When Good Management Is a Matter of Life and Death

Interesting article about being "productively paranoid", insuring that information is shared and not missing things because of information overload.

Allan

From: http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/08/the_leadership_mistakes_that_l.html?awid=4678865509342592577-3271


by Morten T. Hansen
9:23 AM August 14, 2012

Recall the terrorist attack in Oslo, Norway, a year ago, when a lone terrorist first bombed a government building (killing eight people), then drove to an island where he murdered 69 mostly young people on a summer camp. The newly released report analyzing that day slams the police and the government for ineptitude, much like the infamous 9/11 report in the U.S.

How do you lead in a world full of crises, shocks, terror and disruptions? This question is relevant for CEOs and government leaders alike.

Jim Collins and I studied this question in our book Great by Choice in which we analyzed CEOs and companies that led successfully in such a world. From this and other research we know a few things that ought to be in place for leaders to successfully anticipate and respond to crises, turbulence, and disruptive change.

1. Leaders need to be productively paranoid. The successful CEOs in our study displayed an odd behavior that we labeled "productive paranoia." Herb Kelleher of Southwest Airlines predicted eleven out of the last three recessions. As Bill Gates said, "Fear should guide you." The successful CEOs in our study were hyper-vigilant about threats around them (the paranoia part) and also took action to mitigate those threats, whether in the form of building buffers or hedging (the productive part).

Prior to the Oslo terrorist attack, we saw the exact opposite of productive paranoia — a leisurely attitude. The government was supposed to build a security perimeter around the building, but just didn't get around to it. It did have a fast-response helicopter stationed in case of a terrorist attack, but this could not be used, because the staff was on vacation in July, like most Norwegians. (Did they believe that terrorists too take vacation in July?) The key here is for leaders to be hyper-vigilant, and especially when things are calm — because it could be the calm before the storm.

2. The system must connect the dots horizontally. After the bomb went off in Oslo, at 3:26pm, the terrorist jumped into a van. At 3:35pm, someone called the police with a tip that a man in a (fake) police uniform had acted weirdly when he got into the car. The tipster even reported the license plate number, a possible break in the case! But alas, the junior person on the police phone line wrote down the tip on a note and took it to a senior officer, and then the note somehow got lost sitting on a desk. This mishandling of vital information is eerily similar to the findings in the 9/11 commission report.

As I write in my book Collaboration, several barriers get in the way of effective information sharing. In this case, hierarchy got in the way — a critical piece of information got lost in the handoff from a junior to a senior person. A system cannot respond effectively when information has to flow up and down hierarchical lines: it is slow, and superiors often suppress the information because they do not see its importance or relevance or don't have time to respond.

We have seen this happen before. At Pearl Harbor, at 7:02 am on December 7, 1941, two U.S. soldiers operating a radar station saw something that looked like an incoming airplane; they telephoned an officer, who told them to forget it (the attack occurred 53 minutes later). In the Columbia shuttle disaster, junior engineers knew that there was critical foam damage on the shuttle, but they did not dare to speak up to more senior managers in a meeting on January 24, 2003.

Two management tactics could resolve this: First, junior people ought to be able to pass on information horizontally across units (and not just to their immediate superiors). Second, they also need to be authorized to follow through to see that the information is really acted upon (vs. just passed on), and if not, to act themselves. This requires that hierarchy is flattened, that people build rich networks across units, and that information technology systems cascade data across units.

3. The system must be able to handle information overload. The senior officer in Oslo who received the note with the license plate number was busy in the chaos that followed the bombing, which explains how the note got lost on the desk. Similarly, at Pearl Harbor, recall Roberta Wohlstetter's famous line: "We failed to anticipate Pearl Harbor not for want of the relevant materials, but because of the plethora of irrelevant ones." 9/11, too, was not anticipated in part because critical information was lost in a sea of data.

When a crisis strikes, in business or in government, the flow and speed of information go way up, and now more than ever. The ratio of noise to helpful information goes way up too, making it difficult to interpret and manage. As Nobel Laureate Herbert Simon said, "a wealth of information creates a poverty of attention." This means leaders have to increase the attention capacity in an organization. Do we have enough managers who can interpret the information rapidly and collaborate to establish a common understanding? Do our CEO and senior leaders get the information quickly enough and it is sufficiently unfiltered so that they can really see what is going on? Sadly, in hard times, leaders cut they very resources — people and systems — that increase the attention capacity.

The implication for every leader in business and government: you are judged by how well you prepare in advance for a crisis, not just by what you do when it hits.

Vancouver's Fire Station 6, which was closed for most of 2011 for budget reasons, is facing another possible closure.

This is the negative side of the SAFER grants. Jurisdictions use the grants to hire firefighters then lay them off at the end of the grant. Jurisdictions should be ready to absorb the new hires at the end of the grant funding period.

Allan

From: http://www.columbian.com/news/2012/aug/13/fire-station-6-may-face-another-closure/

Vancouver's Fire Station 6, which was closed for most of 2011 for budget reasons, is facing another possible closure.

By Andrea Damewood

Columbian Staff Reporter

Monday, August 13, 2012


Vancouver leaders have decided against applying for a federal grant this year that, if awarded, would have ensured Fire Station 6 will stay open after its current grant runs out at the end of 2013.

The move means the station, on Northeast 112th Avenue, could close from the end of 2013 to as late as August 2014 — and that's if Vancouver is successful in getting a Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response, or SAFER, grant next year.

Fire Station 6 was shuttered for most of 2011 due to budget cuts, but reopened after the city got a $2.3 million SAFER grant to hire 13 new firefighters.

City Manager Eric Holmes told the city council in an email Friday — the deadline to apply — that Vancouver wasn't technically qualified for the grant, and that because it has a grant now, the department wasn't as competitive.

But supporters of the station said they felt blind-sided by the last minute change — the city council had approved going after the money in May.

"I'm highly disappointed," said Mary Elkin, who lives in the Image neighborhood and founded Friends of Fire Station 6. "I'm a little upset that no one even told the city council this was going to happen. It didn't give them time to ask questions."

Holmes said that after his office consulted with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which hands out SAFER grants, he found that Vancouver doesn't technically qualify. The city council would have to authorize a letter of intent to lay off those 13 firefighters — something Holmes said should happen as part of the larger talks about the city's budget, which will occur later this year.

"It is an issue of debate that deserves to be considered in context of the overall biennial budget," Holmes said Monday. Holmes' budget is subject to council approval, but it does not contain money for Fire Station 6 as it stands now.

"In addition, the fact that the city has almost a year left on the current SAFER grant makes us less competitive compared to other departments that are actively laying off staff from their 2010 SAFER awards," Holmes wrote the city council.

In an email, Fire Chief Joe Molina said he also felt that the city wouldn't be a good fit this time around.

"My recommendation was that we provide layoff notices prior to July 2013 with a layoff effective date by the grant deadline (most likely November 2013)," Molina wrote. "SAFER award timing is unpredictable but could come early enough to minimize the layoff period to a few months, or worst case, as late as August 2014."

Molina and Holmes also both expressed hope that a redesign of the department's fire and EMS service delivery model may help keep the same level of coverage in central Vancouver, even if Fire Station 6 closes again.

Elkin said she wasn't sold.

"I think it's wrong," she said. "I think our city needs to fully fund our police and fire departments."

Andrea Damewood: 360-735-4542; http://twitter.com/col_cityhall; andrea.damewood@columbian.com.

Unions approve fire pact (in Stockton)

Stockton fire union agrees to a one-year contract with increased pension contribution (9+%).

Allan

From: http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120814/A_NEWS/208140323/-1/rss02


Deal leaves police as lone holdout


By Scott Smith

Record Staff Writer

August 14, 2012 12:00 AMSTOCKTON - The city's two firefighter unions approved new contracts Monday, which has them contributing more to their pensions, saving Stockton money amid its financial restructuring.

Firefighter Bryan Carr, executive secretary of the Stockton Professional Firefighters IAFF Local 456, declined to reveal more of the contracts' fine print before the City Council votes on them later this month.

The Stockton Police Officers' Association now becomes the lone holdout among the city's nine labor groups asked to agree to new deals as Stockton wends it way through its Chapter 9 bankruptcy.

"I'm happy that fire has a contract," said Sgt. Kathryn Nance, the police union's president. "We're just at the point where we're working out a contract, something to carry us through bankruptcy."

A sticking point for police is retaining additional pay for senior officers. Without that, those with experience on Stockton's streets will continue leaving, she said.

"We're down so many officers that it's just not safe," Nance said. "The crime rate's out of control."

The city staffers and the police union don't meet weekly, but they are in regular communication. Nance said she hoped that with the other labor groups securing new deals the city can focus on working with police.

For fire, the major change to the current agreement, adopted less than one year ago, raises the percentage each firefighter will contribute to his or her pension. They also raised it last year to the current 9 percent contribution, Carr said.

Monday's vote passed by 70 percent of members agreeing, but it only required more than 50 percent. The contract has a one-year lifespan, opening again when the city is either out of bankruptcy or further along in its Chapter 9 proceedings, he said.

"We're obviously going to come back to the table and figure it out then," Carr said.

Councilwoman Susan Eggman praised firefighters for their leadership by approving the tough contract, which asks them to take a hit to their paychecks so Stockton can maintain its service levels. She viewed the vote count as a good thing.

"It could have gone the other way just as easily," Eggman said. "To their credit, they want to do their part to help. I think its admirable."

