Industry News

EPA workers locating hazardous material moved by Ike in Texas The funds will go toward developing an all-hazard multi-jurisdictional mitigation plan The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has released $437,325 in Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funds to Cook County, Ill., for the development of an all-hazard multi-jurisdictional mitigation plan. This plan will identify and propose ways to reduce the risks of na...

USFA launched an effort to encourage everyone to install and maintain home smoke alarms and sprinklers The nationwide ‘Install. Inspect. Protect. Campaign' will emphasise how important smoke alarms are to the saving of lives. The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) has launched an effort to encourage everyone to install and maintain home smoke alarms and, if possible, sprinklers. More than 3,000 people die in home fires each year, and the majority of them have...

The London Fire Brigade is the only service to achieve Brigade Level 5 London Fire Brigade is leading the way in equality and diversity within the UK's fire and rescue services. External assessors recently awarded the London Fire Brigade the 'Brigade Level 5' of the Local Government Equality Standard -- the only fire service to have reached this level of achievement. The Equality Standard measures how public sector organisations such as councils, heal...

The National Volunteer Fire Council has an online resource to help applicants The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will begin accepting applications for FY 2009 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Services (SAFER) Grants beginning November 16, 2009 at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time. The deadline for receipt of the SAFER Grant applications will be December 18, 2009 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The automated applications will be accessible from the web site for the Assistan...

The London Fire Brigade celebrated staff's special achievements yesterday Some of London Fire Brigade's most dedicated and innovative staff were honoured yesterday (4 November), winning ‘Special Achievement Awards' at a ceremony held at Altitude in Millbank Tower.    Certificates were handed out for people and projects including:    Three firefighters from Hornchurch Fire Station (Marc Berridge, Richard Norris and Andrew Wright) for sa...

There was flash fire at the same refinery in January,  when a flammable vapour cloud ignited A six-member team from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) is deploying to the scene of today's explosion and fire at the Silver Eagle Refinery in Woods Cross, Utah. According to local officials, the explosion in the diesel hydrotreater unit caused damage to homes in the surrounding area and was felt several miles away from the facility. The CSB is investigating a January 2009...

Membership of the National Volunteer Fire Service has many great benefits Incentive rewards for hours to be a benefit of membership Junior firefighters can now take advantage of the many great benefits of being a member of the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC). The NVFC is offering a new membership option especially designed for junior firefighters. A year-long Junior Membership to the NVFC can now be purchased for just $10 at www.nvfc.org/membership. The membership wi...

Kent and Medway are changing fast with new large scale developments in housing, retail and transport, and environmental risks like extreme weather and floods. To keep you safe, Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) needs to begin planning for those changes now - and it wants local people to get involved with shaping the future of the service. Kent and Medway Fire and Rescue Authority Chairman, Bryan Cope said: "Kent Fire and Rescue Service works around the clock, 365 days a...

Kent Fire & Rescue Service issues behaviour tips to avoid fires caused by carelessness A Whitstable woman is recovering in hospital today after being rescued by firefighters from a blaze in her home which was caused by a discarded cigarette. Edwina Nixon fell asleep while smoking which set light to the sofa at her home in Station Road, shortly after 7pm last night. Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) was alerted to the terrace property after neighbours spotted smoke...

The International Association of Fire Chiefs and the International Association of Fire Fighters issue joint statement The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) today reaffirmed their support for fire service-based emergency medical service and urged public officials to support all efforts to broaden emergency medical care and ambulance transport by the fire service to better protect the public. The IAFC Boa...

Edward Matthews was so impressed with the firefighters' helpfulness that he bequeathed them a third of his estate Kind-hearted Ashford pensioner, Edward Matthews, has left over £60,000 in his will to The Fire Fighters Charity, simply because of the kind nature of the local firefighters who installed a smoke alarm in his property, shortly before he died. Retired welder, Edward, had lived in his council property in Arlington, Ashford until he died in April 2009, aged 88...

  Chief Fire Officer attempts world record - to go where no man has ever been before! The expedition's goal is to reach the Northern Pole of Inaccessibility, at the Arctic Pole.Chief Fire Officer for Devon and Somerset, Lee Howell is planning a trip of a different kind. He is raising money for The Fire Fighters Charity by embarking on a daring expedition to one of the most inaccessible places on earth, the Northern Pole of Inaccessibility - the Arctic Pole! Th...

An image taken during the fires that struck Puerto Rico late last week Meeting covered partnership and recent fire, explosion The Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Craig Fugate met today with Puerto Rico Governor Luis Fortuño to discuss FEMA's partnership with Puerto Rico, as well as the response to the explosions and fires that struck the island late last week. Over the weekend, President Obama signed an Emerg...

London Fire Brigade has won an award at the Mayor of London's Green Procurement Code Awards Brigade given award for focus on environmental issues London Fire Brigade has won an award and was highly commended in another category at the Mayor of London's prestigious Green Procurement Code Awards 2009. Open to London based organisations signed up to the Green Procurement Code, the awards took place on Monday 26 October at the Royal Institute of British Architects, recognising...

Finalists from the competition pose with trainers from London Fire Brigade’s LIFE team Teenagers were all graduates of Brigade's local intervention programme Young Londoners who demonstrated their firefighting skills, fitness and commitment in a London Fire Brigade competition have had their achievements recognised. The ten youngsters who competed in the ‘London Life Challenge' received special awards from London Fire Commissioner Ron Dobson at a presentation...

