Soaring to New Heights Fire

September 2008
Volume 22 Number 16
Soaring to New Heights
Fire -Rescue International 2008
Spotlight on FRI
Welcome Reception
Kicks-Off FRI 2008
FRI TV Debuts in Denver
F
RI 2008 got off to
a great start with
the welcome reception Wednesday evening for new members, first-time attendees and international
guests, sponsored by
1-800-BoardUp. More
than 500 guests attended, mingling with
IAFC board members,
division leaders and
staff. More than
40 people participated in the
poker tournament, where the
overall winner
was awarded a
Compaq laptop
computer. @
Internet Channel Provides Coverage of Education
and Expo
T
his year in Denver
marked the debut of FRI
TV, the IAFC’s new Internet
TV channel. The site features video coverage of the
general session and keynote
address, interviews with top
IAFC leaders and coverage
of select education sessions.
There are also reports from
the expo floor, showcasing
the latest products, services
and solutions to meet the
needs of fire and emergency responders.
FRI TV can be viewed from www.iafc.org and the FRI 2008 website (www.iafc.org/fri).
The IAFC wishes to thank its sponsors for their support of FRI TV:
Fireman’s Fund Insurance, FDSOA, Emergency Reporting, Niedner,
Kuau Patrol, MagneGrip, Airhawk, Argus, Last Chance Rescue Filter,
HJR, FETN American Hero Training Simulation, NPS, Emergency
Response Maps High Plains, Allen Vanguard, Flame-Sim, Blanchat,
Ericsson and Motorola. @
Fit-To-Fight 5K Supports Fire Service Scholarships
M
ore than 150 runners of all ages braved rain and cold to participate in this
year’s Fit-to-Fight 5K. The fastest time among conference attendees was
recorded by Andy Rinne with a time of 16:16. Special thanks go to ARA Safety,
the EMS Section and VFIS for sponsoring the event.
All proceeds from this year’s Fit-to-Fight 5K go to the IAFC Foundation, helping
the Foundation award scholarships to first responders looking to advance their
fire service education. For more information about how you can support future
fire service leaders, visit www.iafcf.org or contact Judy Kirk at [email protected] or
703‑537‑4830. @
IAFC board members prepared to participate in the Fit-to-Fight 5K Fun Run & Walk.
IAFC On Scene/September 2008
Our Thanks to our Partners
and FRI Sponsors
This year’s Fire-Rescue International was an overwhelming
success, offering more educational programs and events
than ever for its attendees! These activities wouldn’t have
been possible without the support of our partners and
sponsors. The IAFC would like to thank our premier and
GEM partners and our FRI sponsors:
Premier Partners
• Anheuser-Busch, Inc.
• FireRescue Magazine
• Jones and Bartlett Publishers
• Motorola Inc.
Diamond Plus
• Verizon Wireless
Diamond
• First Responders Financial
Emerald
• Ericsson
• Hagemeyer North America
Ruby
• Dräger Safety Inc.
• Ferrara Fire Apparatus Inc.
• First Alert
• KME Fire Apparatus
• MSA
• Physio-Control
• PlymoVent Corp.
• Smeal Fire Apparatus Co.
• Spartan Chassis Inc.
• True North
• Waterous Company
• WHP Trainingtowers
FRI Sponsors
• 1-800-BOARD-UP – Welcome reception
• Anheuser-Busch Inc. – Board/staff party
• ARA Safety – 5K Fit-to-Fight race
• EMS Section – 5K Race t-shirts
• Energizer – Presidential celebration
• MyClyns – VIP reception
• OnStar – Conference pens
• Panasonic Computer Solutions Company – Cyber Café
• Physio-Control – Company Officer Leadership
Symposium
• Pierce Manufacturing Inc. – City banners
• Smiths Detection – Paper conference bags
• Sprint – Lanyards
• Verizon Wireless – Recharge bar
• VFIS – 5K Race t-shirts
IAFC Member Services Pavilion
Sets Record
T
his year, the
IAFC
Member
Services booth set
a record in crowd
attendance during
its grand prize giveaways. The IAFC
collected
tickets
marked for Friday
and Saturday giveaway prizes, which
included Panasonic
Toughbook laptops
and digital cameras, hotel getaway packages and a cruise package for two.
More than a thousand people stood seven rows deep to hear the names of
the lucky winners.