Contact reporter Scott Smith at (209) 546-8296 or ssmith@recordnet.com. Visit his blog at recordnet.com/smithblog.

Ambulance fee to stay in Montgomery County

If the volunteer association's opposition was that the fee would stop people from calling 911, they should explain how that position has changed. It appears that they were convinced by receiving 15% of the collected fee.

Allan

From: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/ambulance-fee-to-stay-in-montgomery-county/2012/08/13/ba8516d0-e583-11e1-936a-b801f1abab19_story.html

The Montgomery County Volunteer Fire-Rescue Association announced Monday that it is dropping its opposition to a controversial ambulance fee, meaning that patients could be charged for a ride to the hospital as early as January.

The fee, which would range between $300 to $800, was initially opposed by the volunteer firefighters because of fears that it would deter some residents from calling 911.

As they did two years ago, when they helped kill a similar proposal, the volunteer firefighters mounted a campaign recently to collect signatures to put the measure to a vote in November. But at a news conference on Monday, the fire-rescue association said it had struck a deal with the county, that would give the volunteers 15 percent of the revenue generated by the fee, which is estimated at $18 million a year and would likely grow over time.

Eric N. Bernard, the association’s executive director, said he will monitor ambulance calls to make sure they don’t drop because of the fee.
Bernard said the association had collected more than 11,000 signatures but stopped gathering them about two weeks ago. He said the volunteers were “getting fatigued.”
“Our concentration is on fire and rescue, not on collecting signatures,” he said.
The fee, which was expected to be one of three controversial issues in the November ballot, will help pay for fire and rescue equipment and personnel costs. County officials said that in nearly all cases, private insurance companies, Medicare and Medicaid would cover the cost of ambulance service, which would vary depending on the distance and urgency of the trip. County officials have said they would ensure that residents don’t pay out-of-pocket costs, but there were still some out-of-county patients who would pay.
At the news conference, County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) said he would try to prevent even those patients from having to pay. But there are legal obstacles, and it remains unclear whether they will be able to do so, county officials said.
Bernard said that if the county doesn’t overcome the legal hurdles, his group may work with hospitals and nonprofit organizations to create a fund to reimburse those patients.

The fee has had a rocky path. It was initially approved by the county council in 2010 as a way to generate additional revenue. The firefighters were able to put it to a vote, and residents knocked down the measure that same year. Undeterred, the council passed an amended version of fee again in May.
Meanwhile, longtime Republican activist Robin Ficker submitted 14,500 signatures for a referendum on the controversial county energy tax. An unpopular increase to the levy was set to expire this year, but in May the county council voted to extend the vast majority of the hike.
On Monday, Ficker visited Leggett’s office with two boxes containing 3,000 pages of petition documents. If approved by the County Board of Elections, the petition would allow voters to make the energy tax harder to increase.
Ficker’s measure would require a unanimous vote by the county council to increase the tax above the rate of inflation.
“They broke their promise to voters,” said Ficker, who in 2008 got a similar measure approved involving the county property tax.
Also, the county police union is trying to repeal a law that curtails its collective bargaining rights. Enacted this summer, the law prevents the union from negotiating on day-to-day duties, such as checking e-mail.
The union, the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 35, has hired outside consultants to collect signatures to challenge the law. County elections officials certified the petition in November, but the county quickly sued to block it. In June, a county judge struck down the petition, saying it contained inaccurate information.
On Thursday, union lawyers will argue before the Maryland Court of Appeals to reinstate the petition.
The legal action has been costly. County spokeswoman Donna Bigler said in an e-mail that Montgomery has spent $201,000 in legal fees.

City files motion to dismiss unions’ lawsuit

August 10, 2012 6:19 am

The city of Racine has filed a motion asking that a lawsuit three unions filed against the municipality last month be dismissed.

On July 19 the City Council voted to rescind prospective 2013-2014 contracts affecting 524 of the city’s 670 employees. City staff told aldermen that wage and benefits provisions in those contracts, which were passed by the council in December 2010 and January and February of 2011, will create a $2 million deficit in the 2013 budget and the city can’t raise taxes to pay for the provisions because of property taxing restrictions imposed by the Legislature.

Two days later three of the unions affected by the vote — AFSCME Local 67, the Racine Police Association and Racine Firefighters Local 321 of the International Association of Firefighters — filed a lawsuit in Racine County Circuit Court asking that the contracts be upheld.

In the summons and complaint the unions argue that council’s actions constituted a “breach of contract.”

In its motion to dismiss, which was filed Wednesday, the city states that the unions failed to follow state statue when they filed a lawsuit without first waiting for the city to respond to the unions’ “notice of claim.”

“Any time there is a lawsuit or claim against a municipality or governmental agency there is a statutory requirement that whoever is filing the claim file a notice of circumstances,” Deputy City Attorney Scott Letteney said. “That has to be filed within a 120 days of the event giving rise to the claim.

“Within a 120 days of the notice of claim being filed, the municipality has to file a response to the claim, and the (city) council has to do that,” Letteney continued. “It is only after the municipality has responded to the claim, that the complainant is permitted to file a lawsuit.”

The unions did file a “notice of claim” with the Racine City Clerk, Letteney confirms, but they did not wait the required 120 days and find out the city council’s response before filing their lawsuit.

In their summons and complaint filed on July 19, the unions address the “notice of claim” issue, writing: “Although plaintiffs do not believe they are required to file a notice of claim...under the circumstances of this case, particularly given the urgent need for swift judicial action in response to the city’s actions, they have presented such a notice...”

“We believe that we have followed the proper procedure,” David Dorn, a staff representative for AFSCME Local 67, said Thursday of the city’s motion to dismiss. “I would say that unfortunately the city’s decision to wait six months before these contracts were to become effective doesn’t afford us the opportunity to wait 120 days.

“City employees need to know their future and they need to know it soon.”

The city’s motion to dismiss is slated to be heard at 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 7 in Judge Gerald Ptacek’s courtroom.

Unpopular shift changes could take 'a huge toll' on firefighters

Interesting schedule called "Day Crewing Plus" in which members work for day shifts attached to 4 nights on-call then get 4 days off. This schedule requires members to be away from home for 4 days straight.

Allan

From: http://www.windsorobserver.co.uk/news/roundup/articles/2012/08/13/61757-unpopular-shift-changes-could-take-a-huge-toll-on-firefighters/


Hannah Shroot • Published 13 Aug 2012 06:30 0 Comments

AN UNPOPULAR system that changes the way fire stations operate could prove to be 'a huge toll' on firefighters if it is implemented.
An action plan released by Royal Berkshire Fire Authority - the body responsible for deciding how Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) is run - has indicated a 'Day Crewing Plus' system is being considered for the region, which incorporates Slough, Langley, Windsor and Maidenhead stations.
Under the system, which could be introduced in 2013, separate rest areas are provided for crew so they can work four duty shift days and four nights on call at a time followed by four days off, instead of the current 42 hours a week.
The system halves the number of firefighters on a single fire-engine station, reducing the number of watches to two instead of four.
Michael Rowley, secretary of the Fire Brigades Union at Windsor fire station, said: "The system would be a huge toll on employees and their families if they have to be away from home four days at a time."
Switching to this system, which is already used in some places across the country including Lancashire and Merseyside, would allow savings of about £330,000 for each fire station where it is introduced. Crews would receive an enhanced salary for the additional hours on call but Mr Rowley said there was a distinct possibility redundancies would have to be made if stations opted for the new system.
Andy Mancey, RBFRS's area manager for response, said the proposals are for a selected number of fire stations only. He added: "A project team has recently been appointed to look at Day Crewing Plus in more detail and this work is still in its very early stages. The outcome of this work will be reported to the Fire Authority when it is completed."
Members of the public are invited to take part in the consultation programme, which runs until October 22, 2012.
The Action Plan can be downloaded from www.rbfrs.co.uk/irmp_options.asp. Email comments to irmp@rbfrs.co.uk, call 0118 938 4331, fax 0118 959 0510 or write to IRMP Consultation, Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service, FREEPOST (RG2 669), 103 Dee Road, Tilehurst, Reading, RG30 1BR.

Resident sues to oust fire official

Specification writing for the purchase of items for the fire department is an important step. Often there is only one item that meets your requirements. If this is the case, be prepared to defend your reasons i.e. specialized training, compatibility with existing equipment, there is only one that does "x", etc. Insure that all stakeholders are aware of and support the selection of a single vendor. Using restrictive specifications that cannot be justified will expose you to critizism and potentially lawsuits.

The temptation to use specification templates supplied by a vendor or personnel with a relationship with the vendor should also be avoided. Well meaning offers to help you with the specification writing may be looked upon as unfair access that eliminates competition.

Allan 


From: http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Resident-sues-to-oust-fire-official-3782971.php

She wants him removed after he wrote specs for truck his company sells

Times Union Copyright 2012 Times Union. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

By Tim O'Brien

Updated 8:31 p.m., Sunday, August 12, 2012

COLONIE — A town resident is suing to oust a fire commissioner over his involvement in writing specifications for a truck his company sells.

Kathryn Freenern filed the lawsuit in the Appellate Division of State Supreme Court. She seeks to have Philip D'Angelo removed as a commissioner for the Midway fire department.

D'Angelo wrote the specifications for a new firetruck for the department when he serves as a salesman for Rosenbauer America, a leading firetruck manufacturer. Several competing firms accused the department of rigging the bids to ensure Rosenbauer got the contract.

