By Jim MacKay

For Mutual Aid, a Fire Chief blog

The problem of declining volunteer ranks is a complex and multi-facetted issue. However, I believe the major issues can be broken down into three areas: certification and training requirements, bureaucracy, and restrictive economic conditions. As a frontline crew member, certified firefighter and volunteer firefighter I would like to share some of what I have encountered in regards to these three areas.

Certification and training. In the past — and at the heart of volunteerism — many community members simply showed up to the station and signed on as a volunteer. When the call went out, they jumped in their vehicles and either raced to the station to join an engine company or drove directly to the scene. Training on the fundamentals of firefighting was taught at the station on average every other week. Certified volunteer firefighters were the exception, especially in the most rural areas of the country. Volunteers holding Medical First Responder certifications were uncommon and volunteer firefighters holding an EMT rating were rare. (Note: For the purpose of this discussion I am not including full-time paid/professional firefighters who “volunteer” outside of scheduled duty or who are volunteers at other departments in addition to their full-time firefighter position. This discussion is centered on the true civilian volunteer firefighter.)

Fast-forward to today’s volunteer organization and the landscape is quite different. Certifications are mandatory (and very rightfully so), and proficiency training is generally held once per week. The days of “just signing up” are gone, and with it a large number of individuals who cannot or will not commit to the certification requirements needed to be a safe and effective member of the Volunteer force. This may sound harsh but I have talked to and listened to many, many volunteer firefighters young and old and this theme prevails.

During the massive Central Texas Wildfires that burned 35,000 acres and destroyed some 1,600 homes I, like so many other true “volunteers,” left my family and headed to the fight. I saw scores of individuals turned away — why? Because they did not have the training, the certifications nor the proper personal protective equipment required to be on the fireground. Would these brave and honorable men and women have been turned away 20, 15 or even 10 years ago? But the fact is without the proper training and equipment the likelihood that some of these volunteers would have been either injured or killed was very high. To be turned away was absolutely the right call.

To read in full, click here.

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Pure Google Apps Solutions are finding their way into more and more industries, and Netkiller is helping them get there.  This January, RFSignalman, a division of Niemann Technology Inc. (NTI), implemented a Google Apps Engine-based system, designed by Netkiller, that allows them to streamline the process of helping their clients meet fire code specifications*.

RFSignalman is an independent testing company located in Elk Grove, CA that helps property owners comply with fire code regulations by meeting indoor radio coverage requirements.  They work with both property owners and Public Safety, providing accurate data that is utilized to improve Public Safety communications.

In order to accommodate the large volume of data and communication between property owners, field engineers, and Public Safety, Netkiller needed to build an application that could provide discrete functions for different groups of users, as well as store data, generate reports, and streamline communication.  All of this, with the addition of security, remote access, and reliability meant that the Google Apps Engine was the clear choice.

(more…)

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Day in and day out firefighters are told about the importance of turnout gear. Not only is it important to pick out the right gear for your department, but also to make sure you wear it properly when leaving on a call.  As this story by Caroline Tucker for the Rochester Homepage illustrates, you can never be too prepared.

Rochester City Firefighters say equipment helped save lives during the locust street fire on Thursday.

It was a fire that forced some living in the home to jump out of the windows.

One firefighter went to the hospital with first and second degree burns.

Three others were treated on the scene for injuries.

The Rochester Fire Department showed News 8 the turnout gear firefighters used during the Locust Street Fire.

They say much of it will have to be retired.

It’s black, burned, and covered in soot.

A number of firefighters went inside the burning home when they arrived because there were reports of children possibly trapped on the second floor.

That wasn’t the case, but firefighters tried to get inside as the heat overwhelmed them and smoke grew.

“Definitely one of the hottest, hadn’t seen anything this hot in 15 -17 years,” said Lt. Thomas Rogan, Rochester City Fire Department.

Read the rest of the story and watch the video here.

Photo by Jamie Germano for the Democrat and Chronicle.

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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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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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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 Alan M. Petrillo
for Fire Apparatus Magazine

When firefighters are using their personal protective equipment (PPE) on the fireground, the gear should be responsive and comfortable—not tight, restricting, or difficult to wear. Accordingly, ergonomics and a more tailored fit are buzzwords being used by PPE manufacturers that have spent a great deal of time debriefing firefighters on their use of gear and have crafted PPE styles that allow generous mobility in areas that flex and bend the most—knees, elbows, back, and seat.

Proactive Development

Karen Lehtonen, director of products for Lion, says that because PPE isn’t developed in a vacuum, Lion went out into the field and interviewed firefighters about how their gear fit and where it worked against them while performing tasks. “We also looked at other areas where clothing is trying to do the same thing—protect the wearer yet not be restrictive,” she says. “The military and athletics are such areas, and we were able to take some ideas from them on styling, patterning, and material combinations that improve movement and help reduce stress on the firefighter, because the gear is not fighting him while he’s wearing it.”

Hayley Fudge, Lion’s director of marketing, says the bending areas of a person’s body are where the stress points are located. “We have to think about how a firefighter is moving; what the garment is being asked to do; and where it might need more flex, like in the elbows and the knees,” she says.

As a result, Lion’s Janesville V-Force gear incorporates a flexible elbow area that allows the arm to bend freely and comfortably while still keeping the wrists protected. Fudge says it’s designed similarly to the bellows underarm construction, where a football-shaped insert is set behind the elbow that expands to eliminate tugging at the sleeve or shoulder when a firefighter flexes his arm.

Accommodating Reach

Lehtonen points out the most troublesome areas in bunker gear are those that are involved in reaching forward and upward and stepping up or down. Lion’s bunker pants have a gusset that the knee can fall into when a firefighter is climbing, crawling, bending, or kneeling. Lion also uses its Lite-N-Dri cushioning to give supplemental thermal insulation at the knee and in other high-compression areas such as shoulders, elbows, and the yoke. In addition, Lion eliminated crotch seams in its bunker pants to reduce tension on the gear and provide added wearing comfort.

Lion manages moisture in its gear though its Isodri technology, a combination of materials that blocks outside sourced water, wicks perspiration off the body, and resists storing water inside the protective envelope. Lehtonen points out that Lion shortly will offer a new collar on its bunker coat that has less of an abrasion factor and interfaces better with a fire helmet and a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) face piece.

Read the full article here.

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