Firefighter Health and Safety - News

The new SCBA is expected to improve the safety of fire fighters on the frontlines. Photo: Justin DiPierro The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) and the Prince George’s County, Md., Fire/EMS Department have conducted a field test of a new self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). “These important field tests give us the information we need to ensure that this cutting-edge technology is safe, reliable and ready to be deployed. This is one of th...

NVFC will be honoured with the award for its services towards fire industry NVFC is committed to the health and safety of first responders and has established many initiatives to promote firefighter health and safety. The Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI) and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) have selected the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) as one of three recipients of the 2010 Paul S. Sarbanes Fire Service Safety Leadership Award. The N...

MSA has announced that net sales for the year ended December 31, 2009 decreased by 20 percent While the company may have seen the worst of the recession, the uncertain strength of the recovery will continue to present challenges for MSA throughout 2010.MSA  has announced that net sales for the year ended December 31, 2009 were $910.0 million compared with $1,134.3 million in 2008, a decrease of $224.3 million, or 20 percent. Net income for the year ended December 3...

Firehouse partners with NVFC to encourage health and wellness among Fire Service Firefighters are encouraged to visit the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program in booth 504 at Firehouse World, March 2-4. Cygnus Expositions, a division of Cygnus Business Media, have announced that they will provide resources and space for the National Volunteer Fire Council's (NVFC) Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program at Firehouse World 2010 in San Diego, CA, February 28-March 4, the country's larg...

The NVFC released the Health and Safety Priorities to outline best practice for fire department Fire Department Network News has released a series of video news stories highlighting the National Volunteer Fire Council's (NVFC) Volunteer Firefighter Health and Safety Priorities. Each segment in the four-part series looks at a different focus area set forth in the Priorities. The NVFC released the Volunteer Firefighter Health and Safety Priorities to outline best practices ev...

NFPA 1600 and 14 other NFPA first responder codes and standards have received DHS's QATT designation  This is the first block of standards to receive this “Qualified Anti-Terrorism Technology” designation by the DHS. NFPA 1600, Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs and 14 other NFPA codes and standards have been designated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as "Qualified Anti-Terrorism Tec...

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...

USFA has released a report into US firefighter fatalities in 2008 Heart attacks the most common cause of US firefighter death in 2008 The United States Fire Administration (USFA) today released the report Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2008. The report continues a series of annual studies by the USFA of on-duty firefighter fatalities. The USFA is the single public agency source of information for all on-duty firefighter fatalities in the United States each...

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...

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...

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...

USDA is supporting National Firefighter Health Week, which is this year focusing on heart health Firefighter Health Week will focus on heart health The United States Fire Administration (USFA) encourages firefighters and fire departments to focus on health and wellness the week of August 17-21 through participation in the Third Annual National Firefighter Health Week. The theme for this year is "It takes a healthy heart, mind, and body to do what you do - Keep It Strong."...

Crimson Fire, Inc. has announced EMC as a new dealer Crimson Fire, Inc. has welcomed EMC as a new dealer in its growing Southwestern region The Brandon, S.D.-based manufacturer said EMC will sell and service Crimson Fire's full line of custom fire trucks, aerials and rescue vehicles in the state of Arizona. EMC has nearly two decades of experience in the fire services and emergency-rescue market, as well as expertise working with hospitals, railroad companies, federal ag...

Avon-ISI has launched a new website and technical support telephone line New corporate developments reflect newly focused company divisions Avon-ISI recently announced the launch of its new website (www.avon-isi.com), as part of the newly released website from Avon Rubber plc, its parent company. Avon Rubber and its subsidiaries now share a common look and feel with linked webpages, while also maintaining each division's unique market focus. The Avon-ISI website has a user...

Members of the Common Voices Coalition accepting the award Award given in recognition of oustanding contributions to firefighter health and safety The National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA), the longest-tenured fire sprinkler advocacy organization in the U.S., announces its Common Voices advocates' coalition received the Senator Paul S. Sarbanes Fire Service Safety Leadership Award. Named after retired Senator Paul S. Sarbanes of Maryland, the award - presented by th...

Designed and built especially to meet the needs of the Evonik Degussa company fire-brigade at its Stockhausen plant (Krefeld/Rhineland-Palatinate), IVECO Magirus recently delivered the HTLF 40/40-4-250-100, which the fire-fighters now proudly now proudly call their "new giant". The profile of a truly gigantic vehicle: Chassis: IVECO stralis AD 260 S 36 Y/PS Crew: 1 + 8 Engine performance: 264 kW (360 HP) Vehicle dimensions: 12,000 x 1,500 x 3,600 mm (L x W X H) Permissible tota...

After rigorous testing by Phoenix firefighters, the new Draeger PSS7000 Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) was selected as the top choice for the City of Phoenix SCBA contract. Draeger beat out over six other SCBA manufactures all with units certified to the tough new National Fire Protection Association standards. The order placed with Draeger is for more than 800 units.Phoenix firefighters put the SCBA units through 15 testing stations and the Draeger unit placed first - over 110 points...

Every year, the IAFC honors members of the fire and emergency service with a number of different awards, recognizing outstanding efforts in arenas such as fire-prevention practices, hazmat response, and firefighter health and safety, among others.  The IAFC is now seeking nominations for the awards listed below.  For nomination forms and more information about each award, go to www.iafc.org/awards. International Hazardous Materials Response Teams Conference Awards - The IAFC's Hazmat...

In order to appreciate the resuscitation protocols being advocated today, as well as new innovations in techniques, protocols, and technologies, it is important to know how these resuscitation procedures have evolved over the years. Therefore, this presentation has been developed for this purpose. Early Ages - Heat Method When a victim’s respiratory and circulatory systems fail and metabolism ceases, the body temperature cools. In the early ages, hot ashes and coals were placed on th...

Based on a 1961 study at Williamston, MI, conducted by the Michigan State Police, the Indiana University Health and Safety Department, the Michigan Highway Department, and the American Red Cross, it was estimated that approximately 400 persons lose their lives as a result of being trapped in automobiles that have plunged into the water. Most vehicles will only float on the surface of the water from 30 - 60 seconds. Therefore, it is critical that the occupants make every attempt to bail out of t...

In the event a firefighter is suddenly and unexpectedly immersed in deep water while wearing full turnout gear, firefighter survival is dependent upon the actions taken during the first critical seconds of the immersion. The incidence of this type of emergency increases when firefighters are fighting apartment fires around a swimming pool, during suppression activities on and around piers and docks, as well as during a fall-through incident in which the firefighter falls through a floor into a b...