The US National Volunteer Fire Council Foundation’s Volunteer Fire Department Cost Savings Calculator will help you determine your department’s contribution to the community and provide data for municipalities who fund those departments. A 2013 report by the National Fire Protection Association estimates that the monetary value of donated time from volunteer firefighters is $140.7 billion.
Titanium alloy golf clubs can potentially ignite dry brush when the lightweight metal is swung and struck against a rock, researchers said Wednesday. The study conducted by scientists at the University of California, Irvine, found that under the right conditions, titanium clubs can create sparks that can heat to more than 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit for long enough to ignite dry foliage.
http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2014/03/19/uci-study-titanium-alloy-golf-clubs-pose-brush-fire-risk/
This video shows a fire that started as a controlled 150-acre burn and everything was going well until a dust devil formed nearby. The dust devil swept fire and tumbleweeds into the air while firefighters ran for safety. This serves as an excellent reminder fire can change at any time so expect the unexpected even on a prescribed burn.
Quality fire, life, and workplace safety instruction reduces injuries and deaths. NFPA can help you deliver high-quality instruction and enhance your public education programs. They have several new videos focusing on the importance of smoke alarms.
With two young offenders in custody and a warrant issued for a third suspect, Windsor Police are crediting social media with playing a key role in their investigation. Through a resident’s home security system and social media, police were able to identify three “persons of interest” after somebody torched a new commercial building. Det. Glenn Gervais said, “I saw posts on Facebook and Twitter myself” and “The public was instrumental in this investigation.” Is your department using available technology?
The Government of British Columbia has tabled legislation under the Workers Compensation Act to restore heart disease in firefighters as a presumptive disease recognized by WorkSafeBC. Under the proposed amendment, if a firefighter suffers from heart disease or a heart injury – including a heart attack – it will be presumed to be due to their work as a firefighter unless the contrary is proved.
In a bid to lower how many calls there are to false alarms fire crews will no longer be sent to automatic fire alarms. During 2012/13, Chesire crews responded to more than 2,500 alarms but only 29 of these calls involved a fire, which meant 98.7 per cent could have been avoided.
To establish a municipality’s Public Protection Classification, the ISO uses a comprehensive 105.5 point scoring system called the Fire Suppression Rating Schedule that analyzes data across three categories of a community’s fire-fighting capabilities: Emergency Management Agency dispatch, water service and fire fighting.
The investigation into a house fire found the smoke detectors were originally installed in 2005 and that they had been recalled by General Electric in 2010 because a capacitor could overheat – which this unit did.
The Manitoba government said it is looking at sprinkler retrofits in personal care homes if further improvements need to be made in hospitals, personal care homes and other facilities. The province also said it is dedicating up to $7 million annually for sprinkler and fire safety upgrades in health-care facilities.