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.
LION is proud to announce its support for the Rotary International World Service Project by committing to provide deeply discounted, high-quality turnout sets and to assist with transportation logistics. Rotary clubs are raising funds for the effort and assisting with press and community outreach.
In true Rotary spirit, this project has been designed to ensure that it is smart and sustainable. We hope you will join us in this exciting project to support these service men and women. You can show your support for the project and track its progress by Liking their Facebook page.
NIOSH provided a status update on its long-term firefighter cancer study, conducted in partnership with the U.S. Fire Administration and the National Cancer Institute. The goal of the study is to determine whether firefighters have a higher risk of cancer and other illness due to on-the-job toxin exposure. Researchers are analyzing the health of more than 30,000 firefighters who worked between 1950 and 2010 at San Francisco, Philadelphia and Chicago fire departments.
“The cooperation of the fire departments in these three cities has been exceptional,” Study Director Travis Kubale wrote in a NIOSH newsletter. “Department staff, city officials and union leaders have gone out of their way to welcome us and help us get underway with the project.”
Kubale said they are near completion of identifying all firefighters who worked during 1950 to 2010. Researchers have collected their individual work histories and are in the process of gathering exposure information, including fire runs made and the dates of when personal protective equipment and diesel exhaust controls were put into place at the departments.
“NIOSH team members work with fire department staff (personnel, payroll, and information technology), retirement board and fire museum staff to locate the information needed for the study. Some departments archive records off-site, which we retrieve and review,” Kubale wrote. “Once we locate and collect the records, we spend many hours poring over ledgers, annual report and microfiche. This time-intensive process is critical for the study’s integrity. To date, NIOSH data coders have made approximately 790,000 separate data entries for the San Francisco, Chicago and Philadelphia departments.”
It’s a time for remembrance. Nearly 3,000 people were murdered. Each loss creates an unfillable void for family, friends, our fire service and first responder community, and the nation.
It’s a time for reflection. Right after 9/11, as a country, we stood as one. That sense of oneness has looked and felt increasingly fragile over the past two years of economic and political turmoil in our country.
It’s a time for renewed solidarity: to recommit ourselves to a belief in that oneness that we felt so strongly 10 years ago. The challenges we face in each of our communities and in the nation can only be solved through believing in oneness not divisiveness. Divisiveness is what our enemies hope for.
We must also recommit ourselves to the defense of our country – and to its core values. On 9/11, we were attacked by radical Islamist forces not for a specific policy, but for who we are. Remember: in 1993, under a different president from a different party, there was another deadly terror attack on the Twin Towers. It’s America – and what we stand for – that’s the target.
I thank each of our first responders for putting your lives on the line daily to keep our families and communities safe. I hope our nation never experiences anything like 9/11 again, but if we do, know that we as a company are doing everything we can to keep you safe and ready to respond to whatever challenge you face.
Choosing the right turnout gear can be a difficult and overwhelming decision. There are many different outer and inner shell configurations to consider, along with an assortment of pockets and various options your department needs. There is no catch-all answer to what kind of turnout gear to buy. Every fire department and/or individual firefighter’s needs, budget, size, etc. are different. Therefore, many factors go into making that purchasing decision. To help guide you in your purchase, consider the questions before buying new gear:
Is your department on a tight budget?
Is fast turnaround important?
Is a dry system in which the outer shell, moisture barrier, thermal barrier and wristlets work together to reduce the water in your turnout gear important to you? These systems typically have less working weight and faster drying time.
Is your department looking for gear that is constructed for natural movement? This type of gear fits closer to the body, does not bunch, promoting free and easy motion.
Are design features at critical stress points that deliver additional comfort and mobility important to your department?
Don’t forget to ask about a manufacturer’s ability to create a multiple-model or multiple-fabric configuration. This can save your department money!
While progress is being made, some departments still can’t equip their personnel with the necessary tools, according to the NFPA’s Third Needs Assessment of the U.S. Fire Service.
The study — released last week — compares the recent results with those of assessments conducted in 2001 and 2005.
“Fire service needs are extensive across the board, and in nearly every area of need, the smaller the community protected, the greater the need,” they wrote.
Part of being prepared is having the right personal rescue system. One that is always with you and never in the way. The Personal Rescue System from LION integrates all escape components and stows them in a cargo pocket on the leg of the turnout pants. It can easily be deployed using any Class II life safety harness or escape belt.
Battery manufacturer Duracell has launched its Power Those Who Protect Us donation program that lets you give back to the selfless volunteer firefighters that keep us safe. When you purchase specially marked CopperTop packs, they’ll make a battery donation to volunteer fire departments to power communication devices and life-saving equipment. Each pack contains a unique code, which you can enter to direct your battery donation to a volunteer fire department of your choice.
Grammy-winning Cee Lo Green switched up the lyrics to his massively popular “F**k You” single to thank firefighters for their service and dedication:
Is your fire department struggling to get rid of old equipment that is taking up valuable space in your fire stations? Perhaps you are struggling with having available funds to buy the needed equipment for your firefighters to get the job done? There is a unique opportunity to meet both of these needs, the highly successful auction-style website eBay.
I have found a great deal of success in selling used equipment for my department. The items I have sold have ranged from an old aerial apparatus to the smallest of flashlights.
As someone who speaks with the news media about residential fires in your community, you play a major role in communicating important fire safety and prevention information to the public.
This pocket media guide shows you how to make the most of these “teachable moments” —media interviews following a fire, when the public’s interest and attention are at a peak. In addition to providing the facts about the fire, you also can share one or more messages that encourage the viewer/reader to take action that could save a life.
By David Dalrymple
By Susan Nicol
As someone who speaks with the news media about residential fires in your community, you play a major role in communicating important fire safety and prevention information to the public.
LION Connects
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