Firewhirl: November 2005 Archives

Phoenix USAR Team Back in Business

It looks like the Phoenix Urban Search and Rescue team is back in business after FEMA removed their suspension (from azcentral.com via FireFightingNews.com).

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has lifted its suspension of the Phoenix Fire Department's urban search and rescue team two months after firefighters were sent home from hurricane relief efforts because they had armed police officers with them.

Here is my original post on this subject when they were first suspended. In the post, I noted that FEMA shouldn't expect USAR teams to deploy without the proper police protection. It looks like they have come to the same conclusion.

Arizona Task Force 1 will be allowed to continue deploying Phoenix police deputized as U.S. marshals "as long as they wear U.S. marshals' uniforms," FEMA officials said.

FEMA's decision to allow armed police, despite a rule against carrying firearms, applies only to Phoenix's team. But the agency left open the possibility that the city's model would be adopted on a broader scale.

I'm all for this change in policy. I'm betting that this will become the model to follow for all of the USAR teams and perhaps for all mutual aid resources that are dispatched to large incidents. Especially where the safety of the responders could be compromised by criminals or rioting.

Fire Trucks Built with LEGO

Check out the cool representation of an LAFD ladder truck built from LEGO blocks (from the LAFD News and Info site).

I followed some of the links in the post and there are quite a few fire trucks that have been built. Some of them are very impressive. This kind of thing must take a lot a patience!

Big Fires in Oklahoma

There were some big fires recently in Oklahoma that have taken a toll on people, firefighters, and brush rigs in that area (via KOTV.com).

This week's wildfires have burned more than 50,000 acres since Sunday, destroying some 50 homes and countless structures.

A McIntosh County man is in the hospital with severe burns and several firefighters suffered minor injuries. Of the sixteen counties where wildfires once blazed, firefighters continue to battle four fires in three Oklahoma counties.

Meantime, other small rural fire departments are surveying the damage and preparing for the rest of the fire season. Flat Rock's Volunteer Fire Department have three rigs going in for repairs after losing the brakes on one, a radio on another and a water pump on their newest vehicle.

I've been a little busy shoveling snow, but I haven't heard a thing about these fires until today. You would think that 50,000 acres might warrant some big-time media coverage.

Blizzard Slows Firewhirl

Sorry for the multi-day outage here at Firewhirl. I took a couple of days off for Thanksgiving and then this big storm hit (from FoxNews - the article is from FoxNews, not the storm - hehehe).

Power has been out here until last night and I've been digging out from the snow drifts. I'll be shoveling the rest of the day. Look for the usual posts related to fire tomorrow (if all goes well).

Thanksgiving Day

Have a great Thanksgiving! Check this website for info on the history of Thanksgiving Day.

This made me laugh - one of my suppliers sent it to me.

Lutherville/Holman Volunteer Fire Department

It's time for our Wednesday feature - the Department of the Week. This week we are highlighting the Lutherville/Holman Volunteer Fire Department of Lutherville and Holman, Arkansas.

Quick Notes:

Lutherville/Holman Volunteer Fire Department
Location: Lutherville and Holman, Arkansas
Type: Volunteer
Stations: 1 (they are currently building a new station)
Apparatus: 6
Members: 14
Area: 50 square miles

Here is their patch:

They've got a nice website with lots of info about their new station, their trucks, and their personnel. Sign their guest book and let them know you visited.

Fire Started by Flaming Bird

I've heard of squirrels starting fires this way, but not birds (from the Hollister Free Lance via FireFightingNews.com).

Saturday’s fire started after a bird flew into power lines, burst into flames, plummeted to the earth and ignited the dry grass, according to Kinoshita. It was contained within a half-hour and fully extinguished within three hours, he said.

“It was a bird-into-a-power-line type of deal,” Kinoshita said, adding that fires caused by flaming birds are “not too common.”

"Not too common" is a slight understatement - hehehe.

Old Roanoke Fire Trucks Found

Check out the post and pictures at Roanoke Firefighters. Rhett went on a search for old fire trucks at some junk yards and found some interesting stuff.

Search Dog Aspen Dies

Interesting article about a search and rescue dog that became an icon and has recently died (from the LAFD News and Info blog).

It's been more than ten years, but it seems like yesterday: the April 1995 act of domestic terrorism that took 168 lives in Oklahoma City.

Among the memorable images of that horrific day is a photograph of Oklahoma City Firefighter Chris Fields cradling the lifeless body of 1 year-old Baylee Almon. For most, that Pulitzer Prize winning photo remains an indelible reminder of the immediate and local impact of the cowardly attack.

An equally lasting image for many was a photograph of exhausted Florida Firefighter Skip Fernandez and his disaster search dog partner Aspen, who worked tirelessly for days in search of survivors.

I must have been under a rock somewhere, but I don't remember ever seeing this picture. I missed out until today. My thoughts are with Firefighter Fernandez.

Dispute over Words of a Poem

I ran across this article (from the Times Record) and thought it deserved some attention. The Brunswick firefighters' union wanted to put up a memorial inscribed with A Fireman's Prayer, a poem written by A.W. Linn. The town council had some issues with the wording of the poem.

Several councilors also raised objections to the poem's use of the word "fireman" — as opposed to the gender-neutral word "firefighter" — and the phrase "my children and my wife," which they said implies that only men can serve as firefighters.

Click this link to view the entire poem (FireHouse651.com). Also read the editor's note after the poem.

Luckily, the firefighters were allowed to go forward with the original wording of the poem.

But the six remaining councilors said it would be inappropriate to change the wording of a poem authored by another person and that, at its heart, the poem is simply an homage to the sacrifices firefighters make.

"I do not think the average woman is going to be threatened by a poem that was written in 1959," said Councilor Joanne King. "It deserves to be on that memorial."

That is right on target. The poem was written in 1959 by a man who was a firefighter. The poem was written from his point of view. It is his prayer asking God to protect his family. The wording of this poem should not be changed.

Other poems should be written to reflect the current state of our fire service. In fact, there are already lots of other firefighter prayers with more politically correct wording. Just do an internet search on "firefighter prayer" and check the results.

