Keeping It Safe Robert Tutterow

In recent conversations and presentations, I have noticed a recurring topic. Simply put, the fire service has a messaging problem. It is an issue we all experience, but perhaps it has not been framed in that particular wording.

It was the topic of National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) President Jim Pauley’s keynote address at its Annual Conference & Expo this past June. The origin of this topic stems from a lawsuit that says that if an authority having jurisdiction adopts an NFPA standard and it becomes law, then that standard must be made available at no cost.

On the surface, this might seem like common sense. But departments must realize that the standards are not developed cost-free. For example, although NFPA technical committee members volunteer their time to develop the standards, there are costs in finalizing the work and making sure the formatting, wording, etc. are consistent with other possibly related standards. This is the job of paid NFPA personnel, referred to as technical committee staff liaisons.

Now, imagine if all our NFPA standards were developed by government bureaucrats. What a nightmare that would be, as the process would be even more cumbersome, more outdated, and infiltrated with toxic political agendas. Admittedly, the NFPA does have a messaging problem, and particularly with the fire service. We have all heard the spin on the acronym NFPA—not for practical application. The messaging is minimal and not particularly relatable to the fire service.

When we look at research and science-based information to help us improve as a service, often it will be rejected if it does not fit the traditional norms. Is this a messaging problem? Maybe. Historically, most fire service research has been published to impress peer reviewers, not the fire service. Thankfully, under the leadership of Dr. Sara Jahnke’s Science to the Station organization, this is being overcome. Summaries are written in “firefighter-ese.” And, researchers are starting to include firefighters in their research more than ever.

From a safety and health perspective, messaging is a particular challenge, as it is compounded by social media “influencers.” They have a habit of shooting down safety initiatives, as they have the false assumption that safety prevents a firefighter from being a firefighter. If you follow these influencers, try to learn about their credentials and where they get their mindset. Are they speaking at fire service conferences? What is the basis of their positions? Do they get out of the shadow of their own fire station to gain a grasp of the overall fire service? As long as we live in our silos, we will have a messaging problem.

Most departments struggle with messaging to their stakeholders. As I was writing this column, a friend forwarded me a master plan for a metro department that was written by a consulting team. The plan revealed mass shortcomings in staffing, response times, number of stations, condition of stations, and fleet. And, this was in a rapidly growing metro area. How sad, and how much of a risk to the community is that? Had the fire department been properly messaging, it would likely not have been in this position. Are consultants better messengers? Probably not, as this situation is probably a trust issue among the department, the city governance, and the public.

Perhaps the most compelling proof of a messaging problem can be found in reviewing our line-of-duty-death (LODD) reports. In more than 95% of the cases, the death is not a unique cause. The causes continue to repeat. And, they are A

The Missouri Department of Public Safety invites volunteer fire departments with annual operating budgets of $50,000 or less to apply now for state grants of up to $15,000 for the purchase of firefighting equipment. Eligible expenses include firefighter turnout gear, hand tools, chainsaws, interoperable radio equipment and wildland protective clothing. There is a 5% local cash match, which means for equipment costing $15,789.47, the local match share would be $789.47 and the state share of 95% would be $15,000. 

“We are extremely appreciative of the dedicated volunteer firefighters who selflessly dedicate themselves to protecting their communities,” Governor Mike Kehoe said. “We’ve made almost $1.5 million in state funding available to help support volunteer agencies with smaller budgets to help them invest in protective clothing and other equipment so that their firefighters can more effectively and safely respond to fires and other emergencies.”

“Our Missouri Division of Fire Safety estimates there are over 300 small, largely rural, fire departments that would be eligible for these $15,000 grants,” Department of Public Safety Director Mark James said. “This grant was designed to provide an opportunity for these departments to acquire some of the most useful equipment that they determine will best equip the specific needs of their firefighters.” 

A total of $1,455,000 in state funding is available for the program. The projected performance period for the grant is Dec. 15, 2025 to May 15, 2026. This funding opportunity will close when eligible applications have been received to fulfill the available funding.

Eligible applicants include fire departments as defined in Section 320.200(3) RSMo as an agency or organization that provides fire suppression and related activities, including, but not limited to, fire prevention, rescue, emergency medical services, hazardous material response, or special operation to a population within a fixed and legally recorded geographical area.  

Applications will only be accepted through the Missouri Department of Public Safety online WebGrants System: https://dps.mo.gov/dir/programs/dpsgrants/vfdg.php. DPS is the grant administrator.  

The post Small VFDs Invited to Apply for $15K State-Funded Equipment Grants appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

The city of Salisbury, North Carolina, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony October 15, 2025, for the new Fire Station 3 at 150 Mahaley Avenue.