In addition to the giveaway prize area, the 7,200 square feet of booth
space hosted smaller booths for the IAFC’s divisions, sections and
committees and this year welcomed the IAFC Foundation and GPSS, the
IAFC’s for-profit subsidiary. The booth boasted lots of seating, a cyber café
with eight computer stations sponsored by Panasonic, a display of the 2008
association photo contest winners and a welcome table where attendees
could sign up to join the organization. A special guest appearance was
made by Sadie and Spencer, two arson dogs from the Colorado State
Bureau of Investigation and State Farm Insurance. @
FRI Takes it to the Streets
N
ot even cold wind or light rain could stop FRI attendees from enjoying
the Street Party held at Denver Chophouse and Brewery on Thursday
evening. Guests enjoyed the sounds of Homeslice while munching on freshly
grilled burgers and brats. A special tapping of Fire Chief Ale was made just
for FRI street party attendees.
IAFC board members, leaders, staff and VIPs were welcomed into the
Chop House & Brewery “Caboose” by MyClyns, a product of Union Springs
Pharmaceuticals, to sample their new product and enjoy exceptional food
and drink from the restaurant’s menu.
A special appearance was made by the Energizer Bunny, who mingled with
the crowd and passed out Energizer Bunny buttons in conjunction with their
new campaign, Keep Safe. Keep Going name®. @
The IAFC looks forward to working with the following
new GEM partners for FRI 09.
Diamond
• TNT Rescue Systems Inc.
Ruby
• Emergency Response Maps Co.
• Gamber-Johnson
• Holmatro Inc.
• Niedner
• Sutphen Corporation
• Tyco Electronics
IAFC On Scene/September 2008
IAFC Awards
Watertown, N.Y., Firefighters Awarded Highest Honor
for Saving Lives in a Devastating Structure Fire
F
irefighters Keith A. Grant and David E.
Johnston, of the City of Watertown (N.Y.) Fire
Rescue Department, were selected as this year’s
winners of the International Benjamin Franklin
Fire Service Award for Valor, cosponsored by the
IAFC and Motorola, Inc. The award was presented
at the 135th annual fire and emergency services
conference and exposition for leaders, FireRescue International, August 14‑16, in Denver.
Now in its 39th year, the International
Benjamin Franklin Fire Service Award for Valor is
the highest honor bestowed upon an individual
by the IAFC. It recognizes firefighters around the
world for their expert training, leadership, heroic
actions and safe practices.
Early in the morning of December 8, 2007,
the City of Watertown Fire Rescue Department
responded to a downtown structure fire.
Significant flames and heavy black smoke
were boiling up from the third floor of a fourstory building, home to nearly 40 residents in
30 apartments. The fire alarm system was not
operating and no one knew how many people had
evacuated. Adding to the hazardous conditions
and frigid temperatures, flames erupting from
the front of the building threatened high-tension
power lines. If they fell, they would land right on
top of the firefighters.
At the rear of the building, Firefighters Keith
Grant and David Johnston determined conditions
were deteriorating so rapidly, they couldn’t wait
for another engine to arrive. They climbed the
rickety, wooden fire escape and found a victim,
disoriented and suffering smoke inhalation,
on the third-floor landing. They led him quickly
down the stairs and turned him over to rescue
personnel below.
Battling heavy smoke and flames, Grant and
Johnston raced back up to the apartment to
ensure no other victims were trapped inside.
Crawling on his stomach through the doorway,
Firefighter Johnston observed conditions were
ripe for flashover and retreated. Within seconds,
the apartment ignited into a raging inferno. As
both firefighters pounded on the door of the
neighboring apartment, they heard a victim
barricaded inside; fire not only blocked his front
door, but the rear door wouldn’t open. At the same
time, command was ordering the firefighters
off the fire escape as flames threatened to
completely block their exit.
Without hesitation, Firefighter Johnston kicked
open the door and rescued the victim inside. The
fire was so intense, both firefighters laid on top
of him to shield him from the radiant heat while
IAFC On Scene/September 2008
they pulled him to safety. Miraculously, he only
suffered scrapes, burns and smoke inhalation.
Both firefighters displayed quick thinking
and unstoppable determination while risking
their own lives to save others. In nominating
Firefighters Grant and Johnston for the award,
Chief Daniel J. Gaumont said, “Clearly, if not
for the heroic efforts of these two courageous
and valiant firefighters, both of these innocent
victims would have succumbed.”
This is the second time that City of Watertown
Fire Rescue Department has been honored
with the Award for Valor. The first time was in
2000, also under Chief Gaumont’s leadership.
The chief was also honored once again with
the Department Leadership Award at the
presentation ceremony at FRI’s general session
on Friday morning.
To learn more about the International
Benjamin Franklin Fire Service Award for Valor,
go to www.iafc.org/awards. @
City of Watertown (N.Y.) Fire Rescue Department Chief Daniel J.
Gaumont with Firefighter/EMT David E. Johnston and Firefighter/
EMT Keith A. Grant, 2008 winners of the International Benjamin
Franklin Fire Service Award for Excellence.