In the case of the Brunswick firefighter memorial, perhaps a different prayer could have been chosen, but I don't think there is anything wrong with the prayer that they did choose.

As I searched the internet for a site with the original wording of this poem, I ran across many sites with modified wording. Perhaps these sites should consider using the original wording and also including more recent poems on their sites.

Injured Hiker Crawls to Escape Fire

A hiker with a broken leg had to crawl to get out of the way of a wildland fire (from azcentral.com).

CHRISTOPHER CREEK- A 77-year-old man first broke his leg while hiking and then had to crawl miles to escape a wildfire near Christopher Creek.

Wayne Tipsword, the man's son, told KNXV TV that his father, after fracturing his leg over the weekend, started a small campfire to keep warm.

But Tipsword said sometime during the night, his dad got up and his right leg went out and he fell into the fire. Tipsword said that scattered the embers, which ignited the wildfire.

Tipsword said his father then had to crawl several miles to escape the fire. Luckily, fire crews found him and he was airlifted to a hospital.

The fire, meanwhile, continues to burn. At last report it had charred about 160 acres.

This guy didn't have much luck - first a broken leg, and then starting a fair sized fire.

I'm a little skeptical about how far he had to crawl. If the fire was only 160 acres when he was rescued, he probably didn't have to crawl "miles". However, having to crawl anywhere with a broken leg and a fire chasing you is pretty gutsy.

UK Trucks Donated to Russia

Some fire trucks from the UK are being donated to Russia (from the BBC News via FireFightingNews.com).

Four fire engines that have been retired from operational service in the UK are being donated to Russia. A West Sussex charity set up by retired fire officer Chris Holgate is behind the scheme.

Volunteers will drive the engines from Chichester to Tilbury on Thursday from where they will be shipped to Kursk.

...

He said he saw the poor standard of equipment given to Kursk firefighters and found that an average of 160 people were dying in fires in Kursk each year, many of them children.

He set up Fire Safety Friends of Russia to improve building design, fire fighting equipment, and the treatment of fire victims.

This shows that the need to quality fire equipment extends world-wide. Kudos to the Fire Safety Friends of Russia.

I've also read many stories of U.S. departments donating trucks to fire departments in the hurricane-damaged Gulf. Keep up the good work!

Firefighter Upside Down during Hunt

Firefighters find themselves in the weirdest situations (from the Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle via FireFightingNews.com).

Montgomery County deer hunter Nickoles Rhodes, 21, is lucky to be alive and glad to be home after hanging by one foot from a broken tree stand for 90 minutes while 45 feet up a tree Sunday evening.

Rhodes shot a doe from his perch off Smith Branch Road in Montgomery County around 5:15 p.m. Sunday. The tree stand gave way while he was maneuvering it down the cherry tree.

...

Rhodes, a Woodlawn volunteer firefighter, said his right boot toe caught in the strap.

"Otherwise I'd have fallen right on my head and wouldn't be talking to you right now," he said.

I've heard some pretty good hunting stories, but this is in a class by itself. Best wishes to Firefighter Rhodes on his recovery.

Need Some Suggestions

OK, here is your chance to let me know what you would like to see here on Firewhirl. I'm always looking to improve the posts on this blog and I need some suggestions on how I can do that.

Here are the regular features:
Tuesday - post poll results and start a new poll
Wednesday - post the Department of the Week
Thursday - post a near-miss report from the Near Miss Reporting System

I also read through numerous websites and post on things that I think are interesting on Monday through Friday.

Are there topics that I don't cover that you would like to see covered? Are there links that you would like added to the sidebar? Do the posts I have convey enough information? Would you like to see more of my opinion or less?

Let me know how we can improve Firewhirl and make it a better site. Post a comment or send an e-mail. Thanks!

Poll Results - November 22, 2005

Nothing too surprising here. I think it would be beneficial to have all members equipped with radios. However, it would be expensive to do that. Hopefully, the cost of electronics continues to come down making it possible for fire departments to equip all of their firefighters with radios.

Day Eight: What's Next?

Here is the link to day 8 on the LI firefighters. It deals with what is next for the entire firefighting system on Long Island.

Long Island is the last densely populated region in America served almost exclusively by volunteers, but the system here is showing signs of strain.

Though they are among the best-funded, best-trained and best-equipped in the nation, fire departments here are falling prey to many of the same problems that have plagued agencies nationwide.

"Was the volunteer fire service ever designed to do what Long Island fire departments are doing right now? I don't think so," said Gil Hanse, Babylon Town's director of emergency preparedness and a longtime volunteer.

"We're like a city. With the amount of people that we have and the service we're expected to provide, has it become a burden? Yes."

This has been a really good series of articles. I'll try to put some of my thoughts together regarding the articles and put up a post, probably on Wednesday.

Air Force Firefighters in Afghanistan

The Air Force has some firefighters in Afghanistan that have had some unique experiences (from Firehouse.com).

In the last six months, a six-man Air Force fire and crash rescue unit has gone on five missions into some of Afghanistan's most remote areas. There was enough aircraft flow to warrant the services of the only rapid-reaction fire rescue team in the country.

"We're always prepared to fight fire. That's the nature of the job. But this is just completely different," said Master Sgt. Kevin Riehle, chief of forward fire protection, deployed from Scott Air Force Base, Ill. "I never envisioned any of the stuff we dealt with. Never did we expect to be airlifted into and out of hostile areas to support combat ops."

You'll want to read the whole article. Not only do these folks have a dangerous job as firefighters, they have to do it in a combat zone!

New Orleans FD Adjusts Post-Katrina

The New Orleans Fire Department continues to face challenges since Hurricane Katrina hit. They also continue to adjust to these challenges and do their job as firefightes. Here is a good article from the Times-Picayune.

More than half of the New Orleans Fire Department's stations were damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Of the department's 33 stations, only 10 are operational.

But 751 New Orleans firefighters remain at work, spread citywide and housed in places such as the Audubon Park Clubhouse and the St. Pius X Elementary School in Lake Vista.

...

