Industry News

The Fire Service Award for Excellence was presented to Dallas Fire-Rescue Program to increase firefighter health awareness takes prize The 2009 winner of the Fire Service Award for Excellence is the Dallas Fire-Rescue Department's Wellness-Fitness Program. Presented every year at the IAFC's annual conference, Fire Rescue International, and co-sponsored by the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and U.S. Safety Fire Technologies, this award recognizes the very be...

Station 14, one of the rebuilt and restored New Orleans fire stations New Orleans fire stations restored after Katrina New Orleans firefighters today will unveil fire stations throughout the city that were restored and renovated through a massive effort that began after Hurricane Katrina's destructive assault on the Gulf Coast four years ago this week. The New York City District Council of Carpenters Labor Technical College and the Leary Firefighters Foundation launched th...

Tim Ayub (second from left) initiated sending the London Fire Brigade engine to his family's village in Ghana Villagers in Ghana will use engine to transport drinking water, fight fires A fire engine normally more accustomed to racing to emergencies on London's streets is on its way to Africa after an ex-London Fire Brigade employee came up with a plan to use it in Ghana. Tim Ayub, who formerly worked at London Fire Brigade's training centre, contacted the Commissione...

A flare on an offshore oil rig: a new USFA report addresses fire dept operations in maritime areas Report highlights fire dept preparedness for maritime incidents The United States Fire Administration (USFA) released today, as part of the Technical Report Series, a new report entitled Fire Departments and Maritime Interface Area Preparedness. This report addresses fire department preparedness for incidents in maritime areas and the importance of establishing a multiagency r...

DHS Secretary Napolitano and senior staff received EMS training from the American Red Cross Session highlights importance of basic EMS skills ahead of National Preparedness Month The American Red Cross today trained Janet Napolitano, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and other DHS leaders on how to be prepared for and respond to medical emergencies until professional responders can get to the scene. Red Cross instructors offered hands-on trainin...

USFA and IFSTA have released a report highlighting first responder road safety New study aims to benefit road safety for first responders The United States Fire Administration (USFA), in partnership with the International Fire Service Training Association (IFSTA), announces the release of the Emergency Vehicle Visibility and Conspicuity Study (PDF, 2.2 MB). The study report highlights the results of a U.S. Department of Justice - National Institute of Justice (NIJ) supporte...

FEMA presented the first National Citizen Corps Achievement Awards during NCCP 2009 First national Citizen Corps Achievement Awards presented  On August 11th at the 2009 National Conference on Community Preparedness, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced the winners of the first National Citizen Corps Achievement Awards. Administered by FEMA and implemented locally, Citizen Corps is the grassroots movement to actively engage civic leaders and the pub...

Chief Kelvin Cochran will be sworn in as U.S. Fire Administrator during FRI Kelvin Cochran will be sworn in by DHS Secretary Napolitano The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) is proud to announce that U.S. DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano will swear in Chief Kelvin Cochran as U.S. Fire Administrator during the Thursday general session at Fire Rescue International (FRI) 2009. This will be an exciting event you won't want to miss! The Thursday general s...

CSB Director of Public Affairs John Horowitz accepts the MERLOT award for one of its educational safety videos Safety video hailed as 'extremely effective' U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) received a key communication award from a major online learning and teaching organization for a CSB safety video on the West Virginia propane explosion that killed four people when a convenience store blew up in January 2007. The award, presented Thursday, August 13, 2009 by the Multimed...

FEMA has authorized the use of federal funds to help fight the Lockheed wildfire in California Grant will reimburse Lockheed, CA  firefighting costs The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to help the state of California fight the Lockheed Fire in Santa Cruz County. The authorization makes FEMA funding available to reimburse 75 percent of the eligible firefighting costs under an ap...

The American Red Cross is helping California residents affected by wildfires Red Cross chapters aid residents forced to leave home The American Red Cross is on the scene where two wildfires are burning in California, forcing thousands of people to leave their homes. Red Cross chapters in Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz counties have opened shelters to offer a safe haven for those who have been ordered to evacuate. The Santa Cruz County Chapter has deployed an emergency respon...

London Fire Brigade hailed for its support of women in the fire service Award celebrates commitment to supporting female firefighters London Fire Brigade is the first organisation to a win a prestigious ‘Networking Women in the Fire Service Gold Award' for its "exceptional commitment" to supporting women in the fire service. Five female Brigade employees - past and present - were also presented with the highest individual award possible, for their work on behalf of wo...

Kelvin Cochran's confirmation as USFA Administrator has been applauded by FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate releases statement Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Craig Fugate today applauded the Senate's confirmation of Kelvin Cochran as the Administrator of the U.S. Fire Administration. "As the Chief of the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department as well as the former chief in Shreveport, LA, Chief Cochran brings extensive...

CSB will investigate the accidental releases of propane and hydrogen fluoride from an ExxonMobil refinery CSB to investigate cause of a run of similar incidents A four-member investigative team from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) is deploying to the site of a release of propane and hydrogen fluoride at the ExxonMobil refinery in Joliet, Illinois.At approximately 12:30 pm on Thursday, there was a sudden release of propane and hydrogen fluoride (HF) from the vicinity of...

The IAFC has strongly endorsed Kelvin Cochran's nomination for U.S. Fire Administrator IAFC strongly endorses Cochran's nomination The IAFC has endorsed the nomination of Chief Kelvin Cochran to be U.S. Fire Administrator and has called on the Senate to move quickly to confirm him once hearings begin in August as anticipated. On July 17, IAFC President Chief Larry Grorud wrote to Senators Joseph Lieberman (I/D-CT) and Susan Collins (R-ME), the chairman and the ranking...

