LODD Springville, UT

Notice of Firefighter Fatality: Springville, UT

from USFA Firefighter Fatalities

Phil Whitney of the Springville Fire Department in Springville, UT has died as the result of an on-duty incident that occurred on 2009-10-27 

Initial Summary:  
After having made an emergency run on his shift the night before, Chief Whitney called the fire department early in the morning of October 28, 2009, to say he was not feeling well. Chief Whitney was found dead in his Springville home later that morning. The cause of death is pending further examination.

Continuing story on residential sprinklers

Residential Fire Sprinklers Win Again at ICC Meeting in Baltimore

October 28th, 2009 by Residential Fire Sprinklers .com

In today’s meeting of the International Code Council (ICC) in Baltimore, Maryland, proposals made to eliminate the requirement for residential fire sprinklers in the International Residential Code (IRC) were defeated. These requirements were included in the 2009 IRC, to become effective January 1, 2011. Proposals to modify the 2012 International Residential Code included RB 54, which would have removed the mandatory requirement and made it an optional provision, RB 56, which would delete sprinkler requirements for townhomes and one- and two-family occupancies and move P2904 back to the appendix, making the requirement optional; and RB 57, which would have completely removed the sprinkler requirements from these residential occupancies. Full story HERE at Residential Fire Sprinklers .com

NIOSH Publication No. 2010-102 (October 2009)

NIOSH has issues a new publication concerning the Manual Adjustment of Automatic Slack Adjusters May Contribute to Unexpected Brake Failure on Automotive Fire Apparatus 

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/SafetyAdvisory10202009.html

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends that all fire departments operating fire apparatus equipped with automatic slack adjusters (ASAs) immediately take the following actions to reduce the risk of firefighters being injured in an apparatus crash due to brake failure:

• Ensure that ASAs are not manually adjusted.
• Establish procedures to ensure maintenance on fire apparatus is conducted as recommended in NFPA 1911 Standard for the Inspection, Maintenance, Testing, and Retirement of In-Service Automotive Fire Apparatus.
• Ensure maintenance is only performed by qualified technicians who meet NFPA 1071 Standard for Emergency Vehicle Technician Professional Qualifications.

The full text of the publication can be seen at NIOSH HERE 

LODD Westover PA

PA LODD - Westover Borough from Firefighter Close Calls

Saturday, October 24, 2009 A Firefighter from Westover Borough (Clearfield County) Fire Station #45 has died in the Line of Duty while operating at a house fire in Westover Borough.  Firefighters responded to a reported working fire early this morning and upon arrival, started their attack and related operations. Reports are that Command then decided to allow the fire to burn because it was a vacant abandoned structure.

From Firefighting News Firefighter Dies, Blaze Investigated Pennsylvania - A veteran volunteer firefighter died early Saturday at Miners Medical Center in Hastings after he collapsed while returning a fire hose to a truck in this southern Clearfield County borough. Firefighter Roy Everett Westover Jr. of Westover Area Fire Department, 41, who lived in Westover, was pronounced dead at 2:06 a.m. in the hospital emergency room,

Time Change - Again

The fall time change takes place on Sunday, November 1. Time to change your clock and your Battery. In your smoke detector that is. It’s also a good time to check it for spiders, dust and even see if it’s still working along with you carbon monoxide detector. Many fire department are taking part in the Change Your Clock Change Your Battery program. For the 22nd year, the International Association of Fire Chiefs IAFC, Energizer, and our network of 6,200 fire departments have partnered on the Change Your Clock Change Your Battery program to remind communities nationwide of the life-saving habit of changing the battery in their smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors when they change their clocks back to Standard Time.  The United States Fire Administration has a lot of information concerning smoke detectors and is a good source for materials. Also Consumer Product Safety Commission has some info you can use.

smoke Alarms According to the National Fire Protection Association NFPA, in one out of five homes that have smoke alarms, none of the units work, mainly due to dead, missing or disconnected batteries. Nearly half of the nation's fire deaths occur in the four percent of homes that do not have smoke alarms. NFPA, The risk of dying in homes without smoke alarms is twice as high as it is in homes that have working smoke alarms. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Firefighter Close Calls reporting an apparatus collision between to NYFD units

UPDATE: 13 Hurt when FDNY Apparatus Collide in Brooklyn

Saturday, October 24, 2009. Two firetrucks racing to a call of gas leak collided in Brooklyn this morning, causing one to flip over and the other to crash into a front yard, sending 12 firefighters to the hospital – some with serious leg injuries, authorities said.

