Welcome to the IAFF Frontline News Brief, distributed twice a month to IAFF affiliate leaders and IAFF members. We encourage you to forward this news to your members and others in the fire service.

The Frontline News Brief is delivered directly by email and is also published on the IAFF web site. You can view past issues at http://www.iaff.org/Comm/frontline/news.htm.

Your feedback is also welcome - email pr@iaff.org with questions and comments.
 

"IAFF 2008 Legislative Conference Webcast" (International Association of Fire Fighters)
"Application Period for FY 2008 FIRE Act Grants Begins March 3" (International Association of Fire Fighters)
"The Less-Alarming Wake-Up" (The Washington Post)
"Medics Will Be Tested on Skills" (The Washington Post)
"Life-Saving Smoke Detector Legislation Passes Vermont Senate" (International Association of Fire Fighters)
"Fire Department Is Seeking $49 Million More for Changes" (Washington Post)
"Another Death Spotlights Cuts in Fire Staffing" (Detroit Free Press)
"HIV Test May Protect Rescuers" (Burlington Free Press)
"False Fire Alarms Waste $9 Million A Year In Fire Fighters' Time" (Fire Fighting News)
"One of Their Own Will Lead Omaha Firefighters" (Omaha World-Herald (NE))
"Fire Fighter Dies in Shooting Rampage" (Palm Beach Post)
"Fire Fighter Testifies Call to Mayor Led to His Firing" (Ledger-Inquirer)
"Ontario Fire Fighters Put Butts on the Line for Cancer Awareness" (International Association of Fire Fighters)
"Fire Fighters Union Wants One Cent Sales Tax" (Palm Beach Post)
"Swampscott Fire Fighters Support Troops" (The Daily Item)
"The Burning Question: Ethanol Poses Unique Problems for Firefighters" (Quad Cities Online)
"Experts: Lack of Guidelines Problematic" (Scranton Times Tribune)
"Firefighters Turn Up Heat in Pay Flap" (Boston Globe)
"Firefighters, Town Officials Debate Coverage Measure" (Courant.com)
"Ex-Chief Utz Surprised by Promotion Recissions" (The Tribune-Star)
"Industry Pulse" (EMS Insider)
"Alton Fire Fighters Face Layoffs" (My FOX St. Louis)
"Colorado Fire Fighter Races Across Country to Help Kids" (International Association of Fire Fighters)
"CPR Dog Gains National Attention" (The News Star)
 

IAFF 2008 Legislative Conference Webcast
International Association of Fire Fighters (03/10/08)

The International Association of Fire Fighters held its 2008 Alfred K. Whitehead Legislative Conference March 9-12, 2008, in Washington, DC.
(Web Link)
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Application Period for FY 2008 FIRE Act Grants Begins March 3
International Association of Fire Fighters (02/29/08)

The Department of Homeland Security will begin accepting applications for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 Assistance to Firefighters (FIRE Act) Grants (AFG) beginning March 3, 2008, at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EST). The deadline for submitting applications is no later than April 4, 2008, at 5:00 p.m. EDT. The AFG program, which will be distributed in phases throughout FY 2008, will ultimately award approximately $500 million. 
(Web Link)
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The Less-Alarming Wake-Up
The Washington Post (03/10/08); Deane, Daniela

A fire fighter's job can be very stressful, involving long shifts, emotionally draining work and a response time measured in seconds, often many times a night. To reduce the cumulative stress on their 315 firefighters and paramedics, Arlington was one of the first jurisdictions in the Washington region to install kinder, gentler wake-up calls in its 10 firehouses.
(Web Link)
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Medics Will Be Tested on Skills
The Washington Post (02/27/08); Lipscomb, David

The District of Columbia fire department will test all of its 250 paramedics for competency in administering advanced life support. The testing, which will be performed independently by the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute, is expected to lead to retraining of some paramedics while some others could be reassigned to positions with fewer responsibilities.
(Web Link)
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Life-Saving Smoke Detector Legislation Passes Vermont Senate
International Association of Fire Fighters (03/04/08)