Since Katrina, the Fire Department has relied on water dropped from buckets by helicopters at the direction of firefighters on the ground or in spotter planes. As recently as Friday, inadequate water pressure led firefighters to use helicopters contracted by the city to drop water on two fires in eastern New Orleans, said Peter Caruso, supervisor of fire communications.

...

"And I tell you, these guys are adjusting and adapting because they're committed," he said. "They're committed to making sure that the citizens of New Orleans know that we're providing all the protection and service that we can do for their re-entry. We want to make sure they know that. It's important for them to know that because we want them back."

Hang tough, NOFD. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Day Seven: Oversight

Here is the link to day 7 of the Newsday.com series on Long Island firefighting. Day 7 focuses on the oversight of the firefighting agencies.

Over the past 50 years, Long Island's network of small-town volunteer fire departments has evolved into a vast enterprise, yet four out of five fire agencies here answer to no higher level of government about the way they spend money or deliver lifesaving services.

Long Island volunteers preside over $1 billion in buildings and equipment, cost more than $319 million a year, administer 120 pension funds and protect 2.7-million citizens. Yet the state comptroller hasn't audited a Long Island fire district since 2001, and how volunteer departments raise and spend donations from the public is exempt from the supervision most other not-for-profit groups receive from the state attorney general.

In a rural area, oversight isn't a big issue, but I can see where this would be a serious problem when the departments have so much in assets.

Day 8 focuses on what is next for the LI firefighters, but I can't get the link to the article. As soon as their links are working, I'll post on it.

Round 12 for AFG and Round 4 for SAFER

More grants were announced today. Check here for Round 12 of the AFG program and here for Round 4 of the SAFER program. Best of luck in getting your grant!

Day Six: EMS Service

Day six of the Newsday.com feature on Long Island firefighting deals with the EMS side of things.

While officials say they can still muster volunteers for fires, overwork and burnout are driving Long Island medical volunteers away and forcing a rapidly growing number of agencies to turn their work over to paid crews. And in Suffolk, resident deaths have spurred lawmakers and health officials to push for more coordination and a bigger role for government in protecting the public.

I didn't take the time to read through all of the info this morning, but I will later today. From what I read, Long Island is dealing with the same issues most fire departments are regarding EMS service.

Cedar Fire Starter gets Probation

The man who started the largest wildland fire in California history, which killed 15 people, gets five years of probation as his sentence (from ABC News).

SAN DIEGO Nov 17, 2005 — A deer hunter, after a tearful courtroom apology, was sentenced Thursday to five years probation for starting a wildfire that killed 15 people and destroyed more than 2,000 homes.

"I wish I was dead instead," Sergio Martinez told a packed courtroom that included many victims of the blaze east of San Diego that charred 422 square miles the largest wildfire in California history.

Martinez started the fire to attract attention after he became lost and disoriented on Oct. 25, 2003, in the Cleveland National Forest. He faced a maximum five years in prison, but the judge spared him jail time.

This seems like a pretty light sentence to me considering the death and destruction that resulted from the incident. I'll be interested to read the reactions over the next couple of days.

UPDATE: Here is the full sentence that was handed down (via the San Diego Union-Tribune).

Instead, Sergio Martinez was ordered to spend six months in private confinement that will allow him to continue to work and be free on weekends to perform 960 hours of community service. Martinez also was placed on probation for five years and ordered to pay restitution of $150 a month over that period.

Maybe I'm being too tough here, but I still think this is a light sentence. After killing 15 people and destroying 2,400 homes, some prison time would be in order.

Near Miss: Roll Over on Ice

For this week's near miss report, I picked one that deals with icy roads since we are getting to a point in the year where many of us will have to deal with that situation.

While responding to a reported motor vehicle accident with injuries, the apparatus came across a bridge and started sliding on the icy roads. Road conditions at that location were black ice. The apparatus slid for a short distance and then hit the curb and rolled on its side. All occupants of the apparatus had their seat belts and other safety equipment on. There were no injuries. The apparatus sustained extensive damage. The apparatus was a four wheel drive rig with on spot chains. Neither of these were being utilized at the time of the incident.

The rest of the report is very short, so go ahead and click the link to read it.

Do all of your apparatus drivers modify their driving techniques appropriately for changing road conditions? If not, what should your department do to ensure the safety of the firefighters?

One thing I noticed with this report is that it is a true near-miss. There were no injuries. Part of this is due to the fact that all of the passengers had their seat belts on. Do your firefighters always wear their seat belts?

Day Five: The Volunteers

For day five of the Newsday.com series on Long Island Firefighters, the focus is on the volunteers.

In the fall of 2003, a longtime Manhasset volunteer firefighter and businessman placed a startling advertisement in the local newspaper.

"Volunteerism has been stretched to the breaking point," wrote Brian Kenny, a volunteer since 1960. It was time, he argued, to "get past the emotional trap of tradition and brotherhood," time for the Manhasset-Lakeville Fire District to start hiring firefighters and paramedics.

The ad sparked outrage and denunciations from volunteers.

...

Today, Long Island fire agencies employ at least 1,800 people, an average of 10 full- and part-time workers for each fire agency, at a cost of more than $52 million annually. Their numbers are small next to the 20,000 volunteers in Nassau and Suffolk, but they are becoming indispensable. Only one in six fire agencies still function as purely volunteer organizations with no paid staff.

I believe that it doesn't matter what type of department a jurisdiction has, as long as good service is provided to the citizens. If a paid department is needed, then hire some firefighters. If volunteers are still providing good service and are willing to respond to calls, then keep the volunteers.

Body Found Three Weeks After Fire

I read about this yesterday, but the article had very few details so I didn't post about it. The police found the body of a woman three weeks after a fire in her condo was extinguished (from ContraCostaTimes.com).

The discovery of a woman's body three weeks after a fire filled her Concord condominium with smoke has prompted an internal investigation at the county's fire district, a fire official said Tuesday.

Firefighters pried open Carla Garrett's balcony door to vent smoke from her Ellis Street condo during an Aug. 19 fire, but they may not have searched inside, said Rich Grace, Contra Costa Fire District assistant fire chief.

