By Chelsea B. Sheasley
For the Christian Science Monitor

When Ken Willette started firefighting 35 years ago, his uniform left much to be desired. Little more than a raincoat with rubber boots and plastic gloves, the outfit was more likely to melt than sustain his job responsibilities.

Now, with improvements to firefighting equipment, as well as better safety standards, and a decrease in overall fires, the number of firefighter deaths has dropped by more than a third in the past three decades and has fallen to historic lows the past two years.

A total of 64 on-duty firefighters died in the US in 2012, marking the second consecutive year that the total has been below 65 deaths, the lowest level since statistics began to be tracked in 1977. The number of fatalities that occurred during actual firefighting also dropped to a record low.

(more…)

Share |

By Bill Carey

For FireRescue

Editor’s Note: The NFFF recently introduced a new Behavioral Health Model that changes the way the fire service assists firefighters and others on the path to healing. It is based on the concept that no two firefighters will necessarily have the same reaction to the same call. Considering the importance of this topic, FireRescue will cover what firefighters need to know about maintaining strong mental health amid a stressful job environment. In this first article, Bill Carey addresses the after-action report (aka curbside critique) and how this well-known element of the job—coupled with a new concept called Curbside Manner—can be employed to help firefighters handle potentially distressing calls.

A little after 0200 HRS, and a once-dark street is alive with the flashes of red and white lights and the drone of diesel engines. The front windows of a two-story row-home are blackened, the result of a fire that tore through the structure just moments earlier. The sidewalk is a clutter of hoselines, burnt window frames, a section of security bars now removed from a window, a PPV fan blowing fresh air, and electric cords running inside to light the darkened shell of the house.

It was a quick and nasty fire, with one person hanging out of a second-floor window when the fire department arrived. As he watches his crew talking about the fire, the lieutenant of the first-due truck thinks to himself, “The new guy with the irons—it took him a while to get that door, but he kept his calm and didn’t let it beat him.” He then decides to make the most of this moment, while the fire is still fresh in their minds, and walks over to discuss the incident with his crew.

(more…)

Share |

By John Spicuzza
For Fire Engineering

“The New Black” is an expression used to indicate the sudden popularity or versatility of an idea at the expense of the popularity of a second idea. The earliest use of “the new black” was in 1983 and indicated that other colors were temporarily displacing black’s position in fashion or industrial design. This phrase is primarily used to say that something is the most popular or fashionable color or thing at the moment.

I have seen many changes over the years since I started in the fire service in 1975, many of them being for the better. However, I have noticed a trend over the past 10 years in which procedures or tasks that were at one time a normal part of the job have been rehashed, renamed, given acronyms, or updated and then promoted as something brand new or recently invented. Some of these fashionable trends have lasted quite a while and some are fairly new.

Groundhog Day

Let me start off with an observation about the fire service as a whole. We are either slow to learn, hard of hearing, or downright stubborn; I think it is a little of each, with an emphasis on the latter. So many individuals–educators, scientists, lecturers, and the like–are constantly bombarding us with the same message over and over and over again, in some cases over a period of decades and longer.

Now, don’t get me wrong. These are all typically very important messages or educational snippets given out for all the right reasons. But a lot of it is not new stuff. Maybe we are horrible at passing on information from generation to generation. Maybe we pass it on and nobody listens. Maybe we put out the same information but in a more glamorous way, trying to get everyone’s attention by giving them fancy names or acronyms.

Read the full article on FireEngineering.com.

Share |

From the NVFC

International Fire/EMS Safety and Health Week starts on Sunday, and the NVFC encourages all departments and personnel to focus on behavioral health and other critical safety and health topics. As part of this year’s events, the NVFC has partnered with L&T Health and Fitness to hold four behavioral health webinars. Take part in these webinars as part of your Safety and Health Week activities.

Below is the Safety and Health Week webinar schedule. Register today at https://nvfc.webex.com in the Upcoming Sessions tab under Live Sessions. All courses are instructed by staff from L&T Health and Fitness.

