Industry News

Forty percent of US home fire deaths throughout 2003-2006 occured in homes without smoke alarms NFPA releases report on smoke alarms in U.S. home fires Four of every ten home fire deaths resulted from fires with no smoke alarms in 2003-2006, according to a new report released today by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). "Smoke alarms are one of the greatest fire protection devices of our time and have significantly contributed to the decline in home f...

The NVFC has released guidelines to improve health and safety procedures amongst volunteer firefighters New guidelines aim to improve volunteer firefighter health and safety The health and safety of our nation's volunteer fire service is a primary concern for the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC). Each year, first responders are killed or injured due to factors that could have been avoided with the proper safety and health precautions. To help keep firefighters and em...

A new publication offered by Quality Parks Improves the way we respond to fire disasters With fires raging in the LA area, schools opening up for the start of the school year, and the upcoming fire prevention week this October, what better time is it than now to raise fire prevention awareness? Anywhere is fire prone, both in the wildlands and in our communities. Wherever fire strikes, we must be ready and better prepared. This is especially true of the wildland urban int...

The Fire Fighters Charity asked the public to support the work of the UK's Fire and Rescue Services The 9th September 2009......was the only day for another 100 years that we could abbreviate to 9.9.9! To pay tribute to this occasion, The Fire Fighters Charity asked the public to show their support to the work of the UK's Fire and Rescue Services by taking part in a 999 Fitness Challenge whilst raising money for injured fire fighters and burns survivors. The C...

The US Girl Scouts and DHS Citizen Corps have announced a new alliance, promoting community preparedness New initiative will bolster community preparedness Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano and Girl Scouts of the USA CEO Kathy Cloninger today unveiled a Girl Scout preparedness patch - designed to engage Girl Scouts and their families in personal preparedness for all emergencies-and announced a new affiliation between DHS Citizen Corps and the...

A digitally-created preview image of the 9/11 memorial site Projects in all 50 states mark first time 9/11 will be officially recognized as a national day of service and remembrance Americans across the country will honor the victims and heroes of the 9/11 tragedy by serving their neighbors and communities as part of the first-ever federally recognized September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance. Service projects marking the eight year anniversary of 9/11 will tak...

FEMA is urging students to remember to prepare for possible emergencies Readiness urged on students across the US As millions of students return to campus or arrive for the first time, FEMA reminds everyone of the need to be prepared for emergencies before they strike. By visiting ready.gov, students can learn a learn few simple steps they can take now to get ready. "Emergencies can happen any time, any where, even on campus," said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. "By gett...

Firefighter Janine Culley with her trophy, donated by The Worshipful Company of Firefighters London Fire Brigade officer won for record medal haul Firefighter Janine Culley has been named the Fire Service Sports and Athletics Association (FSSAA) sports personality of the year. Janine becomes only the second woman to win this prestigious award and she is also the first in the award's history to be presented with a trophy which has been donated by The Worshipful Company of F...

Chief Jeff Johnson has been named President and Chairman of the Board of the IAFC New appointee will act as association's primary spokesperson The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) has installed Chief Jeffrey D. Johnson, EFO, CFO, MIFireE, fire chief and chief executive officer of Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue in Oregon, as IAFC president and chairman of the board for 2009-2010. The installation took place on August 28 during the IAFC's Fire Rescue Interna...

DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano introduces the ads in New York Ads designed to highlight National Preparedness Month across US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano today joined with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Craig Fugate and the Ad Council to launch a new series of Ready Campaign public service advertisements (PSAs) designed to encourage all Americans to take steps to prepare for emergencies, kicking off September's...

The 2009 Phillip L. Turner Fire Protection Scholarship has been awarded to student Benjamin Eschner OSU student was nominated as "outstanding rookie" by his peers The Fire Apparatus Manufacturers' Association (FAMA) has awarded the 2009 Phillip L. Turner Fire Protection Scholarship to Oklahoma State University student Benjamin Eschner. Eschner, a sophomore from Chicago majoring in fire protection and safety technology, will receive a $3,000 scholarship in recognition o...

The site of the fatal 2007 explosion at T2 Laboratories, Inc. Final report will be presented; first responders invited to attend The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) announced today that it will convene a public meeting on Tuesday, September 15, 2009, in Jacksonville, Florida, at which CSB investigators will present their final report on the causes of the fatal December 2007 explosion at T2 Laboratories Inc., a local chemical manufacturer.The meeting will begin at 6:00 pm a...

Secretary Napolitano met with NCR leaders to discuss shared emergency response plans Meeting focuses on collaborative emergency plans in the area Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano today met with Washington, D.C., Mayor Adrian Fenty, Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley and Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine to discuss coordination on emergency preparedness and response efforts in the National Capital Region (NCR). "The National Capital Region po...

Since 2000, 135 people have died in campus-related fires across the US This year marks the fifth anniversary of National Campus Fire Safety Month with the goal of having more schools, communities, students and parents aware of the dangers of fire and engaged in learning what they can do to make sure tragedy does not strike. Since 2000, at least 135 people have died in campus related fires with over 80 percent of them occurring in off-campus housing according to information...

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed Executive order to waive fees and help victims of wildfires Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger visits Oak Glen Fire III in San Bernardino County for Briefing.Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger visited the Oak Glen Fire III in San Bernardino County to receive a briefing on the status of firefighting efforts statewide. The Governor also proclaimed a state of emergency in San Bernardino County due to fires that have burned hundreds of acres, forced an entire...

Members of the AFS tackling a fire on Oxford Street during World War II National event will highlight the contribution of AFS officers London Fire Brigade is hosting a national event to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the Auxiliary Fire Service (AFS), which was mobilised at the outbreak of World War Two on 1st September 1939. The AFS played a vital role in protecting the country from fires and other emergencies for over 30 years. Its members worked tirelessly alongs...

FEMA has approved the use of federal funds to help California fight fires Increased funding will improve state's firefighting resources 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 PV Fire in Rancho Palos Verdes. The authorization makes FEMA funding available to reimburse 75 percent of the eligible firefighting costs under an approved grant for managin...

Governor Schwarzenegger surveys damage caused by the 49 fire Firefighting resources will be directed to battle ongoing fires throughout California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today visited the 49 fire in Placer County to tour damage caused by the 49 fire and receive a briefing on the status of firefighting efforts statewide. The 49 fire began on August 30 and has burned approximately 275 acres and is 50 percent contained. "My administration is working around the clock...

Governor Schwarzeneggar has signed an order to aid wildfire victim recovery Order will help increase aid to those affected by wildfires throughout California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today signed Executive Order S-16-09 to waive fees and help recovery efforts for the victims of wildfires in Los Angeles, Mariposa, Monterey, Placer, Santa Cruz and Yuba Counties. Today, the Governor announced the establishment of a Local Assistance Center to help victims of the 49 fir...

The new U.S. Fire Administrator, Kelvin Cochran is officially sworn in by DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano Experienced former Atlanta Fire Chief now officially in office U.S. Fire Administrator Kelvin Cochran was sworn into office today by U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate at the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) 2009 Fire Rescue International conference in Dallas, Texas. Cochran will oversee and...

Recipients of AFG awards this week include Texas, Arkansas fire depts Grants this week made available in Texas and Arkansas Today, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) awarded $580,595 from the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) program to local fire departments and organizations in the state of Texas; and $69,853 to local fire departments and organizations in the state of Arkansas. Nationally, the fiscal year 2008 AFG...

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...