Fire Service Today

FDNY All Hands Fire in a Six Story Apartment Building

In this video, you can see how the Fire Department of New York attacks an apartment fire on the 4th floor of a six story building that occurred in Brooklyn on Feb. 7, 2012.

 

Some observations for you to consider as you watch this:

1. How calm Battalion Chief 41 is when he gives a report on fire conditions. His message is concise, clear, and accurate.

2. At 39 seconds into the video, look for the window air conditioner that drops from the street side, 4th floor corner window to the ground

3.At 1:31 into the clip, outside personnel are asking the company advancing the hose line to the 4th floor if they have enough hose. The role of outside personnel is critical in making an attack on a fire in the upper stories of a structure.

4.At 3:30 into the clip, there is confirmation water is flowing to the company on the fire floor and at 3:31 confirmation they have water on the fire. Watch the steam conversion, as flames and smoke pushing through the windows convert to steam as the hose lines are dousing the flames.

5.At 4:37, Battalion 41 confirms they have the fire knocked down and shortly afterwards, directs a report of people on the fire escape to a Ladder company to locate and remove them from the structure.

There were probably 35 to 40 trained firefighters on scene to make this happen in the time it did. NFPA 1710 has staffing recommendations that can help any fire department meet these challenges.Next time some one asks why does it take so many firefighters to attack a fire, you may want to show them this video. This type of apartment building can be found throughout America, not just in New York City.

A tip of the helmet to FDNY and the companies operating Battalion 41 for a job well done.

Ken Willette

Dickinson Fire Dept. seeks grant funding for improving response

A recent article in The Dickinson Press, written by April Baumgarten, highlighted the Dickinson Fire Department and their issues responding to incidents in their community with an increasing population, increasing numbers of calls, and a static number of firefighters. The Department is seeking grant funding to help them improve response. 

“We should be able to assemble 15 firefighters on-scene within nine minutes of the call (for a structure fire), and we should be able to do that 90 percent of the time,” DFD Chief Bob Sivak said Friday. "We're not able to do that."

The DFD has applied for the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grant, which would pay for three full-time firefighters for two years.

The DFD has five full-time staff members and about 35 volunteers, Sivak said. He said he wished he had twice as many to keep up with the growing population.

The grant, which is sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, is meant to help fire departments improve staffing and response times, according to FEMA.

Sivak is also aware of the NFPA standards and OSHA provisions that the DFD is not meeting, including staffing levels and response times. An engine company should have four firefighters. Sivak said the DFD often has two and is lucky to have three.

The DFD once had “an aggressive fire prevention program,” Sivak said, but began to lose ground in 2009. It is approximately two years behind on routine inspections and is losing ground on priority inspections. 

Baumgarten also interviewed NFPA's very own Ken Willette (Public Fire Protection Division Manager) for his thoughts. 

"Fire departments are having a hard time staffing across the country," said Willette. He commended the DFD for identifying that they are behind on inspections.

“That’s one of the first lines of defense for fire safety is the fire department doing these inspections,” he said. “The community, I hope, will see the value in having enough firefighters to be able to do those inspections.”

Fire Department Apparatus Committee Requests to Slip Cycle

The Technical Committee for Fire Department Apparatus submitted a request to NFPA Standards Council to slip cycle with NFPA 1901, moving the document from Annual 2013 to Annual 2015 cycle.  The request aslo includes moving NFPA 1906 from Fall 2017 to Annual 2015 cycle.  The committee intent is to process both documents in the same cycle to align the documents where similarities exist.  The committee also wants to enter early with NFPA 1906 so that other type wildland fire apparatus can be addressed such as crew carriers and possibly addressing outside operating positions.  The NFPA Standards Council will be considering the request at its next meeting in March.

IAFC and NVFC Join Forces for 2012 Safety and Health Week

IAFC and NVFC Join Forces for 2012 Safety and Health Week Campaign reinforces the Rules You Can Live By on and off the fire ground.

 

The International Association of Fire Chiefs and the National Volunteer Fire Council announced today that Rules You Can Live By will be the campaign theme for the 2012 International Fire/EMS Safety and Health Week, to be held June 17-23.Fire departments are encouraged to suspend all non-emergency activity during Safety and Health Week to focus on safety and health training and education allowing all shifts and personnel to participate. An entire week is provided to ensure each shift and duty crew can spend at least one day focusing on these critical issues.Safety and Health Week is a collaborative program embraced by more than 20 national and international fire and emergency-service organizations, with sponsorship provided by the International Association of Fire Chiefs and the National Volunteer Fire Council. The event is coordinated by the IAFC Safety, Health and Survival Section (SHS) and the NVFC's Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program.