We'll have to wait for the investigation to release their findings, but if the firefighters didn't search her condo thoroughly, they could be in some hot water.

Cat and Gecko Start Fire

Add this one to your list of wacky stories. Apparently a cat attacked a gecko and the result was a fire (from CBC News via FireFightingNews.com).

A cat and a gecko are shouldering the blame for starting a fire in a Charlottetown apartment on Wednesday morning.

The lazy lizard was lounging under a heat lamp inside an aquarium when the cat decided to attack. The feisty feline knocked over the aquarium and the heat lamp ended up on top of a pile of clothes.

That pile of laundry caught on fire, spread to a mattress and filled the apartment with smoke.

...

None of the humans in the apartment building were injured in the fire. The search for the gecko also had a happy ending, it was found shortly after the firemen took the mattress out of the building.

I'm assuming the cat was fine too.

Firefighting Exhibit in Littleton, MA

If you live near Littleton, MA, there is a new firefighting exhibit that you might want to view (from the Littleton Independent).

The exhibit is a blend of historical artifacts and paraphernalia from the collection of Littleton resident James Ray collected over the last century. Society and Littleton Resident James Ray are hosting an exhibit which blends their collections of firefighting paraphernalia collected over the past century or older, in some cases. The society's fire bucket, the oldest piece, is dated 1794. On display is a hose cart from 1900, as well as helmets, buckets, uniforms, gas masks, patches, fire alarm call boxes, radio equipment, and trumpets.

Cool stuff. That 1794 fire bucket seems really old to me, but I live in an area of the country that was settled relatively late in U.S. history. The fire bucket they have on display is 87 years older than my hometown!

Linden Fire Department

The Department of the Week is the Linden Fire Department of Linden, Arizona.

Quick Notes:

Linden Fire Department
Location: Linden, Arizona
Type: Combination
Stations: 3
Apparatus: 13
Members: 29
Area: 57 square miles

Colorful patch!

Please visit their website and send them an e-mail. They have some good pictures of their equipment and incidents. They also have organized three CERT teams to help them out on large incidents.

Rainbows

Want to see some rainbows created by firefighters testing a ladder pipe? Clark over at WF&DT has some photos.

This past Sunday we flow-tested the ladder pipe on new Truck 10 with a heavy-water evolution: trying to flow the ladder pipe at the rated capacity of the supply pumper, which is a LOT of water. The breeze blew the water back and got me and 'Hammy a little wet and produced a fine rainbow over the Temple of Our Lady of Illicit Copulation, aka the boatshed.

The picture of the Temple of Our Lady of Illicit Copulation is very nice. I also like the double rainbow (yes, look close) over Hammy's shoulder - hehehe.

Fire-safe Hotels and Motels

Over at the LAFD News and Information blog, they have in interesting post about ensuring that your hotel or motel accommodations are fire-safe.

If you're like millions of Americans, chances are you will soon visit your favorite travel website to secure holiday reservations.

Even now, you may be sitting by your computer, beverage in hand (but not too close to the keyboard), trying to make sure you don't forget something on your hotel checklist: Room with a view, check! Around-the-clock room service, check! Heated pool and spa, check!

You might think you have it covered.

The men and women of the Los Angeles Fire Department ask you to go one step further though, by staying in a fire safe hotel or motel.

Here is the link to the USFA website where you can check if your hotel or motel is fire-safe.

Long Island Fire Service Under the Spotlight

Newsday.com is doing an eight day feature on the Long Island Fire Service. Today is day four of that eight day feature.

In a series beginning Sunday, Newsday presents the most complete picture of the Long Island volunteer fire service ever assembled. The reporting process included interviews with hundreds of people inside the 179 LI fire agencies, and the examination of thousands of documents and statistics.

I've spent a little bit of time reading the articles and their is tons of information. I can tell you one thing - they do things quite a bit differently in Long Island than they do in South Dakota.

The last two days of the Newsday.com feature hasn't been particularly encouraging for the Long Island fire agencies. Yesterday's articles pointed out that there seems to be an overabundance of apparatus for what is really needed and today's articles point out all of the perks that the Long Island firefighters receive. Some of these perks are pretty extravagant.

In 1998, it was a seminar on terrorism awareness in the Gulf of Mexico aboard the Carnival cruise ship "Ecstasy." This year it was north to Alaska aboard "The Spirit" for another seminar.

And three years in between, the Fire Chiefs' Council of Suffolk County chose to do its training by the pink sands of the Bahamas.

...

Taxpayers footed the bill for some of the chiefs and commissioners at a cost of up to $325 a night plus air fare and conference fees.

Wow - seems a little over the top to me.

You won't want to miss this series. Stay tuned.

UPDATE: Here is the link to the Firehouse.com article about the Newsday.com feature. Also the link to the Firehouse.com forum so you can discuss this issue.

Poll Results - November 15, 2005

This was the result I expected. Most departments that I've come in contact with are short-handed.

Bill Would Protect Volunteer's Jobs

This is a little dated, but I saw it on the NVFC website.

H.R. 3949 would protect volunteer firefighters from being fired, demoted or harassed if they miss work because they are activated to respond to a Presidentially declared emergency. Members of the National Guard already enjoy similar job protection under current law.

"When the men and women of the volunteer fire service are asked to respond to a national disaster they shouldn't have to jeopardize their livelihoods in order to answer the call," said NVFC Chairman Philip Stittleburg. "This bill is the right thing to do for our nation's volunteer firefighters and it ensures that they will be available to respond as needed."

This sounds like a good idea, but I haven't put much thought into it yet. Your thoughts are welcome - just add your comments.

Bill Coupe on Emergency Services

Bill over at Code, Code World has a good post about his thoughts on people involved in emergency services. It is well worth the couple of minutes it will take to read it.

It’s rarely about ‘the money’ with these folks; they certainly aren’t going to be “livin’ large” on what they find in their paychecks. Instead they’ve chosen to take a different path than most of us would, or could. To put caring for, and protecting, the lives, needs and property of others, in front of nearly everything else, including their own well being.