LFB urges Londoners to perform pre-holiday fire safety checks LFB reminds Londoners to check homes for fire hazards before departure London Fire Brigade is reminding Londoners of the importance of protecting their homes from fire when leaving the capital for their well deserved summer break. By carrying out some simple checks before leaving your home, you may be able to avoid coming back to the devastation that fire can cause. The precautions advised (in...

Democrat Representatives have introduced bills progressing key issues for federal firefighters Democrats introduce historic pair of bills for federal firefighters With strong support from the IAFF, Representative Gerry Connolly (D-VA) and John Sarbanes (D-MD) have introduced a pair of bills that would make historic progress on two key issues for federal firefighters: retirement pay and trade time agreements. Representative Connolly introduced HR 3186, the Federal Firefight...

80 percent of Essex firefighters voted for industrial action opposing cuts Essex firefighters show opposition to cuts 8 out of 10 firefighters and fire officers in Essex have voted in favour of industrial action short of a strike against plans to cut one in ten frontline firefighters based at stations. Fire crews also want managers to negotiate other changes rather than impose them without agreement. Keith Flynn, Essex FBU brigade chair said: "Essex fire crews have s...

FEMA is urging residents of homes affected by recent US wildfires to take extra precautions FEMA issues advice and safety tips to guard against unseen dangers The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) urges residents and business owners to take extra precautions when returning after wildfire-caused evacuations. Dennis Hunsinger, FEMA Acting Regional Administrator for Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington warns that unseen dangers may linger long after the flames die dow...

FEMA has authorized the use of federal funds to aid firefighting in Union Valley Approximately 250 homes are under threat from the fire The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today authorized the use of federal funds to help Washington State fight the Union Valley fire burning in Chelan County. FEMA Acting Regional Administrator Dennis Hunsinger said the state's request for federal fire management assistance was approved aft...

Public Affairs Specialist Neily Chapman shows children a disaster kit during a FEMA classroom presentation Program educates children on preparing for and preventing disasters Nearly 2,000 children in Mississippi's lower six counties know a little more about preparedness thanks to the FEMA in the Classroom program. The Mississippi program developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency educates and involves children in disaster preparedness as a way to also engage pare...

FEMA community relations officers talk to OK citizens affected by wildfire Post-wildfire disaster assistance increases again Disaster assistance provided to those affected by Oklahoma wildfires now exceeds $2.9 million, state and federal emergency management officials announced today. Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Small Business Administration officials also urge residents to apply for assistance befo...

A church organisation has been prosecuted for fire safety breaches Organisation admitted guilt on three contraventions of fire safey requirements A church organisation have been ordered to pay £30,000 in fines and costs after pleading guilty to serious breaches of fire safety legislation following a prosecution brought by the London Fire Brigade. Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries International admitted guilt on three contraventions of the Regulatory Reform (Fi...

Maine firefighters, IAFF and government representatives sign the new legislation Legislation will benefit Maine firefighters who contract cancer Flanked by IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger, IAFF 3rd District Vice President Mike Mullane, Professional Fire Fighters of Maine (PFFM) President John Martell and several Maine fire fighters, Maine Governor John Baldacci signed new state legislation - An Act Allowing Workers' Compensation Benefits for Fire Fighte...

President Obama's approval of new SAFER rules will increase the funding available for fire departments In an economic crisis, changes will allow fire departments to use SAFER grants to retain fire fighters President Obama today approved new rules that govern how fire departments can use funding from the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program, an important change during an economic crisis that is responsible for widespread layoffs of fire fig...

The Fire Service College has appointed Kim Robinson as Chief Executive New appointee will head UK's leading fire training organisation Fire Minister Shahid Malik today announced that Kim Robinson has been appointed as Chief Executive of the world renowned Fire Service College at Moreton in Marsh. Mr Malik also announced the appointment of two non-executive members of the College management board: Bill Griffiths as the new Chair and Martin Bryant as a board member. Kim R...

NFPA and DRI have created a new certification program available to those leading preparedness programs Certification available for professionals responsible for preparedness programs The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the Disaster Recovery Institute International (DRI) have joined forces to create an education and certification program that will qualify participants to audit disaster/emergency management and business continuity programs against existing sta...

A tent lit up at night: fires in tents or caravans can spread very quickly Fires in tents and caravans can spread rapidly If you are heading off for a relaxing weekend in your tent or caravan this summer, Kent Fire and Rescue Services (KFRS) is suggesting some simple guidelines to keep your trip safe. KFRS Head of Community Safety, Stuart Skilton, said: "Holidays should be an enjoyable time for all the family but some outdoor activities, such as camping, can bring risks. F...

FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, has met with US governors to discuss emergency preparedness Preparation for and first response to emergencies and disasters highlighted This week, the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Craig Fugate met with several of our nation's governors to discuss emergency preparedness and ensure that as many resources and plans as possible are in place prior to any potential emergency. "FEMA is...

The DHS has revamped its website and launched a YouTube channel New tools will provide a forum for open dialogue with the public The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today launched the DHS YouTube Channel and announced the redesign of DHS.gov - steps to enhance the Department's web presence, increase transparency and provide accurate, up-to-date information to the public. "Social media plays an increasingly large role in our engagement with the public, especially in...