NEEDA - National Emergency Equipment Dealers Association

I have written many NEEDA NEWSLETTER stories about the 07 California wildfires. I served on a wildfire blue ribbon task force in October, 07 on Wildland Urban Interface. I was invited to attend a conference in San Diego in January 08, in which a review was presented on how well Southern California responded to the wildfires and a projection was made on the future in that wildfires are certain to be repeated in that area. We can all learn from how Southern California responded to this 07 disaster and the lessons learned.
Here below is a summary of the conference.

For this next stage of the San Diego recovery process, we are looking at how well "sustainability" is embedded. Experts agree that San Diego should not just rebuild what it had, but rather rebuild in a way that future disasters cause even less impact than the 2007 wildfires.

Meanwhile, as I have written in NEEDA NEWSLETTER, the Governor of California has convened a state blue ribbon commission to make recommendations for the future of disaster response in California.

If you have views on the future or lessons learned from the 07 wildfires, please share them with NEEDA.

Kenton Pattie
Executive Director
National Emergency Equipment Dealers Association (NEEDA)
PO Box 220
Annandale, VA 22003
703 850 8552
KentonP1@aol.com

SUMMARY OF THE CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE CONFERENCE: JANUARY 17, 2008

In reaction to the wildfires that ripped through southern California between October 20 and November 9 of 2007, San Diego authorities implemented one of the better disaster response efforts of the last 10 years.

While almost twice as much land burned in 2007 compared to the Cedar Fire of 2003 (over 500,000 acres compared to 280,000 acres), the region suffered half the number of casualties and critically burned housing stock.

The wildfires also marked the first time that Business Civic Leadership Center (BCLC), the Small Business Administration, and the U.S. Chamber Federation of local chambers implemented the new strategy for embedding recovery in the disaster response process.

Several recent initiatives departed from past practices, including the economic impact study by BCLC and the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), BCLC's business help desk, and the mutual assistance provided by the nation's chambers to the southern California chamber community.

On Jan. 17, 2008 BCLC hosted a forum in San Diego, CA to discuss the lessons learned in San Diego and next steps for national disaster response. Led by BCLC's Stephen Jordan, UPS Foundation's Lisa Hamilton, Office Depot's Tom Serio, and San Diego Regional Chamber's Ruben Barrales, national recovery experts joined local business, government, and nonprofit officials who were active in the wildfires response.

Daniel Alesch from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay noted that the real disaster for most communities starts during the recovery period because they equate rebuilding with recovery. But the two are not the same.

Some communities try to revert to "business as usual" and do not take into consideration the new reality, such as changed neighborhoods and consumer patterns. It was clear, Alesch noted, that southern California's authorities had learned from the experiences of 2003.

BCLC consultant Inès Pearce and IEDC President Jeff Finkle discussed the findings of the economic impact assessment and explained why it helped define recovery priorities for future disasters. They spoke about the role of local chambers as conduits of information among local businesses and providers of business retention programs after disasters.

Microsoft's Claire Bonilla discussed balancing the three areas of disaster response: relief, recovery, and preparedness. The private sector, she said, is eager to help after major disasters, but information about what is most needed is critical. She described local chambers as the linchpin of collaboration between business and local communities.

Sempra's Steve Davis relayed his company's coordination with the city and county on emergency operations, and emphasized the importance of this effort when a disaster happens.

The Malibu Chamber's Rebecca Evans told of the establishment of a help and safety committee comprising business and city officials, which has helped the Malibu community become more prepared for disasters.

Kelly Cunningham, an economist at the San Diego Institute for Policy Research, reported that coordination with the media and the availability of accurate and timely information were vital to the success of the San Diego response.

San Diego's Next Steps: Preparing for Recovery

Participants concluded that as a next step, a national information-sharing effort between local chambers is needed, so that the wheel is not constantly reinvented after every disaster. They also noted that establishing community partnerships before disasters hit is key to success

"GIS" MEANS "GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION SYSTEM" . . . HAS GREAT POTENTIAL FOR SERVING THE FIRST RESPONDER BUSINESS
Originally Posted: January 31, 2008 11:20 AM
Last Updated: January 31, 2008 11:20 AM

NEEDA NEWSLETTER has published numerous article about the application of geographical information system (GIS). One of our readers asked this morning: "What is GIS?" So, if you click on the headline of this NEEDA Newsletter story you will get the full GIS story . . . everything you would ever need to know about it. I hope it helps your business . . . directly or indirectly. But, for sure this is something all dealers need to know about and if you can be part of the GIS business as a service to your customers you will be part of the wave of the future in emergency response.

As you may know, I recently served on a blue ribbon task force on wildfires . . . we met the same week wildfires swept through Southern California in October 2007. This morning I posted a NEEDA NEWSLETTER story about how GIS was used in Southern California to help first responders. This story promoted one of your fellow readers to ask me "What is GIS?" So, if you are curious, click on the headline of this story to get a series of definitions which will really bring you up to date on this new technology. If you want more, you might subscribe to ARC NEWS which I have been reading for many years as it has developed into a very professional publication and a great advocate for the GIS business.

If you have a question you would like NEEDA to address in NEEDA NEWSLETTER or any other comments on the NEWSLETTER itself, please contact me . . . some of our best stories have been prompted by questions from NEEDA members!!

Kenton Pattie
Executive Director
National Emergency Equipment Dealers Association (NEEDA)
PO Box 220
Annandale VA 22003
703 850 8552
KentonP1@aol.com

WHAT ROLE DID GIS DATA PROVIDE IN RESPONDING TO THE CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES, OCTOBER 07?
Originally Posted: January 31, 2008 11:00 AM
Last Updated: January 31, 2008 11:00 AM

As more than a dozen wildfires raged across Southern California in October 2007, GIS professionals from numerous agencies played a paramount role in effectively responding to the fires and minimizing the loss of property and life.

Russ Johnson, public safety manager, ESRI: "One of the great challenges is being able to coordinate all of the resources necessary to support all of the incidents occurring at one time. Crucial decisions must be made to allocate resources and deploy them where they're needed most. You must understand not only where fire perimeters currently are but also where they could go; what direction they are headed; and what lives, property, and other assets are threatened. These decisions require continuous incident mapping to understand their size, scope, and potential threat."

Beginning October 19,2007 an outbreak of severe wildfires quickly spread across Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Ventura counties. After more than two weeks of devastation, 21 fires had forced more than a half million people from their homes and destroyed hundreds of thousands of acres of land and thousands of properties. A state of emergency was declared in seven counties.