“When I saw those medals given just a little while ago, my heart swelled up and I
figured that the American flag was coming down, the anthem was being played
and those were gold medalists, as sure as Michael Phelps is, today and yesterday
and tomorrow.” Denis Waitley at FRI 2008 General Session
Excellence in Fire & Life Safety
D
ivision Chief Michael T. Love of Montgomery County
(Md.) Fire & Rescue was the second annual winner
of the Excellence in Fire & Life Safety Award, sponsored
by the International Code Council (ICC). The award was
presented at FRI’s Education Keynote by Rick Wieland,
ICC’s executive director.
Chief Love recognized the need for much better collaboration among fire safety professionals: The problems
that one AHJ faces in his or her community are probably
similar to those already addressed elsewhere. However,
there was no mechanism for sharing information and
solutions among fire prevention professionals.
Chief Larry Grorud, ICC Executive Director Rick
With the explosive growth of the Internet, Chief Love
Wieland, Division Chief Michael Love, Chief Steve
realized
there was a tool available at our fingertips and
Westermann, and Chief Adolf Zubia, FLSS chair.
completely free of charge. He established two chat groups
on Yahoo—the National Fire and Life Safety Educator (NFLSE) group and the EPARADE group—to foster
information exchange.
EPARADE was launched in February 2004 and has since grown to more than 580 members spanning
the globe, with over 7,300 messages posted. It is unquestionably the most active and invaluable
information exchange forum that exists for fire safety professionals. NFLSE has seen similar growth,
with many members belonging to both groups.
Fire professionals who would never have met or interacted before now do so on a regular basis.
In a day of shrinking budgets, restricted travel and difficulties in attending professional training or
conferences, EPARADE and NFLSE have stood out as the number-one mechanism for fire prevention
professionals to learn from one another. @
2008 Fire Service Award for Excellence
E
very year, the IAFC recognizes the efforts of seven
finalists for the 2008 Fire Service Award for Excellence.
Cosponsored by the IAFC and U.S. Safety Fire Technologies,
this award recognizes innovation and achievement in
managing resources to reduce the loss of life and property
from fire and other emergencies.
The winner of the 2008 Award for Excellence, announced
during FRI’s Education Keynote session on August 14, is North
Richland Hills (Tex.) Fire Department’s Cardiac Catheterization
Lab Field Activation.
In this program, North Richland Hills’ paramedics diagnose
life-threatening myocardial infarctions in the field. Upon
diagnosis, they page an on-call group of specially trained
doctors and nurses who operate the cardiac cath lab; the
patient then bypasses the emergency room, saving time in
the treatment of the myocardial infarction through quicker,
more-definitive care. These patients have a higher survival
rate and fewer after-effects, such as congestive heart failure
and shortness of breath.
2008 Near-Miss Safety
Leadership Award
Chief Steve Westermann, Chief Ronald Mastin and 2007
Award Winner Chief James Grady (left to right).
T
he winner of the 2008 Near-Miss Safety Leader­
ship Award was announced at Fire Rescue
International in Denver on August 16. The winning
department is the Fairfax County (Va.) Fire and
Rescue Department, led by Fire Chief Ronald L.
Mastin.
Chief Mastin and his department received the
award due to their constant dedication and utilization of the Near-Miss Program as a pilot department dedicated to safety and training.
Thank you to all the departments who sent in an
essay on behalf of the award. We appreciate your
support and use of the system. @
2008 Safety, Health and
Survival Section Awards
• Alan Brunacini Fire Service Executive Safety
Award, cosponsored by Provident Insurance: Chief
Rick Tye, Wackenhut Services, Baghdad, Iraq.
• Billy Goldfeder Fire Service Organizational Safety
Award, cosponsored by VFIS: Cumberland Valley
Volunteer Firemen’s Association (CVVFA), Newark,
Del.
• Garry Briese IAFC Safety Performance Award,
cosponsored by Salamander Technologies: Chief
Timothy Schabbel, Clay Fire Territory, South Bend,
Ind. @
The six other 2008 finalists for the
Award for Excellence were:
• Boynton Beach Fire RescueFocused Recruiting Initiative,
Boynton Beach Fire Rescue
• Children After the Fire, Barrow
County Fire & Emergency Services
• Colorado Springs Wildland Risk
Program, Colorado Springs Fire
Department
• Fayetteville Fire Service Diversity
Partnership Project, Fayetteville
Fire Department
• Latino Community Smoke Alarm
Installation Project, Franklin Fire
Department
• Pre-Incident Aerial Surveys, San
Ramon Valley Fire Protection
District @
Wayne Boyd (U.S. Safety Fire Technologies), Chief Larry
Grorud, North Richland Hlls Fire Chief Andrew A. Jones,
Jr., and Chief Ronny Coleman.
