The IAFC along with the Safety Health and Survival Section would like to assist you in completing monthly safety briefings with Take 5 safety drills. A component of the new Fire/EMS Safety Support System, the Take 5s come with an Instructor and Student handout designed to help you deliver a short 5 minute safety message to your crew members. A new Take 5 will be posted here each month, so pass on this new program to others to help improve firefighter safety.
 
 

WAKEFIELD, R.I. -- Kingston fire officials identified the firefighter who was fatally injured while working on a ladder truck Monday during an afternoon news conference Tuesday.

Assistant Chief Allan "Pickles" LePage, a member of the volunteer department for more than 40 years, died from his injuries Tuesday at Rhode Island Hospital.

During a news conference, officials said other firefighters were at the station at the time, but LePage was alone at the time of the incident.

The incident remains under investigation. Funeral arrangements are pending

A firefighter with the Bureau of Land Management died Friday in Colorado after a tree fell on him.  Brett Stearns, 29, of Craig was working on a hazard tree abatement project with a dozen other BLM firefighters at Freeman Reservoir, about 15 miles northeast of Craig, when the accident happened around 4:30 p.m. Stearns died at the scene.  Stearns was an engine captain and worked in the BLM's Little Snake Field Office for 10 years.  "He dedicated his life to protecting the lives and property of the public," said Little Snake Field manager, John Husband. The accident is being investigated by a federal accident investigation team, Husband added. Stearns is survived by his wife; parents, one brother and a half sister. Our sincere condolences to all affected

IAFC’s 3rd Annual Photo Contest Ends July 31 – Enter your photos today! Winners and runners-up will be awarded in 7 categories (EMS, firefighting, hazmat, wildland, volunteering/department lifestyle/community, apparatus/equipment/tools, and management/officers/leadership).

No limit on photos. Section membership is not required to participate. Click here for more details.

 

What do national fire service leaders have to say about safety?

At 1 p.m., Monday, June 15, Firehouse.com is joining with the U.S. Fire Administration in a Firefighter/EMS Health and Safety Roundtable.

Joining USFA Acting Administrator Glenn Gaines will be Phil Stittleburg, of NVFC; Chief Billy Goldfeder, Chief Robert Dube, IAFC; Rich Duffy and James Brinkley, IAFF; Ron Siarnicki, National Fallen Firefighters' Foundation; and Bill Troup, USFA.

You can participate in this roundtable by submitting questions here.

The conference at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg will be recorded, The Podcast will be posted on Firehouse.com late Monday afternoon.

Susan Nicol Kyle will be blogging on Monday from the National Fire Academy campus as students and faculty begin the annual safety awareness week with a special forum.

An Atlanta firefighter is recovering after being injured while on the job.

Atlanta Fire-Rescue Capt. Bill May told Channel 2 Action News that Willie D. Surry, 56, was trying to put out a brush fire Friday night near Interstate 285 and Langford Parkway when a tanker truck that was passing blew a fire. May said the tire flew off the truck and hit Surry in the head and pelvis area.

May said Surry, a 29-year veteran, is assigned to fire station No. 31 on Fairburn Road in southwest Atlanta.

Surry was listed in stable but critical condition at Grady Memorial Hospital Saturday afternoon.

Surry is expected to make a full recovery.

An 18-year-old volunteer firefighter was killed today when he lost control of his car on Deep Branch Road as he was answering a fire call.

Matthew Douglas Tramel, of 1617 Red Banks Road in Pembroke, died after his eastbound 2007 Nissan ran off the road and hit a tree at about 12:53 a.m., according to a report filed by Highway Patrol Trooper Alan Humphrey.

Tramel, a senior at Purnell Swett High School, had been with the Pembroke Fire Department for two months.

• Post Condolences Here

He joined as a junior member in April and had been a member of the Pembroke Rescue Squad for four months.

Tramel, who would have graduated next week, was responding to a vehicle fire in the Strickland Heights housing development, said Pembroke Fire Chief McDuffie Cummings Jr.

Tramel was traveling about 65 mph in a 55-mph zone, according to Humphrey's report.

He was not wearing a seat belt, the report indicated.

"It was while we were on this call we were paged to a motor-vehicle accident on Deep Branch Road," Cummings said. "Pembroke Rescue Squad told me to come to the scene because it involved one of our firefighters."

Cummings said he was shocked to learn that it was Tramel.

"He was just an eager young man," Cummings said. "He was more than willing to take classes. It didn't matter what department it was. He enjoyed the learning experience."

Cummings described Tramel as an outgoing young man.

