This will be a great group....Let's drive home the 16 firefighter Life Safety Initiatives.....

16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives

1. Define and advocate the need for a cultural change within the fire service relating to safety; incorporating leadership, management, supervision, accountability and personal responsibility.
2. Enhance the personal and organizational accountability for health and safety throughout the fire service.
3. Focus greater attention on the integration of risk management with incident management at all levels, including strategic, tactical, and planning responsibilities.
4. All firefighters must be empowered to stop unsafe practices.
5. Develop and implement national standards for training, qualifications, and certification (including regular recertification) that are equally applicable to all firefighters based on the duties they are expected to perform.
6. Develop and implement national medical and physical fitness standards that are equally applicable to all firefighters, based on the duties they are expected to perform.
7. Create a national research agenda and data collection system that relates to the initiatives.
8. Utilize available technology wherever it can produce higher levels of health and safety.
9. Thoroughly investigate all firefighter fatalities, injuries, and near misses.
10. Grant programs should support the implementation of safe practices and/or mandate safe practices as an eligibility requirement.
11. National standards for emergency response policies and procedures should be developed and championed.
12. National protocols for response to violent incidents should be developed and championed.
13. Firefighters and their families must have access to counseling and psychological support.
14. Public education must receive more resources and be championed as a critical fire and life safety program.
15. Advocacy must be strengthened for the enforcement of codes and the installation of home fire sprinklers.
16. Safety must be a primary consideration in the design of apparatus and equipment.

HAPPY TO BE A PART OF THE GROUP STAY SAFE! CAPTIAN AL MATAWAN FIRE!

Remember Monday June 22 starts the begining of Fire/EMS Safety, Health and Survival Week (June 22-28). The theme this year is Committed to Long Term Results. YOU can make the difference! Everyone has a part in reducing LODD, injuries and near missess. Don't think for one single minute it can't happen to you. Take the time on Monday at the start of the shift, on your next alarm or in the station to see how you can make the job safer for everyone, and continue that not just of the week, but for the entire year, 24/7.

The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and the Everyone Goes Home® Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives Program has once again participated as a partner in the IAFC/IAFF 2008 Fire/EMS Safety, Health and Survival Week, scheduled for June 22-28, 2008.

The 2008 theme is Committed to Long Term Results, which encourages long term investments by both chiefs and firefighters to enhance their health and safety. The ultimate goal is to institute a strong culture of health and safety within the fire/EMS service.

Recommended activities and materials will incorporate three key areas where standard operating procedures, policies and initiatives - along with the training and enforcement that support them - can limit fire/EMS personnel's risk of injury or death.

Initiate an emergency vehicle policy, to include:
Always buckle up.
Always stop at red lights and stop signs.
Always drive at speed limits and defensively.
Fully implement the Wellness-Fitness Initiative:
Provide annual medical and physical evaluations.
Provide equipment and time for exercise.
Provide nutrition information.
Fully implement NFPA 1500, especially sections addressing PPE:
Provide compliant PPE.
Train and enforce use of PPE, including respiratory protection

Go to www.iafc.org/safetyweek and to www.everyonegoeshome.com for great resources and for more information on this year's program and planning resources developed by the IAFC Safety Health and Survival Section and the EGH team

Take a moment to remember the nine brother firefighters from the the City of Boston Fire Department who died in the line of duty at the Vendome Hotel fire and collapse on June 17, 1972 on Commonwealth Ave and Dartmouth Street. Remember the memories and legacy of Boston's Bravest; Lieutenant Thomas J. Carroll, Lieutenant John E. Hanbury, Jr. Firefighter Thomas W. Beckwith, Firefighter Joseph E. Boucher, Jr. Firefighter Charles E. Dolan Firefighter John E. Jameson Firefighter Richard B. Magee, Firefighter Paul J. Murphy Firefighter Joseph P. Saniuk .
http://www.cityofboston.gov/fire/memorial/vendome_fire.asp

HAPPY TO BE A PART OF THE GROUP STAY SAFE OUT THERE ..... CRAINS CREEK FIRE DEPT. MOORE CO. NORTH CAROLINA

Twenty Year Anniversary Hackensack Ford Fire and Truss roof collapse, Hackensack Fire Department. July 1st, 1988



Pause to remember our brothers who made the ultimate sacrifice twenty (20) years ago, on July 1st, 1988 and the lessons learned from this event.

On July 1, 1988 Hackensack's Captain RICHARD L. WILLIAMS, Lieutenant RICHARD REINHAGEN, Firefighter WILLIAM KREJSA, firefighter LEONARD RADUMSKI, and Firefighter STEPHEN ENNIS lost their lives at Hackensack Ford when a bowstring arch truss collapsed entrapping them in the area below. The five firefighters were in the structure, a bowstring truss building, when the roof suddenly collapsed. Williams, Kresja, and Radumski were killed instantly, and Reinhagen and Ennis, despite heroic rescue attempts, succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning.