When the board voted, D'Angelo abstained and there were insufficient votes to approve the purchase. In May, he announced that his firm would not bid if the department renewed its effort to acquire a truck.

Freenern is being represented by attorney Michael Carota, who also represents Midway Fire Chief Robert Sammons.

Sammons was suspended by the department for reasons that have not been made public. A hearing officer has issued a report after hearing evidence in the case, but both Carota and Jack Clark, the district's attorney, have declined to discuss the matter.

The board of commissioners is expected to take up the chief's future at its Aug. 20 meeting.

Carota said Freenern believes D'Angelo recusing himself from the vote does not change the fact he wrote specifications to benefit his company. In the lawsuit, Freenern says, the bid specifies "the use of steel in any portion of the body construction is not acceptable" when only Rosenbaur trucks have all-aluminum bodies.

"She feels that it was unethical and a conflict of interest for him to be involved as he was in that bid specification," Carota said. "The bid specification was based off their proprietary specifications."

D'Angelo said he could not yet comment because he is in the process of hiring an attorney. The case is due back in court Aug. 27.

"At the appropriate time, we will definitely have something to say about this," he said.

Back in May, D'Angelo said at a commissioners' meeting that he volunteered to write the specifications because he has 30 years of experience. He thought it would be less expensive than having specifications written from scratch, he told the commissioners then.

"Looking back on that now, I think that was a mistake," he said at the time. "We were trying to save the district $6,000."

Fire Service is Slammed over Botched Recruitment Process

Promotional process are a very important human resources function in the fire department. Maximum effort should be made to insure a fair process that chooses the best candidates for the position. Mistakes made degrade the process and reduces confidence in the system. Although the mistakes were corrected, the person first being told they passed the process then told they did not will not feel very well about their experience.

Allan



From:
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/fire-service-is-slammed-over-botched-recruitment-process-16194815.html?r=RSS

By Brendan McDaid

Wednesday, 8 August 2012


The Fire Brigades Union has called for heads to roll following a botched internal recruitment drive.

Union bosses said frontline firefighters have been left frustrated and angry by errors made at headquarters.

The Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) has admitted that eight firefighters were wrongly told their bids to be considered for station commander posts were successful.

The admission comes just three years after another error during which an outsourced company employed by the service tallied candidate scores wrong.

The latest mistake has occurred at a time when NIFRS is already being investigated over recruitment practices.

Fire Brigades Union vice-president Jim Barbour said: “We have been waiting on this round of promotions for a considerable time and firefighters are frustrated as they see constant mistakes being made at headquarters — mistake after mistake.

“This is going back two, three, four years for firefighters. They are extremely frustrated and angry and there is a lack of confidence in the processes now. That is completely understandable.”

It is understood candidates for the station commander posts were put through tests before being informed of the decision by letter in the past few weeks. However, some letters wrongly told staff they had been successful and a second round of letters had to be issued after this was discovered.

“These people have been waiting on this for months, and for erroneous letters to be issued smacks of complete and utter incompetence,” Mr Barbour said.

The Fire & Rescue Service on Monday confirmed that at the request of Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, two independent reviews are being carried out by internal auditors at Department for Agriculture and Rural Development and by London Fire Brigade into NIFRS’s whole-time firefighter recruitment process.

Mr Barbour said: “We have lost confidence in internal procedures. Headquarters will be aware of the external investigations and to make another mistake at this time, quite frankly, heads should roll.”

A spokeswoman for the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service confirmed on Monday that “eight members of staff did recently receive a letter relating to the annual selection cycle for station commander posts”.

“Unfortunately due to an administrative error these eight members of staff were incorrectly identified as being successful for consideration for station commander posts,” she said.

“As soon as this mistake was detected, we issued a letter immediately to the eight members of staff sincerely apologising for this human error.”

The spokeswoman also confirmed that there was a previous issue in which an “administrative error” was made in 2009 by “an external provider of Assessment Development Centres (part of our recruitment and selection process) and not by NIFRS itself”.

She said: “Deloitte, the external provider, acknowledged full responsibility and regret for the administrative error in the sorting of the final scores in a Assessment Development Centre held in May/ June 2009 and which was then used for two tranches of internal promotion within NIFRS in January 2010 and September 2010.

“We sought legal advice and this issue, which affected a small number of operational staff, has been rectified and resolved with Deloitte. The NIFRS contract with Deloitte for the provision of Assessment Development Centres ceased on June 30, 2009.”

Communications Issues Endanger Firefighters.

This article highlights the importance of communications on the fireground for both the safety of firefighters and successful fire operations. Different agencies with different radio frequencies on the same fireground is the recipe for disaster. Since this issue can be anticipated, solutions need to be implemented. Having all on the same system is ideal and should be worked toward. Having the technology to patch the frequencies together would also work. Even providing home team radios to the visiting departments can also work. It should be unacceptable for fire departments to be working on the same incident without the ability to readily communicate with each other.

This situation also highlights the need for redundancy especially in safety systems. Firefighter in the IDLH who could not communicate by radio heard the air horns sounding the evacuation tone and exited the building. This low-tech system has great reliability. They should consider using a long blast for the signal. Multiple short blasts may sound like a responding vehicle.

Allan

From
http://www.chillicothegazette.com/article/20120809/NEWS01/208090301/Communications-issues-endanger-firefighters-Blackwater-Road-blaze?nclick_check=1

Written by


Jona Ison

Gazette Staff Writer

CHILLICOTHE -- Part of the communications problems that led to a close call for four firefighters at a Blackwater Road fire Tuesday night has been fixed.


Green Township Fire Chief Terry French said B&C Communications was at the station Wednesday and fixed programming issues with the rescue vehicle, but still needs to assess and fix the problem with the engine radios. However, he said neither fix will correct a cross-patch issue or address what he thinks is the root of the problem -- the fact there were three different radio systems in use by departments from three counties.


The situation began when a passerby alerted James D. Hamlet Jr. that the home at 2260 Blackwater Road was on fire about 8:20 p.m. Hamlet said his brother, Ray Hamlet, owns the home and had left about 10 minutes before to pick up a pizza in Circleville.


"I was in the TV room, and I heard the pop and crackles, but it didn't register it was fire," he said, adding he never smelled smoke.


Hamlet said he went back into the home several times, first to get a cellphone to call 911 and then to get shoes.


"I tried to go back in a fourth time. That's when I couldn't see anything, and I thought, 'I don't need my body here when I should be out there.'" Hamlet said.


French said the home's roof was engulfed when firefighters arrived at 8:31 p.m., nine minutes after being dispatched, according to Ross County Sheriff's Office records.


Crews from Colerain, Springfield, Pickaway, Laurelville and Tarlton responded, as did Box 65, a rehab team from the Circleville Fire Department, and the American Red Cross.


Because there were different radio communications systems being used from three counties, French said there were multiple issues with communication throughout the fire. Fire officials tried to use a cross patch from Ross County and another from Pickaway County, as well as two tactical channels, to keep firefighters talking to each other, but they were overloaded and kept failing, he added. Many times, they were left trying to use hand signals to communicate.


"We had four firefighters in the upstairs, and the fire rolled over and trapped them," French said. "We were fortunate to get them out."


The firefighters had been unable to hear any radio communications while in the home and only realized they were in trouble when they heard three short blasts from the fire truck, signaling that the structure was unsafe and needed to be abandoned, French said. Other firefighters helped guide them out, because the fire had blocked their intended exit.


French said one pair of firefighters included a husband and wife from Colerain Township's department, while the other two were from either Laurelville or Tarlton.


"This is my 14th year as chief, and I've never had anybody die in a fire, but I was close last night," French said.


French referenced the communications snafu as being similar to what happened at New York City's Ground Zero on Sept. 11, 2001, when firefighters and police had problems talking to each other because they were on different radio systems.


The state has been encouraging agencies across the state to abandon their individual communications systems -- there are about 1,300 different systems across the state -- and join the Multi-Agency Radio Communications System (MARCS).


Agencies on MARCS should be able to communicate with each other no matter where they are in the state. Gov. John Kasich and the General Assembly recently allocated $90 million to upgrade MARCS so more agencies can subscribe.


The state has suggested now is a good time for agencies to look to switching to MARCS, since the Federal Communication Commission has required radio systems to be upgraded to a narrow-band transmission. Locally, townships have instead been spending money for new narrow-band transmission radios and pagers to comply with FCC's mandate.


Springfield Township Fire Chief Tim Karshner was frustrated Tuesday night because his new pager and radio -- his department recently spent about $15,000 on the new equipment -- never received the tones or the message for the fire. Luckily, enough volunteers did hear the call and were on scene within 17 minutes of being dispatched, according to the sheriff's office log.


"There was a lot of experiences with radio problems. Whatever is going on needs to be fixed in a hurry," Karshner said. "We just can't have these kinds of problems with communications."


French thinks the fix would be for the townships to move onto MARCS like Chillicothe fire and police departments did with the help of grants last year.


"I think the commissioners need to appoint somebody to explore the possibility of upgrading to MARCS," French said.


Commissioner Doug Corcoran said the panel discussed possibly moving onto the MARCS system a few years ago, but didn't do an in-depth review of it.


"The cost to use it was going to be cost prohibitive," Corcoran recalled of the discussion.


While the townships have spent money for new radios and pagers -- an overall figure was not available Wednesday -- Corcoran said that was a one-time expense as opposed to recurring subscription fees for MARCS.


Agencies on MARCS purchase the radios and then pay $20 per month per radio on the system. Annual fees for Chillicothe fire and police combined total $28,800, according to Chillicothe Auditor Tom Spetnagel.


