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Mission Statement

The objectives of this Division shall be to further enhance the education of all Fire Service Administrative Support by conducting workshops and seminars; to increase the proficiency of Fire Administrative Support by establishing a network sharing of information systems through various channels of communication; and to faciliate a statewide standardization wherever possible in all phases and aspects of the Fire Administrative Support field for the benefit of the Fire Service.

Recent Fire Administrative Support News

Posted: Oct 20, 2020
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Greetings all~

At the yearly business meeting of the WFAS, usually a part of the annual conference, 2020 elections were held. Two Regional Representative terms were up this year along with that of the Secretary and Chair. Cathy Blakeway, Tumwater Fire, will continue to serve as a Regional Rep and Tasiya Deering, Moses Lake Fire, was reelected to the position of Secretary. Kristen Cole chose not to run again for the Regional Rep position she has held but has opted to remain on the board as the Hospitality/Activity committee chair. Slita Bradley, Benton County Fire District 4, was chosen to fill that Regional Rep position. Caity Karapostoles, Clallam County Fire District 3, was elected to serve for the next two years as Chairman when Mykel Montgomery stepped down. Mykel will stay on the board as Past Chair, allowing her to help deliver the 2021 WFAS Conference in Chelan postponed from October 2020. A huge shout out to everyone for stepping up to run for positions on the board and to volunteer on the various committees, along with everyone who continues to serve as board/committee members. It takes all of us to create and maintain the valuable network that is the WFAS! And along those lines, the Vice Chair position is open if you or someone you know is interested, please let me know as soon as possible. In keeping with our policies and procedures, the vacancy will be filled by a majority vote of the Executive Board at our next meeting. The person chosen will serve until the next election at the 2021 WFAS Conference,

In lieu of this year’s conference and workshops, a number of webinars are being planned for our group. Check the website and the group’s Facebook page for more information as it comes available.

Please feel free to contact me or any of the other board/committee members, if there is anything we can help you with. I welcome comments, concerns and suggestions!

Take care and stay safe.

As always,

Caity K

WFAS Chair

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Posted: Apr 21, 2020
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Wednesday April 22nd

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Posted: Jun 27, 2018
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 A recording of the hour long webinar How to Apply for a Local Records Grant is now available at Washington State Archives’ website at:

 https://www.sos.wa.gov/archives/RecordsManagement/Local-Records-Grant-Program.aspx

 

The Online Grant Application form will be available on July 2, 2018.

If anyone has questions or would like assistance in planning and preparing their application, please email recordsmanagement@sos.wa.gov.

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Posted: Apr 25, 2018
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On behalf of your Washington Fire Administrative Support (WFAS) Board and Committee Members, we would like to acknowledge your hard work, dedication and commitment to the fire service and the work that you do. We all play an integral part in the departments we work for and the communities we serve, but perhaps don’t always get the acknowledgement that goes along with it. I hope everyone feels valued for their efforts and feels the support of your network of peers within the WFAS Section. Enjoy your day and I am so excited to see 96 of you in Walla Walla at our annual conference next week!

 

Ashley Becker, WFAS Section Chair

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Posted: Apr 2, 2018
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In accordance with the Washington Fire Chiefs' Bylaws, and the WFC Fire Administrative Support current Protocols, the recommended updated version of the protocols has been posted 30 days before conference

If you would like to see a version noting all of the changes, that document is shown as well. Feel free to share any concerns or comments regarding this updated document with us at: wfc@washingtonfirechiefs.org 

The updated protocols will be voted on by members at the WFAS conference in Walla Walla, Washington on Monday, May 7th.

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Posted: Feb 21, 2018
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Nominations need to be submitted to the WFC office by Friday, April 20, 2018 to kathleen@washingtonfirechiefs.org.

  • Nominee can be nominated by any WFC member, belonging to any WFC Section – please include: nominees name, position title, years of service;
  • The nominee must be a current member of the WFAS;
  • Nomination should list the nominee’s administrative accomplishments and contributions during the previous year as well as their leadership abilities, demonstration of professional performance and personal character.  A short story should be submitted to enhance the nominee’s accomplishments.
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Posted: Aug 8, 2017
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We currently have an opening on the WFAS Executive Board for an Eastern Representative, partial term, to serve through May 2018 (until the conference in which an election will take place for a two-year term).

 

Please submit a Statement of Interest to abecker@centralpiercefire.org, no later than Tuesday, August 15, for consideration at our upcoming Board Meeting in Walla Walla.

 

Feel free to reference the WFAS Board Campaign on the website for more information on Board involvement or reach out to a Board Member.

 

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Posted: Apr 26, 2017
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On behalf of the WFAS Board, we would like to thank you for your endless dedication to the fire service and your commitment to learn and grow.

