From NFPA
According to a recent report released by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), 610 civilian deaths in the United States were attributed to smoking material fires in 2010, a number at or near the all-time-low and well down from the 1980 levels. During 2010 there were an estimated 90,800 smoking material fires resulting in $663 million in direct property damage.
Several factors, including a decline in smoking and stricter fire resistant standards on mattresses and upholstered furniture have been credited with the decrease in smoking material fire deaths over the last 30 years. The most recent drops in fatalities and injuries, though, owe much to the “fire-safe” cigarette legislation.
In 2003, U.S. states began requiring that all cigarettes sold must be “fire-safe,” that is, have sharply reduced ignition strength (ability to start fires), as determined by ASTM Standards. By 2010, fire-safe cigarette legislation was in effect in 47 states. From 2003 to 2010, the number of civilian deaths in smoking-material fires fell by an average of 21 percent.
Read the full story here.
From the IAFC:
At a time when fire departments are under continuous financial and political pressure, taking time to celebrate the great work of the fire and emergency service may seem like a luxury you can’t afford.
In reality, it has never been more important to showcase examples of how fire departments continue to selflessly serve, evolve and thrive. The IAFC has a number of award programs with simple nomination processes to make it easy to get the recognition you and your team deserve.
Deadlines for nominations are quickly approaching. Visit the IAFC Awards webpage for complete information on all IAFC award programs, or learn more about a specific award by following the links below.
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By Lou DeRosa for Fire Chief
The Madison (N.J.) Fire Department has employed compressed-air foam systems since 1998, and they are used on every fire the department responds to today, replacing the plain water used in prior years. But though CAFS is being used in all aspects of the fireground, it is not a magic potion. Rather, it simply is a powerful, efficient and effective tool that, when used properly, offers tremendous extinguishing advantages and increases the safety of the firefighters who use it.
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This winter’s unseasonably mild and dry weather pattern is causing an alarmingly increased risk for wildfire prompting a national warning for residents to take action to prevent damage from wildfire. States such as Colorado, Tennessee and New York are already seeing the reality of these dangerous conditions.
“The unusually dry and windy weather at this time of year means that wildfires pose a greater threat to individual properties and neighborhoods across the U.S.,” said Michele Steinberg, NFPA’s Firewise Communities Program Manager. “It’s simply easier, in these conditions, for fires to start and burn out of control. But residents can do their part and take simple steps today to lessen the risk of damage if a wildfire occurs.”
While these states continue to recover from the devastating effects of recent wildfires, now is the time for residents across the country to prepare themselves and protect their homes from brush, grass and forest fire damage. Contrary to common perception, a wildfire does not have to burn everything in its path. In fact, clearing property of debris and maintaining landscaping are important, yet simple, first steps for homeowners. Representatives from the National Fire Protection Association‘s (NFPA) Firewise Communities Program are working to spread the word on how people can make instant and long-term changes to protect their homes and property against wildfire.
Read the full press release here.
By Ed Ballam
For Firehouse.com
Firefighters and responders have known for decades that smoke is harmful to their health, but the latest studies have shown that the microscopic materials that become airborne during fires are far more deadly than ever realized. That’s because of the proliferation of nanotechnology – particles that are one billionth of a meter in size – that are found in today’s consumer products.
Capt. Peter McBride Ottawa (Canada) Fire Services spoke of the dangers of nanotechnologies, which contain known cancer causing materials, at the Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC) in Indianapolis. He is a safety officer in Ottawa, responsible for the health and safety of the firefighters in his department.
He became acutely interested in nanotechnologies when a huge downtown sporting goods store burned and belched acrid black smoke for blocks. Carbon fiber sporting goods, including thousands of skis, burned and emitted microscopic particles that coated everything, particularly his white department-issued SUV. He noticed stubborn black deposits on the SUV that just wouldn’t come off.
Read the full article on Firehouse.com.
From 9news.com
An East Tennessee firefighter has designed a new device to help his colleagues stay safe on the job. Now, his invention is grabbing the attention of fire departments across the country.
