From FairfieldCounty.gov

FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. — The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department recorded no fire deaths for 2011, a first in its 62-year history.

A multi-pronged effort by field operations, fire prevention, fire and life safety education, and the residents of Fairfax County contributed immeasurably to a safe and record-breaking year. Operational firefighting crews’ response to fire incidents, fire inspectors, fire protection retesting and monitoring, fire investigators, and fire and life safety educators, all provided a team effort in stemming fire deaths.

Additionally, community outreach programs also directly support the department’s mission of “providing the highest quality of services to protect the lives, property, and environment of our community.” These programs include: Every Step of the Way, a fire and safety program targeted to the most vulnerable, children and older adults; “Get Alarmed,” providing free distribution and installation of smoke alarms for residents; and the Juvenile Firesetters Intervention Program, an educational intervention program targeted to juvenile firesetters administered by a nationally certified educator.

The department also semi-annually, conducts a “Smoke Alarm Initiative,” during the weekends of fall and spring daylight savings time, canvassing selected neighborhoods throughout the county for working smoke alarms and providing escape plans for residents.

Fairfax County, with a population of over one million residents, has averaged more than seven fire deaths annually from 2000 to 2010.

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By Robert Krause for Firefighting In Canada

One of the most exciting aspects of being a firefighter is being first in on the hoseline fighting a fire.

I want to address some basic tenets of fire attack. Fire fighting is a dangerous occupation – just look at the statistics that discuss firefighter injuries and deaths – so it is important that we address fire attack with the safety of the firefighter in mind.

The available staffing at any structure fire will have a definite impact on how many tasks can be completed simultaneously. Incident commanders must assess the risk associated with each task they assign to their limited number of firefighters.

This protective ensemble that firefighters wear allows us to penetrate deeper into structures that are on fire, and with this comes increased danger. Therefore, it is imperative that all firefighter look out for themselves and their fellow firefighters as they began a fire attack.

As we begin discussing fire attack we must address the staffing of the fire apparatus. I have several opportunities to talk with my Canadian firefighting brethren at the annual FDIC conference in Wolfville, N.S. The most common response I have received when asking about staffing on fire apparatus has been three firefighters. So it is with that premise of three firefighters that I continue this discussion.

The incident commander and the firefighters must rapidly asses the fire ground and the changing dynamics within the structure as they approach the building that is on fire. While the incident commander is responsible for the overall safety of each firefighter on the fire ground, individual firefighters must accept some responsibility for their safety and welfare. Each firefighter must wear the proper protective clothing, which includes properly fitting structural firefighting coat, pants and boots, and an appropriate helmet, hood and gloves. Additionally, each firefighter entering or working in proximity to a smoke-filled area must use a self-contained breathing apparatus.

Bob Krause is a battalion chief with the City of Toledo fire department in Ohio and is assigned to Battalion 2. Click here to read the full article.

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December 21st was an important day for the World Service Project that is working to equip Mexican firefighters with safe, fit for duty gear.  LION and the Mexican Fire Chief Association, along with other project partners, are pleased to announce that the first 430 sets of LION TotalCare maintained firefighting turnout gear has been delivered to Mexican firefighters across the country.  The suits were enthusiastically received and a second order of 250 suits is already being processed for shipment.

The initial 165 sets of suits were delivered to the State of Sinaloa to outfit firefighters in the cities of Culicana, Elota, Mocorito, Escuinapa and Region Del Evora.  Fire Chief Adan Shinagawa of Culican was the first to request suits for his departments and will soon place a second order based on the overwhelming interest in the turnout gear.  In a letter to the project partners, Chief Shinagawa expresses his appreciation for the initiative:

“On behalf of the fire brigade of the State of Sinaloa, allow me to send our thanks and congratulations for this program.  At this moment, in my city, 165 firefighters are benefiting from this initiative.  The quality of the equipment is excellent and the value is incredible.  Our goal is to equip all our firefighters [with LION’s gear].”

Adolfo Benavente Duque, President of the Mexcan Fire Chief Association, also praised the program:

“On behalf of the firefighters of Mexico, I send our enormous thanks for giving us the opportunity to be the first to receive this equipment, which is in perfect condition and available at such a low price.  This equipment will be very useful to the protection of firefighters and will allow them to better serve their communities.”