 

Rules You Can Live By: This year’s effort will capture the importance of responders taking care of themselves both on and off the emergency incident scene. Fire and EMS personnel can utilize the tools and resources of two nationally acclaimed programs: the SHS Section’s Rules of Engagement and the NVFC’s Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program.“Survival in the fire and emergency service is like a coin, with operational safety on one side and a healthy lifestyle on the other,” said IAFC President Al Gillespie. “This is one of those cases where one plus one equals more than two. By offering a dual concentration this year, our goal is to reinforce the relationship between health and safety and the exponential return the combination can provide.””Safety and health are two of the most critical issues facing firefighters and EMS personnel today, regardless of whether you are volunteer or career,” said NVFC Chairman Philip C. Stittleburg. “The entire fire service community must join together to create a culture where health and safety are a priority every day. The NVFC is pleased to partner with the IAFC to work towards this goal and make it a reality.”Participating departments are encouraged not just to follow the theme, but to contribute to its larger body of knowledge. The IAFC and NVFC will provide planning resources on the Safety and Health Week website and encourage the community to submit links to additional resources, articles and SOPs that can help other departments.

A New Look for 2012: International Fire/EMS Safety and Health Week marks the unification of the IAFC’s Fire/EMS Safety, Health and Survival Week with the NVFC’s National Firefighter Health Week.“Firefighters die as a result of heart attacks and emergency incident operations,” observed Battalion Chief Matthew Tobia, Chair of the SHS Section. “This program brings together the collective energies of two outstanding programs with a clear focus on reducing preventable line-of-duty deaths and injuries. I thank the NVFC for their willingness to partner on this most important initiative.”The most noticeable change for fire and EMS departments is a new, user-friendly website dedicated exclusively to Safety and Health Week: www.SafetyAndHealthWeek.org.

The partnership will also enable both programs to continue to build important discussions and create connections that can save lives, such as:Increased dialogue and sharing of best practices between career, combination and volunteer departmentsInclusion of components to address command issuesIncreased outreach to the fire and emergency service community beyond North AmericaBegin your planning today. For more information visit Safety and Health Week online.

NFPA kicks off LEGOLAND® Florida fire safety education partnership with help from local firefighters

 

Pam DeMeo of the Naples Fire Department and Steve Waksmunski of the Volusia County Fire Service. 

Streamers flew and smoke alarms beeped as NFPA kicked off its long-term partnership with LEGOLAND® Florida to provide lifesaving information to families and kids during a press event and special fire safety day at central Florida’s newest theme park yesterday. 

Want to view a quick video recap of the day's events? Video can be found at YouSendit.

NFPA will sponsor the park’s fire safety - themed “The Big Test” live show at the LEGO® City Stage where these messages will be incorporated. “The Big Test” is an acrobatic, comedy show in which a cast of characters goes through a series of hysterical antics as they try to become firefighters. There will also be special activities throughout the year that stress the importance of fire safety and acknowledge the critical work of the fire service.

Video: See a preview of "The Big Test".

During the kick-off event, hundreds of kids and families tested smoke alarms, learned ways to stay safe and posed for pictures with area firefighters in full gear before sitting down to watch the highly acclaimed “The Big Test”.

A big THANK YOU goes out to all of the fire service volunteers who helped us out at LEGOLAND! 

• Florida State Fire Marshals Office
• Winter Haven Fire Department
• Polk County Fire Department
• Pam DeMeo, Naples Fire Department
• Steve Waksmunski, Volusia County Fire Service
• Victoria Yeakley, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue
• Janine Green, Hillsborough County Fire Service
• Margo Tennant, Caledon Ontario

Check out our photo album from our kickoff event on Facebook! 

NFPA and IWomen Working Together to Address PPE Sizing Needs

Fit Like a Glove: When Technological and Cultural Innovation Collide

From the  February 15, 2012 issue of On Scene

When Neil Armstrong planted his boot on the surface of the moon, it was because technological and  Work Together cultural innovation collided. His ability to effectively maneuver, safely operate and feel the surface beneath his feet contributed to both the mission’s success and a change in American thinking about science, technology and the world as we know it.

As the demographics of our communities change, the fire and emergency service has come to a similar crossroad, but instead of men on the moon, it’s women in the firehouse. And it’s not a boot; it’s a glove.

The International Association of Women in Fire and Emergency Services (iWomen) is currently working with the NFPA on a project that would involve the research and design of women's firefighting gloves. iWomen has submitted the information for the Code Fund Project, which is just the first step in a long process.

This issue is no different from many other technological innovations that have been applied to personal protective equipment over the years. Innovation in PPE is critical to the safety of firefighters, and we know that proper fit is paramount for safety and proper protection.

