U.S. Fire Administration News

Over 100 representatives from across Illinois’ fire service organizations gathered in River Grove, IL, for the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association of Illinois’ 18th Annual Fire Services Home Day, held this year at Triton College’s EMT/Fire Science Program Building. The fire professionals were joined by elected officials and staffers from a number of state and federal offices with 18 fire service vendors displaying key equipment used in the fire service. Various pieces of equ...

Do users know of a fire department that received much-needed federal funding for training, equipment, or recruitment? Chances are that funding came from an Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) or Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant. Need for urgent action If Congress does not act within the next few months, AFG and SAFER will cease to exist. As seen in this letter from the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) and over 30 fire service-related organizat...

On January 22-24, 2024, fire service leaders, including NVFC Rhode Island Director - Kevin Quinn, traveled to Detroit, MI; Chicago, IL; and Columbus, OH, to urge the public to take the proper precautions to protect themselves against home fires and extreme cold. The message comes as the U.S. Fire Administration projects the U.S. will hit 3,000 fire deaths in 2024. The speakers also used the opportunity to talk about the fire service and how people can step up and serve their communities. Learn...

Recruitment and retention are vital elements for the success of any volunteer fire or emergency medical services (EMS) department. Volunteer departments play a critical role in safeguarding communities, but without enough dedicated volunteers, these departments struggle to fulfill their mission. Volunteer fire and EMS departments across the country are struggling to attract and retain qualified members. Recognizing this challenge, the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), in partnership with the Nat...

On May 11, 2023, the House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Research and Technology held a hearing regarding ‘Reauthorizing the U.S. Fire Administration and Fire Grant Programs: Evaluating Effectiveness and Preparedness for Modern Challenges’. The National Volunteer Fire Council’s (NVFC) Georgia Director, David Bullard, testified at the hearing on the behalf of the NVFC. The hearing provided a great opportunity for the NVFC...

Homeland Security Secretary, Alejandro N. Mayorkas and U.S. Fire Administrator, Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell delivered remarks during the 42nd National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) Memorial Weekend on May 7, 2023, in Emmitsburg, Maryland, USA. The Homeland Security Secretary and the U.S. Fire Administrator paid tribute to the 79 firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2022 and 65 firefighters who died in previous years.  Paying tribute to fallen firefighters The emergencies to wh...

The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) announces the launch of the modernization effort to develop a new, interoperable fire information and analytics platform, known as the National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS), for the American fire and emergency services. This effort is being carried out as a partnership between USFA and the US Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate (S&T). National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS) The goal...

ALCHERA X attended the launch of XPRIZE Wildfire, a 4-year global competition aimed to award $11 million in prize funding to teams that can develop and demonstrate fully autonomous capabilities to detect and extinguish wildfires. The event took place in Washington, DC, during Earth Week 2023. Destructive wildfires have recently been recognized by the United Nations, the White House, and Congress as a major economic, environmental, and safety issue. Extreme wildfire events Extreme wildfire eve...

Integrations will enable alerting authorities to disseminate wireless emergency alerts to the public in near real time through vehicle navigation and entertainment systems. The Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate concluded a proof-of-concept demonstration of the wildland urban interface (WUI) integration model that integrates next generation technologies with FEMA's Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) and GPS navigation applications and cutting-ed...

The Head of the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), a component of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and principals of America’s national fire service organizations traveled to New York City and Philadelphia to honor those lost to fires in the past year, including the 29 victims of the tragic fires in the Bronx and Philadelphia. During her visits, U.S. Fire Administrator - Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell shared steps to reduce the risk of fire in local communities and launch the USFA Nation...

Steel is used in heavy construction because it is relatively inexpensive, easy to use, and provides great strength under normal conditions. However, heat is its weakness. Exposed steel expands and may fail under fire conditions. Physical damage can cause the concrete to separate from the steel compromising the structure's fire-resistive integrity. Exposed steel can fail when its average temperature reaches approximately 1,000 F. Fire-Resistance rating The high temperature will weaken the stee...

Many fire departments across the United States conduct home safety surveys and have smoke alarm installation programs. Some departments, however, remain concerned about their possible liability if a fire leading to property loss, injury or death occurs after they install smoke alarms. Recent research from The Network for Public Health Law found no cases in which the courts — at any level — held nonprofit organizations, volunteer organizations, local governments, or fire departments...