Yet despite the terrible calamity and destruction, the response was successful in minimizing loss of life and property given the enormity of the disaster. Courageous firefighters and other responders were ready and began battling the blazes as they broke out. ESRI, having partnered with many of these agencies during the similar 2003 outbreak of wildfires in Southern California, contacted the various response organizations and began providing GIS support.

"As the fires spread, we quickly called up our own disaster response team and sent staff, software, and services to multiple sites," says Johnson. "These included incident command posts, the Southern California Geographic Area Coordination Center, California state headquarters in Sacramento, and the FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency] joint operations center located in Pasadena, California."

The Southern California wildfire response was enormous, with massive numbers of firefighters, vehicles, and support equipment from throughout the country. Mutual aid and support came from throughout the West, and additional support was staged and ready to respond from all corners of the United States. The California National Guard assisted with 2,700 troops. The Department of Defense and the Department of the Interior also provided airborne firefighting support with P-3, U2, and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) aircraft supplying aerial imaging support.

With all of these agencies and assets arriving in Southern California, managing the people and resources was complex. GIS was crucial in this effort. GIS technology was used continuously to integrate and map fire perimeters, view imagery, model potential fire spread, identify evacuation requirements, and forecast when and where equipment would be needed.

ESRI assisted daily GIS and mapping activities to support critical mission requirements. A map-based portal was established to centralize fire data and manage fresh information and dynamic event data as they were gathered.

ESRI assisted in the development of a prototype automated damage assessment system and established a central database in order to visualize damaged parcels throughout all the affected areas of Southern California. ESRI staff also assisted in collecting field damage assessment data using the prototype mobile GIS application on handheld computer devices.

Federal, state, city, and county agencies worked together using GIS to prioritize and direct manpower and resources, monitor events on the ground as they unfolded, perform predictive modeling of fire spread, and dynamically respond to ever-changing conditions.

For instance, the Southern California Geographic Area Coordination Center used GIS for performing a number of logistical duties and coordinating resources. Set up in Riverside, California, the center housed representatives from federal agencies in addition to state, county, and city jurisdictions. These representatives worked together to determine equipment requirements and priorities for deployment based on field conditions.

"They used GIS to look at fire perimeters, weather conditions, where fires would spread over the next several days, threatened populations, and natural resources," says Johnson. "We sent staff to assist and support the development of these types of analyses and maps. ESRI staff also assisted in analysis to support long-range planning to anticipate organizing the movement of crews, their equipment, and supplies."

FEMA established a disaster relief center in Pasadena, California. ESRI sent a task force of people, software, and hardware to support FEMA as it fulfilled state and local government agency requests.

FEMA staff used GIS to identify and implement temporary shelters for displaced families, bring in mass casualty support units, provide food resources and financial assistance, and support the firefighting efforts and recovery needs as required.

At forward command centers for each fire, 2D and 3D fire perimeter maps and fire hot spot density analysis helped fire chiefs plan fire breaks, water drops, and other tactical fire suppression tasks. GIS maps were developed to support fire incident action plans by providing a visual reference to divisions of work, logistical support facilities, drop points, staging areas, helibases, and other essential facilities to support fire operations.

For example, an incident management objective might be to keep the fire from crossing a designated highway so as to protect houses or critical infrastructure. Maps are used to identify critical protection priorities and determine what type of equipment and personnel are required to meet planned objectives. This also includes positioning fire crews, determining where aerial water drops may be required, and preparing potential contingency plans if primary efforts fail.

In some cases, because of the fire intensity and high-gusting wind conditions, the incident commander or operations chief may determine that it is unsafe to put personnel in locations where conditions might result in dangerous exposures. In these circumstances, GIS can assist in developing alternative tactics that focus on indirect efforts, such as determining where fire breaks should be constructed and where burnout or backfire operations can be deployed.

"By having GIS, you pull together in one place all of the relevant information that allows you to quickly understand the impact of the fire and what values are threatened and begin to formulate the best strategy to reduce spread and protect vital resources," says Johnson. "GIS provides an information-based picture that provides you with comprehensive situational awareness to make quick, intelligent, and safer decisions."

Several other GIS uses helped other agencies responding to the fires. Law enforcement agencies identified threatened communities and targeted areas that would need to be evacuated.

Health and aid agencies used GIS to identify populations that may have been affected by smoke or would require immediate assistance if evacuated. They analyzed multiple variables to determine the number of beds that could be needed for each site; the amount of food, water, and clothing that might be needed; and the duration for which these shelters would need to operate.

The GIS Web portal provided a valuable tool for field teams. They could access image data, parcel and property data layers, and fire perimeter and progression data using mobile technologies while performing damage assessment duties. The data captured in the field could then be used to establish recovery and rehabilitation priorities, such as areas of concern where vegetation and watershed analysis presented a high risk for potential flooding that could result from rain.

"The interagency response provided a central front for prioritizing and applying support for local fire response," says Johnson. "As information was collected from various incidents, it was readily exchanged and centralized using GIS as an integration platform."

Public information professionals used GIS-based maps and information to answer questions about fire locations, road closures, evacuations, shelter locations, and damaged or undamaged property. Digital and paper maps were used in television and print media news articles. ESRI posted daily fire maps on its Web site for the public and media and provided customized media maps based on specific requests.

ESRI also made available a highly intuitive, free GIS application for viewing a wealth of digital fire perimeter and related map information for the public. Users could access the application via the ArcGIS Explorer Resource Center. The California Fires application displayed fire perimeters for all the Southern California fires. ArcGIS Explorer automatically refreshed the service every 15 minutes to check for perimeter updates.

"There were many, many different reasons for the successes achieved during the fire response," says Johnson. "The tremendous work of the firefighters and emergency responders and the early and direct coordination between federal, state, and local agencies were essential. And GIS professionals were there on the front lines and in the command centers, providing the informational support that aided in virtually every kind of decision being made. It was a true synergy of people moving in the same direction to help save lives and property."

MORE INFO? Russ Johnson: russ_johnson@esri.com

HANDHELD VIDEO TRANSMITTER HELPS FIRST RESPONDER
Originally Posted: January 31, 2008 9:20 AM
Last Updated: January 31, 2008 9:20 AM

The Handheld Video Transmitter is a tactical video reconnaissance and digital video transmission system that might help first responders.

It can be used for assessing threats, physical security, and disaster sites. The HVT is a tool for fire/rescue and law enforcement teams. Weighing less than six pounds and completely portable, using a Palladium digital transmitter and fits in a 9.8 by 9.0 by 4.8 inch package.