Captain Daniel Corder (2nd from right), Loudoun County
(Va.) Fire & Rescue Department, received the 2008
FireRescue Magazine Company Officer of the Year Award
during the Educational Keynote session at FRI. He was
recognized for his
excellent leadership,
commitment to
safety, dedication
to the fire service
and community
involvement. @
2008 Fire Chiefs of the Year
Fire Chief magazine’s 13th annual Fire
Chiefs of the Year for 2008 were named at
FRI’s general session:
• 2008 Volunteer Fire Chief of the Year:
Chief Michael H. Lee, CFO, Bethany Fire
Department, Reidsville, N.C.
• 2008 Career Fire Chief of the Year:
Chief Charles L. Werner, Charlottesville
(Va.) Fire Department @
Chief Steve Westermann names
2008 President’s Award Winners
C
hief Steven P. Westermann, IAFC President
2007-2008, announced the winners of the
2008 President’s Recognition Awards at FRI’s
General Session. Every year, the IAFC’s president
recognizes some of the unsung heroes of the
fire service. Chief Westermann honored these
individuals for their contributions to the fire service.
The IAFC salutes each of these individuals. Here
are the 2008 winners:
• Mr. Hal Bruno, Chevy Chase, Md. – For his
steadfast leadership in the fight against lineof-duty deaths. He has challenged the fire
service to take care of ourselves, take care
of each other, and take care of our families.
As with any great leader, he has challenged
us not just with words, but with his personal
action and conviction.
• Fire Chief Tom Carr, Montgomery County,
Md., Fire & Rescue – For his commitment to
firefighter safety and especially for his tireless
support of the National Firefighter Near-Miss
Reporting System. He is an unsung hero of
this nationally recognized program, having
contributed the time and resources of his
department to the successful management
of the program since its inception. He offers
us all an example of what can be achieved
if we think beyond our own departments and
contribute our time and talents to something
bigger than ourselves.
• Fire Chief P. Michael Freeman, Los
Angeles County, Calif., Fire Department
– For his continued contributions toward
ensuring fire departments have the tools and
information to fulfill their homeland security
mission.
• Police Chief Harlin McEwen, Ithaca, N.Y.
– For his dedication to improving public
safety communications capabilities, and his
ability to build bridges between fire, EMS, law
enforcement and others to ensure that we
are working together toward common goals.
• Pierce Manufacturing, Appleton, Wis. –
For their commitment to exploring innovative
design and engineering that has resulted in
the development of new vehicle technology
that is enabling industry and the fire and
emergency service to reach new heights in
firefighter safety.
• Fire Chief John Stanhope Damrell
(posthumously), Founder of the Inter­
national Association of Fire Chiefs,
Boston, Mass. – So that we head into the
future, mindful of our past, and so that we
may be reminded of what can be achieved
when we have the courage to act. For his
foresight in forging mutual solutions to
common challenges, and his conviction to
the concept that together we are stronger. @
IAFC On Scene/September 2008
F RI 2008: Soaring
T
Chief Damrell hands the gavel and the bound notes of the first
convention 135 years ago, to Chief Steve Westermann, 2007-2008
IAFC president.
he general session at FRI opened with a dramatic portrayal of Chief John Damrell,
Boston’s fire chief during the city’s great conflagration of 1882. Chief Damrell called
together the first national conference in 1883 that led to the founding of IAFC’s predecessor organization, the National Association of Fire Engineers.
As Chief Damrell ended his story of the terrible challenges the fire service faced in
1882, he turned to Chief Steven P. Westermann, IAFC President 2007-2008, and said, “It
is a great honor to place into your hands the gavel and notes that documented the events
that took place during that historic meeting.”
Chief Westermann responded saying, “Chief Damrell, this assembly is a tribute to the
life’s work of those brave pioneers who founded this organization. When I look upon those
gathered here, I see the same dedication that burned within you. I see the same commitment. And I sense the same urgency and enthusiasm. Those are the qualities that have
been continually fostered by the IAFC leadership.”
The session progressed through the presentation of awards and recognitions and
the traditional 5-5-5 ceremony to honor fallen firefighters. Speakers included U.S. Fire
Administrator Greg Cade, Denver Mayor Hickenlooper and Denver’s Chief Nick Nuanes.
The session ended with a presentation by noted motivational speaker and author, Dr.
Denis Waitley. Throughout the session, Chief Westermann and Chief Damrell found opportunities to continue their dialogue about how the fire service has evolved since the
1880s and how it is the same.
Chief Westermann cited the continuing collaboration within the emergency services
community, a hallmark of Chief Damrell’s times. He noted cooperative efforts with the
Company Officer
Leadership
Symposium
IAFC 1st Vice President Chief Jeffrey
Johnson, Tualatin Valley (Ore.) Fire
& Rescue spoke about Leadership,
Mentorship and Survivorship at the COLS
keynote address on Wednesday morning.