Be safe during firework season Remember, remember, stay safe in November With 5 November fast approaching London Fire Brigade (LFB) is urging people to act safely and responsibly during the firework and bonfire season, and to remember to be wary at all time of the need for fire safety. The Brigade expects to be called to hundreds of incidents on and around Bonfire Night this year - ranging from out of control bonfires to fires caused by fireworks. Brand new figures releas...

FEMA and GEMA advise citizens to create emergency kits Agencies advise families to create plans, prepare emergency kits Just as every home should have a smoke alarm, every home should have an emergency supply kit packed and ready. And being prepared doesn't have to cost a lot of money. While emergency preparedness is ongoing at the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), it's also an individual responsibility. "You sh...

Firefighters on scene in Puerto Rico, in the area hit by fire and explosions Action enables FEMA to coordinate disaster relief efforts The head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced that federal disaster aid has been made available for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and ordered federal aid to supplement commonwealth and local recovery efforts in the area struck by explosions and fire beginning on October 23...

NFPA warns people to be aware of Halloween fire safety risks Add important fire safety tips to your bag of tricks Halloween plans typically include frightful activities, and paying attention to a few safety tips can make the difference between having a frightfully-fun experience versus a frightfully-tragic one. Decorations were the first item ignited in an estimated average of more than 1,000 home structure fires per year during 2002-2005, according to the National Fire Pr...

A firefighter adjusting her SCBA. USFA and NIST are investigating whether SCBA facepieces can be made safer Study follows incidents of SCBA face piece failure The United States Fire Administration (USFA) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have started a research study to examine the enhancement of thermal performance of self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) face pieces to increase the protection of firefighters. "There have been incidents o...

President Obama and former President George H. W. Bush at the Presidential Forum on Service President Obama highlighted the national importance of service On October 16, two representatives from the Johnson County Rural Fire District (RFD) #1 Fire Safety Team attended the Presidential Forum on Service, held at the Texas A&M University campus in College Station, Texas. The event was hosted by the Points of Light Institute to discuss the role of government in volunteer se...

A House-Senate Conference Committee has approved an increase in SAFER grant funding New funding will enable hiring of thousands of firefighters A House-Senate Conference Committee has approved a final version of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriation for FY 2010 that doubles funding for Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grants. HR 2892 increases the SAFER appropriation to $420 million, providing funding to hire thousands of firefight...

The deadline for applications for the FP&S Grants is October 23, 2009 Submissions still open for FY 2009 Fire Prevention and Safety Grants There is still time to submit an application for the Department of Homeland Security, FY 09 Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) Grants! Applications for FP&S grants must be received by October 23, 2009 at 5:00 pm Eastern Time. Fire Prevention and Safety Grants projects can include arson prevention, sprinkler awareness, smoke a...

FEMA Administrator Fugate addressed the annual NCAI convention Speech highlighted the importance of tribes to US emergency response capabilities Yesterday, FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate addressed the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) 66th Annual Convention in Palm Springs, CA. At the convention, Administrator Fugate underlined the critical role that tribes play as a partner and member of our nation's emergency response team. Over 1,500 tribal leaders from acro...

Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones, for whom the new Fire Prevention Act is named Congresswoman Tubbs had introduced Fire Prevention Act in last four sessions U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today announced the introduction of The of 2009. The late Congresswoman Tubbs Jones introduced the College Fire Prevention Act in each of the last four sessions of Congress and passed a resolution regarding Campus Fire Safety Month. Companion legislation has been introduced in the U.S....

Jim Ridley has been appointed IAFF Director New appointee a career firefighter with 29 years' experience International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) General President Harold Schaitberger has appointed James Ridley director of the IAFF Hazardous Materials and Weapons of Mass Destruction Training Department. Ridley, a career firefighter for 29 years, was president of IAFF Local 124 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, for 11 years. "I'm honored to be asked to take over a program t...

The IAFF has announced Elizabeth M. Harman is the intended nomination for Assistant Administrator at FEMA Former firefighter and paramedic is Obama's intended nomination U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano today announced President Obama's intent to nominate Elizabeth M. Harman, a former firefighter and currently a Director at the International Association of Fire Fighters, to become an Assistant Administrator at the Federal Emergency Manag...

The application period for the FY 2009 FP&S grants is now open FP&S grant application period deadline is October 23, 2009 The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) FY 2009 Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) Grant application period is now open. Help your department apply for funds to support important programs including Fire Corps activities. The application deadline is October 23. FP&S grants support projects that enhance the safety of the public and fire...

An arrangement of traditional diya lamps set out in celebration of Diwali LFB offers advice for fire safety during the Festival of Lights London Fire Brigade is wishing a safe and happy Diwali to people across the capital. Diwali, or the Festival of Lights, is a key celebration in the Hindu calendar.This year Diwali begins on Saturday 17th October. To celebrate, people often light small earthenware oil lamps called diyas, as well as setting off fireworks. A spokesperson fo...

FPA Australia will continue to implement the Ozone Protection act Contract will uphold FPAA's leadership position on environment FPA Australia has recently signed a four year contract to continue operating as the implementing agency for those parts of the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989 that relate to the fire protection industry. Scott Williams, CEO of FPA Australia says, "The fire protection industry will continue to take a leadership po...