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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

The Impact of NFPA 1962 on Fire Department Hose Testing, Inspection, and Care

Alan M. Petrillo

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1962, Standard for the Care, Use, Inspection, Service Testing and Replacement of Fire Hose, Couplings, Nozzles and Fire Hose Appliances (2013 ed.), makes a number of changes that affect how fire departments use some of the basic tools and equipment available to them in extinguishing fires.

The purpose of NFPA 1962, says Jim Glatts of FireOne and a member of the NFPA committee on fire hose that pulled together the revised standard, "is to provide a reasonable level of safety for users of fire hose and a reasonable degree of assurance that the hose, coupling assemblies, appliances, and nozzles will perform as designed."

Glatts points out that updating the standard was important when one considers the many changes in technology and materials that have been incorporated into hoselines, nozzles, appliances, and couplings over the years.

a firefighting attack line
(1) Fire departments now must system test together all of the elements that
go into a firefighting attack line. (Photos courtesy of FireOne.)

Change Rundown

The major changes made in the 2013 standard, Glatts says, include the following:

• Hose manufactured prior to July 1987 shall be removed from service.

• Nozzles shall be service tested at least as frequently as the hose to which it is attached.

• Attack fire hose shall be service tested to a minimum of 300 pounds per square inch (psi).

• Supply fire hose shall be service tested to a minimum of 200 psi.

• System tests shall be conducted at least annually on each preconnected line or any attack line used for interior firefighting operations on a fire apparatus, together with the nozzle or hose-connected appliance it supplies.

• All nonthreaded hose connections shall be provided with locks to ensure against unintentional disconnection.

• Fire hose users and the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) shall establish a replacement schedule for their fire hose. The replacement schedule shall take into consideration the use, age, and testing results of the hose.

Jason Goodale, a company officer with Loveland (CO) Fire and Rescue Authority and NFPA Committee on Fire Hose member, says that although the revised standard covers a lot of ground, he doesn't think it will cause much difficulty in most fire departments. "There was some discussion before the standard was revised about having a shelf life for hose similar to that for personal protective equipment (PPE) of 10 years," Goodale says. "The committee found that it would be difficult for many fire departments to work under such a requirement for hose. It could be financially destructive to many of them having to replace a great deal of hose all at once."

Supply lines
(2) Supply lines still must be tested annually to 200 psi, which is
unchanged from the previous NFPA 1962 edition.

Changing Materials

Glatts points out that hose materials and manufacturing standards have changed over the years, and those elements mean that hose is of higher quality and can take higher pressures. "The earlier version of the standard required attack hose to be tested to 250 psi and supply line to 200 psi," he says. "The new standard increases the pressure to 300 psi for attack line and leaves supply line the same. However, if a five-inch supply line becomes the sole source of an attack line, through an aerial, for example, then it has to be tested to 300 psi too."

Darrell R. Lindsey, division chief for Bernalillo County Fire & Rescue in Albuquerque, New Mexico, says the new standard's biggest impact on his department will be the cost to replace hose that is either pre-1987 or doesn't meet the increased attack line pressure test. "We have about 4,500 feet of hose that no longer will be testable, most of it three-inch hose," Lindsey says. "The cost of replacing a 50-foot length of three-inch hose is $400, while it costs $550 for a 50-foot length of five-inch."

Bernalillo County Fire & Rescue, which covers the unincorporated county surrounding the city of Albuquerque, has a dozen fire stations and 30 apparatus that carry some type of hose. "How many departments can afford to replace that amount of hose?" he asks.

Replacement Program

Lindsey points out his department has had a fire hose replacement schedule for a few years, part of a replacement policy program for all the apparatus and equipment it has. "As hose failed, we bought replacement hose," he says. "Now, as we buy new apparatus, we also purchase a full complement of new hose for that apparatus."

Brian Kubiel, administrator for Toms River (NJ) Fire District No. 1, runs an all-volunteer department of 220 firefighters operating out of six stations, covering about 25 square miles. Kubiel says Toms River Fire is following an implementation process to replace hose that doesn't meet the new standard. "We anticipate replacing 60 lengths of 1¾- and three-inch hose that are pre-1987 in age but still passed our hose test," Kubiel notes.

Kubiel says that although he supports the job the NFPA standard does in terms of safety, he thinks there's a "two-sided coin to the standard." For instance, "If a department has procedures in place to use hose the way it's tested, then perhaps the standard shouldn't apply," he says. "If you're going to designate two lengths of 1¾-inch hose to use foam off the front bumper of your pumper and know you would not exceed 150 psi, that should be considered."

Appliance Testing

Regarding the system, nozzle, and appliance tests, Kubiel says his department hasn't specifically done nozzle tests in the past but would begin doing so. "Our department primarily uses Task Force Tips (TFT) nozzles and appliances and has a good preventive maintenance program," he says. "If we've had issues with a nozzle, we send it back to TFT and they repair or replace it."

The tests required by the revised standard also will have additional effects on fire departments, Kubiel notes. "It will require more time and effort on the part of firefighters and other staff," he says, "as well as taking significant monetary resources to replace fire hose because of its age."

Goodale notes that if departments look at the new standard as an opportunity to use for training firefighters, especially with the system tests, then he believes the standard will be received well by firefighters. "I think a lot of departments already do some kind of system test on their equipment already," Goodale adds. "The key is we want to be sure that when we use the product, it will perform well."

Lindsey says his department tests all its hose, ground ladders, pumps, and aerial ladders in the same month and that nozzles, appliances, and hoseline systems will be added to those tests. "We have FireOne come in and test all our reserve apparatus first," Lindsey says, "and then our first-line apparatus and equipment. This year, to meet the new compliance, we'll take the nozzles used on each preconnect and test them with each unit as a system."


ALAN M. PETRILLO is a Tucson, Arizona-based freelance writer and is a member of the Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment editorial advisory board. He served 22 years with the Verdoy (NY) Fire Department, including in the position of chief.

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Posted: Oct 2, 2013,
Categories: Fire Mechanics,
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