Fire Service Today

NFPA 1925 Marine Firefighting Vessels Meeting in Baltimore

The Technical Committee for Marine Fire Fighting Vessels is meeting for their ROP Meeting in Baltimore, in conjunction with Firehouse Expo.  The committee is planning on discussing adding a new chapter for non-firefighting vessels, to include rescue type vessels.  This is planned to be a 3-day event on July 19 through July 21, just prior to the start of the Firehouse Expo.  NFPA technical committee meetings are open to the public and non-committee members may have limited participation in the development of the standard.

Larry Stewart

"NFPA Today", the new blog from the National Fire Protection Association

 

Be sure to visit "NFPA Today", our blog that will feature all of the latest news and project updates from NFPA, the authority on fire, electrical, and buildling safety. We've assembled a team of bloggers who'll keep you informed of the latest happenings from all around our Association.

- Mike Hazell
NFPA Division Manager, Web

What's Going on Here....

So I was going through EMS related articles, trying to catch up on things or just to see what’s going on out there this week and I came across a rather interesting one. As many of you may or may not know, some of the country’s largest private ambulance companies are being purchased by large equity firms. There is speculation as to why equity firms would purchase these companies, and they are believed to be to either sell of pieces for cash or that they may be part of a wave that will return a good profit.

The thoughts are with the changes in the current healthcare system in the US, larger numbers of those going from uninsured/underinsured to having insurance, leading to an increase in reimbursement rates for ambulance services. If this is to play out the way these equity firms see it, then the private ambulance service would have an increase in their profits if they could increase their revenues from reimbursements.

Now with this happening in the EMS world, private ambulance services being bought up by equity firms, there is also speculation about if the fire service is next. The example that is being given is in San Carlos California where Wackenhut Services is working on a 10 year contract to provide fire services to the city. Wackenhut is a subsidiary of Falck, which is a large equity firm that has purchased two private ambulance companies in California and is said to be Europe’s largest ambulance services provider.

So back to San Carlos where currently the contract for Belmont-San Carlos fire services is under negotiations is set to expire in October when their services would also expire. Wackenhut has come in an offered to provide these services with increased staffing at much lower rates than current ones. The article notes that Wackenhut has come in with a bid ranging between 4 and 4.6 million while San Carlos officials say it would cost them about 12 million dollars to provide the same services.

So while everyone has an opinion on this subject, I think it is important to note that the model for EMS has the potential for being applied to the fire service. This is also important due to the way the economy has impacted so many towns recently as it relates to essential services that are being provided to the public.

Anyway, this is just something I thought rather interesting and here is a link to the article and let me know your thoughts on this.

Have a great weekend and stay safe.

Ken Holland

Inside the Fire and Emergency Services Protective Clothing and Equipment Project

Most responders know that NFPA has a number of product standards related to fire and emergency services personal protective clothing and equipment, but it may surprise you that the current number of these standards is 19, with more on the way. There are seven technical committees (TCs) that oversee the development and revision of these documents, including Electronic Safety Equipment; Structural and Proximity Fire Fighting Protective Clothing and Equipment; Hazardous Materials Protective Clothing and Equipment; Respiratory Protection Equipment; Wildland Fire Fighting Protective Clothing and Equipment; Special Operations Protective Clothing and Equipment; and Emergency Medical Services Protective Clothing and Equipment.

A project this large and far-reaching does not operate in a vacuum - the many technical committees and standards are coordinated by what is called a technical correlating committee, or TCC. The main job of a correlating committee is to make sure that the technical information you see in each of the project standards is uniform and has been standardized across the relevant documents. The TCC on Fire and Emergency Services Protective Clothing and Equipment meets three times a year, and like a typical TC, it has a Report on Proposals (ROP) and a Report on Comments (ROC) meeting to review the work of the technical committees while their documents are in the revision cycle.  The chairs of the TCs are also non-voting members of the TCC, and their function is to report to the TCC on their committee’s activities.

The TCC can resolve conflicts to achieve correlation, and ensures that the individual technical committee activities have been conducted in accordance with NFPA rules. The correlating committee also has the authority to choose between alternatives that have been presented by several TCs in the proposal and comment stages, and can even provide text as necessary for correlation, consistency, and the correction of errors and omissions.

Did you know that the quickest way to find out what’s happening with a particular NFPA document is to enter “www.nfpa.org/document number” in your address bar (for example, www.nfpa.org/1971)?  That will take you to the Document Information (Doc Info) pages, where you can find meeting notices, agendas, minutes, draft documents, proposals, comments and much more.

