Globe, DuPont Protection Solutions (DuPont), and the National Volunteer Fire Council teamed up once again in 2018 to distribute 52 sets of turnout gear to 13 volunteer or mostly-volunteer fire departments. This annual program began in 2012 to provide departments in need with new turnouts to better protect their personnel. Shinbone Valley Fire and Rescue (Delta, AL) and the Barnsdall (OK) Rural Fire Department are the final 2018 gear recipients.

Shinbone Valley Fire and Rescue (Delta, AL)

Shinbone Valley Fire and Rescue has 16 volunteer firefighters. All are operating with turnout gear that is over 10 years old, which is not recommended according to national safety standards. The department responds to multiple calls a year, including mutual and automatic aid. Calls coupled with monthly training exercises and a yearly visit to the Alabama Fire College has left their expired gear very worn, which puts their members at risk. Volunteers do their best to use their oldest and most worn gear for training exercises to preserve the newer sets for structure fires and vehicle incidents. The department actively fundraises to keep up with operation costs but has found it difficult to purchase new gear to ensure the safety of their responders.

“Receiving this gear gives peace of mind to our firefighters and the people we serve,” said Assistant Chief Travis Strickland. “Thank you to Globe and the NVFC for this donation. Your help goes a long way with our community and our department.”

Barnsdall (OK) Rural Fire Department

Barnsdall Rural Fire Department serves over 1,100 residences across 122 square miles. Barnsdall is a rural location with an abundance of ranchland and homes, which make wildfires very prevalent. The department responds to an average of 80 calls each year and provides additional assistance to the city and surrounding fire departments. Only 10 of Barnsdall’s 24 volunteers have turnout gear, and all sets are over 10 years old and not compliant with recommended safety standards. Most of the department’s financial resources are utilized for equipment, leaving them unable to purchase new gear for their responders.

“We want to ensure that our team has the best chance to do a good job and stay safe at the same time,” said administrative assistant Brittanie White. “This new gear will help our dedicated team to have the protection they need when they are in the trenches and extend our limited resources beyond what we are currently able to provide.”

These awards conclude the 2018 Globe Gear Giveaway. A full wrap-up of the 2018 program will be available in January, so stay tuned to the NVFC web site, Dispatch newsletter, and Facebook page, as well as the Globe Facebook page, for additional information.

 

 

About Globe

Firefighters need to be prepared to perform at their peak, on every call. That’s why Globe delivers the most advanced, best-fitting, and longest lasting protection by listening to our customers, creating breakthrough designs, and applying the engineering skills of the nation’s most trusted turnout gear manufacturer. Globe turnout gear is designed to protect you, move with you, and improve your performance. It’s athletic gear for firefighters. Learn more at www.globeturnoutgear.com. Globe is part of MSA.

About DuPont Safety & Construction

DuPont Safety & Construction, a DowDuPont Specialty Products Division business, is a global leader in products and solutions that protect wha

By Richard Marinucci

One would think intuitively that organizations that demonstrate concern for the wellbeing of their employees—and the employees know this to be the case—would have fewer injuries and health issues. That is proving to be the case in a scientific study conducted by the folks (led by Dr. Jenn Taylor) at Drexel University, who received an AFG Grant in partnership with the Fire Department Safety Officers Association (FDSOA). The study is showing that fire departments with a higher score on their assessment will see a reduction in injuries. It is about the safety climate that is established in the organization, which is assessed by both firefighters and management. The work uses science to prove that fire departments who truly promote safety through their culture (which is measured with the safety climate survey) will benefit with healthier firefighters and, in return, less cost from injuries.

The point of this is that now there is scientific confirmation based on the data provided. Across the fire service there are more studies that provide great information that can support the mission of the fire department. Having evidence that can convince both policymakers and firefighters is a good tool to have in the tool box. While anecdotal evidence and professional expertise are good things to have, adding another perspective provided by science can only help in the argument. It is challenging to keep up on all the information being released today but it is becoming more important to do so. The benefits are worth the effort.