Legislation requiring photoelectric smoke detectors in homes has passed the Vermont State Senate. If approved by the House and signed by the governor, Vermont will become the first state to make the life-saving smoke detectors mandatory. Unlike the more widely-used ionization smoke detectors, photoelectric smoke detectors have been shown to sound earlier in smoldering fires.
(Web Link)
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Fire Department Is Seeking $49 Million More for Changes
Washington Post (03/02/08); Vargas, Theresa

Fire fighting in Prince William County, Maryland, has not changed much in the last 20 or 30 years. Now, in order to better serve the county's booming population and larger homes, the department is looking to make some sorely needed updates. To that end, the department has requested $49.3 million over the course of five years. That money will go toward a number of initiatives, including hiring 108 uniformed fire fighters and 10 civilians. The funding will be added to the $42.1 million, five-year staffing program already put in place by the Board of County Supervisors. That plan will add 139 uniformed fire fighters and nine more civilian positions. The requests come on the heels of the death of fire fighter Kyle R. Wilson, the first in the department's history. Wilson was killed last year while fighting a blaze in a 6,000-square-foot house. Following his death, a report was released that made over 200 recommendations designed to better protect the county's fire fighters. The funding will most likely go toward hiring more fire fighters to improve staffing on engines and specialty vehicles. With the new hires, the county hopes to adhere to the nation's four minute emergency response standard without having to rely on help from neighboring departments.
(Web Link)
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Another Death Spotlights Cuts in Fire Staffing
Detroit Free Press (02/28/08); McGraw, Bill

Two people died in two separate Detroit fires, and in both cases the closest pumper engine was not in operation because there were not enough fire fighters on staff to operate them. In the most recent death, the department had put 10 of its 66 vehicles out of commission for staffing reasons that day, and some are calling for a closer look at the department's operations. It is not necessarily the case that closer equipment would have prevented the deaths, especially because one of them involved accelerant poured into a kerosene heater, but the city is already embroiled in a lawsuit brought by fire fighters who charge that staffing cuts are increasing delays in response times and endangering fire personnel and residents.
(Web Link)
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HIV Test May Protect Rescuers
Burlington Free Press (02/28/08); Remsen, Nancy

A bill that comes up for debate in the House would set up a testing process for emergency personnel and other first responders -- including members of ski patrols -- should they end up with significant exposure to body fluids. It allows them to request blood tests of those they treated. "Blood on gloves is routine," said Matt Vinci, who is a captain in the South Burlington Fire Department, president of the Professional Firefighters of Vermont and chairman of the Coalition of Fire and Rescue Services. "A significant amount in the eye, nose or mouth, that is when we become a patient."
(Web Link)
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False Fire Alarms Waste $9 Million A Year In Fire Fighters' Time
Fire Fighting News (03/05/08)

Aiming to recoup an estimated $9 million a year spent sending fire fighters to false alarms, one Los Angeles city leader and the city fire fighters union are proposing fines for unneeded calls. The Los Angeles Police Department already charges property owners $115 or more for responding to a false burglary alarm. Councilwoman Wendy Greuel said she wants similar penalties implemented to deal with the roughly 30,000 false alarms the Los Angeles Fire Department responds to each year.
(Web Link)
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One of Their Own Will Lead Omaha Firefighters
Omaha World-Herald (NE) (02/29/08); Cole, Kevin

The application process for the new Omaha fire chief ended last week, and by the end of April the city will have a new chief. The job was only open to Omaha fire fighters, and seven people with between 17 and 25 years of experience have applied. The department wants to find someone who can keep standards high. Among the candidates are current interim Fire Chief Michael F. McDonnell, Assistant Fire Chiefs Perry Guido and Joseph Gibilisco, and Battalion Chiefs Anthony Lang, Joseph Fuxa, Mark Ervin and Steven Ausdemore.

