NEWS IN BRIEF
Possible steering defect prompts recall
A stop ball may be missing in Douglas Autotech Corporation Model 929 tilting, telescoping steering mechanisms installed in fire apparatus, recreational vehicles, and heavy duty trucks between August 4 and November 12, 1993 (all steering columns have the date of manufacture written on them), the National Institute of Emergency Vehicle Safety (EVS) recently announced (SB #1009-3/94).
Douglas Autotech filed documents with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on November 22, 1993. advising that the stop ball may lxmissing in 8,054 vehicles and, if so, could result in the steering shaft’s disengaging from the steering column, causing a complete loss of steering.
FA S urges owners of vehicles containing Autotech Model 929 manufactured during the period specified above to have the vehicles inspected by an authorized dealer, who will issue a verification sticker it the vehicle passes inspection or replace the steering column without charge if the ball is missing.
Among the brands of vehicles that may contain the defective unit are the following: Caterpillar, Emergency One & Elgin. Flxible, l.es Autobus. Marathon. Oshkosh. Peterbilt. Pierce. Spartan, Thomas Built. ME. Volvo, and W innebago.
For more information, contact John Kaiser or Brian Newtson, quality assurance manager. Douglas Autotech, at (517) 369-23IS. ext. 224.
Futon-CPSC enter into consent agreement involving flammability standard
File U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced on March 10 that it has entered into a consent agreement with Futon Factory of Portland. Oregon, requiring Futon Factory to cease and desist from manufacturing, distributing. and selling futons that do not comply with the Commission’s 1972 Standard for the Flammability of Mattresses and Mattress Pads Futon Factory also is to conduct required testing for its futons and to prepare and maintain written records of these test results and manufacturing specifications
The ( INC charges that Futon failed to meet the flammability requirements of the standard and did not maintain records demonstrating that required testing was conducted for its futons, which arc specifically included in the list of products falling within the standard’s definition of “mattress,”
The CPSC notes that mattress and bedding fires are the second leading cause of home fire deaths involving home furnishings each year (upholstered furniture is the leading cause). The mattress standard was issued to protect the public against mattress fires caused by cigarettes, which lead to smoldering fires that produce toxic fumes in the bedroom and sometimes throughout the entire apartment or house prior to becoming open-flame fires.
FEMA submits budget request to Congress
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has asked Congress for S704.3 million in budget authority, almost S85 million less than the S788.2 million estimated for the current year, for fiscal year 1995 (Oct. 1. 1994 through Sept. 30, 1995).
FEMA Director James I.ee Witt explains that while FEMA will maintain most programs at current levels, emphasis will be on “enhancing efforts in a rapid response to any disaster and reducing disaster costs to the taxpayer through effective mitigation.”
Witt noted that a critical review of FEMA’s purpose and mission has resulted in the agency’s restructuring its budget to better reflect the relationships among FEMA’s various programs, which increases management’s flexibility in applying scarce resources and mirrors the new function-based reorganization.
The budget request included S320 million for the Disaster Relief Fund, up from S292 million in regular budget funding for the current year. (Supplemental monies were appropriated by Congress for the Midwest fitxtds last fall, and a separate appropriation is on its way for the January Los Angeles earthquake.)
The Emergency Food and Shelter Program will be transferred from FEMA to the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Highlights of the budget request by program include the following:
- response and recovery: S56.7 million
- (S55 million for the current year);
- preparedness, training and exercises: S171.2 million (S164.5 million for current year);
- fire prevention and training: S31.4 million for U.S. Fire Administration and National Fire Academy (same as this year);
- mitigation programs: S36.7 million (S24.8 million for current year); and
- flood mitigation and insurance: S58.4 million.
The budget proposal calls for 2,717 fulltime equivalent FEMA employees, compared with 2,616 for the current year.
A copy of the FEMA budget summary is available from the Office of Emergency Information and Public Affairs; 500 C St. SW; Washington. DC 20472; (202) 6464600.
Ann Brown new CPSC chairman
Ann Brown was sworn in as chairman of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) on March 10. Brown has announced the following major goals for the CPSC: to make the agency (1) more proactive and “action oriented,” including agressively enforcing the law; (2) “highly visible as an aggressive watchdog”; and (3) more user-friendly and accessible to consumers.