IAFC On Scene/September 2008
Chief Kelvin J. Cochran
(Atlanta Fire Rescue)
presented a session on unity
and inclusiveness in a diverse
work environment during the
Company Officer Leadership
Symposium (COLS).
Harold A. Schaitberger, general president of the
International Association of Fire Fighters, spoke at
FRI’s Presidential Celebration. Earlier in the week,
Chief Westermann addressed the IAFF convention
in Las Vegas. At the conclusion of Schaitberger’s
remarks, he and Chief Westermann signed the
IAFC/IAFF Labor-Management Initiative Guiding
Principles, a collaborative document at the center
of a major, joint initiative to help fire departments
improve labor-management relationships. @
t o New Heights
International Association of Fire Fighters and
with law enforcement, emergency management
and non-fire-based EMS surrounding critical infrastructure protection. He mentioned the IAFC’s
service on the Homeland Security Consortium
and work with state foresters and federal agencies in IAFC’s wildland fire and urban interface
programs.
Chief Westermann also cited national programs the IAFC coordinates with support from
federal agencies to improve emergency services, such as the National Firefighter Near-Miss
Reporting system. He mentioned the new IAFC
Technology Council that will serve as a knowledge center for technological developments
affecting the fire and emergency service and
noted the IAFC’s efforts to provide guidance on
radio communications in situations with high
background noise.
Then Chief Westermann struck the common
chord of concern for firefighter safety. “The IAFC
leads national efforts to focus on safe practices,
Captain Larry Brudnicki gave
the Education Keynote Address
on Thursday morning. He talked
about the need for leadership
and teamwork as he learned
about them through his long
and prestigious career in the
U.S. Coast Guard and he used
his stories to illustrate how
to apply those characteristics
within the fire service. @
health and fitness, and personal responsibility for safe behaviors. Nearly 30 organizations
partnered on this year’s Safety, Health and
Survival Week. Hundreds, if not thousands, of
departments participated in some way. And yet
it is still not enough.” Chief Damrell nodded and
responded: “Chief Westermann and I urge each
and every one of you here to make a personal
commitment to preventing line-of-duty deaths.
“You know, Chief Westermann, you and I are
separated by over 130 years,” Chief Damrell observed, “and yet we’re firmly united by the same
purpose—to save lives and prevent destruction.
How I wish you and everyone in this audience
had been by my side when I fought the Great
Boston Fire.”
“Chief Damrell, if we could, we would have
flown in with every modern day firefighting tool
we have,” Chief Westermann concluded. @
To view a video of the FRI general session and other
events at the conference, go to www.iafc.org/fri and
click on the Webcasts link.
Chief Larry Grorud delivers
his first address to the IAFC
membership after being sworn in
as president of the IAFC for 20082009, during FRI’s Presidential
Celebration August 16. @
“The greatest people in life are the most
modest, because they’re giving so much
value away they don’t have to get that much
recognition for what they do. The doing it,
not the applause is what they live for.”
Denis Waitley
at FRI 2008
General Session
IAFC On Scene/September 2008
Near-Miss Reporting
Event Description
D
uring Fire-Rescue International this year, I was told about the NearMiss Reporting System and wanted to get involved. I found three activities scheduled: a two-day preconference workshop, a chief officer’s case studies
presentation and a presentation entitled “Lessons Learned the Hard Way—The
Pennsylvania Story.”
On day one of the pre-con, I found myself sitting in a room with 30+ peers
from all ranks and structure of fire departments. We received instruction on the
principles of crew resource management (CRM) and an overview of the redesigned Near-Miss Reporting System website.
We were then broken into working groups to analyze reports for CRM issues
using a tool developed for the exercise. The groups included a good mix of experience, rank and fire service representation. The result of our work, the foundation
of the 2008 annual report, will appear in FireRescue Magazine’s February 2009
issue. At the conclusion of day one, I quickly realized I had given as much as I had
taken away from the exercise. I looked forward to day two.
The second day opened with a primer on the U.S. Navy’s accident analytical
tool, HFACS. HFACS is used to determine the human error factors that occur
throughout an organization when an accident happens. This leads to a bottomto-top assessment of organizational culture and practices. The fascinating component of this days’ report analysis was the commonality between the near-miss
reports and the way firefighters are injured and killed.