Rechargeable Lithium batteries provide three hours with all features on. The LEDs provide sufficient illumination for video in complete darkness. A red spotting laser provides a safe method of pointing the camera without the need for a monitor.

Two types of LEDs are used with illumination beam-widths of 20 degrees and 45 degrees. This combination provides both a spot light and an effective flood light, with a combined output designed to recoginize a person in a dark room at a 12 foot distance.

Works with a wireless transmitter to transmit video from the HVT back to a command center.

FIRE ENGINEERS, BUILDING DESIGNERS MEET IN NEWPORT BEACH, CA APRIL 22-24, 2008
Originally Posted: January 30, 2008 4:51 PM
Last Updated: January 30, 2008 4:51 PM

National Conference on Building Commissioning (NCBC), which will be held April 22-24, 2008 at the Marriott Newport Beach Resort and Spa in Newport Beach, CA, invites fire protection engineers to meet with building owners and architects.

The NCBC is an annual networking, training, and exposition event committed to the practice and promotion of commissioning for better performance and energy efficiency in the building process. In its 16th year, the conference estimates a record attendance of more than 500 professionals, including commissioning providers; mechanical, electrical, and fire protection engineers; building owners, architects, and public and private institutions.
There is strong growth in commissioning services offered by engineering firms, which can be linked to the U.S. Green Building Councils LEED® rating system. Because the NCBC is a prominent event in the United States it is a chance for leaders in the fire business to speak to people who plan and build tomorrows buildings.

NEEDAs Excecutive Director Kenton Pattie has recommended that all new buildings open to the public be equipped with monitoring devices similar to measuring and recording devices in airplanes. The devices would capture and report the status of all measurable conditions in the building for review by fire fighters who respond to an incident at the building. NEEDAs recommendation was incorporated into a major Federal government list ore recommendations published after the 9-11-01 attacks. (Information about the NEEDA recommendations are contains in NEEDA NEWSLETTER. Use the Search function in the upper right hand corner of your screen to find articles about the NEEDA recommendation.)

For the safety of the building occupants and first responders, I hope this conference will consider and adopt the proposal initiated by NEEDA.

MORE INFO? www.peci.org/ncbc

E-ONE DEALER EFA SALES AFRICA WINS AIRCRAFT RESCUE FIREFIGHTING VEHICLE ORDER FOR CENTRAL AFRICA
Originally Posted: January 30, 2008 4:31 PM
Last Updated: January 30, 2008 4:31 PM

Federal Signal Corporation's E-ONE (OCALA, FL) received an order for six Titan HPR aircraft rescue firefighting (ARFF) vehicles for Central Africa.

Lukede Koker of EFA Sales Africa (Pty) Ltd. "As the tourism industry in Africa continues to grow, there is a critical need to upgrade fire and emergency services vehicles. Known for their exceptional quality and for exporting the same standard of apparatus they produce in the Western World, E-ONE is considered the manufacturer of choice in Africa."

More than 40 countries around the world have worked with E-ONE to meet their ARFF needs, including about 42 Titan ARFF vehicles currently in service in Sub-Sahara Africa.

Sam Itani, vice president of international sales for E-ONE: "Our global commitment to the fire rescue industry is supported by a worldwide network of 50 dealers, providing unequivocal top notch after sales service and support."

Backed by 25 years of experience in supplying ARFF vehicles, E-ONE
realizes the key to building a structurally sound ARFF is in the chassis.
E-ONE manufactures a custom chassis that is specifically designed and built
for the unique demands of an ARFF unit -- quick acceleration while carrying
up to 3,000 gallons of water, stability at high speeds and off-road
capabilities.

As a leading manufacturer of mission-critical vehicles, E-ONE engineers
and builds a line of apparatus including fire rescue vehicles,
hazardous materials units, explosive ordnance disposal vehicles, command
centers and aircraft rescue vehicles.

E-ONE is an ISO 9001 registered manufacturer and is a subsidiary of Federal Signal Corporation, listed on the New York Stock Exchange as: FSS.

MORE INFO? www.e-one.com

NEW NATIONAL RESPONSE FRAMEWORK DOCUMENT IS QUESTIONED BY THE NEW YORK TIMES
Originally Posted: January 30, 2008 4:06 PM
Last Updated: January 30, 2008 4:07 PM

Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff addresses the claim made by New York Times Columnist John Tierney that continued elevated threat levels and changes to security measures may spur anxiety-based heart damage that harms more people than al Qaeda.

Chertoff: I'll admit that I began to read the article expecting at the end it would be tongue in cheek. But this didnt turn out to be satire. The Times seems to feel that where terrorism is concerned ignorance is, if not bliss, at least tranquility.

NEEDA has already reported on the National Response Framework, a 90-page electronic document that can be changed by local officials if they find kinks in its guidelines after responding to an emergency. In fact, NEEDA published a draft of the document in the Fall of 2007. NEEDA obtained a copy of the report before it was released to the public IN 2008 and NEEDA commented on the report in NEEDA NEWSLETTER.

We welcome comments for NEEDA members and readers of NEEDA NEWSLETTER as this is such a major development in Federal-state relations with respect to disaster response.

This document triggered the New York Times criticism of the Homeland Security Department. The framework, announced by Secretary Michael Chertoff, replaces the rigid, 427-page National Response Plan, which was focused on responding to terrorist attacks when Hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit the Gulf Coast in 2005.
'Unlike past plans, the National Response Framework is always active, emphasizing and implementing lessons learned every single day,' Mr. Chertoff said at a news conference in Washington. 'This is a living document.'

The Associated Press, in a copyrighted article said: Elected officials who lobbied for changes in the government's disaster guidelines said that equally significant was who would take the lead in carrying out the new framework. At Mr. Chertoff's side at the news conference was R. David Paulison, the FEMA administrator, who will now serve as a primary adviser to President Bush on disaster response.

FEMA's advisory role was diminished after the agency was placed under the umbrella of the Homeland Security Department in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. After Hurricane Katrina nearly four years later, critics said the overlap had contributed to the government's paralysis in responding to the storm.

The framework still gives management responsibilities to officials of the Homeland Security Department if there is a disaster. But urgent decisions on where to shift federal resources will be FEMA's call.

In addition, a rule that required Homeland Security to identify a disaster as an incident of national significance before any sweeping federal response has now been discarded. That declaration took days after Hurricane Katrina.

