2009 archive

2008 archive

2007 archive

2010 News Archive

All-Hazards Incident Management Teams Association Formed

DENVER, CO (Dec. 14, 2010) – The newly formed All-Hazards Incident Management Teams Association, Inc. has announced the election of its first Board of Directors at the All-Hazards Incident Management Teams Training and Education Conference (AHIMT-TEC) in Denver. The national Association was incorporated in Colorado on Dec. 1, and will provide leadership and education to Incident Management Teams throughout the country.

The Association is the first of its kind for All-Hazards Incident Management Teams and will set the national standards for training and education, said Bill Easterling, the Association’s Director-at-Large and Fire Marshal for Genesee Fire & Rescue in Colorado.

“We have seen the critical difference and success that effective incident management will make in the face of major and catastrophic incidents,” said Steve Grainer, the Association’s President and Chief of Incident Management Programs at the Virginia Department of Fire Programs. “The formation of this Association demonstrates the broad commitment to continue to take these teams to the next level and beyond.”

When communities are faced with disasters like wildland fires, blizzards and tornadoes, the All-Hazards Incident Management Teams often are the first called in to bring order to the chaos. Nationwide, there are 128 AHIMTs being tracked by the U.S. Fire Administration. More than 250 members have already joined the new Association. The Association will promote, support, improve and enhance the mission of these All-Hazard Incident Management Teams by providing educational opportunities, setting standards and promoting the cooperation of federal, state, local and tribal agencies as well as non-governmental agencies in all phases of emergency management. The end result will make the teams and our communities stronger.

The Board of Directors is made up of 11 members from 10 regions across the country, plus a director at large. In addition to Grainer and  Easterling, the newly elected Board includes Tod Gates, 1st Vice President, of the Lynwood, (WA) Fire Department; Randall Collins, 2^nd Vice President, of the Indiana Department of Homeland Security; Victoria Koenig, Secretary, of the State of Texas All-Hazards IMT; William Austin, of the West Hartford (CT) Fire Department; William Campbell, of the New York State Office of Emergency Management, Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services; Bobby Smith, of the Jacksonville (FL) Fire Rescue; Wayne Nelson, of the Galina (KS) Police Department; Mark Peck, of the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation; and Brian Fennessy, of the San Diego City Fire-Rescue Department.

For more information, contact Bill Easterling at 303-526-1230 or via email at admin@geneseefire.org  

Posted 12-31-10

All Hazard Incident Management Teams Association Membership Form for Calendar Year 2011

Firefighter Safety Message from Dr. Denis Onieal, Superintendent, National Fire Academy

The recent double firefighter fatality fire in Chicago, the eight civilian fatality fire in New Orleans and two other building collapses today in Buffalo NY and Washington, DC resulting in firefighter injuries stress the importance of safe operations in abandoned buildings.

Worcester Cold Storage and Warehouse Fire - December 3, 1999 - Worcester, Massachusetts.  Six firefighters were killed while battling this blaze. 

We are sadly reminded of the Worcester, Massachusetts, fire that killed six fire fighters.  Late last year we issued a Coffee Break Training Special Blend to honor their sacrifice, and we think it's particularly timely today to issue it again.  Please share this Coffee Break Training with all operations personnel to remind them of the risks they face every day, and how they might prevent another tragedy. 

http://tinyurl.com/yku479l

Dr. Denis Onieal, Superintendent

National Fire Academy

United States Fire Administration

Federal Emergency Management Agency

Department of Homeland Security

301-447-1117

Posted 12-30-10

Appointed Positions on CSFCA Board of Directors

Are you interested in serving the Colorado State Fire Chiefs Association on the Board of Directors (BOD)?  If so, apply for one of the appointed positions on the Board.

CSFCA members assembled at the Annual Meeting held on December 2, 2010 in Keystone elected Steve Pischke, Deputy Chief of Mountain View Fire Protection District as President of the Association, and Michael Morgan, Chief of the Rifle Fire Protection District as Vice-President.  Both will officially assume their responsibilities at the CSFCA BOD meeting on January 14, 2011.

One of the responsibilities of the President-elect is to nominate qualified individuals to serve in the appointed positions on the BOD, which include the Secretary, Treasurer, and Regional Representative (Regional Director) positions.  These nominations and action by the BOD will occur at the January 14, 2011 meeting.

Any active member in good standing may apply for appointment to serve in one of these positions.

Secretary and Treasurer

The CSFCA Secretary and Treasurer are appointed officers of the BOD.  The President-elect nominates qualified individuals to serve as the Secretary and the Treasurer of the Association and the BOD confirms or rejects the President-elect’s recommendation. Once appointed, the Secretary and Treasurer serve at the pleasure of the BOD or until the end of the President-elect’s term of office. These appointed officers are eligible for reappointment without limitation.

For more information about the positions of Secretary or Treasurer, see the CSFCA Constitution and Bylaws here.

Regional Representatives (Regional Directors)

The CSFCA is composed of nine subordinate geographical regions which correspond with the Colorado All Hazard Emergency Management Regions.  Each region has a representative on the CSFCA BOD (the President of the Metro Denver Fire Chiefs’ Association serves as the Regional Representative for the North Central Region).

Regional Representatives are nominated by the CSFCA President-elect and are confirmed by the BOD.  Once appointed, the Regional Representatives shall serve at the pleasure of the Board or until the end of the President-elect’s term of office.  Regional Representatives are eligible for reappointment without limitation.

Regional Director Roles and Responsibilities.  Regional Representatives serve as ambassadors or liaisons, fostering communication between the BOD and the CSFCA members in their regions; and:

·         Attending BOD meetings in person or by other means (i.e. teleconference), submitting reports from the region to the BOD, and communicating meeting summaries back to CSFCA members in their region;

·         Encouraging CSFCA membership and supporting and promoting CSFCA events within their respective region;

·         Facilitate networking and sharing between/among members in their respective region, and between/among different regions; and

·         Serving, as needed, on CSFCA committees, working groups and task forces.

CSFCA members wishing to serve in one of these positions should send a “letter” of interest to the CSFCA Executive Director by e-mail by 5:00 PM on Monday, January 10, 2010.

Posted 12-30-10

Gov. Ritter Orders Flags Lowered in Honor of Lance Cpl. Jose Hernandez
 

Gov. Bill Ritter has ordered flags on all state and federal buildings to be lowered to half staff on Thursday, December 23, from sunrise to sunset, in honor of Marine Lance Cpl. Jose A. Hernandez, 19.

Hernandez was killed on December 14 in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan while conducting combat operations. His funeral service is scheduled for 10 a.m. tomorrow at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Pueblo. Hernandez was born in Iowa and spent his childhood in Pueblo, where his mother currently resides.  

Posted 12-22-10

Denver Nuggets 2nd Annual Firefighter Appreciation Night

to benefit the Colorado Fallen Firefighters Foundation

Wednesday, January 19th, 7:00 PM
Denver Nuggets v. Oklahoma City Thunder
 

Thanks to everyone that came out and supported the Colorado Fallen Fire Fighters Foundation last season. Here are the details regarding this year’s event:

·         Tickets - $40 Corner Loge (normally $80) or $15 Upper Center Balcony (normally $39)

·         $5 from every ticket purchased will go directly back to the Colorado Fallen Firefighters Foundation (CFFF)

·         Denver Fire Fighters will be passing the bucket in the Pepsi Center courtyard to raise additional funds for the CFFF.

Fun for the Entire Family

·         Denver Nuggets Fan Tunnel – 25 kids will be able to high five the Nuggets before the game on the court – spots will go fast, don’t wait to order and sign your kids up

·         Post Game Shootaround – everyone who purchases tickets will be able to come and shoot on the Nuggets court after the game

·         The Denver Fire Department will be bringing fire engines down onto the Pepsi Center courtyard prior to the game

To order tickets click on this link: Denver Nuggets Firefighter Appreciation Night

For those that cannot make the 1-19 game the Denver Nuggets also have a game available on 2-7 where $5 will still be donated to the CFFF and we will still be able to do a Nuggets High Five Fan Tunnel before the game.

For questions, contact Ben Lucas at 303-405-6184 or blucas@pepsicenter.com.

Antifreeze Solutions in Home Fire Sprinkler Systems-Phase II Final Report Issued

NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems, has included guidance on the use of antifreeze solutions in fire sprinkler systems since the 1940 edition. Recent fire incidents, analysis of available literature, and preliminary testing have identified concerns with the use of certain antifreeze solutions. Under certain conditions, solutions of glycerin and propylene glycol antifreeze have been found to ignite when discharged from automatic sprinkler systems.

A literature review, preliminary testing, and a long term research plan were developed as part of Phase I of this project. This Final Report includes the results of a comprehensive test program (also outlined in the Interim Report on the project) on a range of propylene glycol and glycerin antifreeze solutions challenged in a range of fire scenarios, as well as additional analysis and recommendations for further study.

The results of this research suggest that antifreeze solutions of propylene glycol exceeding 40% and glycerin exceeding 50% by volume are not appropriate for use in home fire sprinkler systems. Consideration should be given to an appropriate safety factor for concentrations of these antifreeze solutions that are permitted by future editions of NFPA 13, as well as warnings and limitations outlined in antifreeze product literature.

The use of solutions of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol in home fire sprinkler systems should also be limited unless testing is conducted to establish that they are appropriate for use in home fire sprinkler systems. The results of this analysis are limited to residential sprinklers; the flammability of antifreeze solutions discharged through other types of sprinklers has not been investigated.

Recommendations are provided for further research in the following areas:

·         Investigate the use of Antifreeze Solutions in Sprinkler Systems with Non-Residential

·         Sprinklers

·         Characterize Droplet Size Distributions from Sprinklers

·         Develop a Small or Medium Scale Screening Test of Antifreeze Solutions

·         Develop a Listing Standard for Solutions introduced into Sprinkler Systems

Posted 12-20-10

Download Phase II Final Report

3rd Annual Firefighter Appreciation Night A Success

The 3^rd Annual Colorado Rockies Firefighter Appreciation Night was held on September 11, 2010.  Despite the number of competing events (not to mention the significant number of resources assigned to the Fourmile Canyon Fire in Boulder County), this event was still a success.  A total of 580 “fundraiser” tickets were sold and the revenue generated for the Colorado Fallen Firefighters Foundation will be $7,763. 

By comparison, last year a total of 398 “fundraiser” tickets were sold, generating $5,925 for the Colorado Fallen Firefighters Foundation. 

The night was also successful for the Colorado Rockies, as they triumphed over the Arizona Diamondbacks 2-1.

The Colorado State Fire Chiefs Association and Colorado Fallen Firefighters Foundation wish to express their appreciation to everyone that contributed to making this event a success.

Watch for information about the 4^th Annual Firefighter Appreciation Night by becoming a fan of the “Colorado Rockies Firefighter Appreciation Game” Facebook group at: http://tinyurl.com/2cypu99.

Also, if you have pictures of your group at this year’s event you would like to share on this page, send them to Paul Cooke.

Posted 10-07-10

Data from EMS Deployment Field Experiments Now Available
Study Reveals Data on Crew Size and Configuration Impact

Fairfax, VA – A new EMS deployment study has been issued by a broad coalition in the scientific, firefighting, EMS and public-safety communities. The study shows that the size and configuration of an EMS first responder crew and an advanced life support (ALS) crew has a substantial effect on a fire department’s ability to respond to calls for emergency medical service.

The Fire Fighter Safety and Deployment Study’s Report on EMS Field Experiments is the first attempt to investigate the effects of the following on the task completion times for ALS-level incidents:

·         Varying crew configurations for first responders

·         The apparatus assignment of ALS personnel

·         The number of ALS personnel on scene

The increasing number of EMS responses point to the need for scientifically based studies to measure the operational efficiency and effectiveness of fire departments responding to medical calls. Fire departments typically deliver first-on-scene, out-of-hospital care services, regardless of whether they provide transport. The design of fire service-based EMS systems varies across communities. Some departments deploy only basic life support (BLS) units and personnel, others deploy a mix of BLS and ALS units and personnel, and a few departments operate solely at an ALS level.

This study emphasizes that every one of those system-design decisions affects emergency medical response and care when each second counts.

The study’s principal investigators were Jason Averill of NIST, Lori Moore-Merrell of the International Association of Fire Fighters and Kathy Notarianni of Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Other organizations participating in this research include the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the Commission on Fire Accreditation International-RISK, the Urban Institute and the University of North Carolina.

The report was funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program.

The NIST Deployment Report on EMS Field Experiments may be downloaded here.

Additional information on the Fire Fighter Safety and Deployment Study can be found online at http://www.firereporting.org. 

Posted: 09-30-10

29th National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend to be Held October 2-3, 2010

The 29th annual National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend will be held at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, MD on October 2-3, 2010, as announced by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) and the Department of Homeland Security's U.S. Fire Administration.  A plaque with the names of 80 firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2009 will be added to the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial, located here on the National Fire Academy campus. Military firefighters who died while performing firefighting duties from 1981-2009 are among 25 from previous years who are also being honored. The plaques surrounding the Memorial, which was established in 1981, will contain the names of more than 3,400 firefighters.