My peers and I realized that by applying the HFACS tool to near-miss reports
we can prevent injuries, and possibly fatalities, through the learning that takes
place from studying the near misses. The results of our analysis of reports that
dealt with topics including hoseline management, water supply, power saws, vio-
co
fight
m
s.
ire
f
This month’s report, 08-0000FRI, comes from a personal conversation overheard in the lobby of
one of the many hotels providing lodging for this year’s Fire-Rescue International. The firefighter
responsible for the report is a chief fire officer. This account cannot be found in the Near-Miss
database, as it was never submitted. However, it’s presented here to give an account of near-miss
activities conducted at FRI.
w.
By Greg Lindsay
w
w
Near-Miss Opportunities at Fire-Rescue International
ernearm
is
lent EMS calls and hydraulic rescue tools will also appear in the 2008 annual
report.
There was consensus that we were making the next contribution to improving
firefighter safety that had been started by the firefighters who initially submitted the reports we analyzed. We all left after that second day believing our time
would make a difference. And even though we didn’t know any of the firefighters
who had submitted reports, we felt a connection through our contribution.
To further validate the experience, I found out that at least one third of the participants were attending their third near-miss analysis pre-con. They had found
the two previous ones so personally and professionally rewarding that they had
eagerly signed up for this one. I had to ask myself where I had been the two previous years. I consider not attending the first two analysis workshops a near miss.
I experienced two other near misses over Thursday and Friday. My second near
miss occurred Thursday morning. I arrived at the chief officer’s case studies presentation a few minutes ahead of the 0700 start time. There were few seats left.
By the time the presentation started there was standing room only. Had I arrived
any later, I would have found myself standing in the hallway.
The presentation covered an overview of HFACS and group review of three
featured reports submitted by chief officers. Two reports were fire events that
included a video and a Code 3D computer graphics recreation. The Code 3D
software is downloadable and free from www.code3d.com. The third report was
pulled from the Training category. The goal of the program was to feature how
near-miss reports can be incorporated into a department’s training regimen and
demonstrate a variety of ways near-miss reports can be used.
My third near miss happened on Friday morning. A friend of mine caught me
for coffee before I was to head over to the convention center. Catching up on
each other’s last year (one of the hallmarks of attending FRI), I lost track of time.
I raced over and arrived just in time to hear the powerful presentation on how
Fire Commissioner Ed Mann has struggled with firefighter line-of-duty deaths
in Pennsylvania. He related how he incorporated the assistance of the National
Please see “Near-Miss at FRI,” Page 10
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IAFC On Scene/September 2008
6/20/08 1:47:23 PM
P h oto Co ntest W inners
EMS
Hazmat
Wildland
Firefighting
Volunteer/Community
Congratulations to the winners of the second annual photo contest.
We received more than 1,000 entries - all of them great examples of the kind of extraordinary work
being done by the fire service across the world.
Winners were unveiled in the Membership Pavilion at Fire-Rescue International in Denver.
Each winner received a $100 cash prize and a free one-year membership in the IAFC.
The 2008 winners within each category are
2008 runners-up include
• EMS: Timothy J. Tonge, Castle Rock Fire and Rescue, Castle
Rock, Colo.
• EMS: Barry McRoy, Colleton County Fire Rescue, Walterboro,
S.C.
• Firefighting: Michael Tucker, Villages Public Safety
Department, The Villages, Fla.
• Firefighting: Timothy J. Tonge, Castle Rock Fire and Rescue,
Castle Rock, Colo.
• Hazmat: Bill Kinsley, Bullhead City Fire Department, Bullhead
City, Ariz.
• Hazmat: Barry Hyvarinen, Massachusetts Firefighting Academy,
Fitchburg, Mass.
• Volunteer/Community: Barry Hyvarinen, Massachusetts
Firefighting Academy, Fitchburg, Mass.
• Volunteering/Community: Tabatha Ehlert, Paulette Volunteer
Fire Department, Maynardville, Tenn.
• Wildland: Craig Rise, City of San Jose Fire Department, Santa
Clara, Calif.
• Wildland: Andrew Parker, Shandian Wildfire Consulting,
Canada
To see the winning photos and the runners-up, go to www.iafc.org/photos.
IAFC On Scene/September 2008
Near-Miss at FRI
Continued from page 8
Hook & Ladder Top Recruiters
Fallen Firefighters Foundation to mount a campaign to reduce firefighter fatalities in his state.
Cathy Hedrick from NFFF followed Ed with her heart-wrenching account
of how she went from being a fire chief ’s wife to being the mother of a fallen
firefighter. There were more than a few wet eyes when Mrs. Hedrick finished.
I walked away from that presentation with a renewed drive to do use my new
knowledge of the previous days to make safety a paramount consideration
every day.
Lessons Learned
Attending FRI significantly improved my situational awareness about emerging
issues in the fire service. The communication that took place during the pre-con
set the stage for two days of exceptional teamwork. I realized that a new task to
undertake is reducing the effect of human error in the fire service.