SUPPORT BUILDS FOR SCREENING EMS AND FIRE RESPONDERS AND DISASTER VICTIMS FOR HIGH CARBON MONOXIDE LEVELS
Originally Posted: January 29, 2008 5:05 PM
Last Updated: January 29, 2008 5:05 PM

Early detection of carbon monoxide will limit the likelihood of long-term cardiac and neurological damage that can result from non-fatal exposures.

Masimo (Irvine, Ca), the inventor of Pulse CO-Oximetry and Measure-Through Motion and Low Perfusion pulse oximetry, says the Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) supports the use of routine field screening for the detection of elevated carbon monoxide (CO) levels in the blood of any patient presenting with suspected exposure or symptoms.

In a letter to its members and EMS professionals this month, NAEMT highlighted that "failure to diagnose may lead to improper treatment and transport decisions for victims of carbon monoxide poisoning" and recommended proper CO training, along with noninvasive detection protocols
for the recognition and management of carbon monoxide poisoning, by all field EMS personnel as a way to improve patient care and protect the public from the "significant public health hazard" of carbon monoxide. The introduction of four new CO training programs, available free to NAEMT members online helps the association build awareness and promote adequate protocols for addressing this public health challenge.

NAEMT joins other industry-leading emergency first responder associations, including the National Association of EMS Educators (NAEMSE) and the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), who have recently issued similar recommendations that EMS and fire professionals
"noninvasively screen patients for carbon monoxide poisoning that have had
a suspected exposure, or present with any of the signs or symptoms of
carbon monoxide poisoning."

These organizations are examples of a growing trend within the emergency services industry and the convergence toward a new standard of care for the proactive screening of CO-exposed patients and emergency services personnel by newly developed Pulse CO-Oximetry(TM) technology.

NAEMT President Jerry Johnston: "The new training programs are designed to close the knowledge gap between carbon monoxide poisoning and available noninvasive respiratory gas monitoring tools, like Pulse CO-Oximetry, for both EMTs and paramedics. We believe that Pulse CO-Oximetry represents a vital component in the rapid, noninvasive detection of CO levels in the blood of patients at the scene of emergencies, where critical diagnosis and treatment decisions are initiated and most effective."

Too often, even the most skilled first responders can miss the chance to treat carbon monoxide poisoning early because until now there hasn't been a fast, accurate and noninvasive way to detect elevated levels of CO
in the blood.

Masimo recommends its Rainbow SET Rad-57 Pulse CO-Oximeter capable of continuously and noninvasively measuring carbon monoxide levels in the blood. EMS professionals can easily detect carbon monoxide poisoning on the spot in just seconds with the push of a button, allowing for prompt and possibly life-saving treatment. In addition, the Masimo Rad-57 can also limit the likelihood of long-term cardiac and neurological damage that can result from non-fatal exposures.

Studies show even a single high level exposure, or prolonged exposure to low levels of CO, has the potential to cause long-term cardiac, neurocognitive and psychiatric damage. The long-term effects of CO-including Parkinson-like syndromes affecting motor skills and speech, dementia, cortical blindness, acute renal failure, muscle cell death, and more -- can often be nearly as devastating for victims and their families as its mortality.

NAEMT is the nation's largest and oldest organization solely representing the professional interests of more than 34,000 paid and volunteer EMS workers from across the United States and 57 foreign countries who provide on-the-scene emergency care to populations around the world.

Masimo debuted Measure-Through Motion and Low Perfusion pulse
oximetry, known as Masimo SET, and eliminated false alarms and increased pulse oximetry's ability to detect life-threatening events. More than 100 independent and objective studies demonstrate that Masimo SET provides trustworthy SpO2 and pulse rate measurements under difficult clinical conditions, including patient motion and low peripheral perfusion. In 2005, Masimo introduced Masimo Rainbow SET, a breakthrough noninvasive blood constituent monitoring platform that can measure many blood constituents that previously required invasive procedures. Rainbow SET continuously and noninvasively measures carboxyhemoglobin (SpCO), methemoglobin (SpMet), and pleth variability index (PVI), in addition to oxyhemoglobin (SpO2), perfusion index (PI) and pulse rate, allowing early detection and treatment of potentially life-threatening conditions. Founded in 1989, Masimo has the mission of "Improving Patient Outcomes and Reducing Cost of Care by Taking Noninvasive Monitoring to New Sites and Applications."

MORE INFO? www.masimo.com

BROOKSTONE EMERGENCY SERVICES WINS FEMA $305 MILLION CONTRACT
Originally Posted: January 29, 2008 4:24 PM
Last Updated: January 29, 2008 4:24 PM

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) issued a $305 million, multi-year contract to Brookstone Emergency Services, of Temecula, CA, to provide national base camp support services.

Brookstone Emergency Services has been a leader in providing highly specialized emergency and disaster preparedness services to meet the needs of local, state and federal agencies. It has participated in numerous incidents in California and across the nation relating to fire, emergency and disaster preparedness, including three major incidents rated as Presidential Disaster Declarations: Fire Siege 2003, Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita.

RURAL/METRO STOCKHOLDER ELECTION MARCH 27, 08; BOARD AND ELECTION CHANGES PLANNED
Originally Posted: January 28, 2008 5:12 PM
Last Updated: January 28, 2008 5:17 PM

(NEEDA NEWSLETTER has published previous stories about Rural/Metro. Try using the search box in the upper right corner of your screen.)

Rural/Metro Corporation and Accipiter have reached an agreement to settle the proposed stockholder meeting election contest March 27, 2008 in Scottsdale, AZ.

The Rural/Metro Board of Directors will be temporarily increased from seven to nine members, and Eugene I. Davis, an Accipiter nominee approved by Rural/Metro, will be appointed as a Class III director and Christopher S. Shackelton, a Rural/Metro nominee approved by Accipiter, will be appointed as a Class II director.

The Rural/Metro Board will accept Mary Anne Carpenter's retirement from the Board, effective at the annual meeting.

Chairman of the Board of Directors will retire and the size of the Board of Directors will be reduced to eight members.

Rural/Metro will implement certain corporate governance reforms, including allowing special meetings of stockholders to be called by stockholders holding an aggregate of 35% or more of the outstanding voting power of the Company's voting stock or, for a defined period of time, three directors and to generally prohibit the Board of Directors from amending the Company's bylaws without stockholder approval.

Cor J. Clement, Sr.: "Rural/Metro's Board is pleased to have reached this agreement with Accipiter, appreciates Coliseum's support through this rocess, and welcomes the new members to the Board. We recognize that all parties share a strong desire to enhance the Company's performance. We are confident that our new directors will be productive members of our Board and, in that spirit, the Board concluded that this settlement was in the best interest of the Company and its stockholders."