Thirty-two states experienced line-of-duty deaths in 2009. Deaths resulted from vehicle accidents while en route to or returning from emergency calls, training incidents, building collapses, natural disaster response, being struck by objects (vehicles, trees, and gunshot wounds) at the incident scene, falls, heart attacks, helicopter/air tanker crashes, electrocution, and burns/smoke inhalation. Six multiple fatality incidents accounted for 13 deaths. Three multiple fatality incidents occurred at structural fires; two incidents resulted from an apparatus crash and an airtanker crash during a wildland fire, and one involved falls from an aerial device. New York had the Nation's greatest number of line-of-duty firefighter deaths in 2009 with 8, followed by Pennsylvania with 6; and North Carolina and Texas both had 5.

Chairman of the NFFF Board of Directors, Chief Dennis Compton, stated: "Firefighters face inherent dangers every day while protecting the lives and property of their communities. Far too often, they make the ultimate sacrifice. The National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend brings their loved ones and the fire service together to honor and remember these selfless men and women. It is a time to reflect upon their lives and to let their families, coworkers, and friends know that they will never be forgotten."

Two Fallen Colorado Firefighters to be Honored

The 29th Annual National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service will honor two Colorado firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2009.

·         Pilot Thomas L. Risk, age 66, of Neptune Aviation Services, Inc. (USFS Contractor) died in an air tanker crash while en route from Montana to a wildland fire in New Mexico on April 25, 2009.

·         Captain Brett M. Stearns, age 29, of the US Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management - Little Snake Field Office died after being struck by a falling tree while working a hazard tree abatement project on June 26, 2009.

About Lowering the Flags

On October 16, 2001, President George W. Bush approved legislation requiring the American flag to be lowered to half-staff on all Federal buildings to memorialize fallen firefighters. Public Law 107-51 requires this action to occur annually in conjunction with observance of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service.

Watch the Memorial Service Live on the Web

The Memorial Service begins Sunday, October 3, 2010 at 9:30 a.m.; Service at 10 a.m. (Eastern).  It can be viewed live on the web at: http://weekend.firehero.org/media/live.html.

For more information about the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend visit http://weekend.FireHero.org.   

Posted: 09-30-10

Fund Established to Assist Boulder County Firefighters Who Lost Homes in Four Mile Canyon Fire

While fighting the dangerous Four Mile Canyon wildland fire, firefighters of several small volunteer fire departments lost their home and most, if not all, of their belongings to the fire.   Most of these firefighters have not even had time to grieve over their loss as they continue their efforts to bring under control and extinguish the fire.

As a means of recognizing their dedication and unselfish acts of courage, members of the Boulder County Firefighters Association (BCFFA) have established a “benefit fund” in order to raise money to assist these firefighters getting back on their feet and finding home is which to live. 

Anyone interested in contributing money to this worthwhile fund may stop in or send money to any 1st Bank in the Front Range and some mountain areas – making their check out to the “BCFFA”.

Posted 09-13-10

USFA and the IAFF Publish Best Practices for Emergency Vehicle and Roadway Operations Safety

August 24, 2010 — The United States Fire Administration (USFA), in partnership with the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), announces the release of Best Practices for Emergency Vehicle and Roadway Operations Safety, which highlights the results of a U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice (NIJ) supported initiative to enhance emergency vehicle and roadway operations safety for firefighters and law enforcement officers.

"With vehicle crashes and emergency responders being struck on the roadway being a major cause of on-duty fatalities, it is important for all first responders to avail themselves of these programs to reduce this tragic cause of death," said Acting U.S. Fire Administrator Glenn A. Gaines. "We are grateful for the U.S. Department of Justice's support of this emergency vehicle and roadway safety initiative which benefits the fire service and law enforcement alike."

"The number of law enforcement officers and firefighters killed in vehicle crashes and as the result of being struck by vehicles as they work at the roadside is disturbing and unacceptable," said IAFF General President Harold A. Schaitberger. "The purpose of this program is to provide information to all emergency responders that will make their jobs safer."

The goal of this project is to provide a basic guide for all law enforcement officers and firefighters to improve their level of safety at work. The document discusses training, policy development, education, and technology to enhance emergency vehicle and roadway safety operations.

Best Practices for Emergency Vehicle and Roadway Operations Safety is available on the IAFF's website.

Further information on USFA's emergency vehicle and roadway operations safety projects may be found on the USFA's website.

Posted 08-31-10

Colorado Public Safety Week Begins Sunday

By Christopher P. Riley, MS, CFO, MIFirE, Fire Chief, City of Pueblo & CSFCA President

Recently I had the privilege of announcing the newest joint project between the Colorado State Fire Chiefs Association (CSFCA), the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP), and he County Sheriffs of Colorado (CSOC).  The first ever Colorado Public Safety Week – August 29 to September 4, 2010 – is a joint initiative of the three Colorado public safety organizations to enhance the safety of our first responders to traffic incidents on Colorado roads.  The Associations have been joined by the Colorado State Patrol and the Colorado Department of Public Safety, Division of Fire Safety to work on this very important project.

The reason that this partnership team was formed was to emphasize the importance of traffic safety.  History and statistics have shown that the leading cause of death for Law Enforcement and the second leading cause of death for Fire Fighters are directly related to motor vehicle accidents.  Through our partnership association’s leadership we believe that we can begin to work collaboratively to drop that number in Colorado.

The partnership team has been working for the past several months to put together an agency training component on traffic safety that the Colorado agencies can use during either a roll call or other training opportunity during the week.  A short PowerPoint program was developed for this purpose and is available for download at: http://tinyurl.com/2dvfxxp. The focus of this training is to emphasize the importance of the safety when responding to an accident, the use of the new safety vest, and the other tools available that will keep our first responders and the public safe.

I encourage every fire department in the state to dedicate at least one day during this week to focus on highway traffic safety.  This could include reviewing your SOP’s, holding classroom training sessions and working with other agencies you routinely respond with to develop and/or exercise traffic safety policies and plans.

Additional Highway Safety resources for Emergency Service Personnel can be found on the CSFCA website here.

The team is also working on a public component to this program but it is still under development and will not be available for this week.  You are encouraged to present some type of public safety program during the week prior to Labor Day so that we keep safety in the forefront as we go into the long holiday weekend.  One suggestion is to utilize the "Slow Down and Move Over" Public Service Announcement developed by the Delaware City Fire Company and the Cumberland Valley Volunteer Firemen’s Association (see related article below).

The slogan for Public Safety Week is:  Colorado Public Safety Professionals Are Invested In Your Safety – Watch Out for Us . . . So We Can Watch Out for You!

We will be contacting you after the event to see what programs you used, what public exposure was for the program and ideas you might have for next year.

Thank you in advance for your participation in Public Safety Week and be safe!

Posted 08-28-10

Motorists Urged To "Slow Down and Move Over" in PSA

Delaware City, DE - A national Public Service Announcement (PSA) urging motorists to “slow down and move over” premiered on August 18, 2010 at the Delaware City (DE) Fire Company.

Link to PSA: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6W0gnES7uf8

The PSA is a joint venture between the Delaware City Fire Company and the Cumberland Valley Volunteer Firemen’s Association (CVVFA) to educate the public about dangers associated with passing responders working on the roadways.

The project was launched at the request of the Delaware City Fire Company following the tragic death of Firefighter/EMT Michelle Smith, who was struck while rendering aid at an accident in December of 2008. 

The CVVFA produced the PSA under a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) with funding from the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. USFA Acting Deputy Fire Administrator Denis Onieal and Bill Troup from the USFA’s National Fire Programs Division attended the ceremony.

Delaware Senate Bill 205 (signed into law on August 18, 2010) increases the penalty for a violation of the Move Over Law if a driver violates the statute and strikes a roadway responder.  The change places the Delaware law closer to the model Move Over legislation adopted in most other states.  Move Over laws require motorists, if possible, to move at least a lane away from firefighters, law enforcement, ambulances, tow trucks, and transportation workers.  If that is not possible, drivers must slow down and proceed with caution.

Source:  http://tinyurl.com/2dv6ex4

Posted 08-24-10

NFPA Standards Council Bans Use of Antifreeze in Sprinkler Systems for New Residential Construction

August 18, 2010 – The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standards Council has banned the use of antifreeze solution in residential fire sprinkler systems for new construction until further action by NFPA consensus standards committees, and NFPA has issued a follow-up to its July 2010 safety alert to provide updated guidance on the use of antifreeze in residential fire sprinkler systems. The council action and updated alert follow new research that was conducted after a fire incident raised concerns about antifreeze solutions in residential fire sprinkler systems. The incident involved a grease fire in a kitchen where a sprinkler with a high concentration of antifreeze deployed. The fire resulted in a single fatality and serious injury to another person.

“Fire sprinklers are one of the most effective ways to save lives and property from fire,” said James M. Shannon, president of NFPA. “We have acted quickly to conduct additional research in order to provide the public and our technical committees with as much information as possible regarding the use of antifreeze in sprinkler systems.”

According to NFPA, the home is the place where most fire fatalities occur, and when sprinklers are present, the risk of dying in a home fire decreases by 83%.

Shannon said the key findings from the new report were: 

·         Antifreeze solutions with concentrations of propylene glycol exceeding 40% and concentrations of glycerin exceeding 50% have the potential to ignite when discharged through automatic sprinklers.

·         Both the 40% propylene glycol and 50% glycerin solutions demonstrated similar performance to that of water alone for fire control throughout the series of tests.

·         Based on the results of this research, antifreeze solutions of propylene glycol exceeding 40% and glycerin exceeding 50% are not appropriate for use in residential fire sprinkler systems.

·         Consideration should be given to reducing the acceptable concentrations of these antifreeze solutions by an appropriate safety factor.

New Systems

NFPA standards prohibit the use of antifreeze in residential fire sprinkler systems in new construction following the August 16, 2010 issuance of tentative interim amendments (TIA) to NFPA 13, 13D and 13R. If you are putting in a new residential fire sprinkler system (including all NFPA 13D applications and the dwelling unit portions of NFPA 13 and NFPA 13R systems), refer to the latest editions of NFPA 13, 13D and 13R, as amended by TIA numbers 1000, 995, and 994.

Existing Systems

·         Fire sprinklers are extremely effective fire protection devices, significantly reducing deaths, injuries and property loss from fire. These systems should not be disconnected.

·         Residential fire sprinkler systems, whenever possible, should not contain an antifreeze solution.

·         If you have, or are responsible for, an existing residential occupancy with a fire sprinkler system, contact a sprinkler contractor to check and see if there is antifreeze solution in the system.

·         If there is antifreeze solution in the system, determine if other means, such as insulation, can be used to provide adequate freeze protection.

·         If there is no viable alternative to antifreeze solutions, NFPA recommends the following:

o    Use only propylene glycol or glycerin antifreeze solution.

o    The antifreeze solution should be the lowest possible concentration required for the needed freeze potential but under no circumstance should the antifreeze solution exceed a maximum concentration of 40% of propylene glycol or a maximum concentration of 50% of glycerin. Consideration should be given to reducing these concentrations by an additional safety factor.

o    The antifreeze solution should only be a factory pre-mixed; use of factory pre-mixed solutions is essential to ensure the proper concentration level and solution integrity.

o    Antifreeze solutions should only be used with the approval of the local authority having jurisdiction.

The full NFPA Safety Alert Regarding Antifreeze in Residential Sprinkler Systems and more information on this topic can be found at http://www.nfpa.org/antifreeze.

Posted 08-19-10

NFPA's Updated Safety Alert Regarding Antifreeze in Residential Sprinklers, issued on August 18, 2010.

Colorado Springs Professional Fire Fighters Union, IAFF Local 5

To Colorado Fire Departments:

As the liaison between the Colorado Springs Fire Department and the International Association of Fire Fighters, we would like to request your participation in this year’s IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial Observance and the Fire Apparatus/ Motorcycle Procession preceding the observance. The observance will take place Saturday, September 11th, 2010 at 1:00 pm in Colorado Springs.

Your department’s attendance will help the United States and Canada honor our brothers and sisters who lost their lives in the line of duty this past year. All fire department personnel, city officials, and general public are encouraged to attend the observance. Additionally, we would ask your department to commit a piece(s) of fire apparatus and fire fighter motorcyclists to take part in the procession that will occur before the observance begins.

The procession, which is not open to the public, will take place in two sections. Fire departments and motorcyclists may elect to participate in either section or both. The first section is sponsored by the Wind & Fire Motorcycle Club, Rocky Mountain Chapter. Fire apparatus and fire fighter motorcyclists will be escorted by law enforcement officials from Lakewood to a designated staging area in Colorado Springs following a brief early morning gathering.

The second section of the procession is sponsored by the Colorado Springs Professional Fire Fighters Local 5 and the IAFF. It will depart from the staging area in Colorado Springs and arrive under police escort at Memorial Park signifying the commencement of the IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial Observance.

We understand that fire departments are likely participating in 9/11 remembrance services in their local area. We encourage you to make resources available for the IAFF ceremony as well. The attached pages indicate apparatus staging locations, staging/departure times, procession routes, and pertinent addresses. This information can also be found at www.iafflocal5.com. 
 

Fire departments who can commit fire apparatus to either section of the procession must complete a registration form found on our website at www.iafflocal5.com.  Fire fighters interested in riding their motorcycles in either section of the procession must register individually at www.ridetoremember.org. Registrations are required for insurance purposes and must be submitted no later than September 3rd, 2010. Preferred attire for the day’s events will be formal dress uniform or similar.

Respectfully,

Kevin L. Simpson

Colorado Springs Professional Fire Fighters Local 5

3265 W. Carefree Circle, Bldg. C

Colorado Springs, CO 80917
Phone (719) 596-4618

Posted 08-16-10

1st Annual Colorado Public Safety Week Update

I am pleased to announce the 1st Annual Colorado Public Safety Week which will be held August 29 -September 3, 2010 (note date change). In collaboration with the CSFCA, Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police, County Sheriffs Association of Colorado, and the Colorado State Patrol, we are encouraging all public safety agencies in Colorado to participate in this safety week.