Indiana Firefighters Help Train Iraqi Firefighters

Some firefighters from the Fort Wayne Fire Department are helping train Iraqi firefighters in Baghdad (from the News-Sentinel).

The Fort Wayne Fire Department is accustomed to racing from one side of the city to the other, dousing fires and rescuing people.

For the last several months, though, the local department has been helping battle blazes a little farther away – nearly 6,400 miles, to be exact, in Baghdad, Iraq, by sharing training materials.

Read the rest of the story to find out how the connections were made between these two fire departments. Once again, this proves that firefighting is a brotherhood, regardless of where you live, what your political affiliation is, or what religion you follow.

Hose Must be Secured

The NFPA has a new interim rule out on securing fire hose (from Firechief.com).

A few years ago, a hose fell off the back of a fire truck while turning a corner, killing a pedestrian. What seemed like an isolated incident was quickly followed by a second fatality caused by a falling hose. These incidents prompted the NFPA Standards Council to pass a temporary interim amendment. Beginning Nov. 18, all manufacturers of new apparatus are required to provide a secure means to keep all hose securely in place on the unit.

Basically, this means that any hose stored on a fire apparatus must be restrained to prevent the potential of falling off the vehicle. But whether the hose is secured with canvas belts, a cover or other device, it's the fire department's responsibility to check and secure existing apparatus and to work with fire apparatus manufacturers to ensure new apparatus has a preventive means to safely secure the hose.

Emphasis mine.

I know from time to time, we have a problem with high winds blowing hose out of the hose beds. Is the hose on your trucks secured?

Flying Fireman from Pennsylvania

This is an amazing story from The Sentinal in Carlisle, PA (via FireFightingNews.com).

To those who know him, Eric Knoss has to be one of the luckiest firefighters around.

A huge explosion at a vacant furniture factory in Aspers early Friday sent Knoss flying 30 feet through the air and into a clump of trees.

As chunks of cider block rained down, Aspers Fire Co. Assistant Chief Lewis Alexander was sure Knoss had been killed or seriously injured.

“I sent two of my firefighters, who are EMTs, to check on him,” Alexander said in a phone interview Friday night.

“They found him down there laughing ... perfectly fine,” Alexander said. “He was one very lucky man. He just said, ‘Wow, that was fun.’”

As it says later in the article, I hope his luck continues.

Hong Kong Firefighting Apparatus

Hong Kong has some really interesting fire apparatus. Mike over at Firefighter Blog has featured their equipment. They have equipment typical of a fire department here in the U.S., but they also have equipment like a Fire Motorcycle, a Mini Fire Truck, and a Bulk Foam Tender.

If you follow the link, you'll see lots of pictures and descriptions of their apparatus.

UPDATE: Rhett over at Roanoke Firefighters has a post on this subject too.

Firefighting on Governors Island NY

Governors Island is a small island in New York Harbor with an FDNY fire station (from the New York Times).

To spend a day with them is to visit a world of firefighting as removed from city life as Governors Island itself. The pace of work, with all its foibles, suggests a small town in Nebraska, or perhaps an island off the coast of Maine. It does not feel like the middle of New York City, which in a funny way it is.

...

The captain and 13 other men work in shifts of three, all the time, to protect more than 50 people who work on the island during the day and the occasional tourists who visit during the summer. They also watch over architectural treasures, 62 historic buildings that stamp the north end of the island, some of which date from before the Civil War.

Who would have thought that in the middle of New York City there could be a fire station like the one on Governors Island? You'll want to read the whole article. There is a slide show with some pictures too.

AFG Round 11 and SAFER Round 3

AFG Round 11 awards and SAFER Round 3 awards have been given. Look at the lists to see if you received your grant award.

Type I IC Accused of Arson

From Fox News:

PHOENIX — The former commander of an elite wildfire team that battled the largest blaze in Arizona history and aided in recovery efforts at the World Trade Center is accused of starting two fires last year, federal prosecutors said.

Van Bateman, 55, was indicted Wednesday for allegedly setting the fires in the Coconino National Forest in 2004. He faces two federal counts of setting timber afire and two counts of arson on public lands. The first charge carries a maximum prison sentence of five years, while arson is punishable by up to 20 years, prosecutors said Thursday.

Bateman was a Type I incident commander, the head of a wildfire management crew that is called in for the biggest and most severe wildfires. His four-year term in that position expired in 2004 and he became leader of a slightly lower level team until he was indicted and put on paid leave, according to Forest Service officials.

This is big news. I always have to remind myself that at this stage, the accused hasn't been found guilty yet. I'll keep an eye out for further developments.

Thanks to our Veterans

Thanks so much to the veterans of our armed forces. Your service has made a real difference in our lives and we want you to know how grateful we are.

Visit the Veterans Day webpage at Military.com. They have lots of stuff to view including a movie tribute, cartoons, war letters, and a way for old buddies to reconnect.

New Blog Link and Other Links

Over on the right sidebar, you'll notice some new links.

WF&DT (Women, Fire and Dangerous Things) - Clark provides insight into his life as a firefighter in Maryland County. I liked his blog as soon as I read the subtitle:

I live with fear and danger but every third day I leave her to go to the Job.

I've also added links to the Los Angeles Fire Department's News and Information site and to the Fire Chief website.

Enjoy!

Cool Cloud Pictures

Out here in the middle of South Dakota, many of our firefighters are also trained weather spotters. When severe weather hits, they go out and observe the weather so that the public can be warned if a tornado is spotted.

A firefighter/weather spotter passed a website on to me. It has some really cool pictures of Mammatus Clouds which were observed over Hastings, Nebraska in 2004.

Check it out.

Near Miss: MVA with Fight and Fire

This incident has a little of everything - a vehicle accident with injuries, a fight between onlookers and firefighters, and a fire with injuries to firefighters.

FF (Name deleted) intervened and told the gentleman to calm down immediately. He turned to FF (name deleted) and asked him who the “f” he was and to get the **** out of his face. He then jumped at FF (name deleted) apparently to hit him or scare him. In defense, FF (name deleted) threw him onto the ground to calm him down and to defend himself. The gentleman then began to hit FF (name deleted) and the fight began. In defense of his father, LT (name deleted) intervened into the fight. I contacted Communications and advised them to have the police “step it up” because a large fight had broken out.

