HURST, makers of Jaws Of Life® rescue tools, has partnered with FIREFIGHTERS CROSSING BORDERS, a charitable organization that provides assistance to emergency response agencies in Mexico and elsewhere. Hurst has implemented a rebate program in which fire and rescue departments can trade in working tools for cash. The rebate program targets fire departments in North America where new car technologies are prevalent. Hurst will donate those tools to the charity, which will most likely distribute them in Central America, where new car technologies are less common, and classic rescue tools are still very useful. www.jawsoflife.com, www.firefighterscrossingborders.org.
The 2009 HARVARD FIRE EXECUTIVE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM application period is now open. The program is sponsored by the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), the International Fire Service Training Association/Fire Protection Publications (IFSTA/FPP), the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and the United States Fire Administration (USFA). Eight senior fire executives will be awarded fellowships to attend Harvard’s annual “Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government,” a three-week program in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Selected Fellows will be assigned to attend one of the two session dates: June 7-26, 2009; or July 5-24, 2009 (must be able to attend either session). Application packages postmarked after February 14, 2009, will not be considered. For more information about the program, visit www.usfa.dhs.gov/nfa/harvard/index.shtm, http://ksgexecprogram.harvard.edu/Programs/sl/overview.aspx. For application procedure questions, contact Mary Wingert, (301) 447-1085; e-mail: mary.wingert@dhs.gov.
The CENTER FOR DOMESTIC PREPAREDNESS (CDP) offers responders an opportunity to receive the vital training necessary to respond to potential threats, whether accidental or manmade, through Mobile Training Teams (MTTs). MTTs offer training for emergency responders in 10 diverse response disciplines, including emergency medical services, fire service, and public health. The teams provide responders with the knowledge to prevent, protect, respond to, and recover from chemical, biological, explosive, radiological, and other hazardous materials incidents. The CDP provides emergency response providers training at its toxic training facility in Anniston, Alabama. www.cdp.dhs.gov.
The Phoenix (AZ) Fire Department awarded DRAEGER a contract for more than 800 SCBAs. The new Draeger PSS7000 self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) was selected over units from six other SCBA manufacturers, all with units certified to the new National Fire Protection Association standards. Phoenix firefighters put the SCBA units through 15 testing stations; the Draeger unit placed first overall by a wide margin. The SCBAs were reviewed by price, written proposal content, ease of maintenance, fit and function, live fire testing, options available, and communications. www.draeger.com.
NAVISTAR® celebrated the 75th anniversary of its first production diesel engine, the D-40, with the dedication of a facility in Huntsville, Alabama that will build its newest diesel engine family, MaxxForce Big Bore. The event highlighted the company’s scope and reach engine offerings ranging from 50- to 475-hp for use in on- and off-highway, agricultural, industrial, defense and stationary power applications. Navistar, then International Harvester, launched its first production diesel in 1933, a 50-horsepower four-cylinder engine for stationary and agricultural applications. For the next 75 years the company shaped and developed the diesel industry by producing innovative engines for agricultural, construction, military, and on-highway applications. www.Navistar.com.
The NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION (NFPA) announces a $6 million endowment for the FIRE PROTECTION RESEARCH FOUNDATION (FPRF). FPRF, an affiliate of NFPA, is an independent nonprofit that plans, manages, and communicates consortium-funded research on a broad range of fire safety issues in collaboration with scientists and laboratories around the world. NFPA’s board of directors approved the formation of the Foundation in 1982 to encourage and support independent research that would coincide with its mission to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards. www.nfpa.org/foundation.