Our Safety Focus for 2010 is Highway Traffic Safety for Emergency Responders. We are all aware that highway accidents are the Number 1 cause of Law Enforcement Fatalities every year and one of the leading causes of Firefighter Fatalities.

This being said, we are asking all public safety agencies to dedicate at least one day during this week to focus on highway traffic safety. This could include reviewing your SOP’s, holding classroom training sessions and working with other agencies you routinely respond with to develop and/or exercise traffic safety policies and plans.

A second component of this week centers on public education/awareness.  We recommend time also be set aside during this week to educate the public on traffic hazards, how to approach and safely pass parked emergency vehicles, why fire apparatus block the highway when working traffic crashes, etc.

To our knowledge, Colorado is the first state in the nation to conduct this type of inclusive public safety week.  Let’s all be a part of history and take a proactive approach to vehicle driving and road safety to ensure “Everyone Goes Home Safe”.

Additional information concerning the 1st Annual Colorado Public Safety Week, including Highway Traffic Safety resources, will be posted on the website and distributed to CSFCA members.

Thank you for your on-going commitment to Firefighter Safety!

Respectfully submitted,

Christopher P. Riley, MS, CFO, MIFirE

Fire Chief, City of Pueblo

President, CSFCA

Posted 07-19-10

NFPA Issues Safety Alert Regarding Antifreeze in Residential Sprinklers
Fatal Fire Raises Concern about Antifreeze

July 6, 2010 – The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) today issued a safety alert recommending that residential fire sprinkler systems containing antifreeze should be drained and the antifreeze replaced with water. The alert follows a research study and an initial set of fire tests conducted after a fire incident raised concerns about antifreeze solutions in residential sprinkler systems. The incident involved a grease fire in a kitchen where a sprinkler with a high concentration of antifreeze deployed. The fire resulted in a single fatality and serious injury to another person.

“Fire sprinklers are one of the most effective ways to save lives and property from fire,” said James M. Shannon, president of NFPA. “Until we can provide further information based on additional research that is currently underway, we are urging the public to continue the use of sprinklers but to follow our interim safety guidelines by removing antifreeze if it is in their sprinkler systems.

According to NFPA, the home is the place where most fire fatalities occur, and when home sprinklers are present, the risk of dying in a home fire decreases by 83%.

Shannon said based on testing conducted, 70/30% glycerin and 60/40% propylene glycol antifreeze may provide an unacceptable risk of harm to occupants in certain types of fire scenarios, in particular kitchen grease fires. There were successful tests where kitchen grease fires were extinguished or contained with a 50/50% glycerin solution but it was felt there should be additional testing to more fully understand if there is a risk associated with 50/50% glycerin solution.

NFPA offers the following interim guidance on residential sprinklers

Fire sprinklers are extremely effective fire protection devices, significantly reducing deaths, injuries and property loss from fire.

These systems should not be disconnected.

Until the results of further testing on antifreeze are available, NFPA recommends the following:

·         If you have, or are responsible for, a residential occupancy with a fire sprinkler system, contact a sprinkler contractor to check and see if there is antifreeze in the system.

·         If there is antifreeze in the system, as an interim measure, drain the system and replace it with water only. Problems associated with freezing of sprinkler pipes can be mitigated by alternative measures such as insulation. NFPA hopes to provide further guidance based on additional testing before the winter freezing months.

·         If you are putting in a new residential sprinkler system, design and install a system that does not require antifreeze.

“We are providing this safety alert as interim guidance based on the information we have right now,” said Shannon. “As soon as more information is available, we will update the public.”

NFPA also reminded the public about basic fire safety tips for kitchen fires. All consumers should take important fire safety precautions regarding kitchen fires.

·         Have and maintain smoke alarms in your home.

·         Pay attention when you are cooking.

·         Should you have a grease fire on your stovetop, smother the fire by sliding a lid over the pan and turn off the stovetop. Leave the pan covered until the pan cools completely.

·         Never put water on a grease fire or use a multipurpose fire extinguisher onto a pan fire, as it can spray or shoot burning grease around the kitchen, actually spreading the fire.

·         Never attempt to carry a flaming pan across the kitchen.

The NFPA Safety Alert Regarding Antifreeze in Residential Sprinklers and more information on this topic can be found at www.nfpa.org/antifreeze.

Posted 07-07-10

Baltimore Mayor Signs Bill Requiring Installation of Sprinklers in New Homes

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 24, 2010

CONTACT

Ryan O’Doherty

(410) 818-4269

ryan.odoherty@baltimorecity.gov

Mayor Rawlings-Blake Signs Bill Requiring Installation of Sprinklers in New Homes 

Announced additional funding for lithium battery smoke alarms to keep communities safe.

Today, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake joined Council President Bernard "Jack" Young, Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke (District-14), Councilman Warren Branch (District-13) and Fire Chief James Clack to sign into law City Council Bill 10-0437, Residential Code - Automatic Fire Sprinkler Systems. Beginning July 1, 2010, all new one and two-family homes built in Baltimore City will be required to have residential fire sprinklers. The City Council passed the landmark legislation on June 21, 2010. Baltimore becomes the largest city in the United States to require these life saving devices in all new residential construction.

“I would like to thank Councilwoman Clarke for her continued efforts to increase fire safety in Baltimore,” Mayor Rawlings-Blake said. “With this legislation, combined with other efforts, including reduced rotating firehouse closures effective July 1 and continued outreach to provide free smoke alarms to City residents, we can continue to reduce fire related deaths.”

Residential fire sprinklers have proven their effectiveness in saving lives across Maryland.

Since the early 1990’s when state law mandated sprinklers in new multi-family homes and townhouses, there have been no fire deaths in these protected structures. More than half of Maryland’s municipalities and nine counties have adopted similar requirements for one and two-family homes.

“Sprinklers save lives,” added Councilwoman Clarke, the lead sponsor of the bill. “This bill is a step in the right direction of safer homes for all our citizens.”

“Home blazes are the leading cause of fire death in our city, and residential fire sprinklers will give our citizens crucial time to escape,” said Fire Chief James Clack. “Working smoke alarms only alert occupants to a fire, but residential sprinklers act quickly to control blazes before they become deadly.”

The Mayor also announced that the City is increasing its funding for the Fire Department’s free smoke alarm program. Funding was increased from $80,000 last year to $100,000 for this upcoming year. The smoke alarms installed by the Fire Department have lithium batteries that last 10 years.

The Fire Department has installed over 15,000 lithium battery smoke alarms as part of this program. Residents can request a smoke alarm for their home by calling the Smoke Detector Hotline at (410) 396-7283.

Posted 06-28-10

Colorado Springs Professional Fire Fighters Union, IAFF Local 5

To Colorado Fire Departments:

Historically, this event has always occurred on the third Saturday in September. Please take note that the 24th annual IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial Observance will be taking place on Saturday, September 11th, 2010 at 1:00pm. This change in date is due to circumstances beyond our control.

In an effort to minimize any potential scheduling conflicts with Colorado Fire Departments, we would like to make you aware of this situation as early as possible. We apologize for any inconvenience this causes your agency.

We hope to have your continued support during this event. We recognize that 9/11 services will likely be taking place in your immediate area, but encourage you to make resources and apparatus available for the IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial Observance as well.

More information will be disseminated in the coming months regarding the event and registration process.

Respectfully,

Kevin L. Simpson

Colorado Springs Professional Fire Fighters Local 5

3265 W. Carefree Circle, Bldg. C

Colorado Springs, CO 80917
Phone (719) 596-4618

Posted 06-06-10

3rd Annual Firefighter Appreciation Night

at Coors Field

to benefit the Colorado Fallen Firefighters Foundation

Saturday, September 11th, 6:10 PM
Colorado Rockies vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
 

"Come out and enjoy a night at the ballpark while at the same time paying tribute to Colorado's firefighters and raising funds for the Colorado Fallen Firefighters Foundation."

Choose:

·         $38 Outfield Box Tickets - $20 of that going towards the Colorado Fallen Firefighters Foundation

·         $24 Pavilion Tickets - $9 of that going towards the Colorado Fallen Firefighters Foundation

·         $24 Mezzanine Tickets - $9 of that going towards the Colorado Fallen Firefighters Foundation

·         $20 Upper Reserved Infield Tickets - $6 of that going towards the Colorado Fallen Firefighters Foundation

·         $16 Lower Reserved Outfield Tickets - $6 of that going towards the Colorado Fallen Firefighters Foundation

To order tickets click on this link: Firefighter Appreciation Night, Saturday, September 11th, 6:10 PM vs. Arizona Diamondbacks

NOTE: Use Special Offer Code: APPRECIATION

For questions or orders of 25 or more please contact Jason Regan at 303-312-2227 or Email to reganj@coloradorockies.com. 

2010 CSFCA Compensation and Benefit Survey Available

Participation Increased 45% Over 2009

For the ninth year, Mountain States Employers Council (MSEC), Inc. was requested by the Colorado State Fire Chiefs Association to act as a third party data collector to conduct a compensation and benefits survey for fire protection agencies throughout Colorado.  The survey has been compiled and will be ready for distribution within the week.

In addition to compensation data, this survey also collects data for benefits and personnel practices in fire departments for four employee categories – commissioned, non-commissioned, volunteers, and part-time.

This year we had 71 participating agencies.  This is a 45% increase over last year’s total of 49 participants and 15% more than the previous high of 62 participants.  The increased participation not only increases the value of the report to end users, but it also serves to bring down the cost to purchase copies.

Survey Statistics

Number of Benchmark Jobs Published:                               58

Number of Participating Organizations:                              71

Total Employment of Participating Organizations:            6,926

Total Number of Employees Reported in Survey:             4,707

The cost of the 2010 Wage and Benefits Survey are:

CSFCA Member, Survey Participant                              $275

CSFCA Member, Non-Participant                                  $375*

Non-CSFCA Member                                                  $475

Additional Copies                                                      $  25

This year’s pricing (except for additional copies) reflects a $25.00 decrease over last year’s cost. 

*This rate also applies to survey participants that are not members of the Colorado State Fire Chiefs Association.

In addition, now that the 2010 Survey has been released, copies of the 2009 survey will be made available, while supplies last, for $100.00 ($25 if you already purchased the 2009 survey and this is an extra copy).

For copies of the CSFCA Compensation and Benefits Survey, please mail or fax the order form.  Copies will be automatically shipped to survey participants who requested a copy in advance – you need not submit this form (unless ordering additional copies).

The CSFCA expresses its sincere appreciation to those departments that participated in the survey.

For a list of participating agencies click here.

Posted 04-30-10

Landmark Residential Fire Study Shows How Crew Sizes and Arrival Times Influence Saving Lives and Property

National Institute of Standards and Technology

For Immediate Release: April 28, 2010

WASHINGTON D.C. – A landmark study issued today by the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) shows that the size of firefighting crews has a substantial effect on the fire service's ability to protect lives and property in residential fires.

Performed by a broad coalition in the scientific, firefighting and public-safety communities, the study found that four-person firefighting crews were able to complete 22 essential firefighting and rescue tasks in a typical residential structure 30 percent faster than two-person crews and 25 percent faster than three-person crews.

The report is the first to quantify the effects of crew sizes and arrival times on the fire service's lifesaving and firefighting operations for residential fires. Until now, little scientific data have been available.

"The results from this rigorous scientific study on the most common and deadly fires in the country—those in single-family residences—provide quantitative data to fire chiefs and public officials responsible for determining safe staffing levels, station locations and appropriate funding for community and firefighter safety," said NIST's Jason Averill, one of the study's principal investigators.

The four-person crews were able to deliver water to a similar-sized fire 15 percent faster than the two-person crews and 6 percent faster than three-person crews, steps that help to reduce property damage and lower danger to the firefighters.

"Fire risks grow exponentially. Each minute of delay is critical to the safety of the occupants and firefighters, and is directly related to property damage," said Averill, who leads NIST's Engineered Fire Safety Group within its Building and Fire Research Laboratory.

"Our experiments directly address two primary objectives of the fire service: extinguishing the fire and rescuing occupants," said Lori Moore-Merrell of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) and a principal investigator on the study.

The four-person crews were able to complete search and rescue 30 percent faster than two-person crews and 5 percent faster than three-person crews, Moore-Merrell explained. Five-person crews were faster than four-person crews in several key tasks. The benefits of five-person crews have also been documented by other researchers for fires in medium- and high-hazard structures, such as high-rise buildings, commercial properties, factories and warehouses.

This study explored fires in a residential structure, where the vast majority of fatal fires occur. The researchers built a "low-hazard" structure as described in National Fire Protection Association Standard 1710 (NFPA 1710), a consensus standard that provides guidance on the deployment of career firefighters. The two-story, 2000-square-foot test facility was constructed at the Montgomery County Public Safety Training Academy in Rockville, Md.Fire crews from Montgomery County, Md., and Fairfax County, Va., responded to live fires within this facility.

NIST researchers and their collaborators conducted more than 60 controlled fire experiments to determine the relative effects of crew size, the arrival time of the first fire crews, and the "stagger," or spacing, between the arrivals of successive waves of fire-fighting apparatus (vehicles and equipment). The stagger time simulates the typically later arrival of crews from more distant stations as compared to crews from more nearby stations.