With EV sales expected to increase drastically in the next few years, there are growing concerns in the firefighting community about how to deal with EV fires. Cause of concern One area of concern is EVs that have been flooded by salt water. According to the NHTSA, residual salt within the battery or battery components can form conductive “bridges” that can lead to short circuits and self-heating of the battery, resulting in fires. The time frame in which a damaged battery can...

An updated version of the Emergency Operations Center How-to Quick Reference Guide PDF has been released by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to replace the version released in August 2021. This all-hazards guide can provide state, local, tribal and territorial jurisdictions with information and guidance related to Emergency Operations Center (EOC) set up, operation, maintenance and deactivation. Tribal and territorial jurisdictions While all jurisdictions have their own unique...

The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) and the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association (Metro Chiefs) released a joint statement PDF warning firefighters that synthetic chemicals in their protective gear are associated with various health risks, including an increased risk of liver and kidney cancer. The chemicals responsible are a group of fluorinated compounds called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances commonly referred to as PFAS. They are used in firefighter turnout gear to incr...

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL) has posted 2 user notices that may impact certain respirators used by fire and emergency medical services providers. The NPPTL issued a May 2022 notice PDF for 3M Scott SCBA Air-Pak models manufactured between Nov. 1, 2019 and April 12, 2022. 3M Scott has received reports on the Air-Pak X3, Air-Pak X3 Pro and X3-21 Pro models referencing the primary and/or secon...

Recent research from Duke University involved firefighters wearing silicon wristbands on and off the job. The silicon absorbs any semi-volatile organic compounds the firefighters may have been exposed to. The wristbands worn by firefighters were analyzed for 134 different chemical compounds, including phthalates, brominated flame retardants, organophosphate esters, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), all of which have been linked to increased...

The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) EMS Safety Practices manual provides information to enhance the health and safety of the emergency medical services (EMS) practitioner and support the reduction of occupational illness and on-duty injuries and fatalities. 146-page manual This 146-page manual outlines how to develop a safety program that covers all aspects of EMS operations to prepare for, prevent, mitigate, and respond to all hazards. It covers safety regulations and guidelines while a...

NIST released the WUI Structure/Parcel/Community Fire Hazard Mitigation Methodology (HMM) to provide guidance for homeowners and communities to protect themselves from wildfires. Integrating the latest post-fire field observations and fire science research, this report defines dozens of clear, measurable and cost-effective protective actions homeowners can take to defend their homes. Most vulnerable components Wildfires can spread through a community very quickly, especially one with dense h...

A traumatic event like a wildfire can have devastating effects on the community. Pre-fire planning including home hardening and landscape maintenance at the home and in the community can help reduce the risk of loss from wildfire and help neighborhoods and cities be more resilient after a wildfire. pre-fire planning Communities that complete pre-fire planning usually recovers more quickly because they have developed support networks. The recovery process may take many years. Al...

Damage and vandalism to fire department connections (FDCs) happens all the time. Passersby shove trash in the FDC opening, building owners block them or thieves steal parts for the metal. All these things can cause significant damage or make the connection inoperable. This issue may be more prevalent during protests. While most protesters are not out to cause property damage, some are. It is important to be vigilant and inspect FDCs more often if there are protests in your jurisdiction. Fire s...

From 2008-2019, 109 firefighters lost their lives due to training injuries. While many of these may be attributed to personal health issues, the majority comprise a senseless loss of life. If someone is a training officer looking for a practical, safe alternative to dangerous live fire scenarios, take a look at virtual reality (VR) training. Conserving valuable resources VR technology is raising the bar in firefighter training while helping save lives and conserve valuable resources. The use...

The Healthy Forest Restoration Act of 2003 was the initiating legislation for the development of Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). This legislation encourages communities to develop these plans to help reduce their risk to wildfire loss, as well as create healthier natural ecosystems. The ambiguity in the legislation allows communities to develop effective plans that are relevant to their conditions and can change as community capacity, and other conditions change. Why it is important...

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large family of man-made chemical compounds found in a wide range of consumer products, such as nonstick products, polishes, waxes, paints, and cleaning products. Two PFAS compounds, perfluorooctane acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), may be present in firefighting aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) solutions. Certain PFAS can accumulate and stay in the human body for long periods of time. Long-term exposure to PFAS/PFOA/PFOS, in h...