A long time ago when I was doing clinical time in the emergency room (ER) as part of my medical training I noticed a great deal of what was known as “gallows humor” being used by almost everyone in the ER. Looking back, I don’t know how much would be considered acceptable conversation in today’s world. There was no concern for being politically correct or worrying about offending any others on the staff. Of course only rarely did anything slip out to the general public as everyone was very conscious of their surroundings as to not offend anyone not on the “inner circle’’ who would not “get it.” Unfortunately, today there is the risk of offending someone or worse yet, someone recording the conversation and posting it on social media. In some ways, I think it is too bad as I think those who engaged in the “gallows humor” were able to release the tragedies that they saw regularly and did not let them build up. I am no psychologist, but maybe this is just one coping mechanism that works for some people.

Ask almost any child how the garbage gets picked up, roads get built and repaired, grass gets cut, and all the other services that they take for granted, and they will probably tell you it just happens. They don’t get that tax dollars are needed, and people are hired to take care of this work. Of course, this also applies to fire and police along with any other service they use, which is provided where you live. Thinking along the same lines I would bet that the vast majority of firefighters don’t know how things get done in your department unless they work in the administration. They don’t understand how an overhead door gets fixed after someone crashes into it while leaving the station. They just submit a repair request, and eventually it gets done. They don’t know the procurement process nor where the funding comes from. Most certainly they don’t know the cost.

The point here is that maybe more effort should be made to share this information so that there is more appreciation for the expenses and efforts that are made. Maybe if members knew the utility costs, they might be more inclined to close the doors, shut the lights, etc. Thi

December 18, 2018 – The Leary Firefighters Foundation has announced that five volunteer fire departments have been selected as finalists in the National “Spot-a-Hero” Technology Grant campaign from the Leary Firefighters Foundation and Spotted Dog Technologies. The top five departments are:

• Solomons Volunteer Fire Department (Maryland)
• Piggott Volunteer Fire Department (Arkansas)
• Prince Frederick Volunteer Fire Department (Maryland)
• Elk Ridge Volunteer Fire Department (Utah)
• Double Oak Volunteer Fire Department (Texas)

As finalists, the departments have the opportunity to apply to the Leary Foundation for a $5,000 grant to license Rover (™), Spotted Dog’s Mobile Incident Response Platform that improves response time by creating two-way communication between station commanders and first responders and delivering critical data .

To be eligible for the grant, volunteer fire departments from around the country were nominated by members of their communities on the SpotAHero.com website during the six-week campaign. Each nomination received one point with an additional point awarded when the nominator provided a reason why their local department should be recognized. The Spot-a-Hero campaign received over 900 nominations.

“It is quite an accomplishment to be one of the finalists from the many agencies that were nominated,” said Jodi Wallace, program administrator for the Spot-a-Hero campaign. “Eighty six  percent of U.S. fire departments are staffed by volunteer firefighters. It’s not surprising that the comments from the nominators create a compelling narrative about the dedication of these community heroes.”

All five finalists will be vetted through the Leary Firefighters Foundations’ grant process with three departments selected to receive the $5,000 licensing grant. The winners will be announced early next year.                                                       

 

City officials have ended an investigation into a November parking garage fire near Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center and were unable to determine if the building burned from arson, because it was too damaged for investigators to enter safely. Michele Anderson, spokesperson for the Spokane Fire Department, said the building, at 675 S.
- PUB DATE: 12/20/2018 8:19:43 AM - SOURCE: Spokane Spokesman-Review

The City of Quincy passed a $73.6 million budget for 2019, including $24 million for continued work on the city’s industrial waste water treatment and reuse system. “We’ve gone through the budget, gone over it tooth and nail,” said Quincy City Administrator Tim Snead. After several days of meetings to hammer out the 2019 budget, which is large for a town of 8,000 people, council members unanimously approved the budget with virtually no discussion.
- PUB DATE: 12/20/2018 5:48:39 AM - SOURCE: Columbia Basin Herald