Near-miss reporting and crew resource management are two tools I left with
to change the “at all costs” approach many of my colleagues still take on the
emergency scene. We can reduce the all too many funerals we attend each year.
The Pennsylvania Story proved that change can take place in your department
and that change can begin with one person. The message from all the speakers
was very strong. @
Greg Lindsay is a battalion chief with the Oklahoma City Fire Department. He is a
contributor to the National Near-Miss Reporting System and joined the program as
a trainer in March 2005.
More information on crew resource management is available at www.
firefighternearmiss.com on the Resources Page or can be found on the free
downloads section of the IAFC website (www.iafc.org). For more information
about the seminar topics listed, visit www.firefighternearmiss.com.
I A F C
Volume 22, Number 16
IAFC On Scene is read by over 12,000 highly qualified fire chiefs and
company officers, with a pass-on rate of 6–8 readers for every subscriber. To
advertise, email the editor at [email protected] or call 703-273-0911.
M
ember-get-a-member campaigns are the best way to bring
new members into our organization. The IAFC would like to
acknowledge the following individuals as they have done an outstanding
job recruiting new members during the 2007-2008 year and have been
inducted into the IAFC Hook & Ladder Club:
2007-2008 Top Recruiter of the Year with 14 Members
• Chief Richard Arwood, Memphis Fire Department
11 New Members
• Chief Jack McElfish, Sandy Springs Fire Department
7 New Members
• Chief David Fulmer, Miami Township Division of Fire & EMS
6 New Members
• Chief Marion Blackwell, Stillwater Fire Department
5 New Members
• Chief William Goldfeder, Loveland-Symmes Fire Department
• District Fire Chief Charles Miedzinski, Naval District Washington
Fire/Emergency
• Director Alan Perdue, Guilford County Emergency Services
• Chief Wallace Possich, Frankfort Fire & EMS
• Chief Steven Westermann, Central Jackson County Fire Protection
District
Congratulations to the IAFC board of directors for winning the
Ask’Em campaign for a second year in a row over all the other IAFC
divisions, sections, and committees. Way to go!
Do you want to be on this list? We give prizes for every new member
you recruit or prospect name you give us. Call member services toll-free
at 866-385-9110 or visit www.iafc.org/recruit for recruiting materials
and tips. Start in your own department—Ask ‘Em to join IAFC today!
Please visit www.iafc.org/recruit for a complete list of all Hook &
Ladder Club members. @
IAFC Board of Directors
Chief Larry J. Grorud
President
Director Alan W. Perdue
Fire & Life Safety Section
Chief Jeff Johnson
First Vice President
Chief Luther L. Fincher Jr.
Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association
Chief Jack Parow
Second Vice President
Chief Richard R. Carrizzo
Missouri Valley Division
Chief Steven P. Westermann
President 2007-2008
Chief Roger Bradley
New England Division
Chief William R. Metcalf
Treasurer
Chief I. David Daniels
Safety, Health & Survival Section
Chief Kenn E. Taylor
Great Lakes Division, Director-at-Large
Chief Jack K. McElfish
Southeastern Division
Chief Donald F. Warden
Canadian Division
Chief Jerry D. Gardner
Southwestern Division
Chief William Walton Jr.
Eastern Division
Chief Fred C. Windisch
Volunteer & Combination Officers Section
Chief John Sinclair
EMS Section
Chief Joseph M. Perry
Western Division
IAFC Executive Director
Mark W. Light, CAE
Communications Director
Edie Clark
Editor & Communications Manager
Jacqueline S. Garnier
IAFC On Scene (ISSN 0893-3936) is an official publication of the International Association of Fire Chiefs.
On Scene’s mission: to provide fire and emergency services managers with information to help them make timely and
appropriate decisions. The opinions expressed in the newsletter are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily
represent the official position of the association. Address any questions about this issue and its material to the editor at
[email protected].
The International Association of Fire Chiefs, organized in 1873, is dedicated to the advancement of the fire
service. Its mission: to provide leadership to career and volunteer chiefs, chief fire officers and managers of emergency
service organizations throughout the international community through vision, information, education, services and
representation to enhance their professionalism and capabilities.
© 2008 International Association of Fire Chiefs. Unless otherwise noted, all material in this issue of IAFC On Scene is the
property of the International Association of Fire Chiefs and may not be reproduced without permission.
Publication/Conference Partner: FireRescue Magazine
10
IAFC On Scene/September 2008
"It's not enough that we
do our best; sometimes
we have to do what's
required. "
Winston Churchill
Go to ImproveICS.com
if your department's ICS
and accountability best,
needs a swift kick in the
pants!
Sprinkler Corner
The Time for Home Fire Sprinklers is Now!