CAPT. RICHARD L. WILLIAMS, Engine Co. No. 304

LIEUT. RICHARD REINHAGEN, Engine Co. No. 302

F/F WILLIAM KREJSA, Engine Co. No. 301

F/F LEONARD RADUMSKI, Engine Co. No. 302

F/F STEPHEN ENNIS, Rescue Co. No. 308

Three Firefighters and Three Sisters Killed in Gloucester City, New Jersey Building Collapse during Fire Attack, Rescue Operation, July 4th, 2002

Remembing;



James Sylvester
Fire Chief, Mount Ephraim Fire Department
Sylvester, 31, a 17 year veteran, was survived by his wife, who was pregnant with the couple's first child


John West
Deputy Chief, Mount Ephraim Fire Department
West, 40, a 23-year veteran, was survived by his wife and three children


Thomas G. Stewart III
Paid Firefighter, Gloucester City Fire Department
Stewart, 30, a 13 year veteran, was survived by his fiancée and their son. Stewart publicly proposed to his girlfriend, hours before the fire while they watched the city's fireworks from high atop a fire truck ladder at Gloucester City High School.

Here's a few NIOSH LODD reports related to basement operations and our Case Study: Small Basement Fire discussion.

Stay Safe and Know Your Buildings....
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/pdfs/face200206.pdf
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/pdfs/face200123.pdf
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/pdfs/face9817.pdf
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/pdfs/face9803.pdf

Hey brothers and sisters, glad to be a part of this forum, I am a fire instructor and specialize in FF Survival training. I will be posting some things here in the near future.

Hello all,
Great idea for a group. I started a thread on my site that is showing off photos of complicated roof framing or roof situations that could be dangerous. Very cool and informative...a sortive what is under the roof series. www.firefighterspot.com check out the forum and if you have photos please add to the posting. If anyone has any interest in write any articles drop me a note.

great info guys, glad I joined:)

hello

HAPPY TO BE A PART OF THE GROUP STAY SAFE !!!

hi glad that i joined the group

Hi Chris
I just joined the group and haven't looked around yet ,but I know it'll be worth joining. See ya around! Harry

Man, I'm glad I joined!!!!. There is information and training ideas for days on the group.
" Live each day as if its your last, but train each day to try and prevent it "

Hi everyone, can't wait to look around this group is sure to attract alot of comment and discussion will get back with you when I had some time to take it all in.Take care.

Hello everyone glad to be part of this i'm sure i'll learn a lot from everyone? You can never get enough info on bldg construction and safety !!

hey guys new forefoghter and looking to get some more knowlegde on building construction and also more fire fighter safety techniques.... be safe gald to join

Hi. Glad to be here. Does anyone know if steel roofing is more safe than asphalt shingles? (I don't mean in a wild fire area, I just mean in general.) Thanks.

Kathy, my thoughts, it's more of a preference. A lot of new construction now are using steel roofs and they have come so far with the design, especially when LEED is put into play. Some people prefer shingles because of aesthetics - it looks nicer and there's a lot of varieties.

Hi Rossi, Thanks for your helpful reply. Nice to meet you. Have a great day. Kathy.

Hello all. Glad to be a part of this group.

Hi everybody, I'm relatively new to this field, I am an (out of work) Combination Building Inspector by trade & apiring to be an Arson Investigator, this site piqued my interest.

Welcome, Kyle.

Chief Stiefer, contact me for some help

Hi Kathy,
In regards to your steel vs. asphalt shingle question. Like Rossi said the steel roof system has come a long way. What exactly are you looking to steel for, Longevity, design etc. There are certain benefits to steel, like a 40 year usable life, fire resistant, tax credit, can be installed over existing roofing (depending on local codes). Asphalt typically has a shorter life span and by code can only be installed over 1 existing layer and has an inherant design flaw regarding no exposed fasteners which requires yearly maintenance.... just a few pros and cons. The internet has all the info you need including ASTM's for the products. Caveat Emptor!

Hi Kyle, Thanks for your helpful answer. I ended up buying steel roofing for my house because it seems wasteful to me to have to re-roof an asphalt roof every 20 years or sometimes less. It is also bad for the environment when all that ends up in the landfill. Steel is also fire resistant, although I'm not in a brush fire zone. I had asked my question because I was also curious as to whether a steel roof would hold the heat inside a building on fire and make a fire more dangerous??. Although on the other hand the asphalt would, I presume, start to melt and add fuel to a fire.