Rural/Metro Corporation provides emergency and non-emergency ambulance services and private fire protection services in 23 states and 400 communities in the United States.

Accipiter is a New York-based investment manager of private investment funds and focuses on the healthcare industry, was founded in 2002 and manages $700 million in assets.

MORE INFO? http://www.ruralmetro.com or Liz Merritt
(480) 606-3337 or Jeff Stanlis, Hayden Communications (602) 476-1821

DEADLINE TO BE SPEAKER AT THE AMERICAN AMBULANCE ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONVENTION IN LAS VEGAS IS THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, 2008
Originally Posted: January 27, 2008 7:55 PM
Last Updated: January 27, 2008 7:55 PM

The American Ambulance Association (AAA) is meeting in Washington DC March 3-5, 2008 at the Washington Court Hotel, to lobby the US Congress. The Associations annual convention will be held in Las Vegas.

Call for Las Vegas Presentations to the
American Ambulance Associations
2008 Annual Convention

Submission of Proposals Deadline: January 31, 2008

This year we are asking those individuals who are interested in speaking at our Annual Convention to respond our call for presentations. Our goal is to develop five separate tracks. Our educational meeting is about creating a forum where all professionals concerned about our industry can convene to exchange ideas that will plant the seeds today for a greater tomorrow. A goal is to capture the special importance of a national association, seizing this time to recommit ourselves to creating a choir with a national voice for ambulance service providers, who stand for excellence in transportation services for all Americans. You are invited to submit a proposal to present at the 2008 Annual Convention, in Fall 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada presented by the American Ambulance Association.

Session Topics:
Sessions can be presented by an individual or by a group; concurrent session presentations are 1 hour plus 15 minutes for Q & A, please indicate how much time you would want for a session.

The following are general topics to be addressed during the 2008 Convention:

1. Recruitment, Retention and general Human Resources
2. Management and Leadership
3. Risk Management
4. Marketing
5. Reimbursement

Format of Sessions:

" Keynote Sessions- RFPs will be accepted for these. Please indicate time needed to sufficiently cover topic area.
" Concurrent Sessions- RFPs will be accepted for these 1-hour sessions, with 15 minutes for Q&A.
" Panel Discussions- RFPs will be accepted for these 45-minute panels of three (10 minutes for each speaker + 15 minute Q&A).

Proposal Instructions

Proposals for all sessions must be submitted electronically in the following manner.

Send an e-mail to lhunter@the-aaa.org with a Word Document attachment containing all of the information listed below.

All of the following information must be included in the e-mail proposal in order for it to be considered:

Section One (one or two pages)

" Name, degree(s), title, organization affiliation, address, city, state, zip code, business phone number with area code, fax number and e-mail address.
" AAA membership status
" Title of Proposed Session
" Complete information for all co-presenter(s), as listed above
" Session objectives (2 or 3) (as a result of this session, participants will be able to&)
" Experience Level (basic, intermediate or advanced) of intended audience
" 50-75 word summary for the conference program

Section Two (one page)

At the top, your name and telephone number and the session title
A detailed narrative description of the proposed session, including the following, as appropriate:

" Narrative description of the program, service or concept that is the focus of the session
" Population served
" Recommendations, findings or practice models for replication
" Describe what your audience will be able to take away from your presentation and be able to use immediately in their business or personal life.

Be sure to keep a copy of your proposal for your records. Please send only the materials requested.

The deadline for submissions is January 31, 2008.
You will receive an e-mail confirming receipt of your proposal.

General Information:

It is not necessary to be a member of AAA to submit a session proposal. However, some preference will be given to AAA members.

" Applicants may have more than one submission for any type of session.

" Use of handouts, demonstrations and audience involvement is highly encouraged.

" Reading of papers is absolutely discouraged.

" AV Equipment will be made available for our selected speakers.

MORE INFO?

Lesley Hunter
Manager of Meetings and Education
American Ambulance Association
Phone (toll free): 800-523-4447; Fax: 703-610-9005
E-mail: lhunter@the-aaa.org

www.the-aaa.org

American Ambulance Association
(8201 Greensboro Drive, Suite 300 ·
McLean, VA 22102(
PHONE: 703-610-9018 ·
1-800-523-4447
FAX 703-610-9005

DEVELOPERS INDICTED FOR BRIBES IN CONTRACTS FOR HOUSTON, TX EMERGENCY CENTER, FIRE STATION AND FIRE DEPARTMENT ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE
Originally Posted: January 27, 2008 7:08 PM
Last Updated: January 27, 2008 7:11 PM

A federal grand jury in Texas, Houston Division, has returned an indictment charging two developers with bribing a former official of the city of Houston in the development of the Houston Emergency Center and consolidated fire station, and administrative offices of the Houston Fire Department.

Assistant Attorney General Alice Fisher of the Criminal Division said the grand jury indicted Houston residents Andrew A. Schatte, 54, and Michael D. Surface, 44, for conspiring to bribe and to deprive the citizens of Houston of the services of Monique McGilbra, then-Director of the city's Building Services Department (BSD).

In addition, Schatte and Surface were charged with substantive counts of wire fraud, and Surface was also charged with making false statements to FBI agents investigating their relationship with McGilbra.

The Keystone Group Inc, offered and gave McGilbra a series of things of value directly and through her boyfriend to influence her in her official capacity in connection with her administration of two city contracts involving important fire facilities.

Among the things of value Schatte and Surface provided to McGilbra were cash, meals, drinks, Houston Texans football tickets, use of a condominium in Northern California, travel expenses for a trip to San Antonio, and a $1,000 gift certificate.

Additionally, Keystone hired McGilbra's boyfriend, Garland Hardeman, who was living in California, as a "consultant" to locate deals for Keystone in California for $3,000 per month plus expenses. Hardeman provided monthly payments to McGilbra out of the Keystone payments.

In January 2001, Keystone offered Hardeman $250,000 in "incentive" pay if his girlfriend's department awarded the fire station contracts to an entity owned by Keystone. Though a city council committee originally recommended Keystone to complete the project, it was cancelled
before the contract was officially awarded.

This indictment is part of an on-going investigation into municipal corruption in both Houston and Cleveland, Ohio.

In May 2003, McGilbra pled guilty to conspiring to accept, in order to be influenced in her official capacity, the things of value from Keystone and other items from another Houston contractor, Gary Thacker. She entered a guilty plea in federal court in Cleveland at the same time, in which she also admitted similar unlawful conduct with businessman Nate Gray in connection with his attempts to obtain an energy services subcontract from Houston.