This is a longer near miss report, but read the whole thing. Lots of unexpected stuff happened at this incident. It really isn't a near miss because firefighters did get injured.

Once you've read through the report, imagine your fire department responding to this incident and handling all of the complications. How would your department do? Would you get the job done without any injuries?

Kotzebue Volunteer Fire Department

Our Department of the Week this week is the Kotzebue Volunteer Fire Department of Kotzebue, Alaska.

Quick Notes:

Kotzebue Volunteer Fire Department
Location: Kotzebue, Alaska
Stations: 1
Apparatus: 8
Members: 38
Area: Unknown (e-mail me if you know)

Here is their patch:

Check out their website and let them know you visited. You'll also want to visit the website for the City of Kotzebue. They've got some cool stuff about their town. They are located WAY up north - BRR!

IAFF Hurricane Katrina Video

Check this out (from the IAFF via FireFightingNews.com).

November 8, 2005 – The IAFF is distributing a video to federal officials and key lawmakers on Capitol Hill that documents the first-hand experiences and problems with government assistance in responding to the disasters faced by IAFF members along the Gulf Coast following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Here is the link to the video. You'll want to watch it (10 minutes).

This really highlights some of the serious problems that the local/state/federal emergency systems faced during and after the hurricane.

The part that got my attention was what would happen if all communication in our county went down. No radio, no phones, no cell phones. How would we continue to function? Do we have a plan in our county if that happens? Hmmm, good question.

Forest Waste Wood Provides Heat

I ran across an article that describes how brush piles from forests are used to heat schools (from ENN.com via Cascadia Scorecard Weblog).

COUNCIL. Idaho — The tiny Council School District used to pour thousands of dollars into outmoded oil and electric heaters. Nearby, the Forest Service burned brush piles on the mountainsides to keep the brush from fueling forest fires in dry summers.

Looking for some savings, Council Superintendent Murray Dalgleish developed Idaho's first public school biomass heating system -- a project that's expected to save Council $1 million on fuel over the next 15 years.

"We're surrounded by the Payette National Forest," said Dalgleish. "We're the Saudi Arabia of wood."

This is a great idea. It helps clean up our forests reducing the danger of catastrophic fire. Schools save a "pile" of money - hehehe. We reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. It produces less pollution than fossil fuels. I don't see a downside to this.

Here is the link to the Fuels for Schools website.

Poll Results - November 8, 2005

Hey - we set a new record for poll participants and the results were neck and neck.

From our results, it looks like most are not in favor of national requirements for becoming a firefighter.

There are positives and negatives to having national requirements. On one hand, our firefighters would be better trained and better able to accomplish their tasks. On the other hand, it would be very difficult to recruit and retain volunteer firefighters.

PS. Don't forget to vote in the new poll.

Software to Calculate Firefighting Resources

IBM is working with federal firefighting agencies to develop software that will calculate the resources needed to attack a wildfire (from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer).

BOISE, Idaho -- Federal fire managers and IBM researchers are announcing the second phase of a $36 million system to computerize the process of dispatching wildfire crews and equipment, a move intended to boost efficiency and cut costs.

The first module of the Fire Program Analysis software automates firefighting resources in the initial attack phase of a blaze.

Completed by IBM in October 2004, it's now being tested by the Department of Interior, Forest Service, National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of Indian Affairs.

In the second phase, IBM researchers plan to work with federal officials to design a similar program to calculate suppression needs when fires burn for an extended period of time and over a large area.

This software should help by at least giving dispatchers an idea of how many resources will be required. However, I don't think fire officials should rely completely on these calculations. A little common sense will go along way.

Fire-safe Cigarettes in California

Fire-safe cigarettes are now required in California starting January 1, 2007 (from NFPA.org).

October 13, 2005 – California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s recent approval of a bill mandating the use of cigarettes that are much less likely to cause fires will save lives in that state and could lead to nationwide use of such “fire-safe” cigarettes. Last Friday, Governor Schwarzenegger signed AB 178, the California Cigarette Safety and Firefighter Protection Act.

As a result, that legislation, sponsored by California Assemblymember Paul Koretz (D-West Hollywood), will require that all cigarettes sold and manufactured in California after January 1, 2007, will be required to comply with standards demonstrating that they have a reduced propensity to burn when left unattended. Such “fire-safe” cigarettes help prevent smoking-related fires. Each year, smoking-related fires needlessly kill approximately 800 people across the country. They are the leading cause of home fire fatalities and a threat to firefighters and other first responders.

Fire-safe cigarette requirements are already in place in the states of New York and Vermont. A recent preliminary report out of New York showed that the number of deaths caused by cigarette-ignited fires has dropped 33 percent since that state’s fire-safe cigarette requirement went into effect.

This is a good thing for firefighters and for the public. It probably won't be long and all 50 states will require fire-safe cigarettes.

Cameras on Fire Trucks

Fire crews in the U.K. are routinely attacked as they respond to fires. The attacks usually involve a crowd of youths throwing rocks and bricks. Well, in an innovation similar to the cameras that are on police cars here in the U.S., the U.K. firefighters are beginning to install cameras on their fire trucks (from the BBC).

Closed circuit television cameras are to be fitted to fire engines in Greater Manchester in a bid to reduce attacks on fire crews. The move follows 11 attacks on firefighters in the county over the Bonfire Night weekend.

Crews had bricks and fireworks thrown at them and one firefighter was threatened with a gun.

Four vehicles in areas most at risk will be fitted with CCTV and footage will be handed to police as evidence.

I'm betting that in many urban areas in the U.K., cameras will become standard equipment on firefighting vehicles. Hopefully, we never get to that point here in the U.S.

Volunteer Firefighter Numbers Dropping

This article from USA Today confirms something that most of the volunteer firefighters knew already: our numbers are dropping big time.