Dave Trebisacci

 

 

 

The National Fire Protection Association Releases Pro-Qual Workshop Report

The NFPA released the Pro-Qual “Now and Beyond Workshop” for Fire and Emergency Services report. The Workshop held on April 13-14, 2011 in Irving, Texas addressed professional qualifications (Pro-Qual) used by the fire service and emergency response community. Currently, multiple existing codes and standards form the basis for training and professional competency for local, state, provincial and federal fire protection, public safety and emergency response personnel. A variety of technical and procedural issues and questions on the future of the Pro-Qual were discussed. The report was prepared by the Fire Protection Research Foundation (FPRF), the research affiliate of the NFPA. 

The NFPA Pro-Qual Project has 15 Technical Committees and the Technical Correlating Committee on Professional Qualifications which are responsible for 18 standards that address specific Pro-Qual subjects. The goal of the Workshop was to establish a common understanding of how individual elements of the fire and emergency service Pro-Qual system and the applicable NFPA Standards interact to provide the best value to all of the Pro-Qual stakeholders. The workshop objectives were to:

• Briefly review the evolution, current status and anticipated direction of the professional qualification system;

• Identify the characteristics that provide best value to all stakeholders;

• Identify and prioritize needs addressing the characteristics based on the best overall value; and

• Establish an action plan to provide guidance to codes and standards to meet these needs.

Twenty key recommendations offer focus centered on defining jurisdictional scope of projects and document processing, recertification and requirements, training time, committee coordination, hazmat specific job performance requirements (JPR) information, terminology and a periodic review of Pro-Qual related issues for the Technical Committee and Technical Correlating Committee to consider.

The report will be reviewed and discussed at the Pro-Qual Technical Correlation Committee’s meeting at NFPA’s Annual Conference and Expo in June. The recommendations will be presented at the NFPA Standards Council meeting in August.

The Pro-Qual “Now and Beyond Workshop” for Fire and Emergency Services report can be found at:

ProQual Workshop Report

Tom McGowan

NFPA Pro-Qual and Haz-Mat Staff Liaison

tmcgowan@nfpa.org

May 23, 2011

The Many Faces of EMS

Given the large number of EMS providers in the country, the face of EMS is not one person or entity. For example it could be the 911 call taker/dispatcher, the first responder, the fire fighter, the EMT, or the ER physician. That list is not exhaustive either as there are so many others that are an integral part in EMS. The point being is that it is up to the EMS provider at all levels to educate the public as to what EMS is or what it isn’t. For example one might take the opportunity to explain to a patient the difference between what is emergency use of 911 and some alternatives to what is non-emergent. Something else that could be done is to assess their real needs and provide them with a better solution than a trip to the ER. An important thing to also keep in mind as that in many areas the public is in control of the amount of funding that agencies may receive when it comes to providing services. So when we are asked for directions, or  to take someone’s blood pressure, or give a station/vehicle tour they might very well be voting at some point in time in the allocation of funds. So we can’t lose sight of that fact. Also with the increasing popularity of the public access AED’s there is a great opportunity to engage the public in working with us to promote the job and importance of EMS to the public. It is at this point where the public can be considered colleagues where they are a vital link in the chain of survival.

So the point here is that there are many faces of EMS and it just isn’t one person or group of people that make up EMS and the job of an EMS provider can vary greatly. Even though there are many faces of EMS, the EMS community is here to serve the public whatever the call or need may be.

Stay safe and have a great weekend.

Ken Holland

NFPA sites named among “The 45 Best Fire Science Blogs”

Fire Science Degree, a blog created and maintained by Frank and Sally Davison, offers a comprehensive list of accredited fire science colleges and universities. In a recent post, the authors compiled a list of their favorite “fire science blogs”, and three of NFPA’s blogs were among those making the grade.

“Whether you’re interested in fire safety engineering, fire prevention, or firefighting, there is something for you in our list,” the authors write.

The NFPA blogs cited as “the best” were:

• The Fire Protection Research Foundation blog highlights news, activities, and research from the Foundation, an independent nonprofit whose mission is to plan, manage and communicate research in support of NFPA’s mission. 
• The Fire Service Today blog is NFPA’s blog for firefighters. Firefighters can learn all about the science behind their protective equipment, read the latest research on sprinklers, or find out the date of the next training session.
• The Fire Sprinkler Initiative blog provides resources for the fire service and other sprinkler advocates who want to demonstrate the need for home fire sprinklers in their community. The blog also serves as a forum to refute “anti-sprinkler” sentiments.

Thanks to Frank and Sally for adding some of NFPA’s blogs to their “top 45” list. Check out their full list of favorite sites.