Crews of two, three, four and five firefighters were timed as they performed 22 standard firefighting and rescue tasks to extinguish a live fire in the test facility. Those standard tasks included occupant search and rescue, time to put water on fire, and laddering and ventilation. Apparatus arrival time, the stagger between apparatus, and crew sizes were varied.

The United States Fire Administration reported that 403,000 residential structure fires killed close to 3,000 people in 2008—accounting for approximately 84 percent of all fire deaths—and injured about 13,500. Direct costs from these fires were about $8.5 billion. Annually, firefighter deaths have remained steady at around 100, while tens of thousands more are injured.

Researchers also performed simulations using NIST's Fire Dynamic Simulator to examine how the interior conditions change for trapped occupants and the firefighters if the fire develops more slowly or more rapidly than observed in the actual experiments. The fire modeling simulations demonstrated that two-person, late-arriving crews can face a fire that is twice the intensity of the fire faced by five-person, early arriving crews. Additionally, the modeling demonstrated that trapped occupants receive less exposure to toxic combustion products—such as carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide—if the firefighters arrive earlier and involve three or more persons per crew.

"The results of the field experiments apply only to fires in low-hazard residential structures as described in the NFPA Standard 1710, but it provides a strong starting point," said Moore-Merrell. Future research could extend the findings of the report to quantify the effects of crew size and apparatus arrival times in medium- and high-hazard structures, she said.

The next step for this research team is to develop a training package for firefighters and public officials that would enable them to have both quantitative and qualitative understanding of the research, a project also funded by FEMA's Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program.

The study's principal investigators were Averill, Moore-Merrell and Kathy Notarianni of Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Other organizations participating in this research include the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the Commission on Fire Accreditation International-RISK and the Urban Institute.

The report was funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program and released today in Washington, D.C., before the start of the annual Congressional Fire Services Institute meeting that draws top fire safety officials from across the nation.

The Report on Residential Fireground Field Experiments, NIST Technical Note 1661, can be downloaded here.  (22.1 MB PDF)

Founded in 1901, NIST is a nonregulatory agency of the Commerce Department that promotes U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life.

Industry Leaders Partner for Dwelling Fire Sprinkler Contractor Accreditation

More than 3,000 people in the U.S. lose their lives each year to fires and 84% of those who die do so in their home. While smoke alarms provide an early warning signal of smoke, fire sprinklers respond to fires while they are still small, controlling the spread of deadly heat, flames and toxic smoke, as well as saving valuable property. The 2009 International Residential Code (IRC) provides a provision that requires newly constructed one- and two-family houses to include the installation of life-saving fire sprinkler systems, designed to dramatically reduce the number of injuries and deaths in the home caused by fires.

To address the huge upswing in demand for contractors who are qualified to install residential fire sprinkler systems driven by these new regulations, The Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE), the International Code Council (ICC), and the National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA) are developing a joint Memorandum of Understanding that includes the creation of a new Commission for the Accreditation for Dwelling Fire Sprinkler Contractors. Using the CPSE accreditation model, many additional stakeholders will be brought together to form this newly formed commission to jointly develop programs for accreditation, leveraging their collective knowledge, provisions and expertise.

Although this initiative originated with three important and respected organizations, all construction professionals are encouraged to lend their support to help evolve and grow this life-saving initiative. The collective participation of the construction community will ensure that the industry is fully trained and qualified.

The timing of this agreement couldn’t be better: approved fire sprinkler systems will be required in all one- and two-family dwellings constructed after the 2009 IRC is adopted or on January 1, 2011, whichever is later. While there are professionals who are well trained to install commercial fire sprinklers, the demand for qualified residential sprinkler contractors is growing at a tremendous rate.  Given the dependence on the life-saving benefits of fire sprinklers in residential properties, it is imperative that there is a system to ensure quality installation.

The program will ensure that the entire industry has access to a superior level of training and have taken the ICC Residential Fire Sprinkler Design and Installation Exam, which is critical to enable construction projects to be completed on schedule and ensure quality installation. These highly qualified contractors will be accredited by a well respected, nationally recognized organization. This will provide home buyers, contractors and fire and life safety agencies with an added sense of security in knowing these fire sprinkler systems will be properly designed and installed.

For more information on this new accreditation program, IRC fire sprinkler code provisions, or about fire prevention and safety, contact ICC’s PMG Group at 1-888-ICC-SAFE, x4PMG or pmgresourcecenter@iccsafe.org.

Posted 04-27-10

Application Period Open: Fiscal Year 2010 Assistance to Firefighters Grants

The Department of Homeland Security has posted the FY 2010 Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) Program Guidance on the AFG Web site. The application period opened on Monday, April 26, 2010, at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time (ET). Applications for these grants must be received by Friday, May 28, 2010, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET).

Nationally, the AFG awards, which will be distributed in phases, will ultimately provide approximately $390 million to fire departments and nonaffiliated emergency medical service organizations throughout the country. AFG awards aim to enhance response capabilities and to more effectively protect the health and safety of the public with respect to fire and other hazards. The grants enable local fire departments and emergency medical services organizations to obtain training, conduct first responder health and safety programs, and buy equipment and response vehicles.

An applicant tutorial is available at www.firegrantsupport.com. The tutorial provides valuable grant information and will walk you through the preparation and submittal of competitive applications. In addition, the applicant tutorial will provide an overview of the funding priorities and evaluation criteria.

The AFG Program is administered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Grant Programs Directorate in coordination with the U.S. Fire Administration.

Applicants who have questions regarding the Assistance to Firefighters Grants opportunity should contact the help desk at 1-866-274-0960 or at firegrants@dhs.gov. During the application period, the help desk will operate Monday to Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (EDT), but is prepared to revise hours of operation based on volume and demand.

For access to the FY 2010 Assistance to Firefighters Grants Program Guidance or FAQs visit www.firegrantsupport.com/afg/.

Posted 04-26-10

FDA Announces Class 1 Recall of LIFEPAK Defibrillators

Brendon Nafziger, DOTmed News

April 23, 2010

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued its most serious product recall on Physio-Control's LIFEPAK defibrillators Thursday, warning that the life-saving machines could shut down or turn on by themselves.

Once it turns on or off, the machines could then stay that way, the FDA said in a statement announcing the Class 1 recall.

Medtronic subsidiary Physio-Control blames the problem on a manufacturing defect involving an internal component that could cause an electrical short.

The recall applies to the LIFEPAK 15 monitors/defibrillators manufactured and distributed between March 26, 2009 and December 15, 2009.

The LIFEPAK defibrillators deliver jolts into the heart to revive patients stricken with sudden cardiac arrest. While the shorting could cause the device to fail, LIFEPAK says there are no known adverse incidents related to the recall.

The news comes only months after the FDA cleared the company to resume full domestic sales of its LIFEPAK defibrillators after nearly three years of a voluntary moratorium. In January 2007, the FDA docked the business for what it said were failures to properly investigate possible product defects. Physio-Control re-started full sales in February, after the company agreed to implement tougher quality control measures - measures the company now credits with helping catch the problem before anyone got hurt.

"This is an example of our quality system working the way it was designed to," said Physio-Control president Brian Webster in a statement. "We were able to detect this potential issue early, it was investigated, a solution was found and is being implemented. Our goal is to minimize issues in the field and maximize patient safety and customer satisfaction."

The company says it notified its customers about the problem March 4, 2010, and has begun servicing devices at no cost at most customer locations.

Headquartered in Redmond, Wash., the 55-year-old company is one of the pioneers of defibrillator technology.

Minneapolis, Minn.-based parent company Medtronic's stocks took a small tumble Thursday, closing at $44.15, down 1.16 percent.

Medtronic Recall Notice

Colorado Municipal League

Federal Update: Mandatory Collective Bargaining for Public Safety Employees

By Sam Mamet, CML Executive Director

Recently, the United States Senate moved one step closer to scheduling a vote on a mandatory collective bargaining bill when Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., re-introduced the Public Safety Employer–Employee Cooperation Act, S. 3194. He did so under a Senate rule that allows the bill to come to the floor in as little as 48 hours after introduction and without committee review. S. 3194 is identical to S. 1611, which Sen. Judd Gregg, R-NH, introduced last year, and is nearly identical to H.R. 413, the House version of the bill.

The U.S. House also seems to be preparing for a vote on mandatory collective bargaining legislation sometime this month with Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., the chair of the House Education and Labor Committee and one of the bill’s leading advocates, saying he expected H.R. 413 to pass Congress in April. Rep. Diana Degette of Denver is one of the bill’s 209 co-sponsors.

If and when both chambers adopt identical bill language, it will be sent to the president who is expected to sign it. (He supported the bill when he was a member of the U.S. Senate.) There will likely be a court challenge to the legislation as a violation of the 10th Amendment.

The National League of Cities and the Colorado Municipal League continue to oppose this legislation because it would grant the federal government authority over fundamental employment decisions historically reserved to states and local governments. As you will recall, Gov. Bill Ritter vetoed similar legislation at the request of CML and many local officials last summer, for which we remain deeply appreciative.

S. 3194 — without consideration for state or local laws — would:

·         grant every police officer, firefighter, and emergency medical technician at the state or local level the right to form and join a labor union;

·         direct local governments to recognize the employees’ labor union;

·         require cities and towns to collectively bargain over hours, wages, and the terms and conditions of employment other than pensions;

·         require states and municipal governments to establish an impasse resolution process;

·         require that state courts enforce the rights established by this mandatory collective bargaining bill; and

·         direct every state — even if that state currently recognizes employee collective bargaining rights — to conform to federal regulations around mandatory collective bargaining within two years of the bill’s effective date and without regard to state or local laws.

CML’s position

The League opposes the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act for the following reasons:

·         The federal government should not play a role in making decisions about collective bargaining requirements for states and localities.

·         The separation between state and federal authority over collective bargaining was recognized by the Federal government when it adopted the National Labor Relations Act of 1934. That act, specifically exempts states and local governments from coverage.

·         Thirty-five states and the District of Columbia have some form of collective bargaining; those states without collective bargaining rights for public sector employees do not because of decisions made by their legislatures and citizens. Various cities in Colorado already have collective bargaining arrangements. Other cities have rejected collective bargaining with local votes.

We have been contacting the members of the federal delegation and urging them to vote “no” as a preemption of local authority.

Note:  Information concerning the Public Safety Employer–Employee Cooperation Act has been posted to a resource page on the CSFCA website here.

Posted 04-22-10

USFA and NIOSH Initiate Study of Cancer Among Firefighters

Emmitsburg, MD. – The United States Fire Administration (USFA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) are partnering on a study to examine the potential for increased risk of cancer among firefighters due to exposures from smoke, soot, and other contaminants in the line of duty. "There is a need to have a comprehensive study of the incidence of cancer in the fire service involving objective medical and epidemiological oversight. We have lost too many firefighters from this disease," said USFA Administrator Kelvin J. Cochran. “USFA is pleased to work with NIOSH in this initiative."

This multi-year USFA supported NIOSH study will include over 18,000 current and retired career firefighters. The project will improve upon previously published firefighter studies by significantly increasing the number of individuals for whom health data will be analyzed. A larger study provides greater statistical reliability. The study will also improve on past studies by analyzing not only deaths from cancer, but also the incidence of certain cancers that have higher survival rates than others, such as testicular and prostate cancer, as well as deaths from causes other than cancer. This will improve researchers’ ability to estimate risk for various cancers and to compare risk of cancer with risks for other causes of death.

"NIOSH has worked extensively with partners in the fire service to address occupational safety and health risks for firefighters," said NIOSH Director John Howard, M.D. "We appreciate the funding and support from the U.S. Fire Administration as we engage the scientifically complex question of firefighting and cancer risk."

Firefighters are exposed to smoke, soot, and fumes from fires that contain substances classified by NIOSH as potential occupational carcinogens or by the National Toxicology Program as known human carcinogens or substances reasonably anticipated to be human carcinogens. These may include byproducts of combustion such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, as well as contaminants from building products such as asbestos and formaldehyde.

This NIOSH study supported by USFA is intended to enhance current firefighter safety knowledge and inform ongoing efforts to further characterize the cancer risk associated with these exposures due to firefighting operations. During this study, researchers will establish the population of over 18,000 career firefighters from health records of both suburban and large city fire departments.

By analyzing deaths and cancer cases among those firefighters, NIOSH will attempt to determine 1) whether more cancers than expected occurred among the cohort, and 2) whether cancers are associated with exposures to the contaminants to which the firefighters may have been exposed.

NIOSH is a federal agency which conducts research and makes recommendations for preventing work-related injury, illness, and death. NIOSH’s research includes a national program to investigate fatal traumatic injuries and other causes of line-of-duty deaths among firefighters. More information about NIOSH can be found at www.cdc.gov/niosh. Additional information about NIOSH’s program to investigate firefighter deaths in the line of duty, and to make recommendations for preventing such deaths, can be found at www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/.

Further information about this partnership effort may be found on the USFA Web site at http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/.

Posted 04-21-10

Busy Fire Departments Cope With Fewer Volunteers

Nationwide, volunteer fire departments are responding to more calls but with fewer volunteers.  Since 1984, the number of volunteer firefighters in the United States has declined by more than 8 percent, while the number of calls to fire departments has more than doubled since 1986, according to the National Volunteer Fire Council. 