Brown’s background includes having served as a consumer advocate for two decades and as director of several price studies and surveys, including the “Toy and Children’s Products Quality, Safety and Price Survey.” She also helped form the Washington, D C., Office of Consumer Protection and. since 19B0. has been vice president of the Consumer Federaton of America. She is chairman of the board of Public Voice, a consumer advocacy group that focuses on heath and nutrition issues, and has been a member of the Coalition for Consumer Health and Safety since 1988.
In “Halon replacements” in News in Brief in the February 1994 issue (pages 29-30), sentence 1 of paragraph 3 on page 30 should read as follows:
“The U.S. Air Force Halon 1211 Firefighting Agent Replacement Program selected CEA 614 as its primary clean agent replacement candidate (italicized word added).”
The Department of the Air Force reported in March that several replacement candidates are still under consideration.
All residential occupancies in Delaware must have detectors
Owners of existing oneand two-family dwellings in the state of Delaware have until July 1, 1994, to install batterypowered detectors in their homes. Other occupancies, including hotels, motels, apartments, lodging and rooming houses, dormitories, and bed-and-breakfasts, must install hard-wired and interconnected smoke detectors on or before July 1, 1996. All new residential occupancies are required to install hard-wired, interconnected smoke detector systems immediately. Detectors in the immediate vicinity of sleeping rooms must be equipped with a built-in battery backup. The State Fire Prevention Commission, the State Fire Marshal’s Office, the Delaware State Fire School, and the Delaware Volunteer Firemen’s Association already have mounted an aggressive program to educate the public about this law. (Source: Update, Gage-Babcock & Associates, January1994.)
Study illustrates PPV benefits
Fanning the Flames of Progress, a joint research project of the University of Central Florida College of Engineering and the Orange County (FL) Fire Rescue Division in Orlando, evaluates the effectiveness of positive-pressure ventilation (PPV) in a controlled residential setting and compares the results of PPV with those of traditional ventilation methods.
The report and video on Phase I of this project are available from the Board of County Commissioners/Orange CountyFire and Rescue Division. 4700 Lake Underhill Road. Orlando. FI. 32807; cost is S95. For more information, call Lt. Clay Kallman or Comdr. John Hightower at (407) 658-6901.
Congress holds hearing on Northridge earthquake
Federal strategy for dealing with earthquakes was evaluated during a recent hearing held by the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. Among the witnesses were building and code officials who reported that current seismic building codes were effective in mitigating damage during the Northridge, California, earthquake.
Andrew Adelman, chief building official at the Department of Planning and Building in San Jose, California, concluded that current building codes have proven effective and will not need a major overhaul in the near future, but he observed that better enforcement of existing codes can improve safety, according to the Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI).
Other testimony offered during the hearing was that retrofitted buildings withstood damage better than unretrofitted ones and that trauma from earthquakes could be reduced if critical buildings. such as hospitals, were more carefully monitored for safety measures during construction and subsequent inspections.
The House Committee is reviewing the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program, which has been criticized for its inability to focus on practical measures to reduce the damage from earthquakes, the CFSI report noted.
For more information, contact Patrick Patterson, CFSI, at (202) 371-1277.
House of Representatives to consider HR 1280
The House Education and Labor Committee completed markup of HR 1280 on March 10, adopted an amendment by Rep. Bill Barrett (R-Neb.) that would exempt volunteers of public agencies from Occupational Safety and Health Administration requirements, and forwarded the amended bill to the House of Representatives for consideration.
HR 1280 and its companion bill, S 575, would expand OSHA programs and jurisdiction to employees of state and local governments, increase penalties for OSHA violations, and impose criminal penalties for willful wrongdoing. In addition, businesses with more than 10 employees would be required to form safety committees and write safety plans to address potential hazards.
For more information, contact Patrick Patterson at the Congressional Fire Services Institute at (202) 371-1277.