Ross County also has one of 11 special communications vehicles in Ohio that can patch communications for all frequencies in the area, said Sheriff George Lavender.


"All any agency has to do is ask for it, and we'll send it," Lavender said, adding it doesn't have to be a widespread emergency. "Any general fire scene, if they're having communications issues, we'll send it. We can marry up the systems."


French said he opted not to call for the vehicle.


"We did not call for them due to the fact they were tied up at the fairgrounds with their manpower (issue). I didn't feel the need to have it there," French said.


Lavender said the vehicle is stored at the fairgrounds and since the Ross County Fair is going on this week, they had personnel at the fairgrounds who could have responded quicker than usual with the vehicle. Even so, French said it's not something that should be relied upon.


"I don't think we want to get into a habit of relying on that all the time as a fire department," he said, adding he feels MARCS is the better answer. "I realize it's going to be a substantial cost, but there's several counties that have switched. We need to pursue that."


While the fire has left French focused on communications among departments, the State Fire Marshal's Office is still investigating a cause, which is believed to have begun in the upper part of the house above the kitchen, according to French.


"I had flashing lights in the kitchen, but it didn't happen every day," Ray Hamlet said, adding he wasn't sure if that contributed to the fire, but he made sure investigators were aware.


Fire marshal public information officer Shane Cartmill expects it will be a few days before a determination of the fire's cause is made.


French estimated the loss of the home and contents at between $450,000 and $500,000. Ray Hamlet said although he has insurance, he did not have his collectibles insured.


He and his wife plan to stay with his brother and are being assisted by the Red Cross.

Nutter Proposes Potential Firefighter Budget Cuts to Fund Arbitration

Jurisdictions struggle to pay their employees. When binding arbitration forces them to pay beyond what they think they can afford, it pits one agency against another. Here libraries and health centers will be cut as well as layoffs in the fire department. During arbitration for wages and benefits should consider both the fairness any increase along with the employers ability to pay. It seems that in awards to fire departments while the arbitrator feels that employers has the ability to pay, the employer disputes it in the court of public opinion.

Allan

From
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/20120810_Nutter_proposes_potential_firefighter_budget_cuts_to_fund_arbitration.html

By Troy Graham
Inquirer Staff Writer


Wallenda walk pumps up the crowds in A.C. The Nutter administration avoided a showdown with its financial overseer Thursday by adding a postscript to its five-year budget indicating how the city would pay for any salary and benefit increases for firefighters.

The addendum says drastic cuts would fund an arbitration award the firefighters won in June. Those cuts would include hundreds of layoffs, the slashing of library hours, and the closure of a health center, according to Finance Director Rob Dubow.
Mayor Nutter has appealed the firefighter award for a second time - the firefighters have not had a new contract since 2009 - and did not include money to cover the latest award in his required five-year forecast.

Board members of the Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority (PICA), which must approve the city's annual five-year plans to keep state funding flowing to Philadelphia, balked at not having a way to pay the firefighters.

The PICA board was scheduled to vote on the plan at its meeting Thursday, but delayed action until the five members could consider the new information.
One member, Sam Hopkins, scoffed at the addendum.

"I am not impressed with this list of cuts as being responsive," he said. "I consider it a political scare technique that it would be a great disservice for PICA to accept in the five-year plan."

Board Chairman Sam Katz said he hoped such reductions would not be necessary.
"It would be draconian for the city to have to implement that level of cuts," he said. "I suspect there will be other options that we discuss over the next couple weeks."

Katz said he hoped to call another PICA meeting within two weeks.

The addendum was a document assembled this spring during the budget process, when city departments were asked how they would reduce their budgets by 2 percent, 4 percent, or 5 percent.

The city contends that the firefighters' contract would cost more than $200 million over five years, pushing the budget into the red. The 5 percent departmental cuts would free up $260 million.

"We don't want to implement anything," Dubow said. "This is what we think we would have to do."

The addendum shows the Fire Department losing as many as 108 positions, by far the most of any department. The Streets Department is next with 59 positions.

The addendum does not suggest any trims from the Police Department. Dubow said that's because the police force is understaffed while some crimes, including homicides, are increasing.

The Fire Department, Dubow said, "is one of the largest budgets, so it's one of the largest places of cuts."

Bill Gault, president of Local 22 of the International Association of Fire Fighters, called the proposed reductions "crazy" and said they would put firefighters' lives in peril.

"It seems to me this administration is very vindictive," Gault said. "What they've decided to do is keep stalling this and stalling this."

City Controller Alan Butkovitz, who this week called on PICA to vote down the five-year plan, said a list of cuts did not constitute a plan to fund the firefighters' contract.
"First of all, are they saying what they'll actually do?" he asked. "And, if they do, would it add up?"

He also noted that the administration had suggested the rolling closure of libraries and deactivating fire companies, proposals that "we know create public resentment."

The PICA meeting - normally a staid affair held in the authority's conference room - was packed Thursday with reporters, Council staffers, administration officials, and a large contingent from Local 22.

Also present were Herman "Pete" Matthews and Cathy Scott, the presidents of AFSCME District Councils 33 and 47, the city's blue- and white-collar municipal unions.

Both have been without new contracts since 2009. Unlike public-safety employees, who are barred from striking, their disputes are not settled in arbitration.

In addition to failing to show funding to the firefighters, the five-year plan anticipates $50 million in overall workforce savings.

Katz and others have questioned how reasonable that assumption could be. Katz said Thursday that he would sit down with Dubow and Nutter in the coming weeks and tell them that he hoped to see actual contracts in the next five-year budget.

"The more logical way to do financial planning is also to do collective bargaining and get it in place," Katz said. "We'll have a basis for looking at the next five years, not on assumptions but on actual agreements."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact Troy Graham at 215-854-2730 or tgraham@phillynews.com, or follow on Twitter @troyjgraham.

Diesel Prices Head Up for Fifth Consective Week

Fuel can greatly impact the cost of running your fire department fleet. We are fortunate here to have an inter-county system that purchases fuel under a long-term contract that keeps the cost level.
Allan
From
http://www.logisticsmgmt.com/article/diesel_prices_head_up_for_fifth_consecutive_week/

By Jeff Berman, Group News Editor


August 07, 2012

Diesel prices increased for the fifth straight week, according to the Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration (EIA).

The price per gallon saw a 5.4 cent gain to $3.85 per gallon, and prices have risen a cumulative 20.2 cents over the last five weeks.


Prior to these recent gains, diesel prices sank for 12 straight weeks, falling a cumulative 50 cents during that period.


In its recently updated short-term energy outlook, the EIA is calling for diesel prices to average $3.90 per gallon in 2012 and $3.87 in 2013 (down from previous estimates of $4.06 and $4.03, respectively), with oil expected to hit $96.80 in 2012 and $97.00 in 2013 (down from previous estimates of $104.12 and $103.75, respectively).


Even with low prices for diesel, shippers continue to keep a watchful eye on fuel prices and are taking steps to reduce mileage and cut down on empty miles. This was made clear at June’s eyefortransport 3PL Summit in Chicago. Many shippers told LM that they are constantly monitoring fuel prices, as they relate to freight rates and the overall costs of doing business.


And as previously reported by LM, shippers continue to take steps to minimize the impact of fluctuating fuel costs. Over the years, they have maintained that this is imperative as higher diesel prices have the potential to hinder growth and increase operating costs, which will, in turn, force them to raise rates and offset the increased prices to consumers.


An April conference call hosted by Stifel Nicolaus, which featured Tom O’Brien CEO, TravelCenters of America and Petro Stopping Centers and Mark Hazelwood Executive Vice President, Pilot Flying J Travel, noted that “diesel fuel price will trend higher, perhaps more quickly and with more volatility than oil prices, as diesel is in great demand around the world,” adding that [t]he demand for highway diesel fuel in the U.S. has dropped by 25%+ since 2007 due to a variety of factors.”


The price per barrel for oil was at $92.56 at press time, with the Associated Press reporting that analysts estimated that supplies of U.S. crude and gasoline likely dropped last week. The AP added that crude has hovered near $90 for the last few weeks as investors weigh weak global economic growth against possible monetary and fiscal stimulus measures.



About the Author

Jeff Berman

Group News Editor

Jeff Berman is Group News Editor for Logistics Management, Modern Materials Handling, and Supply Chain Management Review. Jeff joined the Supply Chain Group in 2005 and leads online and print news operations for these publications. In 2009, Jeff led Logistics Management to the Silver Medal of Folio’s Eddie Awards in the Best B2B Transportation/Travel Website category. Jeff works and lives in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, where he covers all aspects of the supply chain, logistics, freight transportation, and materials handling sectors on a daily basis. If you want to contact Jeff with a news tip or idea, please send an e-mail to jberman@ehpub.com.

5 critical changes for new SCBA

The below article explains five critical changes that are being considered for the the upcoming NFPA 1981 standard revision. The changes in summary are:

*Adjustable low air alarms
*NIOSH approved buddy breathing systems
*Improved radiant heat resistance testing of facepieces
*Improved facepiece integrity
*Improved communications testing

Currently the MSA SCBA we are using meet the NFPA 1981 2007 edition. During the next couple of years, we will be seeking funding to upgrade our SCBA to meet the NFPA 1981 2013 edition. This upgrade will include the features discussed in the article and will improve the safety of the user.