Posted 04-19-10

IAFC Launches Wildfire Preparedness Initiative: Ready, Set Go! To Pilot in Eight States

The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) launched a new wildland fire preparedness initiative—Ready, Set, Go!—at their annual Wildland-Urban Interface conference in Reno, Nev., last week.  The program teaches residents of the wildland-urban interface—the area where development meets natural vegetation—how to prepare their homes against the threat of a wildland fire, assemble emergency supplies and maintain awareness when threatened by a wildland fire and, finally, how to evacuate early to keep their families safe and allow emergency responders the room they need to operate safely.

“Recent studies have shown that most homes being destroyed by wildland fires aren’t being lost to the fire itself, but to embers being blown far ahead of the advancing fire,” said Chief Jeff Johnson, IAFC president and chairman of the board. “Ready, Set, Go! teaches property owners how to protect their property in that very dangerous ember environment.”

The program was initially developed and tested in Southern California using a model from Australia. For the past 18 months, a number of fire departments—most notably the Ventura County Fire Department and the Orange County (Calif.) Fire Authority—have run trial Ready, Set, Go! programs. Those efforts were used to refine the elements of the program, which the IAFC is now taking to the next level.

“We’ve identified eight fire departments from across the country to run the program in their communities this year,” said IAFC Wildland Fire Policy Committee chair Chief Bob Roper. “These departments will help us fine-tune Ready, Set, Go! for a nationwide rollout next year.”

Roper, who is also fire chief for the Ventura County (Calif.) Fire Department said that the program stresses fundamental actions homeowners can take to help their homes survive a wildland fire. This includes defensible space (a buffer zone between the home and vegetation) and the use of fire-safe construction, fire-resistant plants and landscaping.

The eight fire departments are located in Arizona, Utah, Texas, Tennessee, Montana, Michigan, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The departments range from small volunteer departments to large municipal or county departments, but all face similar challenges from development in or near natural areas that are susceptible to wildland fires.

“We’re working with private industry and a number of local, state and federal partners to make Ready, Set, Go! a viable national safety and awareness program,” said Roper. “The U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Fire Administration, NFPA Firewise and the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) have been instrumental in bringing the program to this point in its development.”

IBHS President and Chief Executive Officer Julie Rochman noted that Ready, Set, Go!, “is based on solid scientific research that we and other champions of loss prevention have undertaken in recent years—and we are very proud that property insurance companies will be active partners with the departments implementing the program this year.”

The 2010 fire season will be used to collect data from the departments using Ready, Set, Go! to further define the program’s components.

“If all goes as we expect, our goal is to roll out a national version of Ready, Set, Go! next year,” said Roper. “Ready, Set, Go! protects lives, property and firefighters. It’s a win-win solution for anyone living or working in the wildland-urban interface.”

Detailed program information can be found at www.iafc.org/ReadySetGo.

Posted 04-15-10

Governor Ritter Signs Urban Renewal Reform Legislation

HB 1107 Protects Farmlands – Keeps Urban Renewal Dollars Downtown

April 14, 2010—Today Governor Ritter signed into law a bill that will help stop the conversion of productive farmlands into shopping centers and subdivisions at taxpayer expense.  HB10-1107, backed by an unusual coalition—including local governments, farmers, environmentalists, local planners and fiscal policy experts—found common ground on an issue that has been contentious under the dome for years: urban renewal funding. 

Sponsored by Rep. Randy Fischer (D-Larimer) and Sen. Morgan Carroll (D-Arapahoe), the bill passed by an overwhelming bipartisan vote in both the House and Senate.  It adds needed reforms into Colorado’s urban renewal law by preventing farmlands from qualifying as “blighted” lands in need of taxpayer funding.

 “We fought hard to prevent urban development monies from being misused to develop rural lands," said lead sponsor Rep. Randy Fischer." Now we can ensure that tax breaks intended to rehabilitate blighted urban areas—like slums or former industrial sites—are used in the right way, and keep developers from getting huge tax breaks to develop farm lands."

Colorado farmer and president of Rocky Mountain Farmers Union Kent Peppler applauded the bill saying “This is a great day for agricultural producers in Colorado.  Closing this loophole means that more farms can stay in production without fear of condemnation for urban expansion.”

 “I am extremely proud to be part of this effort to help end the abuse of "blighting" pristine farm land for development, which results in millions in taxpayer subsidies to private developers and has the absurd result of promoting sprawl and actually increasing true urban blight," said Senator Morgan Carroll.  Further, this practice has contributed significantly to Colorado’s budget woes, as the state has to “backfill” money taken from local school districts.  “This is costing the state in excess of $50 million per year, and Colorado simply can’t afford it,” noted Mark Neuman-Lee of the Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute.

Historically cities, which build urban renewal projects, and counties, from which tax monies are diverted for the projects, find themselves on opposite sides of this issue; this year however, they worked together to pass this landmark legislation.  “We all want to see smart redevelopment on blighted urban areas such as abandoned factory lands that sit empty due to the need for additional clean ups” said Longmont Mayor Bryan Baum.  “HB 1107 preserves this good use of the urban renewal tool, while preventing the abusive use of the tool on productive agricultural lands.”  Larimer County Commissioner Steve Johnson agreed, saying “Counties are more than happy to contribute taxes for true urban redevelopment projects that add benefit to the entire community, but too often these funds have been used improperly to develop productive farmland at taxpayer expense.”

 “Urban renewal was intended to encourage infill and redevelopment of blighted city centers into revitalized, sustainable communities,” said Stephanie Thomas, with the Colorado Environmental Coalition.  HB 1107 is remarkable because it will preserve urban renewal funds for development that is truly urban, and truly renewal while eliminating the growing abuses on farmlands.”

The Colorado State Fire Chiefs Association was part of the coalition that supported HB10-1107, since the legislation will address some of the impact on fire protection districts created by the use of Tax Increment Financing (TIF) for Urban Renewal.

In cases where an Urban Renewal Authority (URA) is created for the traditional purpose of redeveloping a slum or blighted area, the use of TIF to fund the URA often has little adverse impact on the fire protection district.  However, in situations where URAs and TIF are utilized for the development of agricultural lands, especially when these are located in areas of the district where no fire protection infrastructure exists, the impact can be significant.   In these cases, the proposed development would be built upon property that presently generates little tax revenue and any increase in tax revenue would be diverted into a tax increment financing fund.  This "increment" thus would leave fire protection districts without funding from the developed area that is necessary to provide fire and related emergency services.

While HB10-1107 is not an end-all solution to the impact of TIF on fire protection districts, the conditions established for the inclusion of agricultural land in a URA will help to reduce the number of situations where there is no fire protection infrastructure in place.  Further, the requirement that agricultural land be valued at its market value for determining the base amount of taxes to be paid to taxing entities will help to reduce the financial impact on fire protection districts.

For more information concerning the impacts of Urban Renewal Authorities and Tax Increment Financing on Fire Protection Districts, see the CSFCA Issue Brief here.

For more information concerning HB10-1107, go here.

Posted 04-14-10

NIOSH Firefighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program Releases Olney Springs Double LODD Report

April 12, 2010 – The NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program has released the following Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation Report:

Volunteer Fire Chief and Fire Fighter Killed When a Wildland Engine Plummeted From a Fire-Damaged Wooden Bridge Into a Dry Creek Bed – Colorado

Summary:  On April 15, 2008, at approximately 1535 hours, a 30-year-old volunteer chief and a 38-year-old volunteer fire fighter died while driving their apparatus through thick black smoke onto a bridge that had collapsed from fire damage caused by a wildfire. They were responding as mutual aid to the wildfire in a neighboring community. Key contributing factors identified in this investigation include: excessive speed for reduced visibility/smoke conditions, lack of traffic control, lack of coordination between responding agencies and departments, and inadequate driver and multi-agency response training.

NIOSH investigators concluded that, to minimize the risk of similar occurrences, fire departments should:

·         ensure that fire fighters receive essential training on the emergencies that they will respond to and how to respond safely

Additionally, fire departments, municipalities, and authorities having jurisdiction should:

·         establish pre-incident plans regarding traffic control for emergency service incidents and pre-incident agreements with public safety agencies, traffic management organizations, and private sector responders

·         train on utilizing the national incident management system to effectively respond to and manage multi-agency incidents

·         be aware of programs that provide assistance in obtaining alternative funding, such as grant funding, to replace or purchase fire fighting equipment

The complete report may be accessed here.

2012 International Residential Code
Will Retain Fire Sprinklers for New Homes
- No Debate at Dallas ICC Hearing -

WASHINGTON, DC - March 16, 2010

The final action hearing agenda for the 2012 International Residential Code (IRC) has been released by the International Code Council (ICC), and we are pleased to report that there were no public comments challenging code requirements for residential fire sprinklers.  Accordingly, under ICC regulations, requirements for residential sprinklers will not be subject to debate at ICC's final action hearing in Dallas in May.  Instead, proposals to rescind sprinkler requirements from the IRC will be automatically disapproved, without discussion, as part of a consent agenda.

ICC's membership has spoken very clearly on the issue of residential fire sprinklers, implementing requirements using a gradual and measured approach over a period of more than 20 years.  ICC's legacy organizations began requiring fire sprinklers in multifamily occupancies in the 1980s.  Those requirements were extended to single family homes in 2006 via an optional IRC appendix, and in 2008, ICC members approved fire sprinklers as a standard feature to be included in all new homes.  That action was upheld on appeal and was then reaffirmed last year by the ICC code development committee that oversees the IRC.  In the latter vote, EVERY member of the code development committee, other than the four who were appointed by the National Association of Home Builders, voted in favor of residential sprinklers, and that vote was then ratified by a vote of ICC members in attendance at the hearing.

"The true beneficiary of this great news is the American public," said Chief Ronny J. Coleman, president of the IRC Fire Sprinkler Coalition and former fire marshal for the State of California. "Model code requirements establishing fire sprinklers as a standard feature in new homes are clearly here to stay, and that accomplishment, earned through the courage and commitment of our nation's building and fire-safety professionals, will save lives, prevent injuries and reduce property damage associated with residential fires."

The 2009 IRC, including the fire sprinkler requirement, has been adopted in California, Pennsylvania, Maryland, South Carolina and New Hampshire, and the code has cleared administrative adoption hurdles in New Jersey.  However, home builder associations (HBAs) in these and other states, with the exception of California where the building industry association supported residential sprinklers, have pulled out all stops in an effort to block adoption of the IRC sprinkler provisions.

"HBAs across the country are literally throwing temper tantrums," said Jeffrey Shapiro, Executive Director of the IRC Fire Sprinkler Coalition when asked to describe what's happening with IRC adoptions in many states.  "HBAs have largely controlled building codes affecting new home construction for decades, and they clearly don't like the idea of public safety officials stepping in and exerting authority over their industry.  Nevertheless, we are pleased to see public safety trumping politics in a growing number of states."

One issue that may ultimately shift the perspective of builders towards residential fire sprinklers is legal liability.  Regardless of whether a state or locality chooses to amend fire sprinkler requirements out of the IRC, courts may well hold that it is incumbent upon builders to follow established standards of care for fire safety when they construct a new home.  With EVERY national code (including the 2012 IRC) now requiring EVERY new residential property to be equipped with fire sprinklers, that standard of care is clearly established and is now well known to the industry, especially given the high profile of HBA opposition to sprinklers.  Accordingly, whenever a fire involving a post-2010 home is litigated, perhaps by a grieving family or by an insurance company seeking to recoup a payout for fire damage, a decision by a builder to not include sprinklers in a new home will be easily characterized as a deliberate indifference towards life and property that resulted in a defective home.

About IRC Fire Sprinkler Coalition
 

Founded in 2007, the IRC Fire Sprinkler Coalition has grown to include more than 100 international, national and regional public safety organizations, including associations representing 45 states, all of whom support the mission of promoting residential fire sprinkler systems in new home construction. The Coalition was formed to educate public policymakers on the value of residential sprinkler systems and to support related legislation. More information can be found at www.IRCFireSprinkler.org.

2010 Colorado Fallen Firefighters Foundation Memorial Service and Fire Apparatus Procession

The Colorado Fallen Firefighters Foundation will be sponsoring, on May 8, 2010, a Memorial Service and a Procession of Fire Apparatus in celebration of the lives of ALL Firefighters who have made the ultimate sacrifice protecting the lives and property of the people in our communities here in Colorado. We would be honored to have you attend the Memorial Service, as well as bring a fire apparatus to join in on the procession.

Fire apparatus will gather and stage in a parking lot south of Alameda on Garrison Street in Lakewood on the morning of May 8th, starting at 9:30 a.m. There will be staging coordinators on hand to direct your crew. The apparatus procession will begin at 10:30 a.m. and will head north on Garrison Street to Alameda; east on Alameda to Allison Parkway; then, south on Allison Parkway to the end near Belmar Library.

Parking will be available for attendees not riding on apparatus, in the parking lot just north of the round‐about at Allison Parkway and Virginia Avenue, adjacent to the Memorial site. Honor Guard members riding to the event on apparatus, should be left off at the Memorial site.

A Memorial Service will follow the parade and will begin at 11:00 a.m. Lunch will be provided at the conclusion of the Memorial for a time of fellowship and support to our families of fallen firefighters. Dress code for this occasion is your department uniform.

To confirm your participation, we ask that you contact our Memorial Committee Chair with the following information:

·         Number of apparatus you wish to bring.

·         Number of people you wish to bring.

·         Will any Honor Guard members from your department be attending?

·         Who can we list as the contact person for your department? Their names, telephone number, email address.

Please confirm your participation to us no later than May 3rd to allow us time to prepare this event.

Thank you and we look forward to seeing you at the Memorial.

