Fire Service Today

Seventy-two Years of Fire Service Training

On May 15, 1937, the Arkansas Fire College opened with the goal of providing training and education to fire fighters across the state. The program was run out of University Hall at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville with a single instructor. A year later, the official fire service training newsletter Arkansas Fireman began and was published monthly until 1969. Over the decades, the Fire College moved from the University of Arkansas to what is now Southern Arkansas University in Camden and is now the Arkansas Fire Academy. Congratulations to the Arkansas Fire Academy and all state fire training institutions for their commitment and leadership in providing quality training and education for America’s fire fighters.  -       Jim Smalley

Another Police vs EMT Incident

Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers get into a fight with a paramedic on an emergency call. The son of the patient took the video of the altercation. All public safety workers must learn to work together for the public good. See previous posts on incidents where fire fighters were arrested during motor vehicle accidents and other emergencies on roadways.

Steven Sawyer

NFPA Helping to Advance Public Safety GIS

NFPA has joined the National Alliance for Public Safety GIS (NAPSG) in providing leadership to create a national GIS plan for public safety. The plan will outline a comprehensive approach to supporting public safety GIS for all types of fire response agencies. It will include governance, standards, training, framework technology guidance, and pilot programs.

 

The plan will include continued support for existing NAPSG initiatives, such as the national fire/hazardous material GIS data model, a national comprehensive public safety GIS training program, and the NFPA Technical Committee on Data Exchange for the Fire Service standards.

 

The NAPSG partners include the National Association of State Fire Marshals (NASFM), • Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Section of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and NFPA, the International Association of Fire Chiefs Technology Council, the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), and the Center for Public Safety Excellence.  – Jim Smalley

Seeking Comments for a TIA on NFPA 1911

NFPA 1911-2007
Standard for the Inspection, Maintenance, Testing, and Retirement of In-Service Automotive Fire Apparatus

TIA Log No.: 959

Reference:
19.8.4.10(7) (New)

Comment Closing Date:
July 17, 2009

Submitter:
Robert J. Barraclough, Plano, TX
 
1. Add a new subsection to read as follows:

19.8.4.10 (7)  For aerial devices that have computer controlled, or electronically controlled, limitations to the range of aerial movement, a test shall be performed to validate the proper operation of the control system, as defined by the manufacturer.

Submitters Substantiation:

In the 2009 edition of the NFPA 1901 standard, a significant change was made to the sections of the standard that establishes the rated capacity for aerial ladders and platforms.

The new standard allows for essentially two types of rating systems, the first being a relatively simple method of rating the ladder in the worst case position. This requires the ladder to be fully extended, in a horizontal position and sustain a minimum rated capacity of 250 pounds for aerial ladders and 750 pounds for elevating platforms. In this position structural safety factors and vehicle stability factors are established. Since 1991, this has been the rating systems for aerials in the United States. 

The second aerial rating method is called an envelope control system. These systems utilize electronic control technologies to determine the safe working capacity and range of motion of the aerial device. These systems are widely used in many parts of the world and are derived largely from the German DIN standards and are also reflected in the current EN 14043 standards for aerial ladders.

In response to committee requests, aerial task group meetings were held to better understand the differences in two rating systems.  As a result of these meetings and in committee discussions with Fire Apparatus Manufacturer’s Association members this TIA was developed.  

Justification:

Due to the design of the envelope control systems, the range of operation of the aerial device is determined by the electronic control systems and these need to be verified by the manufacturer. The NFPA 1901 technical committee feels that the addition of the tests in the new vehicle standard (NFPA 1901) and the testing standard (NFPA 1911) is an important validation of the envelope control systems.

Please email Larry Stewart or stds_admin@nfpa.org with your comments.

Changes in World Forests on New Online Map

According to the Society of American Foresters, the World Resources Institute has produced a new global forest map on its website that shows the world’s forests as they used to be and as they are today.

 

The maps green areas are the landscapes of today’s forests. Brown areas represent estimates of historical forest cover—areas where climate conditions are believed to have allowed forests to grow at some point after the latest glaciation, but where forests have been replaced by developed land and croplands (dark brown) or pastures and grasslands (light brown). Red areas show recent (2000 to 2005) tropical deforestation.  – Jim Smalley  

National Emergency Medical Services Day

Just a reminder that today is National EMS Day to be celebrated in a nationwide, as part of a week long list of activities centered around the EMS community. This year's theme is " a Proud Partner in Your Community" and is aimed at greater community involvement in EMS on a grassroots level.

Also, in celebration of National EMS week the Empire State Building in New York has changed its igniting scheme this week to blue, yellow and white.

More information can be found in my previous blog on this subject as well as on www.emsresponder.com

Have a safe National EMS Day and week.

Ken Holland  

New Hazardous Materials Awareness and Operations Handbook

Jones & Bartlett Publishers www.fire.jbpub.com,in conjunction with NFPA and IAFC, recently released the book "Hazardous Materials Awareness and Operations." Written by Rob Schnepp, Assistant Chief of Special Operations, Alameda (CA) Fire Department, and a principal member of NFPA's Technical Committee on Hazardous Materials Response Personnel (NFPA 472 and 473), the book provides emergency responders with the skills necessary to stay safe while mitigating hazmat incidents. Based on the 2008 editions of NFPA 472 and 473, the book also provides responders with information related to the recognition and identification of hazardous materials and weapons of mass destruction, and what their roles are in the response plan. Contributing authors include Glen Rudner, Hazardous Materials Response Officer for the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, and Ed Allen, Emergency Management Coordinator and SWAT Tactical Operations Coordinator with the Seminole County Sheriff's Office (FL). Mr. Rudner and Mr. Allen are also principal members of the NFPA 472 technical committee.

Dave Trebisacci

May is National Stroke Awareness Month

The entire month of May is Stroke Awareness Month, which has occurred every May since 1987 under a presidential proclamation.  It is this public education program that works to raise the awareness of risk factors for strokes and also how to improve the quality of life after one has a stroke. The National Stroke Association is concentrating its efforts this year to educate the public, stroke survivors and those involved in health care about how to stop a stroke, ensure rapid intervention and treatment should someone be experiencing a stroke and to also be hopeful to those who are coping with the results of a stroke.

The National Stroke Association has produced a wide variety of resources to those who are interested in partaking in the program. This information, and much more can be found and downloaded from this website

National Stroke Association

Ken Holland  

NFPA's Fire Sprinkler Initiative

Jim Shannon, NFPA's President, recently spoke in California regarding NFPA's Fire Sprinkler Initiative.  Check out  http://nfpa.typepad.com/firesprinklerinitiative/ to see what Jim had to say.

Stacey Van Zandt

Got a few minutes? Get some training.

In the time you spend waiting for a phone call, for a meeting to start, or the next alarm to come in, you can now fill with training, thanks to the U.S. Fire Administration’s Coffee Break Training program.  This is a free service that provides one page easy to read training and information on a variety of topics. You can even subscribe to the easy RSS feeds and have them collected automatically through your Microsoft Outlook, for example. Some of the training one-pagers are also eligible for Continuing Education Units (CEUs). Check out the website and continue your training when you get the chance! - Jim Smalley