McGilbra was sentenced to concurrent sentences of 36 months in Cleveland and 30 months in Houston.

Hardeman was convicted of unrelated charges in federal court in California and was sentenced to a one-year term.

Both Hardeman and McGilbra have cooperated in the Cleveland and Houston cases. Thacker pled guilty and was sentenced to 10 months in prison. Gray was convicted by a jury and sentenced, on charges including but not limited to his conduct in Houston, to 15 years in prison.

If convicted, Schatte faces imprisonment of up to 45 years and fines of up to $750,000. Surface faces a possible prison sentence of up to 50 years and fines of up to $1 million.

Both defendants were arrested by the FBI in Houston and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Calvin Botle. They were both released on bond pending trial before U.S. District Judge Lynn N. Hughes.

FORMER SPARTAN CHASSIS CONTRACTOR PLEADS GUILTY TO KICKBACK SCHEME, RESIGNS FROM FORCE PROTECTION
Originally Posted: January 27, 2008 6:46 PM
Last Updated: January 27, 2008 6:48 PM

A former independent contractor for Spartan Chassis, Inc. (Charlotte, MI) pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in South Carolina to Soliciting, Accepting or Attempting to Accept a Kickback.

The individual began as an independent contractor for Spartan Chassis based on his background in the fire truck, ambulance and chassis business. Subsequently, and without Spartan Chassis's knowledge, the individual secured employment at Force Protection, Inc. When officials at Spartan Chassis learned of his employment at Force Protection, Spartan Chassis requested that he disclose to Force Protection his relationship with Spartan Chassis, which was followed by his resignation at Force Protection.

Spartan Chassis said it cooperated fully with the government's investigation and clarified it is not party to the information or plea.

Spartan Chassis continues to be a subcontractor in good standing with Force Protection.

Spartan Chassis, Inc., a subsidiary of Spartan Motors, Inc., is a developer and manufacturer of custom chassis for recreational vehicles, fire trucks and specialty vehicles. Spartan Motors, manufactures emergency rescue vehicles under the brand names of Crimson Fire, Crimson Fire Aerials and Road Rescue, reported sales of $445 million in 2006.

HOW A NEEDA DEALER CAN ASK FOR VENTURE CAPITAL TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS
Originally Posted: January 27, 2008 6:30 PM
Last Updated: January 27, 2008 6:35 PM

Venture capital can be the ticket to meteoric success for a small business, but securing it involves winning over hardened investors with your enthusiasm and business expertise. Geoff Sankey, director of The Capital Fund, speaks to NEEDA members about some of the dos and don'ts of pitching for investment.

For emergency equipment dealers who lay awake at night dreaming about reaching the big leagues, venture capital investment could be one way to achieve your goals. However, parting venture capitalists from their precious cash is not an easy feat to achieve.

The thing to have in mind right from the start is that by accepting a venture capital investment, you are committing yourself to selling the company at some point in the future. You're not going to the bank and asking them to lend you money, you're going to sell a piece of your company and your investors will want to sell their shares at some point in order to get their money back. This means you need to have a very good idea of how much the business is worth.

The Capital Fund receives around 40 applications to finance new businesses every month. Of those, only a quarter make it to the pitching stage and only 2.5 percent of those seen ever receive investment.

Preparation is the name of the game, both in the information you'll need to have ready and your knowledge of the people you're going to be pitching to.

Geoff Sankey is the director of The Capital Fund, a £50 million London-based venture specializing in high growth potential.

"If you've been invited in to make a pitch, you should spend as much time as you can talking to someone at the organization, finding out how it wants you to present," he advises.

"Whatever they ask for, try your best to do it because it does make a negative impression if you don't and a very positive one if you do."

Investors want you to explain several key points in the first minutes of your pitch. They're not interested in how you're going to revolutionize the emergency response world or your other marketing concepts. What is your product or service? Who and where are the potential customers? Who else is out there that can satisfy this demand and how are you going to compete with them?

Geoff Sankey: "It's like going to see the doctor. You could do a tap dance but he's just going to say: Sit down and tell me what's wrong'!

What you need to convey as early as possible, in simple terms, is what your business is all about and why people pay you to buy emergency fire and rescue vehicles and equipment."

Make sure you've constructed a comprehensive business plan. This is vital to a new business for a number of reasons: You'll be asked very specific questions and will be expected to provide equally specific answers. But, having worked up your business plan (which, of course, you will have learned back to front), you should be able to answer virtually anything. A common mistake is to neglect the sales strategy which should really be central to the plan.

Sankey: "We see a lot of people who really understand technology, really understand their products and they might even understand the industry very well. It's rare to find someone who really understands how to sell.
"We expect a quarter of the businesses we invest in to fail, and many do because they can't sell the product."

An important thing to remember is that evasiveness is your enemy. If you're asked how many units you've sold to date when your only customer so far has been your mother, answer honestly. If the answer is, 'no we've sold none yet', that's what they want to hear, rather than some vagary.

Venture capitalists investing in emergency equipment dealers are not going to be surprised when they encounter a dealer in his or her very early stages. Don't be afraid to admit you don't have this information or you haven't achieved a certain target yet.Sankey: "People don't want to say anything they feel is detrimental to their case. But their attitude is the detrimental thing.

A dealer who comes across outstandingly with a reasonable idea is far more likely to gain support than someone with an amazing idea who comes across as difficult. One-man-bands are rarely successful. It's too rare to find a single person with all the managerial attributes necessary to run a fast growing company - for instance, with a sales strategy and people and finance management.

Your dealerships senior team, if you have one, should attend the initial meeting with your target lender. The completeness and perceived competence of the management team will have a massive bearing on your chances of success. Everyone should know what they're going to say and who is going to field which questions.

The last thing you want to do is start bickering amongst yourselves which, happens quite often.

TENNESSEE'S FRED THOMPSON WITHDRAWS; IS FORMER US SENATOR
Originally Posted: January 24, 2008 4:18 PM
Last Updated: January 24, 2008 4:18 PM

Fred Thompson has withdrawn from the Republican Presidential nomination race.

Thompson left the race through a brief statement e-mailed from his campaign office:

Today I have withdrawn my candidacy for president of the United States, Thompson said in the message. I hope that my country and my party have benefited from our having made this effort. Jeri and I will always be grateful for the encouragement and friendship of so many wonderful people.

Politico: He was not driven to do this, said adviser Rich Galen, Thompsons frequent travel companion, echoing something the candidate made abundantly clear in both his rhetoric and his decidedly unambitious campaign schedule. Either it was going to work on his terms, or it wasnt going to work on his terms.

