The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) is pleased to announce that it will host its signature annual conference, the NVFC Training Summit, on June 20-21, 2025, in Salt Lake City, UT. The NVFC is now accepting proposals from qualified instructors and speakers for presentations to educate first responders about critical issues in the fire and emergency services. Submit your proposal by October 20, 2024.

The NVFC Training Summit provides an opportunity to share ideas and best practices, network, and participate in training regarding key topics in the fire and emergency services. The 2025 theme is “Prepare. Protect. Inspire.” which correlates to the three training tracks of recruitment and retention, health and safety, and leadership. Sessions will be 90 minutes in length. Examples of relevant presentation topics include but are not limited to: effective training; fireground/response; physical health; behavioral health; fire and life safety education; working intergenerationally; diversity, equity, and inclusion; mentorship; family engagement; work/life/volunteer balance; recruitment; communication; management; long-term planning; data for the fire service; and finding funding and resources.

The NVFC values the different experience and perspectives of first responders and instructors nationwide. Find out more about the call for presentations, including additional topic examples and tips for writing a successful proposal, in the Call for Presentations Guide. Questions? Join the NVFC’s training and education team at a drop-in virtual Q&A help desk. There are two opportunities to visit the help desk: Monday, September 30 from 12:00-12:30pm ET and Monday, October 14 from 3:00-3:30pm ET.

Proposals must be submitted by October 20, 2024. A peer review team will evaluate all presentation proposals. Selections will be made based on quality, relevance, focus, practical application, and the presenter’s experience and credentials. Selected presenters will be notified by November 22, 2024.

The NVFC will cover travel expenses and provide a stipend for the selected presenters. Teaching teams are welcome to apply, but only one instructor per course can receive travel reimbursement/stipend. Please note, while organizations and companies are welcome to apply to share their subject matter expertise, all courses must be educational in nature.

Find out more and submit your proposal at https://nvfc.swoogo.com/2025nvfcsummit/presentations. 

Learn more about the NVFC Training Summit at www.nvfc.org/summit. Read about the 2024 Training Summit here. View courses from our 2021 Virtual Training Summit in the NVFC Virtual Classroom. Questions? Contact Rachel Buczynski, chief of training and education, at Rachel@nvfc.org or 202-887-5700 x130.

Apparatus Ideas Bob Vaccaro

The San Francisco (CA) Fire Department was established in 1886 and is rich in tradition and history. From the Great Earthquake and Fire of 1906 to the Loma Prieta Earthquake of 1989, the department has grown to meet the many challenges along the way.

The department covers 49 square miles and services a population of 1.5 million people. Because of its unique place in history and the past occurrences of two major earthquakes, the department has to be concerned with potential water supply issues during large-scale fires or seismic events.

According to Assistant Chief of Support Services Mike Mullin, “Our department had purchased five water tenders over 20 years ago, and it was time to update our apparatus fleet. We needed to supplement the unique water supply system we have in the city and outlying areas.” The department needed to design a unique system that would be able to operate if another earthquake or a major conflagration occurred. “This system would be utilized to operateas an above ground water main system or to apply water directly on a large fire if the domestic water supply is compromised,” says Mullin.

San Francisco’s water supply system is broken down into three unique areas, which is an interesting system for the fire service as well as a big city fire department.

First is a system of underground cisterns that have a total capacity of 11 million gallons of water from which to draft. The cisterns are strategically located throughout the city should there be any damage to the distribution system or fire department high-pressure supply system. The cisterns have no connection to the water department or the high-pressure fire department system.

Second is a low-pressure water supply system. Water for firefighting is supplied to the fire department by the San Francisco Water Department System. This would be the normal water supply, supply to above ground hydrants, storage reservoir, and the tanks of the fire department’s high-pressure water supply system. This system is maintained and tested by the water department. The location of all fire department hydrants as well as the maintenance and development of the entire fire department high-pressure system are the responsibility of the fire department.

Third, the high-pressure water system is a system of mains and 1,889 high-pressure fire hydrants independent of the domestic water supply built solely for firefighting. The system is supplied by fresh water from two elevated tanks and a reservoir. In the event the gravitational fresh water supply fails, at a moment’s notice two pumping stations

Paul Feely – The New Hampshire Union Leader, Manchester

Sep. 16—Firefighters rescued a young boy early Monday after he became trapped between two large boulders for more than nine hours in Windsor, officials said.

