading cause of death among volunteer and career firefighters (50 percent and 39 percent, respectively). Most cardiac deaths occurred among individuals between the ages of 45 and 54.

Because firefighting is physically demanding work that requires high levels of aerobic capacity, the CDC recommends that fire departments require preplacement and annual medical evaluations in accordance with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) guidelines.

NFPA 1582, Standard on Comprehensive Occupational Medical Program for Fire Departments, also includes recommendations for having asymptomatic firefighters with two or more risk factors for coronary artery disease undergo an exercise stress test.

The CDC recommends that all firefighters participate in a department-based fitness program to reduce the risk for atherosclerotic heart disease. A complete health-related fitness program designed for fire departments is outlined in NFPA 1583, Standard on Health-Related Fitness Programs for Firefighters.

The second leading cause of death among volunteer firefighters was motor vehicle-related trauma (26 percent), most often related to a crash (73 percent) in a private vehicle (35 percent) that occurred en route to a call (80 percent).

Fire departments are advised to enact and enforce policies requiring the use of seat belts, prohibiting speeding en route to calls, and requiring adherence to all traffic laws. NFPA 1451, Standard for a Fire Service Vehicle Operations Training Program, stipulates that training in safe and defensive driving skills be provided for all drivers at least twice a year. Information on proper operation of privately owned vehicles by emergency service workers is available at http://www.vfis.com/risk/risk_pov.htm/.

Among career firefighters, the second leading cause of death, classified as “other,” included the following: burns, cerebral vascular accident, and drowning (29 percent). The third category involved asphyxiation (20 percent). Being caught/trapped accounted for 76 percent of the asphyxiation fatalities and 30 percent of other fatalities.

The CDC notes that NFPA 1500, Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Program, provides guidance for preventing these occurrences, such as establishing and enforcing the use of personnel accountability programs that ensure that the incident commander is aware of the crews’ locations on the scene at all times.

USFA opens pandemic flu Web sites

Charlie Dickinson, Acting United States Fire Administrator, has announced the establishment of two Web sites to assist firefighters and EMS first responders in preparing for a national flu pandemic.

The Web sites will offer the most current information from the nation’s health experts, including the Medical Director’s Office of the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The information may be accessed at www.pandemicflu.gov or www.usfa. fema.gov/subjects/ems/pandemicflu/.

NFFF provides Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives video to fire departments

The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) began delivering in June its Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives video training resource package to 30,000 U.S. fire departments. The package, introduced at the FDIC in April, was designed to help reduce firefighter line-of-duty deaths and to ensure that “Everyone Goes Home,” according to Chief Ronald Siarnicki, NFFF executive director.

The program uses the 16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives as the basis for an educational blueprint for creating a safer fire service culture in which firefighters will be motivated to have “the courage to be safe” and do whatever it takes to make it home to their loved ones after an emergency call, Siarnicki notes.

The package includes in-depth interviews with fire service leaders about critical safety issues, PowerPoint® training exercises, and information for improving a fire department safety program. The “Everyone Goes Home” program is funded through a FIRE Act grant, in cooperation with the Department of Homeland Security, and the support of Fireman’s Fund Insurance. Additional information is at www.everyonegoeshome.com or www.firehero.org/.

NGA survey identifies challenges faced by homeland security directors

Some 55 homeland security directors in the states, commonwealths, and territories responded to the 2006 survey of the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center). “The survey gauges progress in key areas such as governance and strategy, coordination between government and the private sectors, and operations in the light of this new context,” explains John Ratliff, director of Homeland Security and Technology for the NGA Center.

Among the survey’s key findings are the following:

• Pandemic influenza and natural disasters are top priorities, as are interoperability, intelligence, and coordination with local agencies.
• State homeland security directors are concerned about the lack of state input into federal policy development. Almost unanimously, they recommend that the federal government coordinate with states before adopting and implementing policies.
• The multiple demands on National Guard forces have left more than half of the states with a diminished capability for meeting the responsibilities of state emergency plans.
• State homeland security directors believe the primary DHS state grant program underemphasizes disaster prevention and recovery.
• Eighty percent of respondents are now coordinating homeland security plans with infrastructure owned by the private sector. As an example, more than 50 percent of homeland security directors are working with surrounding states to protect ports, transit systems, agriculture, energy infrastructure, water infrastructure, and public health infrastructure.
• A majority of the directors are somewhat or completely dissatisfied with the specificity and actionable quality of the intelligence their states receive from the federal government.

The directors have proposed that there be more flexibility in how the states can use DHS funds, the states receive more information that will allow them to make federal intelligence more usable, and paperwork be decreased.

The NGA has created the Governors Homeland Security Advisors Council as a forum to bring together the 55 advisors appointed by the governors of each state and territory to share common concerns and develop strategies for managing homeland security threats.

The objective of the council is to provide a unified voice in the ongoing dialogue about how to prevent and address homeland security and disaster concerns, according to NGA Chairman Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.