A former Tennessee US Senator didn't like the primary election process.

His unhappiness filtered down through aides and advisers.

After the South Carolina loss, staffers began making other plans, knowing the campaign didnt have the money to survive.

Politico: One outside adviser to the campaign was shocked to see the staff line up a schedule for a normal campaign day, then watch Thompson and his wife, Jeri, start removing events.

A Republican who was very involved in the campaign and who greatly respects Thompson said it was hamstrung from the beginning by inadequate infrastructure and staffers who lacked national campaign experience. And all this was compounded by a laconic candidate.

Mary Matalin, an adviser to Thompson's campaign, said the party still needs someone who can unify it around "21st century conservatism" a quest that goes on. "Fred's candidacy was bigger than him."

What is known is that Thompson was one of just four senators who got behind McCain in the Arizona senators 2000 bid.

And Thompson offered only the mildest criticism of his old friend in this campaign, even when it was clear McCain was the man to beat in South Carolina.

But an adviser pointed out that Thompson had just based much of his campaign on immigration, taxes and judges three issues on which McCain has been crosswise with the GOP base.

Veteran GOP strategists in the Sunshine State all pointed to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney as being a likely beneficiary but they also said that Thompson backers there would not move en masse to any one candidate.

With Thompson out of the race and with [former Arkansas Gov. Mike] Huckabee focused on other Southern states, Romney is being viewed as the only viable conservative in a three-way race between Romney, McCain and [former New York Mayor Rudy] Giuliani, said Brett Doster, who ran President Bushs reelection in the state in 2004. He added that Giuliani and McCain are likely to split the moderate vote in the Republican-only primary.

David Johnson, a former executive director of the Florida GOP, also noted that the constituency to watch would be Thompsons gun-owning backers.

Where they go will be very important, as they are active and vote in primaries, Johnson said.

CALIFORNIA HOMELAND SECURITY DIRECTOR MATT BETTENHAUSEN SAYS THE NEW NATIONAL RESPONSE PLAN WILL WORK FOR CALIFORNIA
Originally Posted: January 24, 2008 4:08 PM
Last Updated: January 24, 2008 4:08 PM

Calling it a "change in culture," the Department of Homeland Security has unveiled its new National Response Framework as predicted September 26, 2007 by NEEDA (www.needa.org/Public Newsletter.cfm?ID=1637). The draft NEEDA published in 2007 is very similar to the draft published this week by the Department of Homeland Security.

The master plan outlines how DHS and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will work with state and local officials in the event of a major emergency.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff"This not a Federal Response Framework, this is a National Response Framework, designed to operate at all levels of emergency management and to deal with the smallest localized disaster, scalable all the way up to a major national catastrophe."

Chertoff told a briefing at the National Press Club that the NRF: "lays out a clear understanding of the roles and responsibilities and relationships that are essential for an effective emergency response."

The new NRF also makes it evident that the director of FEMA is the primary advisor to the President on emergency response, instead of the DHS secretary, as outlined in the previous plan.

Chertoff notes that the new NRF gets rids of an unsuccessful bit of bureaucratic fluff from the earlier plan, which many say hindered the response to Katrina.

"We've abandoned the old 'Incident of National Significance' principle, which was kind of an on-off switch for federal response. We realize . . . that we need not wait until some formal, legalistic threshhold is crossed before we put into effect the lessons we have learned and that we are training and exercising for every day."

Chertoff says the NRF is the result of extensive outreach to local, state and tribal governments, the private sector, and regular citizens. He also says that DHS received and reviewed nearly 5,700 comments on the first draft of the framework.

He adds that he and his department took all the feedback and used it to refine the document with the help of stakeholders, such as first responders.

One man who had the most to gain from the new National Response Framework is FEMA Director David Paulison.

He was asked if any of those 5,700 responses resonated personally with him in his capacity as the former fire chief in Miami-Dade, Florida.

"Those comments had a great impact with me. Coming from the first-responder world, where all first-response is at the local level . . . [the comments] were very thoughtful, and very much right on target with what we needed to make this document fit the people who had to respond to these disasters," he said in an exclusive interview following the news briefing.

Matt Bettenhausen, Director of the California Office of Homeland Security and Chairman of the Homeland Security Advisory Council with the National Governor's Association, also endorses the framework, specifically because he saw it work successfully in his state during last fall's wildfires.

FEDERAL DISASTER PLAN: NEW VERSION PUBLISHED
Originally Posted: January 24, 2008 3:57 PM
Last Updated: January 24, 2008 3:58 PM

by Kenton Pattie
Executive Director
National Emergency Equipment Dealers Association (NEEDA)

On September 26, 2007 (9:36PM) NEEDA published a draft (www.needa.org/Public Newsletter.cfm?ID=1637) of the National Response Framework to be issued by FEMA. I commented at the time that it was very unusual for a draft of this magnitude to slip out to the fire industry and the public.

Last Friday, in NEEDA Newsletter I wrote that a new version of the Framework had been released privately because the Homeland Security Department hoped that the states would see it as a friendly improvement over previous versions. A press conference was planned for the formal release on Tuesday.

I stated that the new draft gives a nod toward more clout for FEMA. It is not certain if FEMA will stay in the Department of Homeland Security or become an independent agency, but the joint way the new Framework was published makes one think that FEMA and DHS are going to stay wed . . . at least until we have a new Administration.

The draft NEEDA published in September 26, 2007 by NEEDA has most of the key points in the version published this week.

So you can read the new version yourself and let NEEDA know your views. http://www.fema.gov/pdf/emergency/nrf/nrf-core.pdf

RURAL FIREFIGHTERS OFFERED WILDFIRE TRAINING BY THE US FIRE ADMINISTRATION
Originally Posted: January 24, 2008 6:55 AM
Last Updated: January 24, 2008 6:55 AM

The U.S. Fire Administration (Emmitsburg, MD) in cooperation with the National Wildfire Coordinating Group, is offering help local and rural firefighters training for effectively fighting wildfires that threaten residential areas.

The Skills Crosswalk (PDF, 572 Kb) identifies critical wildland firefighting skills that structural firefighters need to be safe and effective when making an initial attack on a wildland fire in their jurisdiction, or when working with state and federal wildland firefighter agencies.