From PPE Update
http://www.firerescue1.com/firefighter-safety/articles/1317340-5-critical-changes-for-new-SCBA/



by Jeffrey O. and Grace G. Stull

From low-air alarms to facepiece integrity, the newest NFPA standard makes some significant changes to SCBA

SCBA has evolved to greater levels of sophistication and capability over the past several decades. Transitions that increased the level of respiratory protection started with the mandatory requirement in the mid-1970s to use open-circuit SCBA in lieu of canister- or filter-based respirators in what was originally known as NFPA 19B, Standard on Respiratory Protective Equipment for Firefighters.

This gave way to development of NFPA 1981, Standard on Open-Circuit, Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus for Fire and Emergency Services in the early 1980s.

NFPA 1981 initially set requirements for positive-pressure operation and a minimum 30-minute service life above and beyond the existing federal regulations provided for SCBA by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

Successive editions of NFPA 1981 have added several requirements over the years including:

•Maintenance of positive pressure operation through various expected environmental use conditions.

•Overall system heat and flame resistance.

•A minimum of two different end of service time indicator alarms.

•Mandatory voice communications intelligibility while wearing the facepiece.

•A heads up display showing remaining air supply and other alarms.

•A universal air connection for rapid intervention team use.

•Chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear protection for the demonstrating chemical agent, biological agent, and radiological particulate hold out for entire SCBA.

NFPA 1981 is currently in a 2007 edition. Revisions worked on over the past five years will be incorporated into a new edition slated to take effect at the end of 2012 and carry a 2013 edition date. The committee responsible for this standard has researched several areas for changing the standard and developed new requirements aimed at improving the respiratory protection provided by SCBA.

Low-air alarm

The most significant of the changes to NFPA 1981 is a provision that lets fire departments and other organizations specify the time that their end of service time indicator alarm goes off (within certain limits). Currently, this indicator alarm is set to go off when the air supply reaches 25 percent of the remaining air. This is based on current requirements from NIOSH, the principal government organization responsible for baseline respirator certification.

NFPA 1981 requires SCBA meet the federal regulations for general SCBA in Title 42 Code of Federal Regulations Part 84 that pertain to SCBA. However, the committee responsible for NFPA 1981 responded to a series of requests from fire service members to permit greater flexibility in having this alarm set to go off at higher levels of remaining air supply.

These requests came as the result of fire departments realizing that they never get the full length of rated service time for their breathing apparatus. SCBA rated for 30 minutes may last only 15 minutes under hard work conditions and high breathing rates, leaving only minutes of air in the cylinder once the alarm goes off.

Many departments consider this time too short, even opting for a longer-rated SCBA is still considered inadequate. The new requirement will allow the system to alarm anywhere from 25 percent to 33 percent, based on the purchasing organization's hazard and risk assessment.

While NFPA was able to gain a consensus for implementing this change, it did not come easy. A change of this type is counter to the current federal regulations and would invalidate the NIOSH SCBA certification if the alarm time is other than 25 percent.

The committee had to approach the federal government to request a change in the NIOSH regulations. This change must go through a public rule-making process, which provides a means for the government to solicit comments from interested organizations or individuals regarding the proposed changes.

That process has begun. The notice of the intended change in federal regulations appears at this website link with comments to be submitted through Aug. 24.

Buddy breather

Another change is the ability to recognize and certify SCBA as having an emergency breathing support systems, more commonly known as buddy breathing systems. This type of equipment, though used within the fire service, was prohibited by NIOSH.

Due to fire service insistence and the investigation that such systems could be adequately and safely employed, NIOSH changed its regulations to permit this type of equipment and practice. Fortunately, this change was not subject to same formal rule-making process as was the alarm time setting.

Radiant-heat resistance

A requirement was added to evaluate and set minimum criteria for the radiant-heat resistance of the facepiece, which will result in changes for the types of lenses materials used. This requirement introduces a new test method to replicate an extreme fireground exposure and evaluates the resistance of the facepiece to deformation or degradation that would result in a loss of positive pressure.

NFPA has recently released a notice on the possible shortcomings of existing SCBA facepieces being able to survive extreme emergency conditions as found during a number of fatality investigations. This notice was released by the NFPA at this website address.

Facepiece integrity

An additional evaluation of the entire SCBA for continued positive-pressure operations under a prolonged high-heat exposure has been added to supplement the current overall heat and flame test.

The current edition specifies preheating the full SCBA worn on a half-manikin and attached to a breathing machine for a 15 minute at 203 degrees Fahrenheit exposure. This preheating period is followed by a 10-second exposure to a direct flame and dropping the SCBA to create shock to the SCBA suspension.

An additional test is being added where the same sequence will be followed, but the preheating period will be shorter and at a higher temperature (5 minutes at 500 degrees). The new test will address greater survivability of the SCBA in extreme environments and is coupled with the new facepiece test for demonstrating resistance to high-heat exposure degradation of SCBA components.

Clear communications

An improved communications test has been added to provide a quantified assessment of the ability of firefighters to speak and be heard through the facepiece.

The new test replaces a current method involving human subjects and listeners with a method for simulating sounds and voice communications through the facepiece using specialized test equipment. It is intended to overcome the inconsistencies associated with using human subjects and provide more objective procedures for evaluating the effects of SCBA in allowing clear and understood voice communications.
These significant changes will impact the design of all SCBA in the U.S. market. It will likely be several months after the new standard comes out when SCBA manufacturers will be able to offer new products and have them certified to these requirements.
In the meantime, it is important for the fire service to understand these changes and their implications in anticipating newer edition SCBA or retrofits to existing SCBA.
About the author
Jeffrey O. and Grace G. Stull are president and vice president respectively of International Personnel Protection, Inc., which provides expertise on the design, evaluation, selection and use of personnel protective clothing, equipment and related products to end users and manufacturers. They are considered amongst the leading experts in the field of personal protective equipment. Send questions or feedback to Jeff or Grace at Jeffrey.O.Stull@FireRescue1.com. The views of the author do not necessarily reflect those of the sponsor.

TEXAS DOUBLE LODD TRIAL CONTINUES:

TEXAS DOUBLE LODD TRIAL CONTINUES:


From firefighterclosecalls.com

Ladder Belts, SOP's and The Death of Two Firefighters
Any LESSONS LEARNED here for all of us? Apparatus Manufacturers? Apparatus Dealers?
Kilgore Firefighters guiding the hands-on drills for their new ladder/platform truck in 2009 knew the operations manual told them to wear safety belts that could have saved two from a fatal fall, according to department testimony Monday in a suit against the truck's maker and retailer. Those safety belts, which harness a firefighter to the ladder platform, or bucket, had not been delivered with the 95-foot truck made by E-One. Meanwhile, safety belts sat idle in a ladder truck no longer in service, one officer testified. The suit, against E-One and retailer Hall-Mark Fire Apparatus-Texas, brought by the family of fallen Kilgore Fire Department Firefighter Kyle Perkins, who with fellow Fireman Cory Galloway, died in the Jan. 25, 2009, training exercise.

"I started slowly rotating over to the building," 26-year Kilgore Fire Department Instructor James Sanders described guiding the 18-square-foot platform above the rooftop lip of 8-story Stark Hall dormitory at Kilgore College.

Two four-FF crews had completed their training mission to achieve the roof of the city's tallest building. Leading the third group, Sanders was steering the platform, called a bucket, carrying Perkins, Galloway and Robert King.

He guided it to within 18-24 inches of the overhanging roof parapet, and he needed it to be nearer.

"It dropped rather suddenly," he recalled. "That's when it made contact with the wall."

Sanders testified to telling the men to stay calm and keep their weight steady.

"I looked over the front to see if I could see any obstruction," he said, describing the light touch, called feathering, he used on the hydraulic controls.

Sanders later testified he had operated hydraulics all his life, from his father's farm to construction work to a stint on a county roads crew.

He said he "feathered" the boom function, which bends like an elbow from the truck below.

"And nothing happened, it just sat there," Sanders said. "I feathered again, and shortly thereafter I was in the process of looking over (the front) again when it broke loose. All of a sudden, we were going backward."

The violent rocking that ensued pushed Galloway and Perkins outward through corner doors designed to open inward only. "Myself and Robert managed to stay in the bucket. ... It seemed like an eternity. I couldn't tell you how many forward and backward jerks it made. ... At some point, (King) was very close to the door, and I reached over and grabbed him back. Pretty much, in that time, we were in survival mode."

On Thursday, Doug Fleming, instructor for ladder truck maker E-One, also testified to neither using nor asking potential customers to use safety belts. Sanders and Capt. Kyle Huckabee both testified Monday they had never gone up in a platform ladder, in early sessions with the new one in 2008-09 or during sales demonstrations.

Neither the fire chief nor the mayor had worn a safety belt during a platform sales demonstration in 1988, Sanders said.

However, he also testified he included safety belts in the Standard Operating Procedures manual he wrote for a non-platform ladder truck purchased in 1989.

Huckabee testified the Standard Operating Procedures, or SOP, manual was being written for the new ladder/platform truck when the tragedy occurred.

Like Sanders, he said he knew of the safety belt instruction in the truck's operating manual. He said he did not know whether or not anyone had sought, before the fatal drill, to retrieve safety belts from a ladder-only truck that was out of service.

He also testified Kilgore city policy forbade putting equipment in service before an SOP is written, despite the new truck being used in a fire at Cancun Dave's restaurant weeks before the fatal training exercise. "At least, in that context," defense attorney Keith Slade told Huckabee, "the city of Kilgore failed to have an SOP in place before the equipment was placed in service. True enough?