Lloyd See, Memorial Committee Chair

Tel: 303‐881‐6089 (cell)

Email: seesee2@msn.com

Posted 03-15-10

Bill to Authorize the CBI to Assist Fire Chiefs in the Investigation of Fires Introduced in House

A bill to authorize the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to assist a chief of a fire department in the investigation of a fire related to the crime of arson has been introduced in the Colorado House of Representatives. HB10-1399 by Rep. Paul Weissmann seeks to provide statutory authority to the CBI for what is essentially current practice.

Current law charges the chief of a fire protection district with the duty to enforce the laws of the state related to the suppression of arson and to investigate or cause to be investigated the cause, origin, and circumstance of fires occurring in their jurisdiction, and to seek prosecution when it is determined that a crime has been committed.

Colorado law also authorizes the CBI to assist any sheriff, chief of police, or other law enforcement authorities in the investigation and detection of crime and in the enforcement of the criminal laws of the state. However, the CBI is not authorized by statute to provide such assistance to the chief of a fire department.

This bill authorizes the CBI, upon request of the chief of a fire department, or his or her designee, to assist in the investigation of a possible crime related to arson. As amended by the House Judiciary Committee, the bill would require the fire department to notify the appropriate law enforcement agency that a request for assistance from CBI has been made.

HB10-1399 was heard by House Judiciary Committee on April 12, 2009 and was amended and referred to the House Committee of the Whole unanimously. South Metro Fire Marshal Rob Geislinger testified on behalf of the CSFCA and FMAC in support of the bill. Others that testified in support of the bill were Denver Fire Investigator Leif Skulborstad, testifying on behalf of the Colorado Chapter of the IAAI; Arapahoe County Sheriff Grayson Robinson, on behalf of CSOC; and CBI Director Ron Sloan.

The preamended version of the bill that contains the amendment passed by the House Judiciary Committee may be downloaded here.

Posted 03-15-10

Reckless Conduct Endangers America’s Fire Service

Fire Service Reputation Management White Paper Examines Issue

Hagerstown MD, March 10, 2010 – Reckless and inappropriate conduct by a small minority of the nation’s fire service is eroding the high moral ground occupied by firefighters says a White Paper sponsored by the Cumberland Valley Volunteer Firemen’s Association (CVVFA), a century-old organization dedicated to enhancing communication and continuing education among the fire service.

The contents of the White Paper represent a distillation of several fire service leadership meetings that identified a series of social, cultural, and ethical issues impacting the fire service nationwide that demand increased awareness.

The White Paper is intended as a wake-up call to the fire service. The detrimental impact from fire service members that engage in unethical, immoral, inappropriate, criminal, or other activities reflects back not just to these individuals, but to their departments and communities, and to the fire service as a whole.

Recognizing that the actions of a small minority of bad actors can have grievous widespread consequences, the fire service as a whole must be increasingly vigilant in policing itself. Through a combination of enhanced and improved internal controls, increased vigilance, and greater acceptance of personal responsibility perhaps including, but not limited to, abiding by a Code of Ethics, the fire service can ensure that it remains true to its roots and heritage of protecting and serving this great nation.

The Fire Service Reputation Management White Paper clearly identifies these individuals and behaviors in a clear and cogent manner, articulates some excellent solutions, and clamors for a Code of Ethics as the next logical step for our profession. We may never have the opportunity again, and I urge all fire service leaders to develop, establish, disseminate, abide and enforce a Fire Service Code of Ethics” said Kelvin Cochran, United States Fire Administrator.

Copies of the White Paper are available at www.cvvfa.org. In the next several weeks the CVVFA will launch www.firefighterbehavior.com a website that will chronicle inappropriate conduct by members of, the fire service. The website will serve to raise awareness of danger to the reputation of the fire service and will advocate for a code of ethics and standards for proper behavior.

About the Cumberland Valley Volunteer Firemen’s Association: Established in 1901 the CVVFA provides firefighters and other emergency responders with Training, Leadership, and Fraternalism. The Association created the Emergency Responder Safety Institute in 1999 to address dangers responders face on the roadways. Much of that work is carried out through its nationally recognized website www.respondersafety.com.

Posted 03-13-10

Safety, Health and Survival Week 2010: Fit for Duty

Fairfax, Va., Mar. 11, 2010...Today the International Association of Fire Chiefs and the International Association of Fire Fighters announced the theme for the 2010 Safety, Health and Survival Week: Fit for Duty.

Safety, Health and Survival Week (Safety Week) is a collaborative program sponsored by the IAFC and the IAFF, coordinated by the IAFC Safety, Health and Survival Section and the IAFF Division of Occupational Health, Safety and Medicine, in partnership with more than 20 national fire service organizations.

Fire departments are encouraged to suspend all non-emergency activity during Safety Week and instead focus entirely on safety, health and wellness-related training and education until all shifts and personnel have taken part. An entire week is provided to ensure each shift and duty crew can spend one day focusing on these critical issues.

With more than 50 percent of fire fighter line-of-duty deaths caused by health and fitness-related issues, both organizations believe it’s imperative that there be a concentrated effort in implementing wellness and fitness programs.

Safety Week’s Fit for Duty theme will cover a variety of topics that are extremely important to all fire fighters and EMS personnel. The program will assist fire departments with implementing their own programs to prepare fire fighters and EMS personnel with healthy habits that reduce the risk of many chronic diseases, such as heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and certain cancers, thereby increasing the chance for a longer and healthier life.

While departments are encouraged to identify activities tailored to their specific community, recommended areas of concentration include:

·         General Health and Wellness

·         Food and Nutrition

·         Fitness

·         Stress Management

·         Smoking and Smokeless-Tobacco Cessation

·         Alcohol and Other Drugs

·         Infectious Diseases

·         Suicide Prevention

During the week, departments are also encouraged to support comprehensive fitness assessments, medical screenings and educational programs that build and maintain medically and physically fit personnel and help in reducing health and fitness-related deaths or injuries.

Planning tools and resources are currently available on the Safety Week website courtesy of the IAFC Safety, Health and Survival Section. Check out the Resources > Health and Wellness webpage for specific resources on this year's areas of concentration.

Additional information can also be found on the IAFF’s Health, Safety and Medicine’s website. Online resources in a variety of topic areas are available online year-round to support continuous efforts to promote personnel safety, health and wellness programs.

CALL FOR ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

We seek submissions for new SOPs, policies, articles, program summaries, program descriptions, etc., on this year’s areas of concentration. The preferred format for submission this year is a URL link to a departmental or organizational website, in order to facilitate a timely posting of new resources and provide visibility to departments contributing to the program. If a link isn’t available, PDF documents will still be accepted.

If you have submitted resources for Safety Week in the past, there’s no need to resubmit the same information. However, if you have updated your resources or have new ones, we would like to add them to the website. If appropriate, please note that your submission is an update of a resource currently posted on the Safety Week website.

By providing resource links for use in conjunction with the Safety Week and overall fire/EMS safety efforts, you acknowledge that you:

·         Have the authority to do so without infringing on copyright or ownership of the resources.

·         Give the IAFC permission to post these links/resources on the IAFC's public website.

·         Understand that the IAFC posts these links on the IAFC's website for use by public visitors to promote safety practices in the fire and emergency service, but the IAFC does not control who uses the resources or how they are used. The goal is to provide tools and resources that fire and emergency service professionals can customize for use in their area. Please do not send resource links that cannot be used in this fashion.

·         Understand that their availability on the website does not constitute endorsement of any kind by the IAFC.

Email your current resources to safety@iafc.org by Friday, March 26, 2010. In your email, please indicate which of the 2010 areas of concentration (listed above) the resource references.

Keep watching the Safety Week website and the IAFC Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn pages for continuing updates to this year’s program and planning resources. Remember to visit the IAFF’s Health, Safety and Medicine’s website for more information on health, wellness and safety programs or contact the IAFF by email at safety@iaff.org for additional resources.

Posted 03-12-10

Firefighter Safety & Survival Message: Chemical Suicides are on the Rise and Pose Serious Risk to Responders

Last week we distributed responder safety information from the Wake County (NC) EMS Division concerning a 30-year-old Cary, NC man who committed suicide with hydrogen sulfide by mixing chemicals in a 5-gallon bucket inside his Toyota Camry. On February 21st, fire and EMS personnel were dispatched to a report of an unconscious party in a car. Upon arrival, the man was found slumped over the wheel of his car in his apartment complex parking lot but he had left warning signs on the dashboard and seats that read, “HAZMAT TEAM NEEDED” and “DO NOT OPEN!!! POISON GAS!!! Hydrogen sulfide.”

When Hazmat arrived they donned Level B PPE and SCBA and opened the door to the vehicle – the monitors showed 340 ppm of Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) – more than three times the lethal concentration (the IDLH of H2S is 100 ppm).

In response, the CSFCA has prepared a Firefighter Safety & Survival Message to assist our members in understanding the risk to firefighters responding to these incidents and the measures that can be taken to reduce this risk.

The information contained in the Firefighter Safety & Survival Message is intended to serve as model guidelines. Local agencies may choose to alter these, or implement different policies, based on local training, resources and policies. The important point is that we should be prepared to respond safely to events of this nature. Please distribute this information to your members and other responders in your community.

See Firefighter Safety & Survival Message here.

We have also put together a webpage to compile resources and information concerning chemical suicides, as an additional resource for our members. It can be found here.

The big take home message is maintaining a heightened sense of situational awareness, so that EVERY ONE GOES HOME!

Respectfully submitted,

Christopher P. Riley, MS, CFO, MIFirE

Fire Chief, City of Pueblo

President, CSFCA

Posted 03-10-10

Resource Page for the 2010 Ballot Initiatives Added to CSFCA Website

Three measures on the November 2010 ballot have alternately been described as efforts to destroy Colorado or save it from an ever-growing government.

Proposition 101 is a proposed statutory change that would reduce the State income tax, various motor vehicle fees and taxes and fees on telecommunication services.  When fully implemented, the provisions of this proposal would reduce State income tax revenues, State and local revenues from a range of sales taxes and vehicle fees, and State revenues from telecommunications charges and fees.

Amendment 60 would amend Article X, Section 20 of the Colorado Constitution ("TABOR") to add a new section to establish additional limits on property taxes. This section will be in addition to all other provisions of TABOR. Some of the provisions of this proposal appear intended to override court decisions interpreting TABOR (as it pertains to property taxes) and to roll back certain prior property tax voter approvals under TABOR.

Amendment 61 would make sweeping changes in how the state and local governments can use and issue debt.  It would ban the use of any kind of debt by the state of Colorado.  It would also limit the amount of debt issued by local governments, require all local debt be approved by the voters in a November election, and require local governments to cut their tax rates equal to the average annual debt payments as debts are repaid.

A resource page to assist members in understanding these ballot initiatives has been added to the CSFCA website.  CSFCA members are encouraged to routinely check this page for updated information.

Posted 03-06-10

NIOSH Firefighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program Releases New Reports

March 1, 2010 – The NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program has released the following Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation Reports:

Through the Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program, NIOSH conducts investigations of fire fighter line-of-duty deaths to formulate recommendations for preventing future deaths and injuries. The program does not seek to determine fault or place blame on fire departments or individual fire fighters, but to learn from these tragic events and prevent future similar events.

Posted 03-03-10

1st Annual Colorado Public Safety Week

I am pleased to announce the 1st Annual Colorado Public Safety Week which will be held August 1-7, 2010.  In collaboration with the CSFCA, Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police, County Sheriffs Association of Colorado, and the Colorado State Patrol, we are encouraging all public safety agencies in Colorado to participate in this safety week.

Our Safety Focus for 2010 is Highway Traffic Safety for Emergency Responders.  We are all aware that highway accidents are the Number 1 cause of Law Enforcement Fatalities every year and one of the leading causes of Firefighter Fatalities.

This being said, we are asking all public safety agencies to dedicate at least one day during this week to focus on highway traffic safety. This could include reviewing your SOP’s, holding classroom training sessions and working with other agencies you routinely respond with to develop and/or exercise traffic safety policies and plans.

A second component of this week centers on public education/awareness.  We recommend time also be set aside during this week to educate the public on traffic hazards, how to approach and safely pass parked emergency vehicles, why fire apparatus block the highway when working traffic crashes, etc.

To our knowledge, Colorado is the first state in the nation to conduct this type of inclusive public safety week.  Let’s all be a part of history and take a proactive approach to vehicle driving and road safety to ensure “Everyone Goes Home Safe”.

Additional information concerning the 1st Annual Colorado Public Safety Week, including Highway Traffic Safety resources, will be posted on the website and distributed to CSFCA members.

Thank you for your on-going commitment to Firefighter Safety!

Respectfully,

Chris Riley, MS, CFO, MIFireE

Fire Chief, City of Pueblo FD                      

President, Colorado State Fire Chiefs Association

Posted 02-28-10

2010 Rural Fire Assistance Outreach Grant Guidance Released

The U.S. Department of the Interior has posted the guidance for the 2010 Rural Fire Assistance (RFA) Outreach Grant.

Purpose

To implement the National Fire Plan by increasing firefighter safety and enhancing the knowledge and fire protection capability of rural and volunteer fire departments by providing basic wildland firefighting supplies and equipment.

Link to announcement

To receive an application and state deadlines, contact your local representative listed in the table below.  NO applications are to be sent to the National DOI Agencies.

Closing Date:  April 30, 2010

Selections will be announced no later than May 17, 2010. 