NFPA and Chevrolet launch virtual electric vehicle training for firefighters and first responders

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Chevrolet and OnStar announced the launch of its virtual electric vehicle safety training for first responders. The online training — which is hosted by NFPA and can be accessed at http://www.evsafetytraining.org/training – features an inside look at the newest technology and safety systems on the all-new 2011 Chevrolet Volt, an electric vehicle with extended-range capabilities that hit the roads last fall. 

The collaboration with Chevrolet and OnStar stems from NFPA’s electric vehicle safety training initiative, a result of a $4.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, which supports the growing number of electric vehicles in the United States.

NFPA and Chevrolet/OnStar began collaboration last fall with a national tour that included a series of live training sessions featuring the Chevrolet Volt. The launch of the virtual training is a result of months of research and development between Chevrolet and OnStar training specialists, engineers, firefighters and subject matter experts associated with NFPA. Firefighters and first responders who use the online training will have access to an interactive training session including videos, virtual trainers and a variety of downloadable resources about the technology and inner workings of the Chevrolet Volt. 

 “We are excited to launch this invaluable training resource with Chevrolet and OnStar,” said Andrew Klock, NFPA’s senior project manager for the program. “With electric vehicles hitting the road across the country, this interactive training gives firefighters and first responders easy access to resources and materials necessary when it comes to the new Chevrolet Volt. This virtual training is an important part of our overall electric vehicle education program, which provides training to firefighters and first responders in a variety of formats to ensure that it’s accessible to all.”

“The launch of this training and our partnership with the NFPA is an important part in reaching firefighters and first responders with information about the Chevrolet Volt,” said Gay Kent, GM director of vehicle safety for Chevrolet. “Our objective with the training is for firefighters and first responders to be as comfortable working around electric vehicles, like the Chevrolet Volt, as they are today with conventional vehicles.” 

NFPA is currently conducting its own live pilot training courses in a handful of locations across the country and trainings for all firefighters and first responders will be available nationwide this summer.

For more information and resources about NFPA’s Electric Vehicle Safety Training, visit the website.

Steven Sawyer

In a Perfect EMS World I Would.....

Ok, with it being National EMS Week and with the all the activity on the Hill regarding the future state of EMS I have a question to pose. That question is, what would be the “perfect” EMS world and how would you develop it? If you could have anything you wanted or needed what would it be?

On another note, there are several key tips or themes that are present everyday in our jobs within EMS that all revolve around safety and being safe, to ensure that we all go home at the end of our shift. That is to also ensure that we can return for another shift to care for the sick and injured. Some of those things are good forms of communication. I am not talking about all of the electronic forms of communication, but face to face verbal and non-verbal communication. This is important between crew members so that each are on the same page and to make sure no one gets hurt. Another important tip is to maintain situational awareness, that is to know your surroundings. If you enter a house to care for a patient, make sure you know your way out or take note of the condition of other rooms, or even before that one might take note of the utility line to the house or the condition of any vehicles in the driveway. These can be telling tale signs of what you might be walking into. Also don’t be afraid to walk through the house and get a better picture of living conditions, always keeping in mind that you never leave your partner alone. Another tip is to obviously take care of your back and lift properly, or as properly as allowable. I mean in a perfect world we would never lift improperly but not everyone is in the best of positions or in a position that lends itself to proper lifting. That is all I am going to say on that one. One last one is safe driving. This should be a no-brainer as there are far too many injuries that are related to poor driving techniques. We have to remember that it isn’t our emergency and if we don’t arrive safe, we are no good to anyone.

Ok so if anyone has any ideas about their perfect EMS world, please share them with me. I would like to hear them.

Thank you and stay safe.

Ken Holland

National EMS Week 2011

As I get older I find that my memory is not as good as it once was, which gives me reason to believe that I might have posted a blog about this subject previously. With that being said, and it being National EMS Week, here is some information about the Star of Life that I thought I would share with you all and it can be found on the www.ems.gov website. I think this is a symbol that everyone in EMS should have some knowledge on since it is the universal symbol for EMS and its providers.

Along with the Star of Life, it is also just as important to know where the National EMS Week got its origins. Sometimes it helps to know where we came from in order to know where we want to go or how to get there. It all started back in 1973 with the authorization of the Emergency Medical Services Systems Act (EMSS) and was later signed into law by President Ford. It was at this time that David Boyd was appointed by President Ford as the Director of Emergency Medical Services Systems, as well as a few other agencies. Why this is important is because Boyd had convinced Ford to proclaim a week set aside for EMS and to also hold a conference at the White House.  President Ford is considered to be the “hero” of EMS at the federal level with his staunch support and advocacy of EMS.

Well that’s all for now and I hope everyone has a great, safe, and productive EMS week and keep an eye open to our blog this week for some EMS blogs.

Ken Holland