Vote YES for Residential Fire Sprinklers
The final action hearing in Minneapolis is coming up
sometime between September 20 and 22, when residential sprinkler
issues will be decided. In Minneapolis, voting governmental members of the International
Code Council (ICC) will have a unique opportunity to change the IRC
to require fire sprinklers in new homes, making a historic contribution
to fire safety that directly addresses one of the roots of America’s fire
problem, dwelling fires.
In IAFC Resolution 2008-8, ICC Vote on Fire Sprinklers in One- and
Two-Family Dwellings, the IAFC encourages its members to make it a
priority to register as International Code Council (ICC) Governmental
voting members and attend the ICC Final Action hearings in
Minneapolis in September to vote in favor of requiring fire sprinklers
in new one- and two-family dwellings. This resolution follows a
February 2008 resolution that supports the recommended ICC code
changes.
The IRC Fire Sprinkler Coalition’s residential sprinkler proposal will
be on the agenda as Item RB64-07/08. If this item is accepted by ICC’s
voting governmental members, the residential sprinkler requirement
will become a part of the 2009 edition of the IRC. The time for you to
vote yes is now!
2008-2009 IAFC Board
of Directors Election
Results
All elections for the IAFC board of
directors were completed and validated
by the Elections Committee at FireRescue International in Denver.
Chief Jack Parow received the highest
number of votes for the IAFC second
vice president position.
The following were uncontested
elections:
• Chief Larry J. Grorud, EFO, CFO, of
the Janesville Fire Department (Wis.)
for IAFC president
• Chief Jeff Johnson of Tualatin Valley
Fire & Rescue (Ore.) for IAFC first
vice president
The complete listing of the 2008-2009
IAFC board of directors is on www.
iafc.org. Log into the Members Only
section, go to Contact Us and click on
Board of Directors.
If you have any questions, contact
Member Services at 866-385-9110. @
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IAFC On Scene/September 2008
11
IAFC 2008 S trategic Planning
and Leadership Forum:
“Thriving in Tough Times”
I
f you’re a member of the IAFC, we want you to come to the IAFC’s 2008 Strategic
Planning and Leadership Forum, to be held Oct. 31–Nov. 1, 2008, at the Capital
Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. Any member can attend the forum—this process
can only succeed with our members’ participation and input.
This year’s session will provide fire service leaders with an educational forum on
“Surviving in Tough Times” as well as an opportunity to review our accomplishments
and establish an IAFC strategic plan for upcoming years.
In addition, the group will refine the organizational values developed by the
membership at a focus group meeting held at Fire-Rescue International last month.
With the current economic conditions, you can’t afford to miss this event.
The strategic planning session will take place all day on both Oct. 31 and Nov. 1,
so attendees need to arrive Thursday afternoon, Oct. 30, and depart Sunday, Nov. 2.
The registration fee for the forum is $50 for meeting materials. A welcome reception on
Thursday night, breakfasts and lunches will be provided both days.
For room reservations, contact the Capital Hilton at 202-393-1000 no later than Sept.
22 and tell the hotel you’ll be attending the IAFC Strategic Planning and Leadership
Forum in order to obtain a room rate of $205/night (single or double occupancy). The
closest airport to the facility is Reagan National Airport.
To secure your spot, please visit www.iafc.org/strategicplanning and complete the
reply and payment forms. Completed forms can be faxed to 703-273-9363, to the
attention of Caroline Seymour, by October 23. If you have any questions, contact
Caroline at [email protected]. @
Members Work on Organizational Values
At FRI, more than 50 members of the IAFC came together to
develop a set of organizational values for the membership. In a
2½-hour session, the members worked in groups to identify what
they like about the IAFC and being a member, unresolved issues
and recommendations for improvement.
Assistant Chief Brett Bowman, Prince William County, Va.,
facilitated the session, asking members to relate stories about
how the IAFC has benefited them personally and professionally.
Several members related how important networking with leaders
in the fire-EMS service is and that mentoring they received from
members helped them achieve their professional goals.
Several other chiefs mentioned how helpful it was when they
were faced with a crisis to receive support and assistance from
the IAFC and other members.
The participants then made a long list of values that reflected
all of the discussions.
Chief Richard Carrizzo, Southern Platte Fire Protection District
and Missouri Valley International Director, closed the session by
describing the rest of the process. Participants will be sent the
meeting summary and asked to prioritize and define the values
they identified.
The values and value statements will be finalized at the
Strategic Planning Summit in Washington, D.C., Oct. 31–Nov. 1.
This program is open to all IAFC members. Anyone interested in
attending should contact Caroline Seymour at cseymour@iafc.
org or 703-537-4810. @
TIME SENSITIVE—PLEASE RUSH!
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I A F C