Full story at Firefighter Close Calls

Firefighter Close Calls reporting a couple or EMS collisions

Firefighter Close Calls has a couple of recent incidents involving EMS Vehicles. See all at www.firefighterclosecalls.com news

EMS LODD (TN) AMBULANCE HITS TN DOT TRUCK

Two people have been killed after an ambulance slammed into the back of a TDOT vehicle on Interstate 65 near Wedgewood Avenue. Officials said the Rural/Metro ambulance was travelling in the northbound lanes when it hit the truck.
The two fatalities are the driver of the ...  [  more  ]  

N.C. Responder Killed in Ambulance Crash  www.firefighterclosecalls.com news

N.C. Responder Killed in Ambulance Crash A first responder from the Fort Bragg military base was killed this morning (Oct. 22) in an ambulance crash while responding to a call, according to WTVD-TV. According to the National EMS Memorial Service, the responder was Param...  [  more  ]  

LODD

Oct 22, 2009 Notice of Firefighter Fatality: Clinton, MS

from USFA Firefighter Fatalities

John Thurman of the Clinton Fire Department in Clinton, MS has died as the result of an on-duty incident that occurred on 2009-10-21 Also link at Firehouse News
Died hours after working out while on duty, according to The Clarion-Ledger.

Capt. John Thurman was found unconscious at approximately 5 p.m. by someone walking through a park that sits next to Fire Station 3. He was transported to Jackson Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The 21-year fire veteran's cause of death is still unknown, the newspaper report said.  Read More....

USFA Releases Annual Report on Firefighter Fatalities in the United States

Contact: USFA Press Office: (301) 447-1853

Emmitsburg, MD. – The United States Fire Administration (USFA) today released the report Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2008. The report continues a series of annual studies by the USFA of on-duty firefighter fatalities. The USFA is the single public agency source of information for all on-duty firefighter fatalities in the United States each year.

"The causes of death among firefighters are well known and the steps necessary to protect firefighters have been studied and reported in numerous forums,” United States Fire Administrator Kelvin J. Cochran said. “We must take the necessary steps to ensure, as much as possible, all firefighters return from every call, safely."

The unique and specific objective of Firefighter Fatalities in the United States is to identify all on-duty firefighter fatalities that occurred in the United States and its protectorates during the calendar year and to present in summary narrative form the circumstances surrounding each occurrence.

An overview of the 118 firefighters that died while on duty in 2008:

• The total breakdown included 66 volunteer, 34 career, and 18 wildland agency firefighters.
• There were 5 firefighter fatality incidents where 2 or more firefighters were killed, claiming a total of 18 firefighters' lives.
• 26 firefighters were killed during activities involving brush, grass or wildland firefighting, more than twice the number killed the previous year.
• Activities related to emergency incidents resulted in the deaths of 75 firefighters.
• 28 firefighters died while engaging in activities at the scene of a fire.
• 21 firefighters died while responding to, and 3 while returning from, emergency incidents.
• 12 firefighters died while they were engaged in training activities.
• 13 firefighters died after the conclusion of their on-duty activity.
• Heart attacks were the most frequent cause of death for 2008 with 45 firefighter deaths.

For 32 years, USFA has tracked the number of firefighter fatalities and conducted an annual analysis. Through the collection of information on the causes of firefighter deaths, the USFA is able to focus on specific problems and direct efforts toward finding solutions to reduce the number of firefighter fatalities in the future. This information is also used by many organizations to measure the effectiveness of their current efforts directed toward firefighter health and safety.

The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, which worked closely with USFA on this report, also maintains a list of firefighters who die in the line-of-duty and are honored during the annual National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend held each October in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Visit www.FireHero.org for more information about the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and their assistance to the families of the firefighters lost in 2008 and beyond.