The new Station 3 replaces the original station at 1604 West Innes Street, which was built in 1956 and occupied in 1957. That building, the oldest and smallest of Salisbury’s stations, has struggled with structural issues due to unstable soil conditions beneath the foundation.

Fire Station 3 serves the northwest section of Salisbury. This area includes residential neighborhoods, Catawba College, Livingstone College, Novant Health Rowan Medical Center, and the W.G. Hefner VA Medical Center.

Made possible through $10 million in state funding secured with the support of State Senator Carl Ford and State Representative Harry Warren, the project not only supported construction of a new station but also supported other fire and law enforcement needs. This included the purchase of rifle-rated ballistic vests and helmets, construction of a decontamination facility at Fire Station 2, installation of a fire loop to enhance sprinkler coverage in the municipal service district, and the replacement of outdated fire trucks.

The new station houses the Fire Marshal’s Office, Emergency Management, City Telecommunications Services, Engine 3, Ladder 4, and spaces for community education. It features training rooms, fitness facilities, advanced ventilation systems, decontamination rooms, and specialized turnout gear storage, all designed with firefighter health and cancer risk reduction in mind.

Salisbury Mayor Tamara Sheffield highlighted the broader significance of the investment. “This project reflects our city’s commitment to public safety, fiscal responsibility, and long-term planning. Thanks to the support of our state leaders, we were able to replace an aging facility,
improve firefighter safety and strengthen emergency services across Salisbury without putting the burden on local taxpayers.”

Fire Chief Bob Parnell said the opening marks a turning point for the department and the city. “Station 3 has been the backbone of fire protection for Salisbury’s northwest side for nearly 70 years. This new facility not only replaces an outdated building but gives our firefighters the tools, resources, and safe environment they deserve to continue protecting this community at the highest level.”

The Salisbury Fire Department was established in 1817.

The post Salisbury (NC) Holds Ribbon Cutting for New Fire Station 3 appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

Christopher Braunschweig
Newton Daily News, Iowa
(TNS)

Oct. 25—Before voting on the consent agenda, the Newton City Council agreed to pull aside one of the items — a resolution approving a change order for the fire department’s engine bay floor reinforcement project — for further inspection and questions. Council member Joel Mills requested the item be discussed.

“I did notice that this resolution (on Item) 16 is a sizable amount of money, so I did have a quick little dialogue with our city administrator and found out, with the help of our city clerk and some others in finance, that the large amount of money can be approved on a consent agenda,” Mills said at the Oct. 20 council meeting.

However, he felt it would be beneficial for the general public to know the reasons why the $32,800 change order would be placed on the consent agenda and not on the regular agenda. Oftentimes, the consent agenda features small purchases or low impact resolutions, like approving liquor or tobacco licenses.

The aforementioned change order is the fourth change order of the bay floor reinforcement project, whose initial contract was approved for $107,750. Since then, there has been a $6,078 change order for increased charges, $322 for addressing a construction defect and $8,563 for an engineering review.

Including the final change order, the project totals more than $155,000.

The fourth change order is for additional work required to complete the floor reinforcement. Fire Chief Jarrod Wellik said he placed the order on the consent agenda because that is what he had done for the previous change orders. Wellik explained he wasn’t trying to pull the wool over council members’ eyes.

“I was just trying to keep things orderly and efficient,” Wellik said. “Change Order No. 4 is kind of the culmination. It’s the end of the project. Anytime you tear into an older building, there are things that are unknown and some things that are maybe not quite 100 percent the way they appear to be.”

In the far southeast corner of the fire station is a room that had block walls, and it was assumed those walls sat on top of footings. However, crews found out in the construction process the walls were not sitting on top of footings. Wellik said the city was then left to review the issue and proceed with one of two options.

“We either needed to put footings underneath it or we had to pull some block down and run the FRP panels underneath,” Wellik said. “So the choice was made to do the less expensive, which was to pull the block walls down and put that all the way through. It was a change that came up as conditions were found.”

Despite the costs of the project increasing by more than $47,000, Wellik argued it is “still pretty cheap compared to backing that ladder truck into the basement of this building.” Before it was the city’s fire station, Wellik said the building used to be a grocery store, so the floor loads were designed for far less.

“This should be the end of it,” Wellik said, suggesting it is the last change order.

According to city documents, a bay floor reinforcement was needed in order to support the new $2 million ladder truck, which is much heavier than the existing truck. Reinforcement was needed so the truck would not cause structural damage to the fire engine bay.

The contractor for the bay floor reinforcement is Minturn, Inc., the same company hired to complete the tennis courts project at Aurora Park; the tennis courts have also needed numerous change orders.

© 2025 the Newton Daily News (Newton, Iowa). Visit www.newtondailynews.com. Distributed by Read more

• 11
• 0
• Article rating: No rating