PENN TOWNSHIP, Pa. — It took 26 fire companies from three counties last year to fight the fire at Dino's Grille, a two-story wood structure that ignited on a hot Tuesday morning in this town outside Harrisburg. The local volunteer chief still fumes just thinking about it.

When Monte Supko arrived at the scene, he signaled other volunteer departments in the area for help. He needed firefighters. But what he got, mostly, was firetrucks — many with only one or two people aboard.

By the time sufficient manpower was assembled and the fire extinguished, Dino's was a smoking wreck. "A parade of half-million dollar firetrucks didn't help much," he says. "I got mad, because we've waited so long to address the problem."

The problem is this: The volunteer fire company, an institution that dates to Ben Franklin, is slowly going the way of the horse-drawn pumper.

Interesting stuff and it hits the nail right on the head. There are pictures too. Check it out.

AFG Round 10 and SAFER Round 2

Forgot to post that some more grants were awarded last Friday. The AFG Round 10 grants were awarded as well as the SAFER Round 2 grants. Hopefully, your department is on the list!

Security Gates Block Firefighters

Some New Zealand firefighters were blocked from a fire by security gates to a ritzy neighborhood (from stuff.co.nz via FireFightingNews.com).

Firefighters trying to get to a ferocious bush fire threatening multi million-dollar homes at Closeburn Station were blocked by the exclusive subdivision's gates, Closeburn resident Blair McKenzie said yesterday.

The fire truck and crew were waiting outside the gate helpless because they didn't know the code to activate and open the gates and no one was there to meet them, he said.

Oops. Do you have security gates in your jurisdictions? If so, can you open them (without forcible entry tools - hehehe)?

Smart Buildings

Do you ever wish you had more information about a structure fire before your resources are committed? Here is an idea called "smart buildings" that would make a huge impact on firefighting (from M&C Science and Nature).

WASHINGTON, DC, United States (UPI) -- 'Intelligent' building systems may someday allow U.S. firefighters and other first responders to better respond to emergencies.

...

The systems would send information such as building floor plans and data from motion, heat, biochemical and other sensors as well as video cameras directly to fire and police dispatchers who then could communicate detailed information about the scene to first responders.

This is definitely a step in the right direction. Why should the dispatchers be included in the loop? Why not just set things up so the firefighters themselves get the information directly from the building systems? That way, an extra communication step is removed. The fewer communication steps that are required, the fewer communication mistakes will be made.

NIOSH Report on 2004 Collision in Illinois

NIOSH has released their report on a 2004 collision of two fire engines. Several firefighters were injured and one firefighter died.

On April 27, 2004 a 34-year-old male part-time fire fighter died after the engine in which he was riding (Unit 1) crashed into an engine from another department (Unit 2) as they passed through an intersection. Both engines/departments were responding to the same call for a structure fire. The force of the impact caused the front of Unit 1 to collapse inward and cause crushing injuries to the unrestrained driver whose legs were pinned between the seat and the dashboard. He was extricated and transported to the hospital for treatment. The rear passenger of Unit 1 received minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital where he was treated and released. The victim, who was riding unrestrained in the officer’s seat, was ejected from the vehicle. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Here are the recommendations from the report:

Provide training to driver/operators as often as necessary to meet the requirements of NFPA 1451, 1500, and 1002. This training should incorporate specifics on intersection practices.

Develop and enforce standard operating procedures (SOPs ) for seat belt usage, intersection practices, and response to mutual/automatic aid incidents.

Read the whole report. It isn't very long and it has a lot of good information and pictures.

Here is what I got out of the report - slow down at intersections regardless of what the traffic signals indicate and wear your seatbelt.

Bushfire Warning System

Australia is launching a new warning system to inform citizens of approaching bushfires (from The Advertiser).

NEW Bushfire Warning System will be implemented for the state this year, scrapping the four-tiered system in use since Ash Wednesday.

Project Phoenix, the CFS review into the fatal Eyre Peninsula fire in January, found many in the community did not understand the current warnings system.

The CFS will launch a radio and television campaign to advise of the new two-tier system – – a Bushfire Information Message or a Bushfire Warning Message.

"The community needs to be aware of what these messages will mean to them and we encourage them to take active roles in listening for messages," said Andrew Lawson, CFS acting deputy chief officer.

The messages will be broadcast via television and radio and will be available on the CFS website.

This sounds similar to our current storm warning system where a watch is issued and then a warning. Is there anything like this warning system in the U.S. for wildland fires?

Rioters Shoot at Firefighters and Police

The riots in France have taken a turn for the worse. The rioters are now shooting at the emergency responders including firefighters and police officers (from Reuters).

BOBIGNY, France (Reuters) - Rioters shot at police and fire crews in the worst night in a week of violence in poor Paris suburbs, as France's conservative government struggled to respond to the unrest.

...

"Four live bullets were fired. Two shots were fired at La Courneuve against police. One shot was fired at Noisy-le-Sec against fire crews, and one shot was fired against fire crew in Saint-Denis," he told a news conference.

Cordet did not say what sort of weapon had been fired but media said local police recovered shotgun cartridges from the scene at La Courneuve.

No one was reported as hurt in the shootings, which marked an escalation in the level of violence that left 177 charred vehicles and damaged a primary school and shopping center.

OK, when people start shooting at me for trying to put out a fire, that's when I go back to the fire hall. Sheesh!

Near Miss: Oxygen Deficient Atmosphere

Here is this week's installment of a near miss from the National Fire Fighter Near-Miss Reporting System.

This incident happened in an MRI room at a local hospital.

We opened the door to check the exam room and noticed that the whole room was shimmering like a mirage. We realized that there was a helium leak in the room. I told my driver to close the exam room door and had the entire crew exit the building, ~1200sq.ft. My voice had that squeaky helium pitch to it. We re-entered with SCBA and a 4-gas monitor to ventilate and check O2 levels. The oxygen level just inside the door was 14%. A few steps into that atmosphere could have caused asphyxia.

Does your local hospital have MRI equipment? Are your firefighters educated on the hazards associated with this equipment?

Fire Departments Charge Fees

This article from Firehouse.com discusses the practice of fire departments charging fees for services.

