North American Firefighters prepare for worsening fire forecast

by Americas - Breaking NewsBreaking News

Nearly 3,000 firefighters in North America are preparing for a worsening fire forecast in the days ahead as the country’s largest wildfire reached a temporary standstill in northern Mexico on Tuesday night due to light rain and snow in the mountains

The ongoing wildfire burning for in New Mexico has become the largest in the Southwestern state’s recorded history and it forced the evacuation of a small ski resort and villages in drought-hit mountains east of Santa Fe.

Fire officials in New Mexico said they planned to continue to clear flammable vegetation and deploy aircraft to douse smoldering forests before windier, hotter, drier conditions return this weekend.

Forest Service fire behavior analyst Stewart Turner predicted that by Friday: “Fire weather starts to enter the critical stage where we’ll probably see more growth and fire moving.”

Controlled burns put on hold

The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) on Friday called a temporary nationwide halt to controlled burns meant to reduce fire risk after the agency accidentally started part of New Mexico’s largest ever wildfire, having burned over 300,000 acres (123,000 hectares), destroyed up to 1,500 properties and displaced tens of thousands of people.

Forest Service Chief Randy Moore said fire danger levels were too high to use prescribed fire and ordered a 90-day review of policies before operations planned for this fall.

“Lessons learned and any resulting program improvements will be in place prior to resuming prescribed burning,” Moore said in a statement.

So far this year, wildland fires have burned across roughly 2,650 square miles (6,860 square kilometers) of the U – roughly twice the average burn for this time of year, according to a national center for coordinating wildfire suppression.

Everything you need to know about FDIC International 2022

by Americas - Breaking NewsBreaking NewsEvents

FDIC International is back this April 2022, and opens its doors to the public from April 25-30 in Indianapolis, IN, USA. FDIC International will offer thousands of fire and rescue professionals from around the world, quality world-class instructors, classrooms session, pre-conference workshops, H.O.T evolutions and the most innovative products and services available to the industry displayed by over 800 exhibiting companies.  

The FDIC International experience is more than your traditional trade show it’s about the learning and sharing with your peers formally and informally through hallway conversations, developing life-long friendships, and recharging your passion for the industry. The focus for this year’s FDIC event will be bringing together the industry in-person, for a safe and productive training experience while maintaining the celebration of comradery.  

FDIC International will present over 300 tried and true classes alongside updated content on important topics and new areas of interest from the world’s most renowned instructors. The week of training begins with two days of Hands-on Training (H.O.T.) evolutions and 

Pre-Conference workshops followed by three days of classroom sessions, covering the latest technology and techniques in the fire service.  

The Hands-on Training (H.O.T.) Evolutions at FDIC International are something you must experience to fully appreciate. Attendees can choose between 4- and 8-hour Hands-on Training (H.O.T.) Evolutions which cover the latest technology and techniques in the fire service and are instructed by industry icons. This year’s H.O.T. Evolutions include Drilling at the Speed of Flashover, Fundamentals of Open Water Rescue and Drowning Resuscitation, Advanced Vehicle Extrication, Truck and Rescue Company Fire Operations, and so much more – no other event in the world contains the vast amount of topics and locations presented at FDIC International. 

The FDIC International pre-conference workshops provide attendees with an in-depth look at specific topics covering new areas of interest within the fire service as well as traditional training topics. Attendees can choose from a variety of topics and should be prepared to walk away with new insights, ideas and approaches. This year’s topics cover the latest technology and techniques in the fire service, and include advanced vehicle extrication, active shooter response, open water rescue and drowning resuscitation, heavy vehicle extrication, and more.  

Perhaps one of the most distinguishing aspects of FDIC International’s classroom sessions is the world-renowned instructors. While you’ll certainly find the largest gathering of industry icons at FDIC International, you’ll also find new instructors from around the world presenting ground breaking topics. Some of this year’s sessions include Merging EMS into a Fire Department Culture, Thriving in the Fire Service, Swift Water Rescue Rules of Engagement, Down and Dirty Fireground Decision Making, Best Practices for Proficiency-Based Training, The Successful Short-Staffed Engine, and more. Attendees can move between classroom sessions and topics, customizing their FDIC experience and gaining the most from their time at the event. 