"True enough," Huckabee agreed.
MORE HERE: http://tinyurl.com/cqko947

Back to the basics

December 16, 2010
The Apparatus Bay

by FR1 Staff

http://www.firerescue1.com/fire-products/fire-apparatus/articles/921893-Back-to-the-basics/
Back to the basics

There are some important questions we need to ask ourselves in the coming year when designing a new fire apparatus

By FireRescue1 Staff

There have been many articles written on apparatus specifications in recent years. Remember, the best advice that you can follow is determining what is right for your department. The prices of custom fire apparatus have skyrocketed in recent times.

In 2010, the new NFPA-compliant engines have added to that cost, unless you were smart enough to pre-plan your purchase and order a vehicle before the year began or were able to get one of the stockpiled 2007 engines that some of the apparatus manufacturers had tucked away.
Regardless, the economy has played havoc with the fire service in general the past two years. The fire apparatus manufacturing industry has taken a 40 percent reduction in orders despite some enjoying large city orders and export deliveries.
Some of us are our own worst enemy. Sure, if the money is available why not order your new vehicle with twin Mars lights and Buck-Eye Rotor Rays. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy them as much as the next guy when it comes to added bells and whistles.

But I think because of the budget constraints overcoming all of us we are going to see a much more conservative approach when specing out options on new fire apparatus.
Will we see orders of custom fire trucks take a hit? Possibly, but I don't think that buying commercial chassis fire trucks is for everyone. Refurbing seems to be on the upswing, and the choice of downsizing vehicles for certain departments is also an added possibility.
Upward trend

Ordering a rescue pumper instead of a pumper and a separate heavy rescue vehicle has been an upward trend for the past few years. Doing more with less is becoming almost a necessity with the news of firefighter layoffs and station closures around the country.
Some important questions we need to ask ourselves in the coming year when designing a new vehicle include:
•Do we really need 2000gpm pumps on all our apparatus?

•Isn't a single stage pump going to give you enough water, especially if your response area is hydranted, and you don't need the added pressure for high-rise buildings?

•Do we really need a 500hp diesel engine if your response area is on level ground and only has to respond a few miles?

•Can you give up an engine and buy a quint if it doesn’t ruin your town's ISO Rating?

These are all questions you will have to ask your department's apparatus committee before you start writing your specs. These comments are only the tip of the iceberg.
Basic warning lights

Start with the basic warning lights that are required by NFPA 1901 — do you really need all of the extras that make the rig look good in a parade? How about hydraulic ladder racks — couldn't you just put the ladder back, low on the officer’s side, making it easy for everyone to reach?
Obviously you can't if you are specing a rescue pumper and you need high side compartments on both sides of the vehicle. But for a basic pumper it might not be a bad idea.
We are also seeing departments going back to the basics with hard wiring and manual gate valves, reducing costs and added maintenance problems.
Hopefully this article offers some food for thought. I bet if you think hard you can really come up with some more cost reductions when you think about what equipment you use and what you really need on your new engine, truck or heavy rescue.
The bottom line is to have your apparatus committee do some proper planning and keep within your budget means when designing your next vehicle.


About the author
The Apparatus Bay is a column section devoted to the fire truck industry, vehicle safety and the latest technology and vehicles. Articles are written by experts from across the industry. If there's a topic you'd like to see covered, or you are interested in writing for The Apparatus Bay, email editor@firerescue1.com.

3 keys to preventing emergency vehicle rollover

May 10, 2012

3 keys to preventing emergency vehicle rollover
Knowledge of roads, vehicles, drivers are critical to safe arrival at emergency

By Sarah M. Smart

FireRescue1 Staff

http://www.firerescue1.com/fire-products/fire-apparatus/articles/1284688-Tips-to-prevent-emergency-vehicle-rollover/
News flash: Roads are not designed for large emergency vehicles. And rollovers, although preventable in many cases, are still a major cause of on-duty injuries and deaths.


While only 3 percent of emergency vehicle crashes are rollovers (single-vehicle accident where the rollover is the first harmful event), 33 percent of fatal crashes are. So what are the factors in rollovers, and how can we mitigate them so we arrive at every emergency safely?

The issues came under the spotlight during a session at Fire-Rescue Med, held by the IAFC's EMS section.

David Bradley, education specialist at VFIS, outlined how studies show the most common rollover circumstances:

1.Relative speed: Vehicle speed measured at any mph considered to be unsafe relative to the operating environment

2.Soft shoulder drop-off

3.Uneven surface drop-off with improper recovery

Following are three keys to vehicle safety.
The road

Most lane widths hover around 12 feet, giving typical 7- to 8-foot-wide fire apparatus and ambulances only about 2 feet of wiggle room on each side. That's not very much when you consider the challenges of driving large, heavy, boxy trucks to an emergency.
Also of note are shoulder conditions on the road. These have a significant impact on the driver's ability to recover from losing control. In order of best to worst for recovery, here are shoulder conditions to train for:
•Paved shoulder

•Unpaved hard shoulder with uneven drop-off

•Unpaved soft shoulder

•No shoulder

The vehicle

Thousands of pounds of EMS gear, water, ladders and other supplies are packed into emergency vehicles, placing a heavy load on each tire. So when a driver loses control, starts to run off the road (to the right, for example) and follows the natural instinct to jerk the wheel to the left, the already unsteady vehicle often tips to the right and rolls over.

The more top-heavy the vehicle, the more likely it is to roll over. SUVs, often used as QRVs, have the highest number of rollover incidents among emergency vehicles. Ambulances place second, and tankers come in third.
The driver

The operator of the fire truck or ambulance is the most important piece of the rollover puzzle. Driver error, often as a result of inexperience and/or lack of training, is the single most significant factor in rollover crashes.
Human aspects, such as maturity, physical condition and even the ability to control one's emotions are as critical to safe driving as acquired abilities, like driving record and specific emergency vehicle driver training.
Training and experience are of critical importance to overcome instinct, Bradley said.
"We've got to get those mental seeds planted of what we should do," he said.
The takeaway

If you are driving an ambulance or a fire truck and find yourself on the brink of a rollover:
•Do not apply full braking: Take your foot off the gas or downshift when appropriate to allow the vehicle to slow down gradually. If you must brake, do so softly

•Stop or slow down before correcting: Then gently steer the vehicle back onto the road surface in a low gear with feathered acceleration if you must overcome a drop-off

•Don't jerk the wheel: Trying to return to the road surface quickly increases the risk of rollover

Some tips to drive more safely and reduce rollover:

•Slow down: Pay attention to speed limit signs, and keep the vehicle at or below speed, especially during inclement weather. While response times are a concern, larger vehicles need more time to slow down in the event of a sudden obstacle, and you definitely can't do your job if you never make it to the call

•Buckle up: Always use your seatbelt. Most rollover fatalities are from ejections. "The seatbelt keeps the operator in the seat and in contact with the brake, accelerator and steering wheel," Bradley said.

•"Put the right person in the left seat": While youthful drivers may have quicker reactions, they could lack driving experience and the right amount of emotional control. Middle-aged drivers may have good experience but might not be too concerned with skill maintenance. Finally, mature drivers may be cautious and experienced but may have illnesses or declining physical abilities that could keep them from driving safely and effectively. The ideal driver will have no Class A driving violations and fewer than two Class B violations in the past three years

•Train: We train for so many other safety concerns, so why should driving emergency vehicles be any different? SOPs should address intersection approach, backing guidelines, driver responsibilities and more. All drivers need to be trained to understand the relevant laws and legal liabilities, and they need continuing and ongoing refresher training, both in the classroom and behind the wheel

More information on emergency vehicle rollovers and driver training can be found through VFIS.

The Quint: a unique and still misunderstood fire truck

May 10, 2012

Product News

by Robert Avsec

http://www.firerescue1.com/fire-products/fire-apparatus/articles/1284742-The-Quint-a-unique-and-still-misunderstood-fire-truck/


Neither a jack of all trades nor a master of none, the quint will fill specific needs

By Robert Avsec

It's probably safe to say that there are many firefighters and officers who consider the quintuple combination pumper, or the quint, to be the "centaur" of fire apparatus: part engine and part truck.


Since the German-based fire and rescue apparatus manufacturer, Metz Aerials, obtained the first patent for a quintuple combination pumper in 1912 — American LaFrance and Seagrave began to produce quints in the 1930s and 40s respectively — the idea of a "five-tool" piece of fire apparatus has been a controversial subject.

So where does the controversy originate?

Back in 2009, Robert Rielage, Chief of the Wyoming (Ohio) Fire-EMS department, a 78-member combination fire department bordering Cincinnati, wrote, "The modern quint … has been described by some as a fire truck designed by a city manager who thought four firefighters could do all the work of both an engine and ladder crew from a single apparatus."
Fire chiefs who share Chief Rielage's sentiments point out that if you have only three or four people on the quint that you have the function of either a truck crew or an engine crew at a fire, but not both.
A leading proponent for the use of the quint is Neil Svetanics, the former chief of the St. Louis Fire Department. In 1987, Svetanics standardized all the apparatus in the city as quints and in 1999 ordered 34 new quints, replacing the city's fleet.
Svetanics' rationale for his unconventional thinking was really pretty simple: he needed a vehicle that would provide the most services at a time of reduced budgets.
Quint by definition

Before this discussion goes any further, let's make sure that we're talking about the same animal. Today's quint is designed to provide five tools for firefighters to carry out these tactical firefighting functions:
•Supply fires streams (pump and hoses);

•Provide initial and continuing water supply (pump, water tank, and hoses)

•Provide personnel with access to elevated areas (ground ladder complement and aerial device)

•Provide elevated master fire stream (pump, hose, and aerial device)

The National Fire Protection Association outlines the requirements for a piece of apparatus necessary to function as a quint in NPFA Standard 1901, The Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus. Here is a summary of the quint requirements as detailed in Chapter 9 of the standard:
•Fire pump with a minimum capacity of 1,000 gallons per minute

•Water tank with a minimum capacity of 300 gallons

•Aerial ladder or elevating platform with a permanently installed waterway

•Hose storage area with a minimum of 30 cubic feet of storage area capable of accommodating 2.5 inch or larger fire hose; two hose storage areas, each with a minimum of 3.5 cubic feet or 1.5 inch or pre-connected hose lines.

