Since the Dublin fire department purchased new breathing equipment there have been a total of six unexplained occurrences while firefighters were wearing the sets. The face mask collapses in on the firefighter leaving them without an oxygen supply.
A pigeon dropping a discarded cigarette down a chimney and a dog turning on a toaster were among some of the most bizarre causes of fires in 2013.
http://www.independent.ie/world-news/and-finally/bizarre-causes-of-fires-revealed-29868711.html
A fiery oil train derailment’s near-miss of a small North Dakota town had its mayor angrily calling for federal officials to do more to guarantee the safety of the growing shipment of oil by rail. Can Canada be far behind?
Following a string of explosive accidents, U.S. officials say crude oil being shipped by rail from the northern plains across the U.S. and Canada may be more flammable than traditional forms of oil.
Residents or businesses can “adopt” a hydrant to help assure that it is accessible by clearing snow on all sides of the hydrant. By adopting a hydrant, participants will be helping to protect themselves, their families and their neighbours.
http://stamford.dailyvoice.com/police-fire/stamford-fire-department-starts-adopt-hydrant-program
Kitchen ‘appliance garages’, which have pull-down doors to hide toasters, kettles and other small appliances, were the cause of two recent house fires, according to the New Zealand Fire Service. If the appliances are not pushed well into the cupboard the door can be accidentally lowered onto on/off switches.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11183170
A military rescue technician who was lowered from a helicopter to save a crane operator stranded above a massive fire in Kingston, Ont., credits daily training for the success of an “extremely unusual rescue.”
The Lucas Chest Compression System, which costs about $13,000, delivers compressions that standardize the procedure according to the latest scientific guidelines and provides the same quality for all patients while avoiding EMT fatigue.
Urban sprawl and rising call volumes are stretching Edmonton Fire Rescue’s resources, with an average of 52 people moving to the city every day. Fire Chief Ken Block says keeping pace with that booming growth is their biggest challenge in 2014.
The Ontario legislature has amended the Fire Protection & Prevention Act to require the installation of a carbon monoxide detector adjacent to all sleeping areas in any new or existing residence served by ANY kind of fuel-burning appliance, including gas furnaces, gas water heaters, fireplaces, and wood stoves.
http://kingstonherald.com/release/co-detector-law-2010312593