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FEMA continues to support USAID and others in effort to save lives in Haiti Message from Deputy FEMA Administrator Richard Serino on the Haiti tragedy and the ongoing resuce efforts: "Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with those affected by the devastating earthquake in Haiti. President Obama has instructed the federal government to undertake a swift, coordinated, and aggressive effort to save lives in Haiti, and FEMA continues to support USAID and others in th...

Over one-quarter of residential fires result from improper maintenance of equipment Heating is one of the leading causes of residential fires. The high cost of home heating fuels and utilities has caused many Americans to search for alternative home heating sources such as wood burning stoves, space heaters, and fireplaces. Over one-quarter of these fires result from improper maintenance of equipment, specifically the failure to clean the equipment. Carbon monoxide...

Kent Firefighters are working with the UK ISAR mission in Haiti Firefighters from the Kent Fire and Rescue Service, who are working with the UK International Search and Rescue (ISAR) mission in Haiti, have returned to Port-au-Prince. The team visited the town of Leogane which is approximately 25 miles west of Port Au Prince and is much nearer to the epicentre. Reports indicate that 80 to 90 per cent of the town has been destroyed. While there, the UK ISAR te...

  Establishment Holmatro UK as of 1 January 2010 Establishment Holmatro UK as of 1 January 2010 Holmatro Rescue Equipment B.V., Dutch based manufacturer and worldwide leading supplier of high-pressure hydraulic rescue tools, opened an office in the UK on 1st January 2010; with immediate effect, customers can purchase their rescue equipment directly from Holmatro UK. They are also pleased to announce an ongoing agreement until October 2012 with Supply 999 Limited w...

A team of specialist firefighters from Kent left for Haiti to help earthquake victims A team of specialist firefighters from Kent left for Haiti yesterday, where it will form part of the UK International Search and Rescue response to the earthquake disaster. A 7.0-magnitude earthquake had struck the night before, and it is being reported that hundreds have been killed or injured in and around the capital, Port-au-Prince. Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS), as one of...

Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Janet NapolitanoPhotograph: Elissa Jun/FEMA Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has released a statement describing ongoing US relief efforts following the Haiti earthquake."The entire Department of Homeland Security (DHS) extends its sympathy for the devastation and loss of life in Haiti following last night's earthquake - a disaster that has called the world to action in response. The U.S. Coast Guard and the F...

LLACC is supporting borough councils as they continue to deal with severe weather London Fire Brigade's 'London Local Authority Coordination Centre' (LLACC) is supporting borough councils across the capital as they continue to deal with some of the most severe weather in living memory. Based in Clapham, the 24-hours a day centre is activated by the Brigade's emergency planning team when there is a need for Councils to work together, coordinate resources, share informat...

Kent Fire and Rescue Service, as one of the first call teams, has sent a group of six firefighters to Haiti A team of specialist firefighters from Kent has arrived in Haiti to form part of the UK International Search and Rescue response to the earthquake disaster. A 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck on Tuesday evening and it is being reported that hundreds have been killed or injured in and around the capital, Port-au-Prince. Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS), as one o...

Specialist Kent firefighters are being prepared to join the UK International Search and Rescue response Specialist Kent firefighters are being prepared to join the UK International Search and Rescue response and assist in the aftermath of a massive earthquake in Haiti. A 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck last night and it is being reported that hundreds have been killed or injured in and around the capital, Port-au-Prince.   Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS),...

GMFRS are warning people of the extreme dangers of ice and open water With the current cold weather conditions continuing, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service are again warning people of the extreme dangers of ice and open water. Local media has highlighted a number of instances where people have been witnessed playing and skating on ice.* So far during this current cold period the Fire and Rescue Service have responded to a total of 13** incidents across Greater Man...

GMFRS are dealing with the working conditions caused by the severe  weather affecting the entire county Currently Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) are dealing with the extraordinary working conditions caused by the severe weather affecting the entire county.  Despite the poor driving conditions emergency fire crews are fully operational and responding to all incidents, also six additional 4x4 vehicles have been made available. Because of the&n...

Mid and West Wales firefighters are issuing a stark warning to drivers to ensure road and fire related safety Road and fire safety measures during winter from Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service. How do you fancy being faced with one of these? This is hydraulic rescue equipment and is used by firefighters to free casualties trapped in cars. Unfortunately this is an all too familiar sight for today's firefighters and despite a reduction in the number of people bein...

  Kimtek Corporation is to supply FIRELITE units for service with the U.S. Army in Afghanistan   Kimtek Corporation has announced a significant order of their FIRELITE units for service with the U.S. Army in Afghanistan. The company manufactured and shipped ten of their top of the line FIRELITE Transport FDH-09 skid units to fit Military Polaris and John Deere Gator 6x6 UTVs. Built from aluminum diamond plate, aluminum tubing, and stainless steel, these rugge...

Operation Carmageddon will demonstrate the consequences of careless driving "Reckless driving: cut it out before we have to cut you out," is the stark message from firefighters who will be demonstrating their role in the aftermath of a serious car crash with a special demonstration in Chatham High Street on Thursday, 17 December. Crews from Chatham and Medway fire stations will rescue a mock casualty from car wreckage alongside staff from Kent Police and the Kent Air Ambula...

