Fire Service Today

Thermal Imager Standard Update

The Technical Committee on Electronic Safety Equipment will be meeting this Fall to discuss comments received on NFPA 1801, Standard on Thermal Imagers for the Fire Service. This highly technical product standard was first published last year, and is already in its next revision cycle to keep up with rapidly changing technology. The document specifies the design, performance, testing and certification requirements for thermal imagers used by fire service personnel during emergency incident operations.

For more information, visit the Document Information page at www.nfpa.org/1801.

This TC is also working on the next edition of NFPA 1982, Standard on Personal Alert Safety Systems(PASS). This standard specifies the requirements for the design, performance, testing, and certification for all Personal Alert Safety Systems for emergency services personnel. The proposal closing date for this document is May 23, 2011. For more information, or to submit a proposal, see the Doc Info page at www.nfpa.org/1982.

The Technical Committee on Respiratory Protection Equipment also has three documents in cycle - NFPA 1981, Standard on Open-Circuit Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) for Emergency Services; NFPA 1852, Standard on Selection, Care, and Maintenance of Open-Circuit Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA); and NFPA 1989, Standard on Breathing Air Quality for Fire and Emergency Services Respiratory Protection. 

To check on the status and developments related to these and other NFPA documents, please check the Doc Info pages.

Dave Trebisacci

For Our Friends in Japan

NFPA is a big organization, with many members. Over 70,000 last count. We also have many friends around the world who have visited us in Quincy and hosted us in their countries. To our members, friends, and their families who are now struggling against the overwhelming impact of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, we send our sympathies for any loss you have suffered and our prayers and positive thoughts for a quick recovery.

 NFPA's mission is preserving life through well developed codes that have safety as their driving force. Mother Nature unleashed a force that will cause all code developing organizations to reconsider what is a worst case scenario. We at NFPA will take the lessons of this tragic event and use it to inform our Technical Committees as they revise exisitng Codes and Standards and develop new ones. We do this to honor the memories of those who have perished and those who survived. We are strengthened by the response of our members to this event, including the Urban Search and Rescue Teams from America, the United Kingdom, and other countries.

Sir Ken Knight, Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser for the United Kingdom shared the following information with Russ Sanders of the NFPA Metro Fire Chiefs Section and asked it be forwarded to the Metro Chiefs:

Avery busy weekend for responders world wide. You will be interested to know we have a UK International Search and Rescue (IUSAR) team of some 60 people (firefighters and medics) deployed in Japan. They are located in a high school in Sumita in the North it is an area devastated by the Tsunami. They are working 10km inland from Ofunato. They are jointly deployed with a team from LA County and Fairfax. They all have radiation monitoring equipment and are being transported with US forces support.

You might be interested to see the message I received this morning from the UK strategic commander: "UKISAR, LA County, Fairfax, US Military, 7 low loaders, 5 coaches, 12 pick up trucks, several 4x4, police outriders. It is some sight and people are stopping and some crying as we go by. It is quite moving."

Please pass on my best wishes to colleague Metro Chiefs in LA County and Fairfax and thanks for the humanitarian deployment we are collectively providing.

Jeff Godfredson of the Australian Fire Service provided this report to Russ :

Australian Task Force 1 from NSW comprises 76 personnel and a heavy rescue cache. The RAAF flew TF1 from Sydney to Yakota US Air Force Base near Tokyo, and from there a convoy of buses, cars and trucks deployed to Minamisanku, an area that has been devastated by tsunami and was the closest point on the coast to the epicentre. TF1 has met up with a Swiss search dog team and a New Zealand team, and they have combined to set up a Base of Operations on high ground to the west of the remains of the town. They have been working with personnel from Kyoto Fire Department. A German team has since withdrawn. All team members have personal dosimeters and a range of detectors deployed by the Hazmat technicians. They are 139 kms from Fukushima and are in constant contact with experts from the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Authority (ARPANSA) who in turn are in close contact with Japanese nuclear authorities.

The weather is bitterly cold, basic supplies are extremely limited (petrol, drinking water and food) and it is therefore fortunate that TF1 is totally self sufficient. Unfortunately the area was hit very hard by tsunami and many, many bodies appear to be buried in silt or trapped in large piles of debris. This is the town where 10,000 people are reported as missing. TF1 doctors and paramedics have rendered some assistance at a local hospital which has been able to remain in operation.

These responders are putting the values of NFPA and its Standards to work to save lives and restore normalcy to Japan. Thanks to you all and may God Bless and strengthen the people of Japan for the challenges they face.

Ken Willette

NIST Releases Final Report on Charleston Sofa Store Fire

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has released its final report on its study of the June 18, 2007, fire at the Sofa Super Store in Charleston, S.C., that trapped and killed nine firefighters, the highest number of firefighter deaths in a single event since 9/11. The final report is strengthened by clarifications and supplemental text based on comments provided by organizations and individuals in response to the draft report of the study, released for public comment on Oct. 28, 2010.

The revisions did not alter the study team's main finding: the major factors contributing to the rapid spread of the fire at the Sofa Super Store were large open spaces with furniture providing high-fuel loads, the inward rush of air following the breaking of windows, and a lack of sprinklers.

Based on its findings, the study team made 11 recommendations for enhancing building, occupant and firefighter safety nationwide. In particular, the team urged state and local communities to adopt and strictly adhere to current national model building and fire safety codes. These codes are used as models for building and fire regulations promulgated and enforced by U.S. state and local jurisdictions. Those jurisdictions have the option of incorporating some or all of the code's provisions but often adopt most provisions.

See the full story and view the report on the NIST website!