Colorado contacts:

Posted 02-12-10

NIOSH Firefighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program Releases New Reports

February 11, 2010 – The NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program has released the following Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation Reports:

Through the Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program, NIOSH conducts investigations of fire fighter line-of-duty deaths to formulate recommendations for preventing future deaths and injuries. The program does not seek to determine fault or place blame on fire departments or individual fire fighters, but to learn from these tragic events and prevent future similar events.

Posted 02-11-10

CSFCA Establishes LinkedIn Group to Enhance Member Interaction

In our continuing effort to improve communications with our members, and to facilitate communications between members, the CSFCA has established a LinkedIn Group.

What is LinkedIn?

LinkedIn is an online network of more than 55 million experienced professionals from around the world, representing 150 industries.  When you join, you create a profile that summarizes your professional accomplishments. Your profile helps you find and be found by current and former colleagues. You can add more connections by inviting trusted contacts to join LinkedIn and connect to you.

What is LinkedIn Groups?

Many professionals advance their careers and business goals by counting on industry and professional groups, alumni organizations, industry conferences and corporate alumni groups to help them make vital new business contacts. LinkedIn Groups offers extra features to group-based organizations like CSFCA to help our members stay in touch with one another and discover powerful new business contacts within their groups and beyond. LinkedIn Groups allows CSFCA to extend our reach and strengthen the Association by providing additional value through LinkedIn’s features.

For those members that use or have used social networking tools like Facebook, setting up and using LinkedIn will be easy. For those that need a little bit of help, a “New User Starter Guide” can be accessed at: http://learn.linkedin.com/new-users/

We have also created a CSFCA LinkedIn Group “Users Guide” for those that might need step-by-step instructions on how to set up an account and join the CSFCA group.

To get started, go to www.Linkedin.com.  You can become a LinkedIn user in less than 5 minutes.

If you have questions concerning the CSFCA Group on LinkedIn, please contact Paul Cooke, CSFCA Executive Director.

Posted 02-09-10

USFA Releases Hotel and Motel Fires Topical Report

EMMITSBURG, MD - The Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has issued a special report, part of its Topical Fire Report Series, examining the causes and characteristics of fires in hotels and motels. An estimated average of 3,900 fires occur each year in hotels and motels, which are a subset of residential buildings. Annually, these fires are also responsible for 15 deaths, 150 civilian injuries, and $76 million in property loss.

The report, Hotel and Motel Fires (PDF), was developed by the National Fire Data Center, part of FEMA's U.S. Fire Administration (USFA). The report is based on 2005 to 2007 data from the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS).

Hotel and motel fires occur mainly in the evening hours, peaking from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Seventeen percent of the fires occur during this time. The number of hotel and motel fires is higher during the winter months when heating fires are more prevalent.

Cooking, electrical malfunctions, and heating are the leading causes of hotel and motel fires. Forty-six percent of hotel and motel fires are caused by cooking with electrical malfunctions and heating each causing an additional 7 percent of fires. Ninety-seven percent of the cooking fires are confined cooking fires, those confined to the container and resulting in limited damage.

Seventy-three percent of hotel and motel fires are confined to the object of origin and an additional 18 percent are confined to the room of fire origin.  The remaining 9 percent of fires extend beyond the room of origin.

The topical reports are designed to explore facets of the U.S. fire problem as depicted through data collected in NFIRS. Each topical report briefly addresses the nature of the specific fire or fire-related topic, highlights important findings from the data, and may suggest other resources to consider for further information. Also included are recent examples of fire incidents that demonstrate some of the issues addressed in the report or that put the report topic in context.

Posted 02-04-10

Bill Concerning Urban Renewal and Agricultural Land Passes First Test in House

House Bill 10-1107, Concerning Limitations on the Inclusion of Agricultural Lands within Urban Renewal Areas, was heard by House Agriculture, Livestock, & Natural Resources Committee yesterday (February 2, 2010).  The bill was amended and passed to the House Committee of the Whole for 2^nd reading.

HB10-1107 would prohibit the inclusion of agricultural lands within URAs with the following exceptions: (1) is a brownfield site; (2) is at least two-thirds contiguous to urban level development and one half of the area is urban level development; (3) is an enclave surrounded by urban level development; (4) there is agreement to inclusion by all affected taxing entities; or (5) it was included in URA as of effective date of bill.   The bill also would replace the current agricultural assessed value of land for tax increment purposes to its market value, which would increase the TIF base.

The bill sponsor, Rep. Randy Fischer (D-Larimer) presented the bill, discussing the impacts created when agricultural lands are included in an Urban Renewal Area.  He indicated that the bill was just as much about maintaining pristine agricultural areas as it is about addressing the impacts when URA and TIF are used to develop these areas.  According to Rep. Fischer, the bill will also “level the playing field” between downtown areas that need redevelopment that can be more costly then building new developments on vacant land.

The Colorado State Fire Chiefs Association supports this bill as it begins to address one of the impacts of Tax Increment Financing on fire protection districts, but made clear that it did not represent an “end-all” solution.  The CSFCA information sheet on this bill, that served as the basis of the Association’s testimony can be found here.  The CSFCA also expressed support for the bill on behalf of the Special District’s Association (with their permission).

CML (Mark Radtke) testified in support of the bill, but indicated that CML would be seeking amendments to strike the provision that the valuation of ag land increases to the fair market value for determining the TIF base; that ag land can be included if jobs would be created; and that clarifies the provisions of the bill cannot be applied retroactively.

Michael Tedesco, Executive Director for the Pueblo Urban Renewal Authority and Larry Atencio, Pueblo City Council President testified in support of the bill, indicating that it was a reasonable approach.  Both testified on the need to allow ag lands be included in URAs as they would not have been able to attract new industries, such as Vestas without this ability.  They testified that they would like the bill amended to allow ag land to be included in a URA if but expressed the desire that the bill be amended to allow ag land to be included in URAs if it would result in the creation of primary jobs.

Rep. Fischer and other members of the committee questioned how you would define “primary jobs” and how you would determine if the URA was creating them (versus transferring jobs from a neighboring community).

Larimer County Commissioner Steve Johnson and Larimer County Manager Frank Lancaster both testified in support of the bill.  Commissioner Johnson discussed the problems of including ag land in a URA and expressed that it stretches the URA statutes beyond their intent.  He said that development of ag land is generally neither “urban” or “renewal”; it is new development on vacant land.  One issue raised by Commissioner Johnson is how long the land would have to be zoned as agricultural.

Others that testified in support of the bill were Mayor Doug Hutchinson of Fort Collins, Stephanie Thomas of the Colorado Environmental Coalition, and a representative of the Colorado Farm Bureau.

Carolynne White, an attorney with Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, who represents a number of URAs, testified in opposition to the bill due to the chilling effect it would have on the creation of URA’s.  She expressed that the bill could be improved with some of the amendments that had been discussed.

Dick McLean, Mayor of the City of Brighton; Manuel Esquibel, City Manager; and a representative of the Brighton Chamber of Commerce all testified against the bill.  Mayor McLean expressed that they would not have been able to bring Vestas to their community, with all the jobs they bring, if this law had been in place.  He expressed that Brighton brought all affected taxing entities together to determine how to go forward with this URA and share revenue.  Rep. Fischer indicated that reaching agreement with all taxing entities was one of the ways his bill would allow ag land be included in a URA.

The committee also heard from the bill drafter that the requirements of the bill would not apply retroactively to URAs that existed prior to enactment, unless the Urban Renewal plan is substantially modified.

An amendment to require agricultural land be assessed as such for five years before it has the ag designation for the purposes of inclusion in a URA was passed.  Another amendment that deletes the requirement for cities to submit the URA plan to counties, in cases where the entity is a city and county, was also passed.  An amendment that would have allowed ag land to be included in the URA when the only TIF revenue to be used is sales tax, failed.

The bill, as amended, was passed unanimously to the House Committee of the Whole, for 2^nd reading.  It is anticipated that an amendment to allow ag land to be included in URAs if it would result in the creation of primary jobs will be offered on 2^nd reading.  The preamended version of the bill will be posted when it is available.

For more information on the impacts of Tax Increment Financing on fire protection districts, see the CSFCA issue brief here.

In other action at the Capitol yesterday, HB10-1018, Concerning Increased Authority to Regulate Waste Tires (Rep. Looper and Primavera, Sen. Gibbs) was heard by House Transportation and Energy Committee.  The bill had significant amendments, including those proposed by the CSFCA, and the hearing lasted until 6 p.m.  The bill, as amended, was ultimately passed unanimously to House Appropriations Committee.

Please watch the CSFCA legislative page for updates and status sheets contact Paul Cooke, CSFCA Executive Director or Steve Pischke, Legislative Committee Chair, if you have any questions.

Posted 02-03-10

IAFC On Scene: February 1, 2010

Guidelines and Best Practices in Youth Fire Service Program Now Available

The IAFC Volunteer & Combination Officers Section’s Silver Ribbon Report, Opening New Doors: Guidelines and Best Practices for a Successful Youth Fire Service Program (PDF), is now available for download. The fifth in the series of Ribbon Reports, Opening New Doors is a comprehensive best-practices document on mentoring youth in the fire and emergency service.

“This document is the first to cover the topic of youth programs so definitively. Not only is it timely, but it is long overdue,” said Chief Jeff Johnson, IAFC president and chairman of the board.

Opening New Doors balances nonprescriptive model practices and recommended guidelines with a core emphasis on the need to understand and adhere to current local and state laws—which vary widely—as well as with federal regulations.

“Most departments are eager to engage young people who want to be of service, but we recognized there was no national-level guidance on how to effectively form and operate a youth program,” said Chief Tim Wall, VCOS chair. “Our goal was to take a proactive approach in order to reduce the risk of litigation, serious injuries and even death, which can be a reality when youth are engaged without a structured program in place.”

In reviewing a number of existing programs and interviewing various experts from across the United States, department types and areas of expertise, VCOS was able to create a valuable addition to every fire department’s library. The report provides guidance on:

·         Administration 

·         Legal issues

·         Recruitment, retention and marketing

·         Safety

·         Education and training

·         Sample documents

·         Recommended best practices

This document is a must for those who have ever considered a youth program or for those who may be working with youth with no program in place. Opening New Doors helps fire departments avoid potential pitfalls and provides a step-by-step guide for the right way to initiate your program. For those with a program already in place, the document offers an opportunity to review the national-level guidance to ensure all critical elements are covered. 

“Any fire department will have young people who hang around the station,” continued Wall. “These young people should be encouraged to learn and contribute to their community, but there needs to be a system in place to ensure both the youth and the firefighters they are working with are physically safe, engage in appropriate activities and behavior and understand that there are accountabilities.

Opening New Doors is the first in the series of Ribbon Reports whose application is not limited to volunteer and combination departments.

“All fire and emergency service leaders want to find young people who are drawn to public and community service and provide them with an experience that is rewarding, educational and fun in a safe environment,” said Chief Jeff Johnson, IAFC president. “If we can do this, we can hope that the door will stay open and they will walk through it into a volunteer membership or a career in the fire/EMS service when they are of age.”

This is also the first report from the Ribbon Report series to have an extended targeted distribution beyond fire-department leadership. The document was distributed to more than 1,700 Fire Explorer programs, every state fire academy and every state fire-chiefs association.

Posted 02-02-10

VCOS Silver Ribbon Report, Opening New Doors: Guidelines and Best Practices for a Successful Youth Fire Service Program

EMR-ISAC INFOGRAM 4-10 (January 28, 2010)

Dangers of Indoor Marijuana Grow Sites

According to the 2009 National Drug Threat Assessment (PDF, 18.7 MB), “some cannabis growers have shifted from outdoor to indoor cultivation to gain higher profits generated from the production of higher-quality marijuana, resulting in an overall rise in indoor cannabis cultivation nationally.”   This explains why the Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) observed during the past couple of years that police and firefighters discovered illegal marijuana growing operations more frequently when responding to incidents inside homes or rental properties.

In the article, “Marijuana: A Growing Hazard on the Fireground,” August Vernon and Rick Hetzel, Firehouse.com contributing editors, clarified that marijuana grow sites expose emergency responders to the following dangers:

·         Violence.  Growers arm themselves or place “booby traps” to protect their investments.

·         Fire.  Hazards include exposed live wires, wire bundles, wire exposed to water, high intensity light bulbs, chemical fertilizers, etc.

·         Atmospheric.  An oxygen deficient environment is the greatest hazard, worsened by artificially introduced carbon dioxide and ozone.

·         Electrical.  Attempts by growers to “bypass” normal distribution of power to accommodate high-intensity lighting cause very unsafe conditions and fire hazards.

·         Environmental.  In addition to extensive fungus and mold, large amounts of fungicides, pesticides, acids, and bases are stored and disposed of improperly.

·         Structural.  Homes used for indoor growing have usually been altered to maximize space and disguise operations, but in ways that undermine structural integrity.

·         HazMat.  Growers utilize hazardous, flammable, and volatile solvents including acetones, camp fuel, and isopropyl alcohol.

“Indoor marijuana growing activities have been found at different locations such as houses, attics, basements, apartments, storage units, barns, etc.”  Regardless of where they are, the EMR-ISAC acknowledges that these sites can quickly incapacitate emergency personnel and jeopardize response operations.  Therefore, training, safety, and protection are paramount for all responders at these types of events.  Ideally, “each jurisdiction will have a plan and standard operating guidance and procedures for responses to indoor grow situations.”

A First Responder Awareness Card (PDF, 36.7 KB) for indoor marijuana grow houses has been prepared by Mr. Vernon for training and informational purposes only.