Year-to-date monthly and annual USFA firefighter fatality reports are posted on the USFA's Web site at http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/fatalities/statistics/ff_stats.shtm.

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http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/ff_fat08.pdf

LODD – Sparta, GA

Notice of Firefighter Fatality: Sparta, GA

from USFA Firefighter Fatalities

Gary D. Street 60 of the East Lake Sinclair Volunteer Fire Department in Sparta, GA has died as the result of an on-duty incident that occurred on 2009-10-17

Gary D. Street, was moving a fire department vehicle at the scene of an incident, according to Chief J. J. McClure of the East Lake Sinclair Vol. Fire Department. Firehouse.com has more info here.

Bad News

Does this report look good for the fire service? While we seem to always see the good things that the fire service is doing once and while a bad story come along. The fire service needs to work to prevent this type of incident from taking place. Is it a mind set that we need to change? Is is a cultural change that needs to take place, regional? See this story form WPRI news and read the report released from NIOSH . While you are there check out the other firefighter reports on their site.
TIVERTON, R.I. From WPRI News  - A new report from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health says late Tiverton firefighter Gerald Leduc, who died of a heart attack during a rescue at Stafford Pond in August 2008, had a blood alcohol level of .25% at the time of his death.

See the complete report HERE

Bad week for apparatus - incidents from last week

APPARATUS CRASH IN PENNSYLVANIA-FF INJURED From Firefighter Close Calls

Saturday, October 10, 2009  An in line of duty accident occurred in Pike Township (Clearfield County) while responding on a fire call around 0430 this morning, Saturday.
Engine 9-1 from Grampian Penn Bloom Fire Company lost control, went over an embankment, and struck a tree. The officer aboard the apparatus contacted the dispatch center by radio and requested Rescue and EMS to the scene with at least one injury. A Rescue and Ambulance from Curwensville Fire Company were already on the street for the original fire call, and were diverted to the crash. As of right now, only one Firefighter injury which was be transported BLS to Clearfield Hospital.

Firefighter injured, truck damaged in accident in CT

Wednesday, October 7, 2009 A firefighter avoided serious injury and the fire department's Rescue 3 truck has been taken out of service after fire officials said the truck suffered considerable damage when it was struck by a car in a three vehicle accident on Quinnipiac Road Tuesday afternoon. Full Story Here

Tanker Crashes & Catches Fire in Indiana - No Injuries!

Wednesday, October 7, 2009  The Perry Township fire department is down a tanker after a crash this morning that left the truck engulfed in flames.
Perry Clear-Creek Fire Protection District and Volunteer Fire Department Chief Jeff Calabrese said two firefighters on their way back.

Ambulance Crash in NY Leaves 2 Trapped!

Wednesday, October 7, 2009  Two emergency medical technicians had to be rescued Tuesday morning after their ambulance crashed - trapping them inside.
The accident happened shortly after 8 a.m. on State Route 37 in the town of Theresa. 
Police said the driver of the Guilfoyl...  [  more  ]  

Remember you can see all on Firefighter Close Calls, home of the secret list!

LODD Norfork Airport FD Captain

Nothing from USFA  yet - LODD – Carl Nordwall IAFF Local 3406 – Norfolk Airport October 7, 2009 at 8:49 am by VAFireNews.com Webteam Carl Nordwall City, State: Norfolk Airport, VA It is with deepest regret and sorrow to report the line-of-duty death of Captain Carl Nordwall of IAFF Local 3406 – Norfolk Airport, Norfolk, Virginia. Brother Nordwall, 56, passed away today, Tuesday, October 6, 2009 of cardiac arrest while on duty.

Virginia Fire Captain Suffers Fatal Heart Attack Firehouse.com News A Norfolk Airport fire captain died while on duty yesterday (Oct. 6), according an announcement by IAFF Local L3406. Captain Carl Nordwall, 56, suffered a heart attack while on the job and was later pronounced dead. A funeral will be held on Saturday, Oct. 10 at 2 p.m. at the Rosewood-Kellum Funeral Home, 601 N. Witchduck Road, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23462.

