Fire alarms in community fire stations across the United States and Canada – from Boston to Vancouver to Hawaii and Guam– will ring simultaneously next Wednesday afternoon. These alarms will not alert fire fighters to jump on their rigs and race to danger as they always do. Instead, these emergency tones are intended to focus public attention and appreciation on 100 years of public safety accomplishment.

That specific time – Wednesday, February 28, 2018 at 2 p.m. – will mark the 100-year anniversary of the creation of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), which has been a leader in dramatically improving community safety.

One hundred years ago, the IAFF was established to give fire fighters a greater voice to make sure their communities stay safe and fire fighters stay safe in a deadly profession. Over those 100 years as the IAFF has grown stronger it has lead dramatic improvements in fire safety including better sprinklers, improved smoke alarms and public education.

The IAFF has made the job of firefighting safer, leading the way in providing a greater understanding of the hazards of fighting fires including deadly cancers and post-traumatic stress, spearheading improvements in treatment and prevention and forcing lawmakers across two nations change laws to protect their fire fighters.

Through the years the IAFF has grown both in numbers – now representing more than 310,000 fire fighters – and in influence, an organization highly respected throughout the fire service and among elected officials. Thanks to the IAFF, firefighting has become a coveted and profession requiring extensive skill and dedication but also offering better pay and benefits and admiration.

On Wednesday, selected (IAFF) local leaders will recreate an historic photo taken 100 years ago depicting the leaders of the original 24 local unions that came together to form the IAFF. Then at 2 p.m. the alarm will sound in hundreds of community fire stations from coast to coast, followed by a message from the IAFF. Those with scanners are encouraged to tune in. This historic event which also will be broadcast on Facebook LIVE.

AXIS Architecture + Interiors designed Hammond (IN) Fire Station No. 8. The 13,197-square-foot facility features living quarters with a kitchen, office, sleeping, and locker room spaces as well as an apparatus bay area with three bays. Exterior materials include brick, formed metal wall panel siding, EIFS soffits, storefront glazing, and TPO roofing. (Photo Courtesy of AXIS Architecture + Interiors.)

Tips Courtesy of the Fire Industry Education Resource Organization (F.I.E.R.O.)

The following are 10 station design tips compiled by members of F.I.E.R.O. compiled by its Jurors years of experience in designing fire stations as well as judging station designs for its Fire Station Design Symposium awards entries.

1. Joints in the concrete of the apron and apparatus floor make a difference in backing apparatus into the station. Make sure the joints are placed so that they become an aid, not a hindrance.
2. Drains must be placed under the fire apparatus to prevent water from becoming a slip hazard.
3. Drains must be equipped with a fuel and water separator.
4. The apparatus room should not be a storage room for anything except the apparatus. Provide apparatus support spaces to the side and/or back of the apparatus floor.
5. A good idea is to place a small roll up or pivoting garage door, 8’ x 8’ or so, that goes from your workout room to an outside space around the station. This has several benefits. If you use a significant amount of glass in the door, it will allow natural light into the space, which is always helpful in a workout room. If the weather is nice, the door can be opened to allow fresh air into the workout area or allow part of the workout to be done outside. Finally when moving heavy exercise equipment into the facility, if the door is located next to a walk or drive, the equipment can be easily moved from trucks to the workout area without having to bang and scuff their way down the hallways of the fire stations.
6. Decontamination areas in the fire station should be located in the bay area preferably next to the most heavily used piece of apparatus. The decontamination area should contain at least a double sink and storage areas for numerous cleaners as well as stock to refurbish the medical kits. Try to avoid freestanding units that are elevated on legs as they are difficult to clean. It is better to use a regular cabinet system that is impervious to water as it is easier to clean and will provide some of the storage needs. The backsplashes behind the sink area should be quite tall—2 to 3 feet—and also be easy to clean. Finally if space permits, it is advisable to have an outside entrance and shower at the decontamination area so heavily contaminated firefighters or items can be easily cleaned without going long distances through the stations.
7. In placing a space or room for physical training gym equipment, make sure the room or space is in a high traffic area. Any enclosed room should be easily looked into by anyone passing by to ensure a firefighter having trouble is noticed. There have been line-of-duty deaths in workout rooms that were isolated and unobservable.
8. Apparatus bays should be 18 feet wide. If the lot is narrow, bay widths can be reduced, but should never be less than 14 feet wide. Bay widths of 18 feet easily allow the layout of equipment beside the apparatus during daily “

The CDC reports that every 12 seconds, an adult over the age of 65 gets admitted to the ER due to a fall...and every day, 74 of those admitted will die. To fight those statistics, one fire district is doing what it can to prevent these injuries from happening. With response times reaching upwards of 14 minutes, Benton County Fire District #1 is doing its part to be more efficient and get to their residents even faster than before.
- PUB DATE: 2/27/2018 6:29:11 AM - SOURCE: NBCRightNow.com