Forest service “let it burn” policy
Article explains what criteria are used to determine suppression actions for wildland fires. http://www.hcn.org/blogs/goat/the-who-what-where-and-why-of-letting-it-burn
Court rules against City over exams used in fire chief competition
Judge rules that the City set qualifications specifically to exclude members of their fire department from the chief's position. http://www.firehouse.com/news/10920092/judge-rules-against-ny-dept-in-fire-chief-exam-suit
Are you ready for barbecue season?
Longer days and warmer temperatures signify the start of barbecue season. This is a good article on barbecue fire safety you may want your media to reprint. http://www.myguidon.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15856&Itemid=39
Fire captain dies in fire, firefighter injured
Captain Michael Goodwin, a 30 year veteran of the Philadelphia Fire Department, was killed when a third floor roof collapsed. Firefighter Andrew Godlewski was injured while trying to rescue Goodwin and is in stable condition in the hospital....
Fire department deploys new emergency medical technology
Two new devices being used by fire departments are a carbon monoxide monitor that helps paramedics tell if people have been exposed to carbon monoxide and a handheld device that uses light technology to help find people's veins, allowing IVs to be started quickly and...
The next generation of technology
New technology may provide a direct satellite video link that allows operations specialists located in a central command centre to watch fire-fighting operations live in support of the Incident Commander on the scene. The cameras can be installed on top of fire...
Scottish fire service charged criminally in death of firefighter
The Scottish Crown has now decided to invoke criminal charges under their health and safety laws against the fire service. They are charged with breaching section two of the Health and Safety at Work Act, which states "it shall be the duty of every employer to...
Facebook and Twitter used to help fight grass fires
The fire department is using social media as part of a new initiative to make appeals and provide arson awareness messages after incidents. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-22019012
Can egg whites cure burns?
There is an email going around suggesting that egg whites may be a miracle cure for burns. Urban Legends discounts this claim. http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/medical/a/Egg-Whites-For-Burns.htm
Best April Fools story we came across
After a five-year study, a leading research group has concluded that loud, blaring sirens on fire trucks are ineffective at getting cars to clear a path. In response to the study there is a new standard for apparatus sirens that replaces the familiar sirens with...
Hire slow and fire fast
If you substitute "fire chief" for "business owner" and "organization" for "business" you will see this article is very relevant to the fire service. http://www.forbes.com/sites/patrickhull/2013/03/27/hire-slow-fire-fast/
City and union clash over 24 hour shift schedule
The city says it needs to save millions of dollars and one way is to put the firefighters onto a 24 hour shift. The union argues the move would represent a cut to their hourly pay and also consider the new schedule potentially unsafe, citing fatigue near the end...
Court orders Fire District to close fire halls
The local government is in receivership so the court ordered the closure of the fire halls after voters rejected a 36 % tax increase. The judge in the case said he firmly believes we are headed for a public safety disaster....
GPS units in emergency response vehicles pose a concern to fire and police unions
Some fire departments have had GPS units in their vehicles for only about a month, and already there is an internal investigation of at least two fire battalion chiefs who were traveling in excess of 100 mph in city-issued SUVs. Firefighters are upset that...
Residential fire sprinklers are the only proactive form of fire protection
While smoke detectors are key in alerting occupants of fire, they are also a reactive form of fire protection, and can only save those who are able to react. Fire sprinklers, on the other hand are proactive, providing firefighters the time they need to...
Fire departments give mixed reviews on self-inspection programs
Some fire departments that employ business owner self-inspection programs have found that many were not as compliant as they said they were. http://www.cleveland.com/bay-village/index.ssf/2013/03/self-inspection_efforts_get_mi.html
Fire prevention grants may be available from FM Global
FM Global Insurance has a grant program available to fire departments and other groups for funding in support of fire and arson prevention, pre-fire planning and education and training programs. http://www.fmglobal.com/page.aspx?id=01060200
More Texas arson convictions challenged over fire science
Authorities in Texas and other states are beginning to re-examine old cases where defendants were sent to prison for setting fires based on expert testimony about burn patterns and charring that today is considered suspect. Nine years ago Texas executed Cameron...
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