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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

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

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

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Resource Page for the 2010 Ballot Initiatives Added to CSFCA Website

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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

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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