Women in Fire 

Returning in 2022 is Women in Fire for their one-day conference which will take place on Monday, April 25. This conference will begin with an opening ceremony which will take a look at what we know about women’s health in the fire service, including recent and emerging topics such as reproductive health, behavioral health, and modifiable risk factors among this population. Following that will be a line-up of educational classes that provide training, support and advocacy for women in the fire service. 

Our strong heritage and commitment to tradition is epitomized in the 2022 Opening Ceremonies. Every year, thousands of attendees pay tribute to all past, present, and future firefighters. Attending this event provides a comprehensive understanding of the gratitude and respect for all those who place their lives on the line to save others. In recognition of outstanding bravery and selflessness, one firefighter will receive the annual Ray Downey Courage and Valor Award.  

The learning continues on the exhibit floor at FDIC International! Exhibitions span the Indiana Convention Center, Lucas Oil Stadium and the Outdoor Exhibits & Demo Area and give attendees access to explore hundreds of products and services while creating lasting and lucrative business relationships with leading manufacturers.  

Networking 

FDIC also offers a variety of networking opportunities including our special events, MATCH! and The Metro Officers Innovation Briefing.  

The Metro Officers Innovation Briefing is exclusively designed for Metro Officers who want to see what’s new in the industry, hear what innovations other metropolitan fire departments are implementing, and network with fellow officers. This complimentary one-day event takes place on Wednesday, April 27, 2022, the day before the exhibits open.  

MATCH! is a free service at FDIC International that was designed to help attendees and exhibitors make the most efficient use of their time by pre-scheduling one-to-one meetings to discuss sourcing needs. MATCH! is easy, efficient, and complimentary. Attendees who are actively sourcing products and services in the next 12-24 months will select categories they are interested in within our matchmaking tool. From there, exhibitor suggestions will be generated, and the attendees can request meetings that will take place in our MATCH! VIP lounge eliminating any exhibit hall distractions. 

JEMS Con 2022 

Making its debut this year, co-located alongside FDIC International, is the JEMS Conference & Expo (JEMS Con). JEMS Con will offer a refreshed, forward-thinking approach focused on the future of EMS, operational leadership and peer-to-peer sharing and networking. JEMS Con will bring together paramedics, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), medical directors and executives from all EMS providers including state and private agencies, third service and fire for education, training, peer-to-peer sharing and networking. JEMS Con will offer over 100 hours of continuing education approved by the CAPCE. 

Over the past year, we’ve done extensive outreach and had critical conversations with EMS providers, exhibitors, medical directors, and professionals. We’ve taken their insights and suggestions to start to lay the foundation of JEMS Con in 2022. With over 5,000 attendees that identify EMS as their primary job function already attending FDIC, we feel we can create considerable value and efficiencies for the industry in a co-located event. We are committed to welcoming all EMS providers, giving them a dedicated event to comfortably come together to learn, share, and network with peers. We will continue to build partnerships with the EMS community to help shape this event as we plan beyond 2022. We plan to expand the Metro EMS group, add more hands-on training evolutions, enhance the sponsorship experience, and include additional networking opportunities. We are excited about the opportunities this co-location will offer the Fire and EMS communities. 

The pandemic hasn’t stopped firefighters and EMTs from having to serve their communities and therefore the need for training hasn’t stopped! FDIC International is excited to welcome the fire & rescue industry back to Indianapolis at its regularly scheduled time. The focus for this year’s event will be bringing together the industry in-person, for a safe and productive training experience while maintaining the celebration of comradery. The need for connecting with peers became even more important over the past year and a half when COVID-19 created supply chain issues and shortages, as well as fewer in-person training opportunities. At this year’s FDIC International, the industry can expect to find our traditional robust education and training program, an expansive exhibit hall with leading manufacturers, new technology and networking events designed to celebrate coming together and thanking our first responders for keeping our communities safe. 

For general show inquiry or assistance, feel free to reach out to our team at FDIC@clarionevents.com. 