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Posted: Apr 6, 2017
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In accordance with the Washington Fire Chiefs' Bylaws, and the WFC Fire Administrative Support current Protocols, the recommended updated version of the protocols has been posted 30 days before conference

If you would like to see a version noting all of the changes, please contact us. Feel free to share any concerns or comments regarding this updated document with us at: wfc@washingtonfirechiefs.org 

The updated protocols will be voted on by members at the WFAS conference in Olympia, Washington.

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Posted: Jan 31, 2017
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Nominations need to be submitted to the WFC office by Friday, April 28th of this year, 2017.

  • Nominee can be nominated by any WFC member, belonging to any WFC Section – please include: nominees name, position title, years of service;
  • The nominee must be a current member of the WFAS;
  • Nomination should list the nominee’s administrative accomplishments and contributions during the previous year as well as their leadership abilities, demonstration of professional performance and personal character.  A short story should be submitted to enhance the nominee’s accomplishments.

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FIRE ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SECTION UPCOMING EVENTS

Upcoming Events

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FIRE ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT BOARD & COMMITTEES

PFAS and Firefighting Foam

Keeping It Safe

Before getting into the issue of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and firefighting foam, I wish to pay a brief tribute to the late Chief Bobby Halton.

Robert Tutterow

 

Chief Halton unexpectedly passed on ahead of us just prior to Christmas this past year. He was editor in chief of Fire Engineering and vice president of education and training for Clarion Fire & Rescue—best known for the annual FDIC International in Indianapolis. For those of you fortunate enough to attend FDIC, you always knew that Bobby would deliver a keynote address that was the most passionate and energizing speech you would ever experience. He was a true patriot in every sense of the word and loved firefighters. Thank you, Chief Bobby Halton, for your contributions to our noble profession.

As Chief Halton was always an advocate for firefighter health and safety, having battled cancer himself, it seems appropriate that this column address a key health concern facing today’s fire service—PFAS and firefighting foam. PFAS is known as the “forever” chemical because it takes many decades, if not centuries, to break down. It is a known health hazard to all forms of life. There are thousands of these “forever” PFAS chemicals, and they are found in many different consumer, commercial, and industrial products. As you have likely heard, they are in the materials used to make our firefighting coats and pants. [The National Fire Protection Association technical committee for personal protective equipment (PPE) has a task group working aggressively to develop a revision to existing standards to eliminate PFAS. As of now, PFAS-free PPE has major durability problems to overcome.] However, they are most prominent in firefighting foam, and consequent exposures are greater to the firefighter and for soil and ground water contamination.

The current dilemma facing the fire service is what to do with existing foam as viable PFAS-free foams are entering the market. The only way to dispose of foam containing PFAS is through incineration at a temperature of at least 1,000°C. This is something fire departments are not equipped to do, but there are companies that are developing systems (both fixed and portable) to incinerate foam.

So, what should fire departments do? First and foremost, never release it into the environment. The biggest fear of the “forever” chemical contamination is getting it into the ground water. Hopefully, there are no departments that will just dump it down a storm drain or into a sanitary sewer. Move as quickly as possible to acquire PFAS-free foam so you do not have to use PFAS foam in an emergency incident. You might say, “We’ll just set up training evolutions and use up our inventory of foam that way.” Do not try to get rid of your PFAS foam by using it for training. The possibility of soil/water contamination, in addition to firefighter exposure, is an unnecessary risk. Instead, use a “training foam” available from most manufacturers, which is PFAS free. Or, you might consider using dishwashing detergent. In addition, have a written plan to manage any accidental releases and train on this plan. The bottom line is to never try to dispose of the “forever” chemical on your own. Let a reputable firm handle this process and do your homework on potential firms who are entering the business. The opportunity to make a quick dollar might be coming at the expense of improper storage and disposal.

Keep in mind the majority of states now have some form of PFAS regulation, which varies from state to state. It is important to stay abreast of these regulations as they are ever evolving. Also, the federal government has proposed regulations on PFAS. It is wise to look at what European countries are doing to address PFAS for insight into what will likely occur in the United States. Become active in seeking state or federal funding to pay for the cost of any mandates.

There might be an opportunity for fire departments to leverage this issue to their benefit. For example, conduct a public relations campaign to educate the community about PFAS, how much you have, and how you intend to dispose of it without soil/water contamination. The theme of this campaign is to show how you value the environment and the citizens’ well-being. After all, life safety is our primary mission.


ROBERT TUTTEROW retired as safety coordinator for the Charlotte (NC) Fire Department and is a member of the Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment Editorial Advisory Board. His 44-year career includes 10 as a volunteer. He has been very active in the National Fire Protection Association through service on the Fire Service Section Executive Board and technical committees involved with safety, apparatus, and personal protective equipment. He is a founding member and president of the Fire Industry Education Resource Organization (F.I.E.R.O.).

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Posted: Mar 29, 2023,
Categories: Fire Mechanics,
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