•Enclosed compartments with a minimum of 40 cubic feet for equipment storage

•Complement of ground ladders containing a minimum of 85 feet of ground ladders, including at least: two extension ladders, one roof ladder and one attic ladder

•Suction hose of a minimum of 15 feet of soft suction hose or 20 feet of hard suction hose for drafting water.
Though the quint has now been around for 100 years, like all types of fire apparatus it has evolved along with new technologies. Today's quints are in many ways smaller, lighter and more agile than their predecessors. This is due to many influences, such as diesel engines, single-stage pumps, all-wheel steering, improved hydraulic systems (aerial device) and improved braking systems.
Yesterday's large, tandem-axle quints, are now more maneuverable on the road and fireground because of shorter wheelbases made possible by eliminating the second axle.
What it can do

So why would a department's leadership consider adding a quint to their department's capabilities? There are many needs that a quint can address.
Staff shortages. Rather than under-staffing both a truck and an engine with a crew of less than four personnel — the optimal number for safe, efficient and effective firefighting operations — staff a quint with a four-person crew.

•Funding cuts. The cost of a quint is less than the combined cost of an engine and truck. A quint has the tactical capabilities of both apparatus available, but through the purchase of one vehicle. (Point of emphasis: The tactical capabilities are available, but even with a four-person complement of staffing, the quint and its crew can perform either engine company or truck company functions, but not simultaneously).

•Need for some aerial capablities. The quint with a 75-foot elevating device is the most popular model in the United States today because its reach can meet the operational needs for a wide variety of departments.

•Need for a smaller vehicle with an elevated master streams. Older cities and towns have narrow streets with tight turning radiuses; newer cities and suburban areas are experiencing growth of the neo-classic community, that is, new construction that seeks to emulate the most positive features of older cities and towns. Quints come in a variety of sizes and configurations; all-wheel steering and other mechanical innovations provide more maneuverability for today's quints as well. For example, by positioning a quint on Side C of a structure with a narrow alley, the incident commander would have both engine and truck tactical capabilities available in that area.

•The need for lighter vehicles. Once again, the variety of sizes and configurations and weight can provide fire service leaders with an apparatus option for areas with infrastructural constraints, such as old bridges. Quints can also reduce the overall number of apparatus necessary to cross residential bridges or traverse long access roads to reach more remote homes and property.



About the author
Battalion Chief Robert Avsec (Ret.) served with the Chesterfield (Va.) Fire & EMS Department for 26 years. He was an active instructor for fire, EMS, and hazardous materials courses at the local, state, and federal levels, which included more than 10 years with the National Fire Academy. Chief Avsec earned his bachelor of science degree from the University of Cincinnati and his master of science degree in executive fire service leadership from Grand Canyon University. He is a 2001 graduate of the National Fire Academy's Executive Fire Officer Program. Since his retirement in 2007, he has continued to be a life-long learner working in both the private and public sectors to further develop his "management sciences mechanic" credentials. He makes his home in Alexandria, Virginia.

Check Your Expiration Dates

Here is a link to a Gordan Graham tip on checking the expiration dates. A majority of the supplies and equipment we use have an expiration date associated with them. Please make it part of your normal checks to verify that the item is within its required dates.

http://www.lexipol.com/check-equipment-exipration-date-t-13.html

Lifepak 15 Review

Youtube links

Part 1
http://youtu.be/WEPKlF4lD-A

Part 2
http://youtu.be/HV0fJ4mmnxY

Part 3
http://youtu.be/DAVf1Ksj1FA

Newport News Vehicle Services.mov

Youtube Link

http://youtu.be/YfucsCfXZDg

Motor Fleet Maintenance Safety from SafetyInstruction.com

Youtube Link

http://youtu.be/Xc54OP87vyk

Exclusive: Report Shows Boston's Troubled Vehicle Maintenance History

Youtube Link

http://youtu.be/pjuTjlcKCik

Firefighter PPE: Understanding limitations of government regulations

December 28, 2011


From: http://www.ppe101.com/Columnists/Jeffrey-O-Stull/articles/1210329-Firefighter-PPE-Understanding-limitations-of-government-regulations/
PPE Update

with Jeffrey O. and Grace G. Stull

Sponsored by Globe


Firefighter PPE: Understanding limitations of government regulations

We are all affected by government regulations. The fire service is no exception. There are a number of regulations from both the federal government and state governments that affect firefighter personal protective equipment.

Included in these regulations are general requirements for fire departments (employers) to provide PPE for their firefighter employees. These requirements extend to not only providing the PPE but also caring and maintaining it, and providing training on the use and limitations of protective clothing and equipment.

These regulations are found in OSHA 29 CFR Part 1910.132. The regulations, sometimes also known as a "general duty clause" or Subpart I, further prescribe fire departments conduct hazard assessments and select the appropriate personal tech equipment based on the identification of hazards.

Well understood

For the most part, these regulations are well understood and, in fact, NFPA 1971 requires that manufacturers include a reference to these regulations in the user information provided for their clothing and equipment products that are certified to the standard.

There are also government regulations that pertain to minimum requirements for personal protective clothing and equipment. One example is OSHA 29 CFR Part 1910.156. These regulations are titled “fire brigades” and specify minimum requirements for personal protective clothing and equipment used by firefighters.

The regulations were first enacted in the early 1980s and unfortunately have not been updated in the past 30 years. Consequently, in specifying protective garment minimum requirements, the federal regulations indicate that garments should comply with the 1975 edition of NFPA 1971, even though there have been a total of six revisions that have followed, with increasing numbers of performance requirements for firefighter clothing.

The OSHA regulations allows the tear strength of outer shell materials to be lower than was required in the NFPA standard and exempts outer shell materials from having to resist charring when exposed to high heat if suitable flame resistance can be demonstrated.

These regulations become problematic because they are the law yet at the same time they do not come anywhere close to specifying the levels of performance that are found in the newer editions of NFPA 1971 since 1975.

When further examined, similar requirements for protective helmets, gloves, and footwear are equally out of date with modern criteria. Protective hoods are not even addressed.

Respective NFPA editions

No competent manufacturer still fabricates their clothing (garments) strictly to these older standards. Occasionally, one may find a reference to the OSHA regulations as part of the label or claims for a particular product, but this information is generally accompanied by the appropriate certification to the then respective edition of NFPA 1971.

Some jurisdictions may require the reference to the OSHA regulations because it is the law, but it should be understood that these federal regulations are woefully inadequate and provide an unsafe basis for specifying firefighter protective clothing performance on their own.

Nonetheless, there are some products where federal or state regulations are basis for the sole representation of firefighter personal protective equipment.

This is most commonly observed for protective gloves because some departments consider gloves to be a commodity given their lower price compared to other parts of the firefighter protective ensemble.

At the time they were prepared, the OSHA regulations did not have the benefit of an existing NFPA standard on firefighter gloves. The first NFPA standard on gloves (numbered 1973) did not become available until 1983.

Therefore, OSHA made reference to a study performed by Arthur D. Little, performed under contract to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

That study set out to develop specific criteria and test methods for demonstrating the protective qualities of firefighter gloves, which were to become the basis for future requirements for gloves in the NFPA 1973 standard.

Certain portions

For whatever reason, the government only chose to implement certain portions of the government study for gloves. In contrast, the NFPA 1973 standard on gloves accepted nearly all the requirements directly from the Arthur D. Little study.

According to the OSHA Act, the individual states are allowed to develop their own regulations for occupational safety and health as long as those regulations as a minimum meet the existing federal requirements.

In the state of California, for example, regulations have been promulgated for structural fire fighting protective clothing and equipment under Title 8 of the California code of regulations and are found in Article 10.1.

Specific requirements for hand and wrist protection are provided in Section 3407. These regulations specify a few tests for gloves that include conductive heat resistance, radiant heat resistance, flame resistance, dexterity, and grip.

These regulations contrast with the federal regulations in some respects; however, like 29 CFR 1910.156, they deviate substantially from the current requirements provided by NFPA 1971 as well as earlier embodiments of the glove performance standard since its initial release in 1983.

There are substantial differences in the performance requirements for firefighter gloves that exist in both the federal and California state regulations as compared to the NFPA standards.

These include a number of specific performance areas that are simply not addressed as part of the federal or state regulations. For example, there are no regulations for the gloves performance against wet heat transfer, or for that matter, any specific requirement for moisture barrier and the ensuing liquid protection provided by the moisture barrier.

Glove regs

The California state regulations do indicate that “protective gloves for firefighters shall be made of durable outer material designed to withstand the effects of flame, heat, vapor, liquids, sharp objects and other hazards that are encountered in firefighting.”