Buildings in Cleveland are falling short of fire protection maintenance systems

by Americas - Breaking NewsBreaking NewsBuilding ManagementIndustry Sectors

An investigative news channel unit has found that half of Cleveland’s commercial buildings are not up to the fire code when it comes to maintaining critical fire protection. 19 Investigates says ‘Fire alarms, sprinklers and fire doors can save lives, But they’re no good if they are not maintained. They need to be inspected routinely to make sure they’re working properly.’

The Cleveland Fire Department officials told the news outlet the problem stems from business owners who aren’t getting these systems checked often enough. And fire inspectors are having a hard time keeping track of thousands of commercial properties across the city.

At a public safety meeting last week, officials estimated about half of commercial buildings in Cleveland do not properly maintain their fire protection systems as required by law. “We project we’re at about 50% compliance,” said Battalion Chief Gregory Lightcap.

Lightcap said the fire department does not have a database to track this. They want to hire an outside company to build one and notify businesses when maintenance is due.
Lightcap said many cities using services like this have gone to more than 90% compliance in a couple of years.

“So we would have a dashboard where we see these issues in red are where we need to direct our energy at in doing code enforcement, because the non-official stuff has not worked up until that point,” Lightcap told city council members at the safety committee meeting.

Alarmed by what we uncovered, we went to Mike Polensek, chair of the Public Safety Committee, for his take on this. “There’s a reason why we have a code, a basic fire, and protection code. It’s for protection,” Polsensek said.

“As a citizen walking into any building, is that a concern knowing they may not be up to date?” Investigator Sara Goldenberg asked.

“Of course it is, because there’s a code, a city code. And that’s been the problem, is it has not been enforced over the years. And now they’re telling us at the table that they don’t have the manpower, the sheer manpower to inspect all of these buildings,” Polensek said.

Polensek said unfortunately he is not surprised by these numbers. He wants to see the city and building owners step up to address the problem—quickly. “Why hasn’t there been enforcement, why hasn’t anyone been prosecuted?” he said. “And cited, and put in housing court if they refuse to make the repairs? None of us can understand why this has broken down as bad as it has.”

Fire officials said these changes would better educate business owners on fire code safety, instead of inspectors just issuing violation notices. City council is waiting to see the proposed legislation from the fire department.

Alarming rise in fires in New York county prompts action

by Americas - Breaking NewsFeatured NewsSafety

The Department of Emergency Services in the Westchester County has released a fire safety video following multiple major fires in the county.

In the wake of major fires that caused loss of life or significant property damage, Westchester County Executive George Latimer and the Department of Emergency Services are providing residents with practical tips on how to prevent fires and increase the odds of survival if one occurs.

Latimer said: “In recent months, our County has experienced several major fires, including several that resulted in loss of life. We extend our deepest condolences to those who lost loved ones. The staff at the Department of Emergency Services has prepared an important fire prevention and safety video. It provides practical, valuable information on how you can prevent fires and how to protect yourself and your family should one occur.”

In a newly released safety video, personnel in the DES Fire Services Division focused on three critical safety messages:

  • Get Out, Stay Out, Call 911 immediately. Do not re-enter a burning home or apartment once you are out safely. Fires can double in size every 30 seconds. Stay outside and let responding firefighters know if any persons or pets are still inside. Report any fire, no matter its size, immediately so help is on the way promptly.
  • Close the Door.  The simple act of closing the door to a room where a fire has broken out can save lives and significantly reduce property damage. A closed door limits the supply of oxygen to a fire and prevents the rapid spread of deadly smoke and flames. If you must flee from a fire, close the door as you leave. In apartment buildings or office settings, this includes closing the door from a hallway to a stairwell.
  • Handle Lithium-Ion Batteries Properly. Lithium-Ion batteries that power cellphones, laptops and other devices are an increasing source of fire in Westchester and elsewhere. When these batteries are not charged, stored or handled properly, they can overheat and cause a fire. Do not leave lithium ion-powered devices on fabric surfaces such as pillows, beds or couches.

From UFC fighter to US firefighter, who is Stipe Miocic?

by Americas - Breaking NewsBreaking NewsPeople

Former UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic has been sworn in as a full-time firefighter. Miocic has devoted the last 12 years to an American fire station where he works as a firefighter.