(more…)

Share |

By J.R. Dennison
For the Leatherhead Instructors

The death and destruction caused by the tornadoes that ripped through Moore Oklahoma and surrounding areas in the past weeks should be treated the same as a NIOSH report. We have a lot of facts regarding the events that took place, we know the results that occurred, and we should do everything in our power to better educate and prepare our families and communities to improve survivability.  The emergency workers in Oklahoma have done an outstanding job, and unfortunately have seen this situation more than once.

I believe that one of the most important things to do is to educate your community about the differences between watches and warnings, inform them what is meant when the tornado siren in your community is sounded, and what is the best way to protect them when shelter is needed.  How many times do you get calls at the station when the local tornado siren is sounded, wanting to know why the sirens are going off?  Seeking shelter early is imperative to survivability, and if residents are calling to ask what is going on; they are probably not aware of the need to seek shelter.

There are great information services out there like Sky Warn, The National Weather Service, and your local weather centers and news channels to inform you about the current weather in your communities and when shelter is needed.  http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/safety.html has some good recommendations and guidelines to follow in the event that shelter is needed.

Another thought should be having items needed for extended stay available for your family in the shelter.  You can be as basic as you would like to be or be a “prepper”, just have a plan.  If you simply type in “emergency preparation kit” on a search engine, you will find endless ideas and thoughts for your situation.  Remember that surviving the initial storm is only half of the battle.

I just had a few thoughts regarding this and thought that I would share them.  If you have any ideas or suggestions, please share them.  My best goes out to the folks of Oklahoma and anyone else that has been affected by these terrible storms.  Stay safe and train hard!

Read more from the Leatherhead Instructors on their website.

Share |

LION offers the best head-to-toe PPE solutions for firefighters, period. Put our products through hell, then provide us with your input. It’s the best way we know how to improve our LION firefighting gear — to let real first responders give it an on-the-job workout and then provide us with their insights. If you’d like to be considered for a wear trial, fill out the form provided on this page. You can look through the standard evaluation protocols for our different product lines below:

Turnouts: Evaluation Protocol | Evalutation Form

Helmets: Evaluation Protocol | Evaluation Form

StationWear: Evaluation Protocol | Evaluation Form

Gloves: Evaluation Form

Technical Footwear: Evaluation Form

Share |

By Mike Burzek

For Firefighting in Canada

In the wake of some very serious industrial accidents around the world, many countries recognized the need for hazard-specific emergency preparedness and response. Processes and procedures were quickly mandated and implemented, gradually morphing into a standardized emergency response plan (ERP). Nuclear plants, oil and natural gas refineries, and chemical and fertilizer processing facilities, are examples of activities that require emergency response plans for unique hazards. Over the past 30 years, national standards,  have been developed to provide consistent guidelines for emergency management that are applicable to most industries. Many government regulators also have strict rules for emergency preparedness and response, including minimum requirements for emergency response plans. So, what is the value for firefighters of an emergency response plan? In a worst-case scenario, a well-designed plan makes all the difference in the world.

There are many good reasons for companies to develop emergency response plans. Essentially, every plan should provide emergency personnel with enough information to facilitate a timely and effective response. However, too much information and detail can be just as bad as inadequate information. Although no two plans will be exactly the same, they should meet strategic objectives in terms of protecting people, property and the environment. Thus, each plan must address hazards and risks specific to the operation and the location.

Emergency response plans aim to provide responders with critical information about products and operational processes. For example, emergency response personnel will want to know how much product is stored within a vessel or pipeline and the physical properties of the product. Detailed information is vital and ultimately can determine whether the response is a success or failure. What is the quickest way to shut in a facility or stop the flow of product? How will the product disperse in standard atmospheric conditions? What are the best methods for containment and suppression? How many occupied buildings need to be evacuated? The ERP must provide responders with enough information to answer these typical questions.

Read more.