“We’re so hot, we just pretty much cook inside,” said Rural Metro reserve firefighter Michael Robinson Sr. about the heavy protective gear firefighters must wear. “When we come out of a fire environment, our number one priority is to cool off.”
While fighting a house fire and brush fire in Heiskell last fall, one of Robinson’s firefighter colleagues collapsed from heat exhaustion.
He recovered, and the incident inspired Robinson to begin researching rehab techniques.
“I never really knew how important rehab really was until I started researching, and how many firefighters had paid the ultimate price for this heat issue.”
With his research, he created a device called the “HeatSeeker,” a rehab mist cap that fits onto any water discharge pipe on a fire truck, hose, hydrant, or portable unit.
Click here to read more.
From NFPA.org
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has kicked off a new program to help fire departments fund the purchase of life-saving fire safety educational materials. Sparky’s Wish List™: Partnering for Fire-Safe Communities invites fire departments to create a free online wish list for Fire Prevention Week materials. Businesses and the public can fulfill departments’ wish lists and provide these critical educational materials for their communities.
“Fire safety education saves lives, but with current budget pressures, it’s hard for many departments to pay for a range of educational materials,” said Jim Shannon, NFPA president. “Sparky’s Wish List is designed to help close the gap between what fire departments can afford and what they need to educate on fire safety.”
Every year, fire departments in the United States respond to more than 350,000 home fires resulting in at least 2,500 deaths and more than 12,000 injuries.
The official launch of Sparky’s Wish List was held at the Fire Department Instructors Conference in Indianapolis where thousands of firefighters were among the first to learn about the new site.
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From CBC News
Firefighters across Ontario have a new hazard to deal with right below their feet.
Pre-engineered floor joists, made from wood chips and glue, burn twice as fast as traditional wooden joists and can suddenly collapse from beneath the first responders.
According to Tim Beckett, fire chief of the Kitchener fire chief and president of the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs (OAFC), traditional floor joists burn in 15 minutes. Pre-engineered joists do so in approximately six.
Beckett said the average response time of a fire department is between four and six minutes, depending on the area of Ontario.
What we’re finding with the new joists … is that you can failure in as little as four to seven minutes,” Beckett said. “We’re looking at floor failure before we even arrive on scene.”
Beckett called the use of the new joists “widespread.”
Click here for the full story.
Picture courtesy of Blais Construction Management Ltd.
By Jessica A. York
for the Times-Herald
VALLEJO, Calif. — The call comes in — a Vallejo home is on fire.
Firefighters rush to the scene, observe blacked-out windows and smoke pouring from the chimney. Inside, utter darkness, perhaps a bag of fertilizer by the door.
Two recent residential fires that turned out to be rented homes converted into marijuana-growing facilities have prompted the Vallejo Fire Department to assess what could be a new threat for firefighters and the city, department Battalion Chief Dave Urrutia said.
Urrutia responded to one of the recent grow-house fires and also spent time in a converted grow house outside Vallejo after a police bust. As a result, he said he has begun establishing new training standards for the department.
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FDIC is just around the corner and LION is excited to share with you our latest products and services – including our full line of turnout gear, protective gloves, station uniforms, boots, helmets, CBRN garments and TotalCare (LION’s PPE maintenance program ).
Will you be attending FDIC? Make sure to visit us at booth 811 in the Indiana Convention Center to see our latest innovations in turnout gear. This year we are showcasing our next generation of Glide™ thermal liners:
The slick low friction properties of Glide mean added freedom of movement and less working stress for a more comfortable feel in your turnout gear. This low friction capability is a result of our patented weave…the only face cloth with 60% DuPont™ Kevlar® Filament Technology.
As well as an exciting new outer shell, PBI Max™:
The PBI Max patent pending design offers fire fighters the best combination of break open and thermal protection, the strongest outer shell fabric in the world, and the most flexible and comfortable outer shell fabric the fire service has ever seen.
Don’t miss an opportunity to see our turnout gear in action at live fire training evolutions hosted by BullEx at outside booth #15261 and booth #14052 at South Street.
We hope to see you next week! Of course you can also follow our facebook page and twitter @lionconnects for pictures, videos and updates.
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