"He was very interested in helping the community and being a part of the community," Cummings said. "Our department suffered a great loss. Eager people willing to volunteer their time (are) hard to come by now."

Cummings said the department wants to do a firefighter service for Tramel.

It is with deep regret that we advise you of the Line of Duty Death of Beverly (MA) Firefighter Paul Roberts, IAFF Local 1669, Beverly, MA, on Friday, May 22, 2009. FF Roberts suffered a heart attack in the line of duty while responding to an emergency run on Friday. Firefighter Roberts was 54 years old and had 22 years working as a Firefighter in Beverly, MA. He leaves his wife Nancy and two children....he was also guardian to two of his grand children. As always our most sincere condolences.

 

The causes of two firefighters' deaths have been released, KPRC Local 2 reported Thursday.

Capt. James Harlow, 50, and Damion Hobbs, 29, of Fire Station 26, died battling a house fire on Oak Vista Street near De Leon Street shortly after midnight April 12.

The Harris County Medical Examiner's Office said Harlow died from thermal injuries and smoke inhalation.

Hobbs, who was a rookie firefighter, died from thermal injuries, the medical examiner said.

Harlow, Hobbs and other firefighters went inside the burning home to search for anyone who may have been trapped. Firefighters were called out of the home when the flames became too intense, but Harlow and Hobbs didn't make it out.

Shreveport, LA Fire Captain Frankie P. Nelson was relieved of duty at 1400 hours on May 10, 2009 and suffered a Heart Attack approximately eight hours later at 2141 hours that very evening on May 10, 2009. While on duty during his shift, Captain Nelson carried out emergency response procedures that included acting as the Incident Commander, providing EMS assistance, and establishing traffic safety control measures while on scene of a motor vehicle accident.  Shreveport Fire Department EMS responded to and transported Captain Nelson to the Schumpert Medical Center.

May 11, 2009 – Fires in vacant buildings have become a matter of increasing concern as the economy has weakened. According to the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) recently released Vacant Building Fires report (PDF, 264 KB), U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated annual average of 31,000 structure fires in vacant buildings in 2003-2006. These fires caused an average of 50 civilian deaths and $642 million in direct property damage per year. In addition to 141 civilian injuries, 4,500 firefighters were injured annually at these incidents and accounted for 13 percent of all firefighter injuries incurred at structure fires.

“With the downturn in the economy, the numbers of vacant buildings and vacant building fires have been climbing,” said Marty Ahrens, author of the report. “Often these fires have time to grow before they are discovered and reported. These larger fires can threaten other properties nearby. Because children and youth may use these buildings for hang-outs or risky activities, and the homeless may use them as shelter, firefighters cannot be sure that no one is inside.”

Overall vacant building fires rose 2% from 31,900 in 2005 to 32,700 in 2006. Almost two-thirds (63%) of these fires occurred in homes. According to the Census Bureau, both the number and percentage of housing units that were vacant hit three consecutive 40-year peaks in 2006, 2007, and 2008. The increase in vacant building fires was due largely to an 11% increase in vacant home fires from 18,900 in 2005 to 21,000 in 2006, a much larger increase than the 4% rise in total home fires over the same period. Forty-three percent of vacant building fires were intentionally set. One-quarter of all intentionally set structure fires involved vacant buildings.

Vacant buildings that burned were evenly divided into secured (15,400) and unsecured (15,600). Fire spread was greatest in unsecured vacant building fires. More than half (57%) of the unsecured vacant building fires were intentionally set compared to only 31% of the fires in secured properties. The 2009 edition of NFPA 1, Fire Code requires owners, or those in charge of vacant properties, to remove waste and combustible materials and to secure the building to prevent unauthorized people from entering.

NFPA has been a worldwide leader in providing fire, electrical, building, and life safety to the public since 1896. The mission of the international nonprofit organization is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training, and education.

The Obama administration wants to cut almost in half a benefits program for the families of slain police and safety officers.

The president's proposed budget calls for cutting the Public Safety Officers' Death Benefits Program from $110 million to $60 million.

The Justice Department insisted no one would lose benefits.

"Any family member who is eligible for benefits under this program will receive them," said Justice Department spokeswoman Melissa Schwartz.

Budget documents say the reduction is being made because "claims are anticipated to decrease," apparently because the number of officers killed in the line of duty has been decreasing.

The proposal is being made just days before Attorney General Eric Holder is expected to attend ceremonies in Washington honoring slain officers.

"It makes us kind of nervous. While we aren't panicking, it certainly has increased our concern, coming a week before National Police Week," said Suzie Sawyer, executive director of Concerns of Police Survivors, a group taking part in next week's events.