Share |

By Danny Gallagher
For Mental Floss

You don’t need to be a superstar athlete with a million-dollar contract and a billion-dollar ego to be a champion. Here in the good ol’ U.S. of A., tournaments aren’t just reserved for sports; we have competitions that can turn the most menial and everyday professions, tasks, and skills into nail-biting tournaments and gripping challenges.

1. PIZZA MAKING

Dominos Pizza used to pride itself on being able to make and deliver hot pizza pies as fast as humanly possible with their famous “30 minutes or less” guarantee. The company has since realized that a speedy delivery promise doesn’t matter much if the pizza tastes like piping hot cardboard, but they haven’t given up on trying to create a fleet of super fast pizza makers. Every year, they’ve held a World’s Fastest Pizza Maker competition with competitors from their global franchises to see who can put together a pie the fastest. The title is currently held by Pali Grewal of Surrey, England, who put together three large pizzas in 39.1 seconds.

2. BAGGING

Putting your groceries in bags looks easy, but that’s just because the best of the best can make it look easy. Every year, the best and brightest in bagging are tapped by the National Grocers’ Association to compete in their annual Best Bagger Championship. The first competition was held in 1987 in Dallas, Texas, and had just two contestants from Texas and Oklahoma. These days, contestants from all 50 states converge in Las Vegas for the annual competition.

It takes a lot more than just a good time to win the big bagging trophy. According to the NGA’s official coordinator manual, contestants are judged by speed, bag building technique, weight distribution, and “style, attitude and appearance.” The bagger with the highest score gets $10,000, the “Grocery Bag” trophy, and “Best Bagger Golden Lane” to proudly display in their store. Admiral, Washington’s Andrew Borracchini took home the latest grand prize earlier this year.

3. FIREFIGHTING

Being a firefighter requires countless hours of training and education and strict fitness discipline. Some firefighters dedicate additional time to compete in the Firefighter Combat Challenge, where the world’s best and fastest firefighters compete in a grueling obstacle course that incorporates all of the skills and challenges of traditional firefighting. The course measures individual and team runs in events that include hauling and hoisting a firehose pack up a high-rise structure, victim rescues, and forcing entry into a simulated burning building.
Read the full list on Mental Floss.

Share |

Kimberly Quiros
In partnership with the NVFC

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) has launched a new training platform to offer firefighters and emergency personnel interactive courses on a variety of topics. These courses can be taken at the convenience of the participant and include progress quizzes and certificates of completion.

The training center at https://nvfc.digitalchalk.com currently contains courses on recruitment, retention, leadership, emergency service liability, conducting fire service funerals, and Fire Corps topics such as implementing a program, project and volunteer management, funding and support, and activity implementation. New courses will be added regularly, including health and safety topics.

New students must create an account before registering for classes. Go to https://nvfc.digitalchalk.com, select New Account, and fill out the required information. To register for classes, login to the site, select Catalog, and add the desired course(s) to your shopping cart.

Visit the NVFC web site at www.nvfc.org/training/education/courses to learn more about these courses and watch for new courses launching on the Digital Chalk platform. The NVFC also offers a series of additional training webinars on grant writing, vehicle safety, department health and wellness programs, and more.

And don’t forget to check out LION Fire Academy for more PPE cleaning, maintenance and repair videos and quizzes!

Share |

From Phys.org

Engineers in the Coordinated Robotics Lab at the University of California, San Diego, have developed new image processing techniques for rapid exploration and characterization of structural fires by small Segway-like robotic vehicles.

A sophisticated on-board software system takes the thermal data recorded by the robot’s small infrared camera and maps it onto a 3D scene constructed from the images taken by a pair of stereo RGB cameras.

This allows small mobile robotic vehicles to create a virtual reality picture that includes a 3D map and temperature data that can be used immediately by first responders as the robot drives through a building on fire.

The research is part of a plan to develop novel robotic scouts that can help firefighters to assist in residential and commercial blazes. Researchers will present their results at the International Conference on Robotics and Automation to be held from May 31 to June 5, 2014, in Hong Kong.

Read more and watch a video here.

Photo Credit: Jacobs School of Engineering/UC San Diego

Share |