Yet, criteria are not provided in these regulations that address each performance area though it can be argued that gloves should demonstrate these specific qualities by some means.

In the current edition of NFPA 1971, there are several areas of performance which have been developed over the years to address firefighter concerns for protection of their hands.

It has long been recognized that the hands are very vulnerable to burn injury because of the relative large surface area to volume ratio of the hands as compared to other parts of the body.

Developments that are taking place in the creation of requirements for firefighter hand protection have attempted to address these concerns as well as take into consideration new material and design technologies available for gloves.

Neither the federal regulations, nor the California state regulations are able to keep pace with emerging glove technology or set requirements for the improvements of firefighter health and safety in response to fire service needs.

Cannot be responsive

The respective portions of the government simply cannot be responsive in a timely and periodic manner. For that matter, it is uncertain as to what resources the federal or state government can draw upon for setting requirements. The NFPA process uses balanced membership interests combined with several forums for public input.

The specific problems that ensue from relying only on the federal or California state regulations for firefighter conformity arise in many other forms.

Other than the fact that the regulations are clearly deficient in addressing all protection concerns for firefighters, there is also the absence of requirements for the certification of products, the provision of user information, and appropriate product labeling.

The NFPA standards are relatively robust in covering all parts of the manufacturing process to ensure that products meet the requirements in the standard.

These include that the manufacturer employs quality assurance procedures that ensure that all manufactured products meet the same level of performance as those products that are tested under the standard.

Self-certify

Government regulations do not address certification at all. Manufacturers can self-certify their product to the government regulations and not be subject to independent review, nor any of the other benefits that third party certification provides.

There are no requirements for quality assurance programs to be in place or for independent audits to ensure that quality practices are being followed. Manufacturers are further not required by the government regulations to provide any user information and can label their product however they choose.

These practices put the fire service in a dangerous position and compromise the safety of their members. Unfortunately, fire departments and individual firefighters may not realize how deficient these regulations are.

They assume that because there is some indication of meeting a regulation, the product is acceptable. After all, they cannot be experts in PPE — they are relying on the manufacturers to provide that expertise and any apparent endorsement gives rise to the legitimacy of the product.

It is our opinion that where accepted industry standards exist, products should at least comply with those standards. We do not believe that either the federal or state government regulations alone are a sufficient basis for qualifying the protective product as acceptable.

Sometimes, there may be exceptions but only if coupled to appropriate standards. In our state of Texas, there are state statutes that require career firefighters to wear structural firefighting protective clothing and equipment to meet the current edition of NFPA 1971.

Similar practices exist in some but not all states. Certainly, NFPA standards are voluntary, but they represent the base minimum for what the industry considers acceptable levels of protection and provide a rigorous basis for demonstrating compliance — the same cannot be said for many federal and state regulations that are not regularly updated and lack requirements for conformity assessment.

Sponsored by Globe

Jeffrey O. and Grace G. Stull are president and vice president respectively of International Personnel Protection, Inc., which provides expertise on the design, evaluation, selection and use of personnel protective clothing, equipment and related products to end users and manufacturers. They are considered amongst the leading experts in the field of personal protective equipment. Send questions or feedback to Jeff or Grace at Jeffrey.O.Stull@FireRescue1.com. The views of the author do not necessarily reflect those of the sponsor.

Tomorrow's PPE: Changes planned for SCBA, PASS devices and gear

February 08, 2012


From: http://www.ppe101.com/Columnists/Jeffrey-O-Stull/articles/1234489-Tomorrows-PPE-Changes-planned-for-SCBA-PASS-devices-and-gear/
PPE Update

with Jeffrey O. and Grace G. Stull

Sponsored by Globe

Tomorrow's PPE: Changes planned for SCBA, PASS devices and gear

In the first part of this article, we outlined how standards on personal protective equipment establish minimum levels of performance that are intended to reflect firefighter needs.

Over the next two months, there are several standards under development or revision; these include each of the standards listed below.

NFPA 1851 - Standard on Selection, Care, and Maintenance of Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting

Work is toward a third edition. The most significantly considered topics are the qualifications for service providers on cleaning and repair and how these organizations are qualified, difficulties in implementing the complete liner inspection and the rigor of the hydrostatic test applied to liners after three years, and the mandatory 10-year retirement requirement for all ensemble elements.

The industry is debating how manufacturers can specify companies to provide inspection, cleaning, and repair of their clothing versus the verification of independent service providers that can offer care for any type of clothing.

The adequacy of current procedures for qualifying organizations is being reviewed and being extended from simply addressing repair to cleaning and inspection processes. The committee is considering whether cleaning procedures need to be validated.

There are also concerns for high levels of liner failure during hydrostatic testing noted by some departments that occurs as part of complete liner inspections. Proposals for changing the frequency of this testing or how the testing is conducted are open for consideration.

Lastly, some departments are advocating exceptions to the rule that all clothing and equipment covered by NFPA 1971 be retired 10 years from its manufacturing date.


NFPA 1852 - Standard on Selection, Care, and Maintenance of Open-Circuit Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA)

The standard is considered relatively mature and only a few changes have been proposed. These include events and procedures for reporting failures of SCBA, specifying the number of spare cylinders on hand for a given organization, and providing editorial changes to make some requirements more consistent with NIOSH regulations. (Note – Pat, does this line seem OK to you? I'm also checking with the Stulls - Jamie.)

NFPA 1855 - Standard on Selection, Care, and Maintenance of Protective Ensembles for Technical Rescue Incidents

This is a new standard that is intended to establish the companion selection, care, and maintenance requirements for products certified to NFPA 1951, Standard on Protective Ensembles for Technical Rescue Incidents.

The standard has a number of similarities to NFPA 1851, but has some adaptations to address specific issues related to two principle ensembles covered in the standard – utility technical rescue (without barrier) and rescue & recovery operations (with barrier). NFPA 1951 also addresses requirements for a CBRN ensemble.

As proposed, the standard provides detailed procedures for conducting a risk assessment to support the selection of the appropriate ensemble. It also establishes specific requirement for how ensemble elements (garments, helmets, gloves, and footwear) are inspected, cleaned, decontaminated, repaired, and stored as well as the responsibilities for ensemble care and maintenance for the department and individual responder.

NFPA 1975 – Standard on Work/Station Uniforms for the Emergency Services

The standard address clothing that is worn underneath protective clothing and includes an option for the clothing to be flame resistant. The committee is considering the scope of the standard to address some of items of clothing currently worn underneath protective clothing for moisture management and comfort purposes.

The committee is also examining the potential for including other performance properties in the evaluation of this clothing.

The public input period has passed, but any input for the revision of this standard can still be submitted for the committee's consideration. In addition, the same committee is working on a new contaminated water diving standard and a rope and harness selection, care, and maintenance standard.

NFPA 1981 - Standard on Open-Circuit, Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) for Emergency Services

The committee is addressing a number of changes for improving the performance of fire service SCBA. Among these are proposed tests for evaluating the integrity of the facepiece to high heat in response to some reported industry failures.

A new radiant heat resistance test has been put forward for consideration. The committee is also increasing the conditions of the high heat oven exposure prior to the fire exposure in the overall heat and flame test.

A number of other proposed changes have been considered that include new methodology for evaluating SCBA voice communications and changing the alarm level (amount of remaining air) for the end-of-service time indicator.

The standard is also being revised to provide for a range of certifications to address other applications, such as law enforcement, hazardous materials, and other non-fire fighting operations.

NFPA 1982 - Standard on Personal Alert Safety Systems (PASS)

Since its last overhaul in 2007 to address issues related to PASS problems in high heat and moisture conditions, the current revision is focusing on changes that encompass the performance of wireless or radio frequency PASS and their ability to communicate to base stations outside the operating location.

Consequently, a number of new design and performance criteria have been proposed to address various aspects of evolving electronics and their continued functionality for PASS devices. For example, wireless PASS devices are now evaluated for their ability to alarm at a distance that is considered out of range from the base station.

NFPA 1989 - Standard on Breathing Air Quality for Emergency Services Respiratory Protection

This standard covers the quality of breathing air for SCBA and how it is tested. The standard, which has been in existence for two prior editions, is undergoing only relatively minor changes for clarification of the existing procedures.

NFPA 1999 - Standard on Protective Clothing Emergency Medical Operations

The standard was significantly expanded in 2008 to include other categories of clothing and equipment. The majority of current revisions are aimed at improving current test methods or addressing the need for clarification for existing requirements.

A number of items covered by the standards are typically not certified by manufacturers, such as disposal garments, work gloves, and eye and face protection.



We would like to also point out that you can submit input on any standard at any time, whether in revision or not. The submission of specific suggestions or criticisms is always welcome and seen as a valuable part of providing feedback that enable enhancement of the current standards, which in turn help allow the development of better performing clothing and equipment.

We hope that if any of the standards are of interest to you that you take the time to communicate your concerns or needs to the respective committee. The NFPA process is only improved when the actual users of personal protective equipment provide their input.

Sponsored by Globe

Jeffrey O. and Grace G. Stull are president and vice president respectively of International Personnel Protection, Inc., which provides expertise on the design, evaluation, selection and use of personnel protective clothing, equipment and related products to end users and manufacturers. They are considered amongst the leading experts in the field of personal protective equipment. Send questions or feedback to Jeff or Grace at Jeffrey.O.Stull@FireRescue1.com. The views of the author do not necessarily reflect those of the sponsor.