The boy, 11, was freed from the crevasse at 3:16 a.m. and taken to a hospital with minor injuries, officials said.

The boulders are located near Camp Wediko, a therapeutic and academic program for boys and girls ages 8-18 diagnosed with ADHD, anxiety, Asperger’s and mood disorders. Windsor is a rural community west of Hillsborough.

Manchester Fire Department’s Rescue 1 was dispatched to the scene to assist Hillsboro crews with the technical rescue, Manchester Capt. Adam Iverson said in a statement.

The boy was conscious and alert when rescuers located him about 4 to 5 feet down between two boulders, with narrow access on either side, Iverson said.

“Due to the restricted opening, the victim had limited room to move his arms or legs,” Iverson said.

Manchester’s Rescue 1 worked in conjunction with on-scene fire and EMS companies to clear a tunnel to the side of the boulders, which allowed a member to reach the victim’s legs and assist with pulling him free.

“Additional debris was removed using jackhammers, sawzall, and shovels,” Iverson said.

“Using friction-reducing materials and a lubing solution, the patient was freed and vertically hoisted from the entrapment,” Iverson said.

Companies cleared the scene at 4:30 a.m. Monday.

Along with Manchester, additional crews assisting at the scene included Henniker, Hopkinton, Concord, Washington, Fish and Game conservation officers and State Police.

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(c)2024 The New Hampshire Union Leader (Manchester, N.H.)

Visit The New Hampshire Union Leader (Manchester, N.H.) at www.unionleader.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Namu Sampath
masslive.com
(TNS)

HOLYOKE — Late Monday night, the city’s Fire Department reported that it had rescued a stranded hiker from Mount Tom.

The incident is far from the first time a hiker has gotten lost or stuck there, said Capt. David Rex, the public information officer for the Holyoke Fire Department.

“It happens probably once a week, even in the winter,” he said.

Rex said the hiker, who was rescued at around 10:30 p.m., didn’t plan his trip accordingly.

“It got dark quickly, and he got lost on the trails,” Rex said.

The hiker was not injured and was found after a “short search,” the department said in a Facebook post.

Rex said that there are roughly 20 miles of trails on the mountain, but was unsure how many trails there are.

“A lot of the trails criss-cross with each other, making it difficult for hikers who are unfamiliar with the terrain,” he said.

He said the terrain varies greatly, depending on the side of the mountain a hiker is on.

From Route 141 in Easthampton, the terrain is “loose shale,” he said. “You’re basically hiking a cliffside,” whereas the Route 5 side is slightly easier for people to climb.

Rex said the hiker called 911 to be rescued. He said that it can sometimes be difficult to pinpoint the location of a caller, because of the cell tower atop Mount Tom.

“We use a drone program in Holyoke that uses thermal imaging to help locate people who get lost,” he said.

The state’s Department of Conservation and Recreation oversees the mountain.

A spokesperson for the department said hikers should stick to designated trails, be aware of the weather and trail difficulty ratings, and should share their plans with someone before setting out.

©2024 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit masslive.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Anaheim Fire and Rescue’s Ascendant 107-foot Heavy Duty Tiller Aerial Ladder is designed to tackle any emergency with precision and safety, the department said in a Facebook post Monday, Sept. 17.

Cameras around the tractor-drawn aerial enhance visibility for the driver and the tillerman. The apparatus features a safe stride on the roof for safety when operating the aerial. The tiller aerial ladder will respond to EMS, fire, and wildland-urban interface calls in the city of Anaheim.

Overall Height: 11’ 2”⁠

Overall Length: 62’ 4.5”⁠

Pump: Waterous, 1,500 gpm⁠

Tank: 300-gallon⁠

Job Number: 38503⁠

Dealership: South Coast Fire Equipment, Inc.

Specifications

Chassis	Velocity®
Body	Ascendant® 107’ Heavy-Duty Tiller Aerial Ladder
Actual Overall Height	11′ 2″
Engine	Cummins X15
Horsepower	605 hp
Front Suspension	TAK-4® Independent Front Suspension
Rear Suspension	Air
Electrical System	Command Zone™
Pump	Waterous Midship
Pump GPM	1500 gpm
Tank	Water
Tank Size	300 gallons
Generator	Harrison Hydraulic
Generator KW	6 kW