The shipment is the first phase of the Project that provides advanced training, equipment, and vehicles to departments requesting assistance throughout Mexico.  LION and its partners are excited to have the opportunity to continue expanding the program in the hopes of outfitting every firefighter in Mexico with fit for duty, life-saving gear.

“We are thrilled to provide this turnout gear to the Mexican Fire Service.  LION is pleased to join with great partners to get top-quality gear into the hands of public servants that need it most.  As our business continues to grow around the world, we look forward to more efforts like this in support of the global firefighting community,” said Steve Schwartz, CEO of LION.

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From FireEngineering.com

The American fire and emergency services has a very proud tradition of serving communities across our nation that dates back to colonial times. Throughout our nation’s history, firefighters have been looked upon with great respect and admiration for their courage and dedication to their profession. To preserve the public’s trust, a National Firefighter Code of Ethics was developed by a group of fire service leaders that calls on individual firefighters to pledge their support for maintaining the highest level of professionalism and behavior.

The idea for the Code was initially proposed in the Fire Service Reputation Management White Paper published by the Cumberland Valley Volunteer Firemen’s Association (CVVFA). Since then, the idea gained momentum and received support from the highest echelon of fire service leadership.

“We may never have the opportunity again and I urge all fire service leaders to develop, establish, disseminate, abide and enforce a fire service code of ethics, said then-U.S. Fire Administrator Kelvin Cochran in 2010.

To read more about the Code of Ethics, click here.

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Richard Marinucci
For Fire Apparatus

Part of any system involving firefighter safety improvement must include adjustments to training programs. Firefighters must learn the proper way to use the equipment, how to wear it, and how it may affect their tactics. The mere fact of having the equipment will not change outcomes. It begins with the simple premise that when a department issues new equipment, there must be a lesson on proper use and maintenance of it. How often do you and your organization distribute new equipment to firefighters without taking the time to review its features or the manufacturer’s recommendations? For example, a helmet may be issued. Often, all the manufacturer’s instruction and warnings are immediately discarded without any review. The firefighters continue to use the equipment just as they had previously, even if there are added features.

Read More

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The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), with support from the U.S. Fire Administration, partnered with the HOPE Health Research Institute to conduct a  study on obesity in the fire service. The report begins by stating that although the image of a healthy, fit firefighter is still intact, “a chilling epidemic” of obesity caused by unhealthy eating and physical activity habits threatens to undermine the ability of firefighters to effectively and safely respond to emergencies.

The report addresses the obesity epidemic in the U.S., its effects on the fire industry, new trends on how to combat the problem and then offers recommendations for departments. Chapter 2 looks specifically at obesity in the fire service:

To read the full report, click here.

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By Fareed Rahman for The National

Dubai is testing a 180kph firefighting motorbike that can weave through traffic and extinguish two car fires with one load of water and foam.

The firefighting system is mounted on a modified German-built 1,170cc BMW R1200RT motorcycle called the Firexpress, the first of its kind in the UAE.

“It’s a very good bike,” said Brig Ahmed Al Sayegh, the assistant general manager of Dubai Civil Defence.

“We will study it first and then decide how we can use it for specific purposes. It seems like a good vehicle to use in narrow and crowded areas – like where there is a traffic jam.”

The bike is ideal for firefighting in traffic or where there is no space for big vehicles to move, said Mohammed Awad, the director of business development at Concorde-Corodex Group, the regional suppliers.

Click here for the full article.

Photography by Christopher Pike.

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As a world leader in personal protective equipment for first responders, LION is excited to announce that BullEx Digital Safety and HAAGEN Fire Training Products, global leaders in fire and safety training systems and centers, are joining the LION organization. Together the Albany, New York-based BullEx and The Netherlands-based HAAGEN companies form the world’s largest provider of fire training systems and centers as a new division within the LION organization called the LION Training Resources Group. This group will benefit from the strong synergy within the LION organization, especially with the LION Safety Resources Group, which develops and manufacturers PPE for fire, military and police personnel. Together LION, BullEx and HAAGEN now offer the most complete array of highly differentiated products and services to ensure that first responders are truly ready for action.

“LION has a legacy of offering first responders unprecedented innovations critical to preparing them to do what their jobs require because they are safer, healthier, more comfortable and more functional”, said LION CEO Steve Schwartz. “With BullEx and HAAGEN as part of the LION group, we offer another critical aspect of readiness — effective training equipment to make sure first responders are more knowledgeable, more proficient and more prepared to do their jobs.”