Sawyer said as long as the number of police and safety officers killed doesn't increase too much, the amount of money offered in the budget could be enough. And she noted that in the past, the government has found more money for the program when it needed more, such as following the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks.

The program pays benefits of more than $300,000 to the survivors of a safety officer killed in the line of duty.

There were 133 police officers killed in the line of duty last year, the lowest amount since 1960, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

The group said killings of police officers are up 21 percent so far in 2009, compared to the same period the year before.

A total of eight firefighters and one Washington Gas employee were injured in an apparent natural gas explosion at a shopping center in Forestville. Some were seriously burned.

Two of the firefighters are being held overnight for observation, and the other seven have been released. Five were transported to the Washington Hospital Center's burn unit, and four were transported to Prince George's Hospital.

According to Prince George's County Fire and EMS spokesperson Mark Brady, the fire department received a call around 12:30 p.m. Thursday for a report of a natural gas leak. They arrived at 3426 Donnell Drive and evacuated the building. Sometime after that, the explosion occurred.

Brady reports that a flash fire burned the firefighters and gas company employee. The building was heavily damaged.

A Houston Fire Department cadet, who collapsed during a training exercise last week, died Tuesday.

Cohnway M. Johnson, 26, had been in Memorial Hermann Hospital since the incident last Wednesday, according to the USFA.

• Post Condolences Here He collapsed during a formation run at the training academy, reports indicated. "Firefighter Johnson was enrolled in Houston Fire Department's "Certified Firefighter/EMT Fast Track" Academy Class which is made up of members who are Texas certified firefighters and have a Texas Department of State Health Services EMT Basic or Higher," the USFA reported late Wednesday.
  
  Johnson's death comes less than a month since the department lost two other firefighters.
  
  

Various fire service organizations are responding to a study released two weeks ago by the National League of Cities claiming there is inadequate scientific research to determine a link between firefighting and cancer.

The 174-page document titled "Assessing State Firefighter Cancer Presumption Laws and Current Firefighter Cancer Research," was prepared by research firm TriData.

Yesterday, the IAFF and IAFC came out with a joint statement, calling the study "tobacco industry-style tactics" from a group they say has fought every piece of presumptive legislation the two organizations have worked to pass.

Currently, 28 states and seven Canadian provinces have presumptive laws in place recognizing that firefighters work in an environment that exposes them to carcinogens and places them at an increased risk of developing certain cancers.

Several times, the statement refers to a 2006 study released by the University of Cincinnati that found protective equipment used in the past did not adequately protect firefighters from cancer-causing agents encountered during the job. The IAFF's spokesman Jeff Zack says this study -- along with over 200 other studies that document chemicals found on the fireground that lead to cancer -- shows there is ample evidence to link firefighting to cancer.

"We wouldn't call it (the NLC report) a study. It doesn't rise to the level of a study. It's pure propaganda," he said. "For the National League of Cities to think this is a worthwhile effort is dumbfounding"

The IAFC later that day released findings from a panel convened by its Safety, Health and Survival Section citing "flawed methodology" in the report.

"If the National League of Cities is truly concerned about evaluating this issue 'objectively and scientifically' as they stated in their press release, then they need to look at all the data in a scientifically sound manner," IAFC President Chief Larry J. Grorud said in a statement.

Today, the USFA release a less aggressive statement advising firefighters to continue to avoid exposure to such toxins which may cause cancer.

"The results of this report clearly indicate that more study and analysis is necessary," Acting United States Fire Administrator Glenn A. Gaines said. "It is much too early to abandon presumptive laws and benefits for firefighters who present with cancers. To make such a quantum leap at this point in time may be premature."

The statement said the NLC study is missing necessary information and that future research "must recognize the myriad dangers faced by firefighters throughout our country." The USFA went on to say that it is willing to assist with any new research efforts.

Mike Dubron, the president and founder of the Firefighter Cancer Support Network said that he was disappointed to see the report come out, but hopes it will help shine a spotlight on an issue he's worked to bring awareness to.

The Los Angeles firefighter was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2003, and after having it surgically removed he has been cancer-free for six years. California does have a presumptive law and his cancer was deemed to be job related; allowing him to seek the best medical options.

"That was huge," he said. "It's sad because there are firefighters out there that don't have presumption in their states because they may not be getting the best medical options."

Dubron says his organization's mission will continue to be supporting active and retired firefighters and their families dealing with cancer.

"We only hope that people out there who don't have knowledge of what we do understand that this study is not accurate according to studies we've seen in the past," he said. "In the long run, as we see other studies released it will only reinforce what we already know -- that firefighters are exposed to carcinogens that lead to cancer."

• Read IAFC's Findings