Posted 02-02-10

IAFC MEMBER ALERT
Contact: IAFC Strategic Services Department
Ann Davison, Strategic Information Manager
703-273-0911 • www.iafc.org

Urgent USFA Data Call:
French Creole/French-Speaking First Responders

Fairfax, Va., Jan. 15, 2010... The United State Fire Administration (USFA) is gathering information on French Creole or French-speaking firefighters, EMTs and paramedics who may be able to assist with the Haiti earthquake response.

This is currently only a data call to prepare for possible future needs by identifying the availability of specific skills and qualifications. It is not an opportunity for immediate deployment.

The USFA is gathering information from parties who meet the following qualifications:

Operational:  Firefighter, EMT or Paramedic

Language:  French Creole or French

Deployment:  Willing to deploy to Haiti for response efforts (time undetermined, assume 1-3 weeks)

Those meeting these qualifications are asked to complete the Haiti response form.  The IAFC will transmit the data collected to the USFA. Again, this is only a data call. Those completing the form are not guaranteed to deploy. If the national response efforts require your assistance, you will be contacted.

2010 General Assembly Convenes

The Second Regular Session of the Sixty-seventh General Assembly of Colorado convened on Wednesday, January 13, 2010.  The Legislature will meet for a constitutionally mandated limit of 120 days, with adjournment sine die occurring no later than midnight on Wednesday, May 12, 2010.

On Wednesday, the majority and minority legislative leaders delivered their opening-day addresses, setting the tone for the Senate and House of Representatives.  

In his first opening remarks as Senate President, Sen. Brandon Shaffer called for bipartisan efforts, to listen and to compromise.  He quoted Franklin Roosevelt in saying, “Our greatest primary task is to put people to work.”

President Shaffer said legislators will consider bills allowing job retraining accounts for employees offering tax benefits for education and retraining, health care loan programs for rural communities, a new renewable energy standard and a plan to fix the struggling state employee pension fund.

House Speaker Terrance Carroll said in his speech that the Legislature must pass a “bold initiative” to increase from 20 to 30 percent the amount of power that utility companies will be required to generate from “green” sources by 2020.  “The linchpin of our economy is small business. And nothing is doing more to drive the creation of small business than a New Energy Economy,” Speaker Carroll said.

Senate Minority Leader Josh Penry said state government was "inexplicably unprepared" for an economic crisis, with no rainy day fund, no savings strategy and no plans to deal with it. He warned against plans to suspend or eliminate $132 million in tax exemptions, including some $90 million that would affect businesses directly.  He said, “Any moves that increase the cost of business will lead to job losses rather than job creation.”

House Minority Leader Mike May said the challenges facing lawmakers this year "are nothing compared to what some families and businesses have experienced during this historic recession.  We cannot ever lose sight of the fact that every decision we make has a real-world impact,” he said.

This morning (Thursday), Governor Bill Ritter delivered his fourth and final State of the State Address, calling on lawmakers “to set aside the weaker impulses of partisanship” and remain focused on job creation, economic recovery and keeping the state budget balanced.

“While this has been a tough time, and while there will be setbacks, we are making progress,” Gov. Ritter said. “Colorado has one of the best business climates and economic outlooks in the country, and if we stay disciplined and determined, we will get our economy back on solid footing. I know we can do this, because we’ve been doing it.”

The Governor outlined his top priorities for the legislative session, including:

·         Keeping the state budget balanced, saving money and making government more effective through proposals such as the Medicaid Efficiency Act.

·         Creating jobs and growing Colorado’s New Energy Economy through proposals such as an increase to the state’s renewable energy standard, boosting it from the current 20 percent by 2020 requirement to 30 percent by 2020, and increasing demand for Colorado’s cleaner-burning natural gas.

·         Making the Colorado State Park system the first in the country to use zero net energy.

·         Modernizing teacher and student assessments, including replacing the CSAP test with a new assessment tool by 2011 or 2012.

·         Strengthening public safety through legislation to regulate and rein in abuses in Colorado’s voter-approved medical marijuana program, toughen penalties for repeat drunk-driving offenses, and improve the state’s child-protection system.

·         Shoring up the state’s Public Employee Retirement Association pension fund.

Gov. Ritter first unveiled his legislative priorities for 2010 at a pre-session press conference with Senate President Brandon Shaffer and House Speaker Terrance Carroll on Tuesday, January 12^th.  These legislative priorities can be found here.

The full text of the 2010 State of the State address may be downloaded here.

Of the several hundred bills that will cross the desks of lawmakers this session, a number will have fire and life safety implications or will potentially impact local fire departments.  It is for this reason that the Colorado State Fire Chiefs’ Association (CSFCA) follows legislative activity in the General Assembly very closely.

During the session, the CSFCA Executive Director and Legislative Liaison review and analyze all bills introduced in the General Assembly to determine if they have implications for the Colorado fire service.  Any bill with potential impact will be referred to the CSFCA Legislative Committee for recommended position.  The recommended position to be taken on a legislative proposal shall then be approved by the Board of Directors.  This is a new approach adopted by the CSFCA Board for dealing with legislative matters in the new year. 

For more information on CSFCA’s legislative approach for 2010, go here.

How Can You Help?

The Association’s success in advancing its legislative agenda and in minimizing the impact from other bills is dependent upon participation by our members.  All bills of interest to the fire service will be made known to the CSFCA membership by way of legislative updates and the Legislative Page on the Association’s website.  Several bills of interest were introduced on the first day of the session, and have been posted to this page here.

It is very important that legislators hear from their fire chiefs on issues that affect the Colorado fire service.  For this reason, members will periodically be asked to contact their House or Senate member(s) and express their views on a particular bill.  When asked to contact your legislator, please do so.  Oftentimes, one vote will make the difference between an initiative passing or failing.  Your phone call may be the one that locks in that needed vote.

Also, in order for the CSFCA to effectively represent you on legislative issues, we must have your input.  If you have input on any piece of legislation please contact the Association’s Executive Director or the Chair of the Legislative Committee.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me or Steve Pischke, Legislative Committee Chair at spischke@aol.com.

Posted 01-14-10

Littleton Battalion Chief Christ’s Celebration of Life

The Celebration of Life for Littleton Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Jeff Christ will be held on January 7, 2010 at Cherry Hills Community Church (3900 Grace Blvd, Highlands Ranch) starting at 1pm.

Uniform personnel need to arrive no later than 1200 hours. All uniform personnel will muster inside the church before the ceremony and march into the sanctuary together.

Each department will be limited to one fire apparatus for the procession from the church to the cemetery (Chapel Hills cemetery, 6601 S. Colorado Blvd). All fire apparatus for the procession will be parked in the south parking lot. There will be a staging officer to direct you to the correct lot.

All fire apparatus WILL CHANGE THEIR RADIOS TO MAC 3 to contact staging and get all other important information. Also we ask you not keep your radios on your main operating channel due to radio system loading concerns!

There will be a reception at the church following the grave side ceremony, with all requested to attend.

Any questions concerning the celebration please contact BC Ray Rahne at 303-619-2462.

For those that missed the original message, B.C. Christ died at home last Wednesday (December 30^th) after a long and valiant battle with cancer.

The Colorado State Fire Chiefs’ Association extends its sincere condolences to the family and friends of Battalion Chief Christ, Chief John Mullin, and the members of Littleton Fire Rescue.  Our thoughts and prayers are with them during this difficult time.

Posted 01-04-10

Obituary

Jeff Christ, 52, of Highlands Ranch, passed away peacefully on December 30, 2009, at home surrounded by his family. Jeff was a Littleton Fire Department Battalion Chief. He has been a member of the fire service for over 25 years. Jeff was a caring man who loved the outdoors, sports, animals, and his family. He is survived by his wife, Julie, his daughter Jessie, his mother Monica, stepchildren T.J. and Jenna Zecchino; two brothers Gary (Patti) and Greg (Marlene); two sisters, Connie (Jim Ballard) and Beth (Danny) Willcox. He was loved by many nieces, nephews, and his brothers and sisters in the fire service. He was preceded in death by his father, David. Memorial Service 1:00 PM Thursday, January 7, 2010, Cherry Hills Community Church, 3900 Grace Blvd., Highlands Ranch, Colorado 80126. A memorial is established with the Littleton Firefighter's Foundation, www.littletonfirefightersfoundation.org.

General Assembly Scheduled to Convene on January 13, 2010
 

The Second Regular Session of the Sixty-seventh General Assembly of Colorado is scheduled to convene on Wednesday, January 13, 2010 at 10 am.  The Legislature will meet for a constitutionally mandated limit of 120 days, with adjournment sine die occurring no later than midnight on Wednesday, May 12, 2010.

Of the several hundred bills that will cross the desks of lawmakers this session, a number will have fire and life safety implications or will potentially impact local fire departments.  It is for this reason that the Colorado State Fire Chiefs’ Association (CSFCA) follows legislative activity in the General Assembly very closely.

CSFCA Adopts New Legislative Approach for 2010

At its meeting of November 13, 2009, the CSFCA Board of Directors adopted a proposal for reorganizing the Association’s approach to dealing with legislative matters.  The association’s past success in advancing its legislative agenda and minimizing the impact from other bills is due in part to the participation of CSFCA members in the process. The reorganization builds upon this member involvement and adds a level of organization that previously did not exist.

At the core of the reorganization is the creation of a Legislative Committee comprised of CSFCA members that are interested in and available to actively participate in the legislative process.  Among other responsibilities, the Legislative Committee will review proposed legislation affecting the fire service and recommend a position to the CSFCA Board of Directors.

During the legislative session, the CSFCA Executive Director and Legislative Liaison will review and analyze bills introduced in the General Assembly to determine if they have implications for the Colorado fire service.  Any bill with potential impact will be referred to the CSFCA Legislative Committee for recommended position.  The recommended position to be taken on a legislative proposal shall then be approved by the Board of Directors.  It is important to note that the recommended position on a particular legislative proposal (as well as the position taken by the Board of Directors) may change as the bill moves through the legislative process, as it may be favorably or unfavorably amended.

All bills of interest to the fire service will be made known to the CSFCA membership by way of legislative updates and the Legislative Page on the Association’s website here. CSFCA members are encouraged to routinely check this page for updates.

2010 Legislative Committee

Steve Pischke, CSFCA Vice-President and Deputy Chief of Mountain View Fire Protection District, was appointed to Chair the Legislative Committee.  The other members of the Legislative Committee for 2010 are:

Chief Larry Donner, Boulder Fire Department

Chief Doug McBee, West Metro Fire Protection District

Chief Daniel Noonan, Durango Fire Rescue

Chief Dave Parmley, Lake Dillon Fire Rescue

Chief Dan Qualman, South Metro Fire Rescue

Chief Jerry Rhodes, Cunningham Fire Protection District

Chief Christopher Riley, Pueblo Fire Department and CSFCA President

Chief Ken Watkins, Grand Junction Fire Department                 

Paul Cooke, CSFCA Executive Director (ex-officio)

Roberta Robinette, CSFCA Legislative Liaison (ex-officio)

Subject Matter Experts

Another integral part of the reorganization is increased reliance on CSFCA members that to serve as subject matter experts (SME’s).   A list will be developed and maintained of SME’s that may be called upon to assist in the drafting of proposed legislation, review legislation proposed by others, represent the CSFCA on matters pertaining to their area of expertise, and provide testimony on proposed legislation.

If you have expertise in any particular subject matter and would like to be added to the Legislative Committee’s list of SME’s, please send a message to Steve Pischke, Legislative Committee Chair or Paul Cooke.

For more information on the proposed reorganization of the legislative approach that was adopted by the CSFCA Board of Directors, go here.

A memo concerning proposed and potential legislation for the 2010 Legislative Session is posted on the CSFCA website here.

If you have any questions, feel free to Steve Pischke, Legislative Committee Chair or Paul Cooke, CSFCA Executive Director.

Posted 01-04-10

Previous Posts

NFPA Standards Council Bans Use of Antifreeze in Sprinkler Systems for New Residential Construction

1st Annual Colorado Public Safety Week Update

2010 IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial (Date Change)

Landmark Residential Fire Study Shows How Crew Sizes and Arrival Times Influence Saving Lives and Property

2012 International Residential Code
Will Retain Fire Sprinklers for New Homes

2010 Colorado Fallen Firefighters Foundation Memorial Service and Fire Apparatus Procession

Bill to Authorize the CBI to Assist Fire Chiefs in the Investigation of Fires Introduced in House

Reckless Conduct Endangers America’s Fire Service

Safety, Health and Survival Week 2010: Fit for Duty

Firefighter Safety & Survival Message: Chemical Suicides are on the Rise and Pose Serious Risk to Responders

Resource Page for the 2010 Ballot Initiatives Added to CSFCA Website

NIOSH Firefighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program Releases New Reports

1st Annual Colorado Public Safety Week

2010 Rural Fire Assistance Outreach Grant Guidance Released

NIOSH Firefighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program Releases New Reports

CSFCA Establishes LinkedIn Group to Enhance Member Interaction

USFA Releases Hotel and Motel Fires Topical Report

Bill Concerning Urban Renewal and Agricultural Land Passes First Test in House

Guidelines and Best Practices in Youth Fire Service Program Now Available

Dangers of Indoor Marijuana Grow Sites

Urgent USFA Data Call: French Creole/French-Speaking First Responders

2010 General Assembly Convenes

Littleton Battalion Chief Christ’s Celebration of Life

General Assembly Scheduled to Convene on January 13, 2010