NFPA warns of false compliance labels in protective clothing
Some protective garments and hoods said to be compliant with NFPA 1971, standard on Protective ( lathing for Structural Fire lighting. 1991 edition, may he falsely labeled, warns the National l ire Protection Association
The association explains that, to be compliant with NFPA 1971. a protective garment or hood must be certified by an independent third-party certification organization and must carry the label, symbol. or other identifying mark of the certification organization. If the garment does not bear the mark of an independent third-party certification organization, it is not compliant with NFPA 1971, even if the garment label says it is, stresses the NFPA (see NFPA 1971, 1991 edition, Chapter 2). In addition, the NFPA recommends that appropriate evidence of certification he obtained from the manufacturer before the garments are purchased.
Residential sprinkler brochures available from AFSA
More than 35,000 Residential Fire Sprinklers—The Life-Saving Solution brochures, published by the American Fire Sprinkler Association, were distributed as of December 1993. Revised in 1993, the 16-page brochure explains the role of residential fire sprinklers in reducing firerelated loss of life and property. Incorporated into the public education campaigns of many fire departments, the brochure is also being distributed by contractors, manufacturers, and insurance companies. For a free sample of the booklet, contact AFSA, Public Relations Department; 12959 Jupiter Road, Suite 142: Dallas. TX 75238-3200; (214) 349-5965, fax: (214) 343-8898.
Federal entitlement resource book available
Overview of Entitlement Programs. 1993 Green Book, is now available from the Superintendent of Documents. Among its features are summary tables related to the relative size and recent growth of federal entitlement programs, budget tables, and various appendices. The book, stock #052-070-06915-5, may be ordered from the Superintendent of Documents, P.O. Box 371954, Pittsburgh. PA 15250-7954. Price of S43 includes shipping and handling.
NASFM adds private sector representative to board
The board of directors of the National Association of State Fire Marshals recently appointed Michael Minieri of the National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association as advocate adviser to the board for a oneyear term. The liaison position reinforces NASFM’s commitment to “establish cooperative. working partnerships with private industry toward common goals,” explains Frank McGarry, NASFM president and New York state fire administrator.
In other business, the association announced that all 50 states and the District of Columbi a now are represented in the organization and that the NASFM Challenge initiative, which donates smoke detectors to deserving citizens, has raised S5()0.(K)). which has made it possible to donate 86,000 smoke detectors.
For more information, contact John H. Coburn at (314) 636-4317, fax: (314) 636-5262.
IAFC offers scholarships
The International Association of Fire Chief’s Foundation is awarding scholarships ranging from S250 to S4,000 to individuals who have demonstrated proficiency as members of state, county, provincial, municipal, community, industrial, or federal fire departments; in a related field; or in the medical rescue field. The) awards are funded by the SI50,000 the IAFC received as part of the proceeds from the sale of the Ben Franklin National Commemorative Medal (see News in Brief, April 1994).
Applicants should submit a written 250word statement explaining the reason(s) for applying tor the award and outlining immediate goals and long-range plans. Deadline is August 1, 1994. For a packet containing application forms or for more information, contact Sue Hawkins; 1257 Wiltshire Road; York, PA 17403; (717). 854-9083.
NFPA announces theme for Fire Prevention Week
“Test your detector for life” will be the theme for this year’s Fire Prevention Week, October 9-15, the National Fire Prevention Association, sponsor of this, event, recently announced.
“A smoke detector with a dead battery is more dangerous than no smoke detector at all because it gives a false sense of’ security,” points out NFPA President George D. Miller. Among the lifesaving suggestions to be shared with the public during Fire Prevention Week will be that the detectors be tested at least once a month, fresh batteries be installed in battery-operated units at least once a year, and detectors older than 10 years be replaced.
IAFC seeks mutual-aid agreements and resource lists
The Industrial Fire & Safety Section of the International Association of Fire Chiefs is preparing a resource guide and is requesting that fire departments submit copies oftheir mutual-aid agreements and lists of industrial fire and safety professional resources.
Mutual aid documents (with permission to reproduce them) and resource lists should be sent to the Industrial Fire & Safety Section, c/o LAFC: 4025 Fair Ridge Drive: Fairfax. VA 22033-2868.