On October 24, the Hastings, Michigan fire department joined the growing ranks of units that charge their residents for designated fire services. Its City Council unanimously adopted an ordinance to charge non-metro area residents for emergency calls, as well as to bill regional inhabitants who repeatedly issue false alarms or commit illegal fire-provoking acts. While such a process is hardly unprecedented, it still remains an exception and not the rule across the national landscape.

...

Yet this phenomenon is hardly relegated to The Wolverine State, says Chief John Sinclair, the EMS chair of The International Association of Fire Chiefs. Shrinking budgets, a more highly paid labor force, tax payer initiatives that limit taxes and increased competition for funding have forced both fire and police departments with unfunded mandates. Rather than reduce their services, agency heads nationwide have opted to increase “the rate, the number, [and] the creativeness of programs people are charging for”.

Many of the fire departments I'm familiar with have been charging fees for a number of years. These are all volunteer departments however, and they simply cannot afford to provide service without recouping some money to cover the costs.

Is this a widespread practice? Let me know. Thanks.

Cancer as Job Hazard

This is the first I've heard of this, but British Columbia, along with several other Canadian provinces, has recognized cancer as a job hazard among firefighters (from CANOE via FireFightingNews.com).

VICTORIA (CP) -- The B.C. government introduced a law Monday that recognizes cancer as one of the many hazards firefighters face while on the job.

Labour Minister Mike de Jong said Bill 11 recognizes certain cancers as occupational diseases associated with long-term employment as a firefighter.

The law changes the Workers Compensation Act to make it easier for a firefighter with cancer to receive compensation benefits, he said.

I've heard of some studies that are working on this issue to determine if firefighters have a higher risk of cancer, but I haven't seen any concrete results yet.

It will be interesting to see if the Canadian perspective has an impact here in the U.S.

World Problems - No Problem

Hehehe - this post from Roanoke Firefighters made me chuckle.

There is a secret about Firefighters that most non-firefighters do not know and I am going to spill the beans. Firefighters can solve any problem in about 1 hour and 1 pot of coffee, coffee optional. When I say any problem, I mean problems like World peace, The War on Terror, Hurricane Relief, even local politics like Victory Stadium, The Art Museum of Western Virginia, The Flood Control Plan, etc. That is right anything, we have a solution. You would be amazed at how quickly Firefighters work through problems. You might not even know there is a problem yet, we have solved it.

That is the truth! This extends to the volunteer ranks as well. Just stand around for few minutes after the monthly meeting and you will hear solutions to the most vexing problems the human race has ever encountered.

Car in Pool

This sounds like something you would see in a movie: A car plows through a fence and ends up in a backyard swimming pool (from News10.net via FireFightingNews.com).

A car careened through a fence and into a swimming pool in the backyard of a home on Center Parkway in south Sacramento Tuesday evening.

Residents where shocked when the car plunged into the pool. "We just heard two bangs, both the fences went, and we came outside to see the lady sinking," said Anthony Evans.

Evans and a neighbor helped the female driver from the vehicle, which was slowly filling with water. She was shaken but unhurt.

Check out the picture on the News10.net link.

Belforest Volunteer Fire Department

Here is our first installment of the Department of the Week. Give a hearty welcome to the Belforest Volunteer Fire Department of Belforest, Alabama.

Here is a little info:

Belforest Volunteer Fire Department
Location: Belforest, Alabama
Stations: 2
Apparatus: 7
Members: 14
Area: 30 square miles

I like their patch!

Visit their website and send them an e-mail. They've got a very good photo album with tons-o-pictures.

New Feature: Dept. of the Week

We are going to start a new feature here at Firewhirl. Each week, on Wednesday, we will feature a fire department as our Department of the Week. We'll include a little info about the department and a link to their website. As a bonus, a picture of their patch or badge will be included.

For lack of a better plan, we'll just go alphabetically through the states starting with Alabama.

Huron Plainsman Covers NPF

The Huron Plainsman, the newspaper for a town about 42 miles from Miller, has covered Northern Plains Fire.

“One of the things I’ve seen is there are many small fire departments who can’t afford to buy a brush fire truck,” he said. “So I’m trying to build one they can afford.”

...

In addition, Northern Plains Fire offers a wide array of training classes for firefighters. This includes structural and wild land firefighting, the incident command system, vehicle extrication, and hazardous materials.

He also provides grant-writing services to other fire departments.

And, the company carries a full line of fire equipment including PPE, tools, hose, nozzles, rescue equipment, slip-on units, emergency lighting and other items.

It is a nice article, but they didn't include the picture that they took on the website.

Thanks to the Plainsman for the coverage.

Poll Results - November 1, 2005

Belgian Firefighters Observe in Jacksonville

Some firefighters from Belgium have come across the pond to observe how the Jacksonville firefighters do things (via First Coast News).

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- They're not your typical tourists -- these guys save most of their flashbulbs for firefights. Rescuers from Belgium are spending a week in Jacksonville learning from their American brothers.

With video cameras and notepads, they watch Jacksonville's Bravest beat back blazes, and study every move.

"We can look behind the scenes, and really see how things are organized," explained Paul Van Look, one of the firefighters who organizes the trips for the Belgian Fire Observers Association.

I've read a couple of stories recently about firefighters coming to the U.S. to study, but are there any U.S. firefighters going abroad to learn how others fight fires? If you know of someone that has done this, drop me a line. Thanks.

Firefighters Water Horses

These firefighters from Florida are stepping up to help out some thirsty horses (from NBC6.net).

SOUTHWEST RANCHES, Fla. -- A lack of power is not just a problem for the people of South Florida. It's a problem for horses and other animals, too.

Horses need several gallons of water a day. In Southwest Ranches, the water is in wells and must be pumped out with electricity. But without power, the horses are thirsty.

About two-dozen members of the Southwest Ranches Volunteer Fire-Rescue have been working nearly nonstop to get water to horses that need it.

They use brush trucks holding 250 gallons and an engine that carries 750 gallons to serve at least 30 ranches, and get water to more than 300 horses.

Kudos to the firefighters from Southwest Ranches Volunteer Fire-Rescue.