The advisors are expected to improve cross-state and regional communications; assist communications between state and federal agencies; identify and set priorities; develop a unified state and territorial voice to inform governors of the impacts of federal homeland security legislation, regulations, and polices on the states; and provide input to the NGA Center by sharing ideas as best practices, identifying emerging issues, and reviewing and analyzing the impact of federal homeland security activities. The council, an advisory organization to NGA, will also address the needs identified in the 2006 NGA Center survey. It will be led by a bipartisan, eight-member executive committee. Four members will be chosen by the executive committee; the balance by the council membership-at-large. The council will meet twice a year, conduct conference calls regularly, and host online forums.

Rutgers University to inspect dorm emergency exits monthly

As a result of an incident in which residents of a Rutgers University dormitory on the Piscataway (NJ) campus were unable to open a hall door that was rusted shut during a fire believed to be arson, the university’s housing officials will inspect all dorm emergency exits monthly. In the January incident, newspapers were set afire in the building’s main doorway. Students, looking for an exit because the main doorway was engulfed in flames and smoke, sought to escape through two rarely used emergency exits at the bottom of the building’s stairwells. They could not open one of the doors and notified fire officials, who immediately pulled open the rusted metal-framed doors.

University officials said the door had passed its annual inspection and must have jammed recently. Rutgers in 2004 installed fire sprinklers to protect all of its 16,600 dormitory beds, in response to a state law enacted after a dormitory fire at New Jersey’s Seton Hall University killed three students.

Fireman’s Fund establishes insurance line for firefighters

Fireman’s Fund is offering a special line of insurance products for firefighters in Maryland and Illinois. The line, which includes homeowners, auto, and liability insurance, will be offered in additional states later this year. Fireman’s Fund will donate a percentage of firefighters’ insurance premiums back to the fire service in the policyholders’ states. Also, for every Maryland or Illinois firefighter who calls for a free insurance quote between May 1 and July 31, an $8 donation will be made to the Maryland State Firemen’s Association Scholarship Fund or to the Camp I Am Me burn camp run by the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance.

A complete list of benefits is at www.firemansfund.com; quotes may be requested at (310) 330-1462.

Line-of-Duty Deaths

January 11. Lieutenant David R. Packard, 41, Swanzey (NH) Fire Department: cardiovascular event.

May 21. Lieutenant Richard (Rich) Montoya, 61, Denver (CO) Fire Department: of injuries sustained while fighting a residential structure fire.
May 21. Firefighter Gerald A. Machajewski, 62, Cambria Volunteer Fire Company, Lockport, NY: acute coronary artery thrombosis
May 21. Firefighter Joseph Louis Bilka, 60, Antioch-Fishing Creek Volunteer Fire Department, Oxford, NC: of injuries sustained in a vehicle crash en route to the fire station in response to a fire alarm on April 22.
Source: USFA Firefighters Memorial Database.

NEWS GLIMPSES

●Illinois and New Hampshire join Fire-Safe Cigarettes initiative. During the month of May, the states of Illinois and New Hampshire joined the states of New York, California, and Vermont in mandating that only “fire-safe” cigarettes be sold within their states. According to the Coalition for Fire-Safe Cigarettes, these cigarettes are less likely to ignite fires if dropped or carelessly discarded. The Coalition says other states, including Massachusetts, are considering a similar law. Also, Canada has mandated that fire-safe cigarettes be sold throughout the country.

●Mass. law requires that carbon monoxide detectors be installed in homes. “Nicole’s Law,” recently adopted by the state of Massachusetts, stipulates that all dwellings and residences in the state, including apartments and condominiums, were to have been equipped with carbon monoxide alarms by March 31, 2006. Multiunit buildings have until January 1, 2007, to comply only if they are installing hard wired alarm systems. The law is named for Nicole Garafolo, who died from carbon monoxide poisoning in her Plymouth, Mass., home in 2005 when drifting snow clogged the venting systems in her family’s gas heater. The Kidde Co. donated 200 carbon monoxide detectors for the law’s signing ceremony at the Manomet Fire Station in Plymouth. Governor Mitt Romney was present; Plymouth Girl Scout Troop No. 230 distributed the detectors to local residents present at the ceremony.

●Rural communities face EMT shortage. In North Dakota, three ambulance services have been shut down within the past year, according to Tim Meyer, director of the Division of Emergency Services. This situation reflects the condition of rural communities where emergency medical technicians (EMTs) are predominantly volunteers. North Dakota’s EMTs are about 90 percent volunteers. According to an Associated Press report, about one-third of the state’s 141 ambulance services may be imperiled by the shortage of volunteers. The National Association of EMTs says most states are experiencing volunteer shortages. Factoring into the volunteer crisis are a lack of the volunteer spirit; a shortage of young people in small towns, especially during the daytime hours; and a growing aging population. Http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12852568/print/1/displaymode/1098, May 19, 2006

●Team R&R has new Web site. Team R & R, a first response disaster assistance organization based in Leo, Indiana, has a new Web site, www.teamrandr.org/. The nonprofit organization has responded to natural and other types of disasters, including the World Trade Center attacks, flooding caused by the Mississippi River, and hurricanes in Florida and other southern states. It also conducts education programs at elementary schools and for community groups. It has been cited for its work and has received the Jefferson Award, the Medal of Valor, and the American Red Cross Heroes Recognition.