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Posted: Nov 16, 2016

Chula Vista (CA) Fire Stations Dealing with Asbestos, Termites and Leaks

An old fire station in Chula Vista might see some relief after residents vote to pass Measure P, which will provide the fire department with millions of dollars in funding over the next 10 years. Station Five is one of nine fire stations in Chula Vista, and one of three buildings that has asbestos.
"That happened nearly 25 years ago," said Darrell Roberts, President of Chula Vista Firefighters Local 2180.

"The community, they come by often and say we thought this station was closed just by the way it looks," he added.

"We see asbestos issues, we see issues with termites, issues with rotting, roof leaks," said Chula Vista Fire Department (CVFD) Chief Jim Geering.

Chula Vista's City Manager Gary Halbert says these problems are very real and the station is in "desperate need" of being fixed.

Firefighters told NBC 7 that there are major health concerns that come with working inside, including a broken pipe that is being held together with zip ties and duct tape.

It's designed to carry exhaust from the engine outside but instead is part of the evening meal.

"All that exhaust that was supposed to go to the outside of the fire station was actually getting dispersed above the kitchen where our folks were eating," Roberts said.

But it’s not just Station Five that appears to be falling apart. Next to City Hall, Station One has warning signs of asbestos plastered on the back door.

"We defer that maintenance off year by year and those problems just get bigger and bigger," Geering said.

During a call for a fire, most of the time firefighters are also forced to wait for back up because the national standard says four firefighters should be on every engine.

An issue in the City of Chula Vista, since every fire engine operates with only three firefighters.

"We can't engage in an interior fire fight, unless there's somebody inside or a known rescue, until a second engine shows up. That delays all of our actions. We're not getting to people in time, and ultimately that's the difference between life and death,” Roberts said.

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Posted: Nov 16, 2016

Bessemer Township (MI) Fire Apparatus Arrives

Bessemer Township received its new fire truck Saturday. It was manufactured in Lyon (SD) at Rosenbauer America's plant at a cost of $227,650 and replaces a truck that had been in service for 30 years.
To get the new truck up and running, the volunteer fire department in the township spent all day Sunday removing equipment and transferring it from the old truck to the new one. Rosenbauer would have installed all the equipment at the plant, but transferring the serviceable old equipment saved the township significant sums of money and the truck was ready and in service by 5:30 p.m. Sunday.

New features include an automatic transmission so the entire volunteer fire department can drive it. There are also hoses on all four sides of the vehicle, a major upgrade over the old truck that often required jockeying to make the hoses accessible.

The control panel was placed in the middle of the truck and color-coded with the hoses so the operator in the truck has a 360-degree view of the scene and control of all the hoses and water within easy reach.

The department installed a new radio on the control console so the operator maintains both hands free. The ladders are attached to a hydraulic drop system that lowers them to the the fireman's height with the push of a button, instead of having to clamber over the vehicle and increase risk of injury.

Steve Selin, assistant fire chief, demonstrated a special feature that makes the truck immediately accessible in the event of a fire. The truck has an internal air pump that operates via external power to ensure the brakes are fully aired at all times for immediate departure in response to a call.

The old truck could take as many as three to five minutes to build pressure before the brakes would release, increasing response time. The plug-in for the internal air pump is equipped with an auto-eject cord in the event firefighters forget to unplug. The plug will eject about five feet away from the truck, saving the time required to unplug and cords being ripped out of the wall.

The new truck holds 1,250 gallons of water, compared to the old truck's 1,000 gallons, and has a pump capable of pumping 1,250 gallons per minute, meaning it can empty in one minute, if need be, through all four hoses.

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Posted: Nov 16, 2016

Medical oxygen fuels Vancouver mobile home fire

Medical oxygen fueled a fire early this morning at a Vancouver mobile home, displacing a woman and her pets. Crews with the Vancouver Fire Department were called to the Vista Del Rio Mobile Home Park, 17401 S.E. 39th St., just before 2 a.m. today for a blaze reported at one of the units. Fourteen firefighters arrived and doused the blaze, bringing it under control in about five minutes, firefighter and agency spokesman Kevin Stromberg said.
- PUB DATE: 11/16/2016 9:23:58 AM - SOURCE: Vancouver Columbian
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Posted: Nov 16, 2016

Hangout: What It Takes to Spec Out That New Rig

In this week's Humpday Hangout, hosts Terry McGrath and Rick Lasky focus on apparatus specification and maintenance topics. Their guests are Homer Robertson, Pat Siddons, and Josh Ashman.

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Posted: Nov 16, 2016

Phenix Technology, Inc. and Identifire Safety Products Team Up with Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance

RIVERSIDE, CA—Phenix Technology, Inc. and Identifire Safety Products are teaming up with the Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance (FBHA) to help address the critical need for fire and emergency medical services (EMS) behavioral health awareness. Firefighters and EMS personnel are engaged daily in traumatic situations causing career-related stress, which is leading to issues such as depression, PTSD, anxiety, addictions, relationship challenges, and suicide. FBHA was established to directly educate firefighters and EMS personnel and their families about these issues and help bridge the resource gap between medical professionals and first responder services.

FBHA provides behavioral health workshops to fire departments and EMS providers across the United States focusing on behavioral health awareness with a strong drive toward suicide prevention and promoting resources available to firefighters/EMS and their families. Specific behavioral health workshops include: An Internal Size-Up, which educates personnel on how to look for signs and symptoms of behavioral health problems, communication, confidentiality, and roles/responsibilities and Saving Those Who Save Others, a workshop focused on suicide prevention and awareness. Additional workshops are directed at spouses and partners and children of firefighters and EMS personnel. FBHA's sole goal is to promote good mental health for the men and women of the fire service and EMS and their families, as well as making a significant difference in reducing the numbers of firefighters and EMTs who are turning to suicide to ease their pain.

"Most discussions around safety concern the gear and tactics of suppression and rescue. Unfortunately we often forget that a first responder's safety concerns don't just begin when the tones go off or when the units return to quarters. Our dialog has to start including the mental health of our brothers and sisters, and we are honored to work with Jeff Dill and his organization to help bring awareness to an often overlooked issue." says Angel Sanchez, Jr., Phenix Technology, Inc.'s chief operating officer.

Phenix Technology, Inc. is creating a handmade Behavioral Health Awareness traditional leather fire helmet that will travel with the Phenix team during their 2017 Trade Show Schedule. The helmet will be used as a talking piece along with educational material that will be distributed at each show. At the conclusion of the 2017 season, the helmet will be auctioned off to raise funds for FBHA. Identifire Safety Products will be creating a special photoluminescent piece that will be available for sale with all profits going to support the FBHA mission. FBHA will produce a weekly educational piece that all three organizations will be sharing.

"Being on the job long enough, we will all be exposed to some form of PTSD. Whether it's our own demons, or a brother orsister next to us. We have lost too many already. Time for a change," says Matt Hyman, CEO of Identifire Safety Products.

FBHA Founder, Jeff Dill, a retired fire captain and licensed professional counselor, has this to say about the joint campaign: "We are honored and appreciative of the support from Phenix and Identifire. We look forward to continuing our mission of spreading behavioral health awareness and working to prevent the issues that in many cases ar

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