Federal funding is available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures for all counties and tribes within the state.The head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has announced that federal disaster aid has been made available for the State of Louisiana to supplement state and local recovery...

FEMA is excited to announce the second webinar in the Community Preparedness Webinar Series FEMA's second webinar in the Community Preparedness Webinar Series begins December 14. The webinar series provides up-to-date information on community preparedness topics and resources available to citizens, community organizations, and Citizen Corps Councils. This LIVE webinar is scheduled for Monday, December 14th at 2pm EST and will provide information on the Resolve to Be...

The webinar series will feature new community preparedness topics several times each month The first LIVE webinar is scheduled for Monday, December 7 at 2 pm EST and will provide information on the newly created Citizen Corps Volunteer Liability Guide. FEMA's Community Preparedness Division has announced the Community Preparedness Webinar Series. This webinar series will provide up-to-date information on community preparedness topics and resources available to...

Flood damage inspection in ArkansasPhoto by Patsy Lynch/FEMA 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 Arkansas to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area struck by severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding beginning on October 29, 2009, and continuing. Federal funding is available to state and eligible local governments and certain priv...

Secretary Napolitano will meet with leaders from real estate, professional sports, financial and media industries(Photograph by M. Broussard, FEMA)  Secretary Napolitano will discuss protection of critical infrastructure among other things. "Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano will travel to New York City on Dec. 2-4 to meet with private sector leaders in the real estate, professional sports, financial and media industries to discuss t...

The aftermath of a serious car crash will be played out to students at North West Kent College in Dartford The aftermath of a serious car crash will be played out to students at North West Kent College in Dartford on Wednesday, 2 December. Entitled "Operation Carmageddon", the demonstration involves firefighters from Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) cutting free a mock "casualty" from the wreckage of a crashed car. Staff from Kent Police and the South East Coast Ambulanc...

The seminar will feature real world projects using gazetteer data for a variety of applications The first Addressing Issues seminar will take place on 10th February, 2010 at Winford Manor Conference Centre near Bristol and further dates and venues will be announced soon. A free seminar programme designed to promote the effective use and management of geographic information by Emergency Services will begin on 10th February, 2010. Sponsored by spatial technology company GGP...

FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate addressed students and faculty at Savannah State University The event was sponsored by the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Student Organization (HSEMSO). FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate addressed students and faculty at Savannah State University, in Savannah, Georgia. The FEMA Administrator praised students for choosing to study emergency management and recognized the administration of Savannah State, a Historical...

U.S. firefighters responded to roughly 1,300 home fires involving cooking equipment on Thanksgiving in 2007 The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is calling on cooks across the nation to consider fire safety whilst cooking, because Thanksgiving is the day with the greatest number of home fires in the USA. U.S. firefighters responded to roughly 1,300 home fires involving cooking equipment on Thanksgiving in 2007, roughly three times the daily average of cooking...

More accidental, fatal house fires occur in the winter months, than at any other time of the year As the temperature drops and people spend more time at home using heaters, candles and cooking hot food, serious house fires increase - that's the stark message from London's firefighters this winter. The London Fire Brigade has released new figures about accidental, fatal house fires, which show that fatalities in accidental dwelling fires are falling year on year. However, the...

KFRS officers carried out late night inspections in licensed premises in Maidstone town centre Officers from Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) carried out late night inspections in licensed premises in Maidstone town centre on Saturday in response to public concerns of overcrowding. KFRS fire safety enforcement inspectors were out in force making sure that measures were in place to enable rapid and safe evacuation in case of a blaze. At this stage, inspectors are wor...

Carl Barlow has won an award for long service at the London Fire Brigade A London Fire Brigade firefighter, who once starred in the famous 'boy on a bike' Hovis advert in the 1970s, has been presented with a long service award for serving Londoners for 30 years. Carl Barlow, 50, who now earns his crust as a Crew Manager at Islington Fire Station, said: "I've thoroughly enjoyed my career as a firefighter. I love the variety - you never know what's going to happen f...

All new one- and two- family dwellings in the US are to have residential fire sprinklers starting 2011   American homes are one step closer to being more fire-safe, following an October 28 vote at the International Code Council (ICC) hearings in Baltimore, Md. The vote reaffirmed national building codes making it mandatory for all new one- and two- family dwellings to have residential fire sprinklers starting in 2011. American homes are one step closer to b...

A new Realistic Fire Training (RFT) unit for firefighters is to be officially opened next week A new state-of-the-art training facility for firefighters is to be officially opened next week (17 November) at Ashford Fire Station Crews using the Realistic Fire Training (RFT) unit, in Ashford, are exposed to the real conditions they face during a blaze, otherwise only experienced at genuine incidents. The new facility consists of a tower with a three-storey house attached, si...

  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...

Registration for FDIC 2010 is now open Imagine the impact ON YOU Join us for FDIC 2010 - the fire service's premier event and largest annual gathering of fire professionals in North America. We have put together another thorough and challenging training program. H.O.T. evolutions and pre-conference workshop schedules have been revamped for more convenient scheduling and to give you the opportunity to get the most out of your training experience. Below are just a few of the...