Anatomically, men’s and women’s hands are different in many ways. The joint breadth, hand circumference and hand length, as well as the ratio of palm to fingers, are all different. One source iWomen found in its initial research stated that there are as many as 25 dimensions applicable to measuring a hand. Based on that information, a complex design is required to develop these gloves.

One thing is certain: women don’t want to sacrifice thermal protection for a little more dexterity. But issuing men's gloves of a smaller size to women doesn’t equate to providing them properly fitting gloves.

As the project progresses, iWomen and the NFPA will look closely at similar advancements in other industries, such as the U.S. military’s recent rollout of a line of military gear specifically designed for women, to see what insights and lessons can be applied to the fire and emergency service.

The time it takes to research, develop and design any article of personal protective clothing is considerable, but the investment is one that iWomen believes will create a positive return for the entire service. Just as Neil Armstrong’s boot on the moon created a fixed point of positive technological and cultural shift in our collective experience, so too will the first time a woman steps into a fire with a perfectly gloved hand. Her ability to effectively maneuver, safely operate and feel the surface a hose line, radio or ladder beneath her hand will contribute to both the mission’s success and a change in our collective thinking about science, technology and the world as we know it.

Jeanne Pashalek is the president of iWomen and a battalion chief with Lincoln (Neb.) Fire and Rescue.

Ken Willette

Three Children Rescued , Dangers of Kids and Fire Play

Last week, the  Las Vegas Fire Department responded to a fire in an apartment and what they found is what all first responders fear. Three young kids left alone, and one of them found matches. You can imagine what follows, while on a mattress, the matches were lit, and a fire followed. Luckily, the FD received prompt notification and was able to respond, contain the fire and get the kids transported to the hospital. They will survive, but were injured.

See the news story here:

 

The reporter cites how NFPA found an estimated 56,000 such incidents a year ! Pre schoolers need fire safety education geared to their level of understanding ,go to  NFPA Safety Activities for Kids to find how you can help prevent more of these incidents!

Stay safe!

Ken Willette

Congress gives the D Block to Public Safety

After many years of hard work by the IAFC and others, Congress has agreed to allocate the D Block to public safety and support the development of a mission-critical, nationwide public safety broadband network. These provisions are included in the conference report to the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (H.R. 3630), which the House and Senate will vote on today.

The passage of this legislation will bring public safety communications capability into the 21st century with a new national architecture. This outcome is the culmination of a major effort over the past five years by the IAFC and other national public safety organizations through the Public Safety Alliance. The hallmarks of this successful effort were trust and cooperation among the key national public safety organizations, a consistent message, and the persistent effort of the many fire chiefs across the nation.   

“There are a lot of people to thank today, but most of all, I would like to thank the IAFC members across the country,” said Chief Al Gillespie, IAFC president.  “Because of your efforts, both big and small, we have created a paradigm shift that will create a more effective emergency response system and ensure safer communities.”

For more information on the Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Continuation Act of 2011 and how this victory benefits our nation's communities, please read the full release from IAFC. 

Deadline approaches for NFPA’s Fire Safety Educator of the Year contest

Are you a hard-working, dynamic fire safety educator who loves working with children, older adults, and others in the community? Do you consistently and creatively use one or more of NFPA’s core fire safety programs, such as Learn Not to Burn®, Remembering When™: A Fire and Fall Prevention Program for Older Adults, or Fire Prevention Week materials? If so, you could be the next winner of NFPA’s Educator of the Year Award. The deadline for applications is February 24th, so you still have time to apply.

If you are chosen Educator of the Year, you will receive a $1,000 honorarium for you personally and a $1,000 donation to your local fire department to support its public education activities. We all know how scarce resources are, so don’t pass up this opportunity. Download the application form now, and don’t let your busy schedule or your humility keep you from going for it!

 - Sharon Gamache

NFPA, IAFC and National Governors Association host Mass Evacuation Conference

Last week, NFPA, IAFC and the National Governors Association held the Mass Evacuation Conference in Fairfax, Virginia. Attendees first heard opening remarks on the purpose of the Conference from David G. Henry, NGA, Ed Plaugher, IAFC, and David Nuss, NFPA. The keynote address followed and was given by new U.S. Fire Administrator Ernie Mitchell, Jr. 

NFPA's own Orlando Hernandez, along with IAFC's Shawn Stokes led a Mass Evacuation 36-degree view for the group. This was a scenario based activity and discussion where participants analyzed a mass evacuation scenario and provided insight from their perspectives on how they have responded (or would in the future).

Discussions on setting standards, current research and approaches as well as looking ahead to the future rounded out the Conference. 

Orlando Hernandez commented following the Conference, that "based on the discussions and the positive feedback over the last two days, the attendees were in agreement that there is a need for a Mass Evacuation Project and the group should continue to develop a National Framework for Mass Evacuation." Stay tuned for updates!