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Fire Fighter Dies in Shooting Rampage
Palm Beach Post (03/03/08); Gilken, Rochelle E.B., Jordan, Don and Miller, Kimberly

Alburn Edward Blake, wearing a shirt and tie, stepped into the Wendy's restaurant March 3, walked into a bathroom and returned grasping a 9mm Glock handgun. Without saying a word, he shot a 42-year-old Palm Beach County Fire Rescue lieutenant at point-blank range, then began firing at other customers. Lt. Rafael Vazquez, 42, leaves behind a wife and their five children.
(Web Link)
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Fire Fighter Testifies Call to Mayor Led to His Firing
Ledger-Inquirer (03/05/08); Riquelmy, Alan

A former Phenix City fire fighter testified during the first day of his federal civil trial that he was fired in April 2006 for talking to the mayor. David Davis was the first witness called to the stand. A former president of the Phenix City Firefighters Association and eight-year veteran of the Phenix City Fire Department, Davis claims his First Amendment rights were infringed because his termination stemmed from a April 17, 2006, call to Mayor Jeff Hardin in opposition to a city ordinance. "They gave me a piece of paper," Davis said of his April 21, 2006, termination. "They told me I was going to be terminated, but they gave me the chance to resign... So I asked, 'So, I'm being fired for calling the mayor?' I was told yes. I thought you had the right to contact your political leaders that you helped to get elected."
(Web Link)
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Ontario Fire Fighters Put Butts on the Line for Cancer Awareness
International Association of Fire Fighters (02/28/08)

Ontario's professional fire fighters have agreed to "put their butts on the line" and take part in a bold initiative that's designed to raise awareness about one of the most common and deadly cancers among fire fighters and all Canadians. During March, which is Colon Cancer Awareness Month in Canada, the Ontario Professional Fire Fighters Association (OPFFA) will join with Colon Cancer Canada to raise awareness about the importance of screening and early detection of colon cancers, especially among fire fighters.
(Web Link)
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Fire Fighters Union Wants One Cent Sales Tax
Palm Beach Post (03/05/08); Bennett, George

The Palm Beach County fire fighters union is lining up bipartisan support for a bill that would allow counties to impose a one cent sales tax for fire-rescue service in exchange for a cut in property taxes. The bill would allow a county to put a referendum before its voters asking for the sales tax for fire-rescue services. If voters approve, the county would be required to reduce property taxes by an amount equal to the projected revenue from the sales tax increase. The legislation is a response to concerns that property tax-cutting Amendment 1, which was approved by 64 percent of Florida voters on January 29, would harm public safety.
(Web Link)
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Swampscott Fire Fighters Support Troops
The Daily Item (03/10/08); Glidden, Debra

Swampscott fire fighters donned red shirts as part of an initiative to show their support for U.S. troops serving overseas. Fire fighters Union President William Hyde explained "Red Friday" is a program started by the International Association of Fire Fighters that is picking up momentum in the United States and Canada.
(Web Link)
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The Burning Question: Ethanol Poses Unique Problems for Firefighters
Quad Cities Online (02/28/08); Elliott, Stephen

Ethanol plants are sprouting up all over the country, leaving fire officials concerned about the dangers of Ethanol fires, which are difficult to detect because they burn with very little flame and require special foam to extinguish. Ethanol plants are also generally located in rural areas which are ill-equipped to deal with the fires -- fire departments in these areas do not always have the special foam or are not trained in how to apply it. There are also concerns about the transport of Ethanol, because many tanker trucks carry the foam on board but do not usually carry enough to extinguish a large fire. Many fire departments are working with plant managers to develop safety plans and with state officials to draw up agreements regarding required safety equipment and materials.
(Web Link)
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Experts: Lack of Guidelines Problematic
Scanton Times Tribune (03/10/08); Brown, Stacy

In its 107-year history, the Scranton Fire Department has never had a written set of standard operating procedures. Operating without written guidelines is not against any state law, but many experts say the lack of thought-out and accepted standards could cause confusion and danger at fire scenes. The fire department's practices have been thrust into the spotlight following fire-scene confusion that contributed to the January 6 death of Captain James Robeson. The fire fighters union also conducted a no-confidence vote for Fire Chief Tom Davis and has called for his ouster.
(Web Link)
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Firefighters Turn Up Heat in Pay Flap
Boston Globe (03/06/08); Valencia, Milton J.