The 39-year-old has been made fulltime firefighter after being put through several rounds of tests and checks. He now serves at the Westlake Fire Department in Ohio.

City mayor Dennis M. Clough described the occasion as a “a historic day for the city of Westlake.”

He previously worked part-time for Valley View Fire Department where he cleaned the toilets the morning after his fights.

Miocic last fought in March 2021, where he squared off against Francis Ngannou, which ended in a victory for the later. The loss also meant Miocic lost his heavyweight honours.

Experience a virtual demo of LUNAR from MSA

by Americas - Breaking NewsBreathing ApparatusProducts

Firefighting is an inherently dangerous environment and firefighters are exposed to risk while performing their duties. The workload of a fire and rescue services has also changed throughout the years. In addition to fighting fires, they are at the forefront of many other rescue operations. Therefore, advanced tools that can help to keep firefighters connected who are on- and off-scene, maintain situational awareness and provide actionable data is a key element in firefighter safety.

MSA’s Connected Firefighter Platform, driven by LUNAR, provides that solution.

The Connected Firefighter Platform

MSA´s Connected Firefighter platform is a suite of products designed for every firefighter on-scene, both those on air and off. Linked together they create visibility, increase efficiency, situational awareness, and enable accountability for everyone on the scene. This set of products connects the fireground to the cloud. comprised by the M1 SCBA Telemetry solutions, the FireGrid Software suite, and the latest breakthrough technology LUNAR.

Key Components of Connected Firefighter Platform

The Connected Firefighter ecosystem is comprised of:

LUNAR – a cloud-connected, comfortable to carry in hand and wireless device to provide enhanced thermal imaging, what’s beneficial for firefighters’ situational awareness. With LUNAR firefighters know who’s in distress and needs help with direction and distance information to help find separated teammates and decrease response time. This technology alerts incident commanders to who’s down and who’s searching for them – all while still having a remote monitoring piece.

FireGrid – a web-based cloud platform composed of FireGrid Monitor tablet application and FireGrid Configure mobile application. It’s easily accessible from anywhere which provides an additional layer of firefighter safety by collecting smart data to increase a department’s capability for managing products, people, and processes. On-scene information is aggregated from products and is available for immediate usage or stored for post-scene data reporting. So, it could be used by a department’s incident commander, someone monitoring off-scene remotely, a fleet maintenance manager, or even a training officer.

MSA HUB – the wireless gateway to the cloud for telemetry-enabled MSA SCBA. It enables active monitoring of air management information both on-scene for local monitoring and remotely from anywhere in the world. MSA HUB can be used as a local system by using its own hotspot for connectivity or by connecting to an existing internet connection. The wireless capability enhances mobility and introduces the use of FireGrid Monitor to allow Local Incident Command the option to not be tethered to their command vehicle and to be closer to the action.

Other Products Considered as a Part of Connected Firefighter Platform

M1 SCBA –  For those wearing MSA M1 SCBA, embedded Bluetooth technology connects to LUNAR, providing estimated air pressure, time remaining, and battery life all on-screen for a complete safety point-of-view.

ALTAIR® 4XR and ALTAIR® 5X – these portable multigas detectors have embedded Bluetooth technology to connect to LUNAR and the MSA M1.

A Virtual Demo of LUNAR

Watch a virtual demo of LUNAR where MSA’s experts explain in-depth how LUNAR works and the advantages of the product network. The videos are available in English, German and French language.

Caldor Fire: Thousands evacuated from tourist town of South Lake Tahoe

by Americas - Breaking News

Firefighters are working to stop the Caldor Fire wildfire from spreading as it nears the tourist town of Lake Tahoe. Thousands of residents of the town have already been evacuated as the fire heads towards the region of Sierra Nevada.

So far the wildfire, which has been fueled by strong winds, has already destroyed more than 191,000 acres of land, mountain cabins and hundreds of homes. Authorities now fear that as many as 34,000 structures may be at risk if the fire continues on its path.

Following the evacuation order, over 20,000 residents and tourists in the area rushed to leave, which had caused clogged roads.

https://twitter.com/SRodd_CPR/status/1432512413576749059

There are now fears that weather conditions that consist of low humidity, dry fuel and wind gusts up to 30 mph on Wednesday will provide even tougher conditions for the thousands of firefighters who are tackling the blaze.