Steven Sawyer

The Total Cost of Fire in the United States

NFPA's report, The Total Cost of Fire in the United States, can be viewed by clicking here.  There is also a podcast featuring John R. Hall and Ken Willette discussing the report.

Stacey Van Zandt

Strand Theater Fire

This past week, March 10th, marked a dark day in the history of the Brockton Fire Department. It was 70 years ago, March 10th 1941, where 13 Brockton Fire Fighters lost their lives in the Strand Theater fire. There was a memorial service that was held at City Hall in Brockton to memorialize the loss of these fire fighters. Here is a short article, Strand Theater, on the service that was held.

Ken Holland

The Wildland Fire Problem

Firefighters have been extremely busy over the past two weeks trying to contain multiple wildfires across the state of Texas.  Located mainly in the Texas panhandle, approximately 75 reported fires have burned over 130,000 acres and more than 75 homes.  Heavy smoke conditions and limited visibility resulted in multiple vehicle accidents, including one that took the life of a 5 year old girl, and caused officials to close down Interstate 20 for multiple hours. 

These fires serve as yet another grim reminder as to how destructive wildfire can be.  As advocates for all areas of fire safety, NFPA has established a Strategic Plan with multiple goals for 2011 moving forward.  One of the top strategic goals within this plan is addressing the Wildland Fire Problem through;

1. Expansion of the Firewise Program
2. Data Management
3. Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Code feasibility
4. International Outreach
5. External Stakeholder Support

Expansion of the Firewise program to include more communities throughout the country and across the globe will go a long way to reduce the amount of property and number of lives lost as result of wildfire.  There are multiple NFPA Standards that currently support the Firewise concepts and directly relate to the wildland fire problem.  However, the feasibility of a national or international WUI Code is yet to be determined.  Focusing our attention on data collection and overall data management techniques will help us paint a better picture of the current fire problem and provide us with the information to determine how to more adequately address the situation.  For more information on the Firewise program, relevant NFPA Standards, and upcoming events surrounding the Wildland Fire Problem, click the links below.              

www.firewise.org

IAFC - Wildland Urban Interface Conference 2011, Reno, NV

11^th International Wildland Fire Safety Summit, Missoula, MT

www.nfpa.org/11443

www.nfpa.org/1142

www.nfpa.org/1143

www.nfpa.org/1144

 

Ryan Depew

rdepew@nfpa.org

 

Moving Fast

Things seem to be moving fast down in DC with regards to the topic of a Federal EMS Agency. There was a summit held this week in Baltimore to address this issue that involved many members of the EMS community and it seems that the White House wants to move quickly on this issue.

Check out this article written about it. There are a lot of interesting things going on right now that revolve around EMS and lets do the best we can to share as much of that information to as many people as possible.

Thank you and have a great and safe weekend.

Ken Holland

Emergency Notification and Community Complacency

As we begin to transition from Blizzards that shut down New York City and Chicago, to warm sunny spring days, portions of the United States will be entering Tornado Season which runs from April to June.  How will you protect yourselves?  Step One: Knowing the difference between a Watch and a Warning. Step Two: Understand your local emergency warning systems and when does your community issue these alerts.  

Step One: Tornado Watch vs. Tornado Warning

Tornado Watches are issued when conditions are favorable for a possible tornado, but does not mean tornadoes are imminent.  It does mean you should inform yourself with the latest weather information from local TV or Radio stations.

Tornado Warnings are issued once a tornado has been spotted or radar indicates a storm has a circulation pattern that could produce a tornado. 

 Step Two: Understanding Warning Systems

Contact your local Emergency Management Official or your Public Safety Non-emergency number and inquire how your community will notify you if a tornado is near. 

There have been several incidents where local officials have been using sirens for tornado watches, instead of tornado warnings and residents have become complacent to the siren and are not taking the necessary precautions. This is a dangerous practice for both residents and local emergency management officials.  As emergency officials, we need to have emergency plans and we need to exercise those plans, but when we review and exercise our plans we need to make sure our plan is not making residents complacent.   When we review our plans, we need to have the correct partners at the table to assist with proper procedures to activate local emergency sirens to ensure we provide our residents with as much advanced warning as possible.   

In one reported incident, local officials sounded the siren for a Tornado Watch and local residents did not take precautions.  According to one local resident, local officials sounded the siren for a severe thunderstorm that had already past half way through the county.  Another resident stated that he was not going to get up at 5am to go to the basement for a severe thunderstorm. 

As emergency officials, we need to educate our communities on what to do when emergency warning systems are activated and during severe storms what signs they should look for and what precautions to take.

In a major disaster, there may not be enough local emergency responders to assist everyone; and as several communities face budget cuts, residents need to begin to educate themselves on local emergency procedures and what they are going to do in case of an emergency. Residents should have a family plan and exercise their plan and make necessary adjustments. 

How will your community notify you and your family in case of an emergency?

NFPA names firefighter Barry Brickey winner of “Voice of Sparky” contest

Today, there is a new voice heard throughout the firefighting community – and it begins with a WOOF! In honor of Sparky the Fire Dog’s® 60th birthday, Barry Brickey, the public education officer for Kingsport Fire Department in Kingsport, Tenn., has been selected to be the next “Voice of Sparky,” the official mascot of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

Barry, who submitted a video to the NFPA in a nationwide competition among the firefighting community, was chosen as one of three finalists out of 25 entries by a panel of NFPA judges. The public cast their votes once a day between February 21 and 28, and Brickey’s supporters came out in full force.

Watch Barry's winning entry:

For additional information on the “Voice of Sparky” contest and other Sparky birthday celebrations throughout the year, visit NFPA’s website at www.nfpa.org/SparkysBirthday.