Not Wearing Your Seat Belt – You're going Get Caught

Really, still not wearing your seat belt when responding? Maybe today, tomorrow or next week, your are going to get caught. Read this from firefighterclosecalls Wednesday, October 7, 2009

 

As you will recall, a responding Phoenix (AZ) FD engine company (E910) was involved in a serious crash where, among others, Captain Crystal Rezzonico was very seriously injured after being ejected.  The facts related to the August 10, 2009 crash are as follows: Read full article HERE 

Old issue, still not resolved see old post at Everyonegoeshome and visit

How's your Tactic and Strategy Skill, take a look at this video

 
Found this on Best firefighter video You could always count on a senario like this in tactics & strategy class. This is a good what would you do? Actually I had a simulation program for this type of incident. The Chicago fire department responded to this strip mall fire on Oct. 1st . There were no injuries reported in the blaze, which reportedly began at a furniture store in the mall at 3952 W. Cermak Road at about 6:45 a.m. The flames were able to spread to other businesses in the mall, including a Dollar Store and a restaurant on the western portion of the mall. The blaze was put out by 8:10 a.m. 

The mall was not open for the business to the  public when the fire began...READ ALL HERE

Read More   Fire Breaks Out in West Side Strip Mall (MyFox Chicago)

New TV series protested by IAFC EMS section

IAFC EMS Section Protests NBC Drama

from FIRE CHIEF | Every Department, Every Leader

The International Association of Fire Chiefs EMS Section is demanding that NBC cancel or modify its new drama series, Trauma. The association objects to the show’s portrayal of EMS providers.

You can judge for yourself at the networks web site and watch it HERE or HERE .

Just Trying to something nice for someone

Singer Unhappy Benefit Song Pulled Off Air WSMV.com - News—Country music singer Ronnie Milsap says Capitol Records put a cease-and-desist order against playing a duet he and Trace Adkins recorded to benefit officers, firefighters and their families. Read the full story →  Or read it HERE  Watch the video and song here Download

Or Listen HERE

Couple of Novel Ideas For Breast cancer support (Pink Fire Helmets?)

Firefighters To Wear Pink Helmets In Honor Of Breast Cancer Awareness

Here is one story from Kentucky - When Corbin firefighters started fundraising to purchase new pink yes, pink fire helmets, they thought they'd be lucky to get enough money for three or four men to wear the……………….

Full story here Firefighter news.com

Firefighters can wear to show their support for National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October. Lion will donate proceeds from pink helmet sales to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation on behalf of each purchaser.

Lion Apparel Expands Pink Helmet Program to Support Breast Cancer Awareness

Request information from Lion Apparel

The Illinois fire store is supporting it by offering these hoods.

Go to Illinois Fire Store HERE or HERE 

PAC II Support A Cure Hood, PAC II and PAC IA Specialty Nomex Hoods

Some low priced if not free online training sources - Underwriters Laboratories

From time to time I stumble back upon a web site that I used to check all the time. Here is some training sources from the Underwriters Laboratories. At issue still, is the residential sprinkler requirement with the the National Association of Home Builders still resisting the IRC-2009 sprinkler requirement in RB66. You can get some free training that gives some insight into the issue at hand.

AIArchitect This Week | Home Fire Safety Issues Land on the Front ...

Jul 31, 2009 ... IRC requiring sprinklers, UL focuses on firefighter safety ...  Still, the coalition argues, with 95 percent of homes having ...

UL Main Site Link HERE

UL Online Learning Here  Fire Behavior in a Single Family Occupancy

Structural stability of engineered lumber in fire conditions online course Structural Stability Course Here

A mannequin simulates a crawling firefighter in the UL test of the structural integrity of various floor and roof assemblies during a fire test.

 

 

Home Fire Safety Issues Land on the Front Burner IRC requiring sprinklers, UL focuses on firefighter safety By Douglas Gordon, Hon. AIA http://info.aia.org/aiarchitect/thisweek09/0731/0731p_lightweight.cfm  How do you . . . stay up to date on residential fire regulations and best practices? Get informed!