BullEx and HAAGEN offer Smart Tools for Real Training. The companies’ product lines include fire, safety and hazmat training tools, systems and centers which are used by fire departments, corporations and governments worldwide. BullEx fire extinguisher training systems have become the industry standard and have been used by thousands of organizations to train millions of people how to properly use a fire extinguisher. BullEx now offers a total solutions product line for firefighter training, fire prevention public education and corporate safety training. HAAGEN has built some of the largest and most advanced fire training facilities around the world including the Safety Center Holland, Dortmund, Germany Fire Training Facility, the Saudi Arabia Civil Defense Training Facility and the SDIS 74 Fire Training Complex in Tours, France. Projects currently being constructed include the SDIS 95 Fire Training Facility in Val-d’Oise, France, The Strathclyde Fire and Rescue Training Center in Glasgow, Scotland and the Shanghai Fire Training Center in China.

“The addition of BullEx and HAAGEN to the LION group of companies is a natural fit,” said BullEx CEO Ryan O’Donnell. “Not only do the companies share a culture of innovation, but they have a commitment to enhancing first responder readiness. The LION organization provides BullEx and HAAGEN with a tremendous foundation which will enhance our ability to develop, market, manufacture and service cutting-edge training systems and centers for our global customer base. Becoming a part of the world leader in PPE will also give our organization valuable insight into and understanding of this critical element of firefighter safety, which will undoubtedly enhance our ability to build world-class training equipment.”

Check out this short YouTube video that demonstrates the LION/BullEx/HAAGEN synergy in action:

You can read the full press release here.

For more information about LION, BullEx or HAAGEN, contact Hayley Fudge, LION marketing director, at 937.415.2808 or hfudge@lionprotects.com.

Visit LION online at www.lionprotects.com, or stay in touch with LION on its Facebook fanpage at www.facebook.com/lionconnects.

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By KATHY OGDEN
Special to the Courant, The Hartford Courant

Fire Lt. Todd Ghent credits instinct with saving his life as a propane cloud he unintentionally walked into erupted in flames.

As the orange fireball enveloped him last January, without thinking he held his breath. This kept the burning gas, which ignites in the air at nearly 1,000 degrees, out of his lungs.

“They said it would have cooked my lungs,” Ghent recalled in an interview last week in his dining room, which was still decorated for Christmas.

The flames left him with second- and third-degree burns on his head, face and neck, though.

Ghent said it would take a whole day and night to convey all the thoughts that ran through his mind in the moments he was engulfed. He thought particularly about his wife, Renee, and teenage daughter, Amanda, a sophomore at Portland High School, he said.

“I remember it all,” he said.

Ghent had been among the firefighters who responded to the scene of a leaking underground propane tank last Jan. 29. A 30-year volunteer with the Portland Fire Department, he was supposed to be in Vermont that weekend, skiing with his wife and daughter but 20 inches of snow had fallen in Connecticut so he decided to stay home and work clearing roofs and plowing snow.

He was with fellow town firefighter Tom Revicki when they heard the call for a gas leak at a duplex on Summer Street. They were the first on the scene and could smell gas. Putting on protective gear, they began to evacuate people from the area. As other firefighters arrived, Ghent and firefighter Tim Goff started moving down the snow-lined driveway with a gas detection meter that measures how much of the invisible gas is in the air. Suddenly, the meter reading spiked and they turned to leave, but it was too late.

Click here to read the full story.

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By David Dalrymple
For FireRescue1.com

Let’s look at the way we displace the side(s) of vehicles today. First off, be it a car, SUV or even a pick-up truck, most vehicles today have four doors (two on each side) more often than not.

When we “pop” doors today, the door materials often shred, tear and rip apart, leaving us to attack it another way or try to cut the door off.
Why does this happen? Well, think of doors of having “hard” points and “soft” points.

The lightweight door materials are coupled with high-strength latches and hinges by the door crash beam, and the whole ensemble is tied tighter together than before due to vehicle construction and design and its inherent ability to move crash energy throughout the vehicle structure.

So we know door “pops” have issues. But today’s cutters can make short work of cutting hinges and latches. Why not just cut them in the first place?

Cutting hinges and latches to remove the door creates much less stress and strain on the vehicle, which eases stress on the patient and the tool operator.

Read the full article on FireRescue1.com.

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