Air firefighting operations had begun but were forced to be temporarily put on hold last week as thick smoke prevented helicopters and air takers from dousing the flames.

Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association endorses Outthink Wildfire

by Americas - Breaking News

In its latest resolution action, the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association (Metro Chiefs) unanimously approved support of Outthink Wildfire™, an initiative of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) aimed at eliminating the destruction of communities by wildfire in 30 years.

The resolution emphasizes the fact that the U.S. has witnessed a steady increase in frequency and intensity of wildfires, a trend that experts predict will continue. The number of homes lost in wildfires per year has increased by 163 percent and wildfires now cost the U.S. billions of dollars each year in losses. In the past three years alone, metropolitan fire departments in the western U.S. have seen over 100 lives and thousands of structures lost to wildfire, and these fires have caused billions of dollars in direct damage to property and local economies.

Launched in February 2021, Outthink Wildfire lays out five policy changes that must occur at all levels of government to make it easier for communities to foster collaboration, enact change, achieve resilience, and protect themselves from wildfire. Leveraging this information, the resolution calls for support of the five tenets that form a complete wildfire mitigation approach, including the need for more and better training and protective equipment to ensure fire departments are properly prepared to respond safely and effectively to wildfire. 

“Outthink Wildfire is rooted in two realities – wildfires are going to happen, and the other is that fire departments will never be staffed or equipped to save property in the path of a wildfire,” said Jim Pauley, NFPA President and CEO. “Given the size and scope of the U.S. wildfire challenge before us, local fire departments must have the proper resources, training, and personal protective equipment to be effective in fighting these fires.”

According to an NFPA report, Fourth Needs Assessment of the U.S. Fire Service, 88 percent of U.S. fire departments—some 23,000 departments—provide wildland and/or WUI firefighting services. Of those, 63 percent have not formally trained all their personnel involved in these activities. Only 32 percent have all their responders equipped with appropriate personal protection equipment (PPE), and 26 percent do not have any of the necessary PPE at all. For the years 2011 to 2015, wildfires caused an average of 1,330 fireground injuries to local fire department personnel each year.

“Metropolitan fire departments are continuing to face the threat of wildfire to their communities and the residents they serve,” said Chief Don Lombardi, President, Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association. “While wildfire response efforts have increased significantly, spending on resource management and community preparedness activities has not. We endorse Outthink Wildfire and its five tenets as a holistic approach to end the destruction of communities from wildfire.”

In preparation for a future with more wildfire activity, collaboration that begins with policy implementation in the U.S. can work to better protect its neighborhoods, citizens, and first responders. Learn more about Outthink Wildfire at nfpa.org/wildfirepolicy.

IDEX AND NVFC partner for free FDIC sessions

by Americas - Breaking News

NVFC partner IDEX Fire and Safety is hosting two free sessions at FDIC on August 5 and 6 for the volunteer fire service. The Thursday session will feature an NVFC representative as a panelist, and IDEX will be giving out free NVFC memberships at the Friday session.

Both sessions will take place at the IDEX booth 1823.

Thursday, August 5, 2pm
Challenges & Opportunities Volunteer Departments Face
This session discusses the unique challenges and opportunities that are specific to volunteer departments. Learn best practices for volunteer departments in the areas of recruiting, automation and technology, funding, and fire ground safety.

With guests:

  • Gale Blumenkamp, Boone County Fire Protection District, West Columbia, MO
  • Kenny Krieg, Pattonville Fire Protection District, Bridgeton, MO
  • Chief Dallas Terrell, Wooster Township Fire & Rescue, Wooster, OH
  • Sheri Nickel, Orlando Volunteer Fire Department, Orlando, OK, and OK director to the National Volunteer Fire Council

Friday, August 6, 11:30 am – 12:15 pm
Volunteer VIP Tour
For volunteers that are specing a truck, meet IDEX leadership along with an up-close, hands-on presentation to look at new technology that can help volunteer fire departments. To celebrate IDEX’s partnership with the NVFC, the first 20 people that sign up for the session at the IDEX booth will also get a year membership with NVFC.