More than 100 Massachusetts fire fighters joined a rally in Stoughton in support of Captain Douglas Campbell. The rally was an attempt by Stoughton fire fighters to bring attention to the town's refusal to pay Campbell while he is serving in Iraq as a member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard. According to state law, the town is obligated to hold Campbell's job for him until he returns. However, the state also allows the town to pay the difference between his base salary and the one he receives from the military. The town has agreed to give Campbell the difference between the $40,000 he makes while he is deployed and his $63,000 base salary. Local fire fighters believe the town should also pay his fringe benefits as defined in the union labor contract. All told those benefits amount to about $7,000, which city officials refuse to put forward. In response, Stoughton, MA Local 1512 has asked the town to go ahead and pay Campbell the difference between his two salaries and address the extra $7,000 once he returns from service.
(Web Link)
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Firefighters, Town Officials Debate Coverage Measure
Courant.com (03/05/08); Stacom, Don

Fire fighters in Connecticut are lobbying for a state bill that would expand health coverage for emergency personnel who develop chronic or debilitating health problems because of their job. HB 5629 is being supported by fire fighters who say their health is compromised daily because they are exposed to dangerous airborne carcinogens at fire calls, and should be entitled to workers' compensation in the event they develop job-related cancer. "What cost is too much to protect the lives and families of those who protect our lives and families?" asked Tom Carusello, political director of Connecticut's AFL-CIO. Currently, Connecticut law requires fire fighters to prove their jobs caused their illness to collect workers' compensation benefits. HB 5629 would automatically reward benefits and reverse the burden of proof to the town or city to block benefits.
(Web Link)
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Ex-Chief Utz Surprised by Promotion Recissions
The Tribune-Star (03/03/08); Arceo, Austin

The recent decision by the Terre Haute, Indiana, Board of Public Works to reverse several promotions at the Terre Haute Fire Department took many by surprise, including the former fire chief. Jay Utz said that during his tenure, the board approved 10 promotions to battalion chief, including himself. The fact that the same board voted to overturn those promotions puzzles Utz. "We researched it. Everything looked good," Utz says, "and then it seems as if, once people changed offices, then the stance took a whole new turn." Works Board President Bill Lower attributes the decision to advice the board received from the city attorney. But Utz says that counsel could hurt the city, noting a state law that determined the rank of battalion chief is a permanent rank/pay grade. That law was cited in a case that found the city liable following the demotion of four fire fighters. Terre Haute, IN Local President Brad Doan acknowledges the promotions "should've went through the merit system" but they did not.
(Web Link)
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Industry Pulse
EMS Insider (02/08)

The National Fire Protection Association has teamed up with the International Association of Fire Fighters, the National Association of State EMS Officials and several other emergency response groups to improve emergency response times to highway crashes. The campaign is centered on the National Unified Goal for Traffic Incident Management (NUG). All participating organizations signed on to NUG to pledge to improve communication and coordination when responding to traffic accidents as well as work to remove barriers to faster crash clearance. In return, NUG asks drivers to slow down and move away from the accident scene to prevent emergency response worker injuries and fatalities.
(Web Link)
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Alton Fire Fighters Face Layoffs
My FOX St. Louis (03/08/08); Brown, John

Fire fighters in the city of Alton are facing layoffs as the city gets closer to approving a budget. The reason for the cuts: the city is fully funding the fire fighter's pension fund which it has done very few times in the past. The city now has to fund the pension programs for the fire department. But in order to do that, they have to let about four people go. The union isn't happy about it, saying the city isn't looking hard enough for ways to solve the problem.
(Web Link)
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Colorado Fire Fighter Races Across Country to Help Kids
International Association of Fire Fighters (03/12/08)

Boulder, Colorado Local 900 fire fighter Tim Case is competing in one of the most challenging bicycle races to raise money to help kids with congenital heart defects. On behalf of the Team Strong Heart organization, Case will participate in the 2008 Race Across America in the solo division beginning June 8, 2008. The event begins in Oceanside, California, and ends 3,100 miles later in Annapolis, Maryland. 
(Web Link)
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CPR Dog Gains National Attention
The News Star (03/12/08); Temple, Stacy

Mindy Lou likes to snuggle in the crook of her mom's arm and looks longingly at the car when asked if she wants to go "bye-bye." A caring fire fighter and an oxygen tank saved the Miniature Pinscher's life after she and her "sister" Miss Molly Brown were rescued from a burning mobile home.
(Web Link)
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