U.S. Fire Administrator Greg Cade: Our nations firefighters already have the necessary skills for fighting fires in all structures in a community, Structural training does not however always address the critical wildland fire suppression techniques which differ from structural firefighting techniques. The new Skills Crosswalk highlights the differences in order for structural firefighters to be able to address wildland fire suppression challenges.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau 2006 report, in every area of the nation rural development is expanding into wildland areas. Since the 1980s, the rural population has more than doubled, with 140 million people now living in rural areas. As a result, rural and volunteer firefighters increasingly manage fire in the Wildland/Urban Interface.

The new Skills Crosswalk provides a performance-based methodology and a learning resource guide for qualified structural firefighters to develop wildland firefighting knowledge and skills in a focused and time-efficient format. This methodology will assist structural firefighters with wildland skills in working more safely and effectively on initial and extended attack operations and enhance cooperative firefighting efforts with neighboring jurisdictions and federal wildland firefighters.

MEDEVAC FOUNDER GETTING LUNG OPERATION
Originally Posted: January 23, 2008 5:35 AM
Last Updated: January 23, 2008 5:35 AM

Joe Dolphin, who was president and CEO of the San Diego-headquartered Medevac, is in the hospital for a lung operation.

His was the first ambulance company to go national, from 1971 to 1993. He sold the company in 93.

He was appointed by Ronald Reagan to the California Emergency Medical Advisory Committee in 1974. He started the City of San Diego Paramedic Program in 1978. In 1981,

Medevac was named as one of the nation's 100 fastest growing private companies by INC. magazine. Medevac provided service in the following counties and cities: San Diego, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Kansas City, Missouri and Topeka, Kansas.

As the Republican nominee for California State Senate 39th District, in
1996, he received more votes in his district (126,653) than Bob Dole did.

In 1995, Dolphin was President of the Board of Governors of the
California Community Colleges. In 1993, he served as the Foreman of San
Diego County's Grand Jury. Back in 1979, Joe was President of Republican
Associates of San Diego County.

MORE INFO? lisa@blainegroupinc.com

VIRGINIA BEACH COMPANY WINS DEFENSE FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES CONTRACTS WORTH $4 BILLION
Originally Posted: January 21, 2008 12:35 PM
Last Updated: January 21, 2008 12:39 PM

Originally Posted: January 21, 2008 12:35 PM
Last Updated: January 21, 2008 12:35 PM

ADS, Inc. (Virginia Beach, VA) has five regional Department of Defense (DOD) contracts totaling $4 billion to provide equipment and logistical support to federal and local agencies responding to fires and other emergencies at military installations, federal agencies and at the state and local level.

ADS will be ramping up operations immediately and hiring new employees to fulfill these contracts, as they further expand their capabilities into the first responder sector.

CEO and President Luke Hillier " This new contract enables us to translate our proven record of success in the logistics support solutions arena into making certain that our local and federal first responders have the tools and equipment they need to confront a spectrum of emergencies and carryout rescue missions. It is an honor that we look forward to undertaking immediately. This contract will double the size of our company in the next two years and allow us to greatly expand our employee base in the Virginia Beach area."

Specifically, ADS will provide up to $800 million in emergency equipment, training and logistical support to federal, state and local first responders in each of the five geographic regions of the United States (Northeast, Southeast, Great Lakes, Midwest, West) for the next two
years, with the option to extend each contract for an additional three years.

ADS will provide 9,000 fire and rescue equipment items that will be available to each applying locality or agency. Specific items that may be provided include, fire emergency devices such as hoses, extinguishers, poles, ladders, and breathing apparatuses; hazmat suits, decontamination and detection devices, and protective products, such as, gloves, boots, helmets, and additional supplies to meet the needs of search and rescue operations, such as communication equipment, generators, surveillance and alarm systems.

With 160 employees nationwide, ADS anticipates doubling this figure over the life of the contract and continuing to expand their Virginia Beach and San Diego, California facilities.

ADS is fielding the Army's Third Generation Extended Cold Weather Clothing System (GEN III ECWCS) to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

A second-generation, family-owned small business, ADS, Inc., was created in 1979 in Virginia Beach as the government sales division of a local diving supply center and catered to the Norfolk-Virginia Beach military community. Since that time, the company has continued to expand its' product offerings and currently delivers on-time, essential tactical and special operational gear to each branch of the U.S. military, overseeing every aspect of their roducts' supply chain and ensuring the availability of uperior gear to our men and women in uniform.

In 2000, ADS was awarded the Prime Vendor Contract for Marine Lifesaving, Diving, and Search and Rescue through the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia. ADS achieved Worldwide Special Operational Equipment Prime Vendor status in 2005, solidifying their role as one of the DoD's primary equipment suppliers. That same year, the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) named ADS the "DLA Business Alliance Innovative Small Business Performer ofthe Year."

In 2006, ADS won the Army's GEN III ECWCS, marking the first time a clothing system has been awarded in entirety to one vendor.

FEMA FEATURED IN NEW 90-PAGE FEDERAL DISASTER RESPONSE PLAN: AGENCYS FUTURE BRIGHTENS
Originally Posted: January 21, 2008 9:06 AM
Last Updated: January 21, 2008 9:06 AM

By Kenton Pattie, Executive Director
National Emergency Equipment Dealers Association (NEEDA)
KentonP1@aol.com

The 427-page guide to what the Federal, state, and private industry should do in event of a national disaster has been shrunk to 90 pages plus 30 annexes, of which only 23 have been made public so far.

The new 90-page Disaster Response Plan was written in the aftermath of the criticism the Federal government received following hurricane Katrina.

The new Department of Homeland Security, formed in 2003, ran into a blitz of criticism for the way it handled Katrina recovery. One of the major questions has been the future role of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Congress and HHS have been exchanging dozens of acerbic letters in the past two years and the hostility and tension between them has been exceptional, even by Washington standards. I have urged Federal and Congressional representatives to find a way to reduce the tension and focus on the positive things the two can accomplish working together.

I am going to a fire and EMS meeting in Richmond, VA today (January 21, 2008) to see what Virginia fire associations and Virginia Commonwealth representatives think of this new Federal Disaster Plan. The 90-page Plan is expected to be released formally tomorrow on Tuesday, January 22 at 2 PM in Washington DC, but copies of the Plan have been made available in advance to win over state officials who have been skeptical or downright negative on the Federal governments ability to play a positive, supportive role in national disaster relief.

The new 90-page plan seems to give more power to the Federal Emergency Management Agency and seems to restore some of FEMAs power to pre-Katrina days. After Katrina, a lot of blame was aimed at the split in the Department of Homeland Security between the DHS officials and FEMA officials even though they all worked for the same Federal agency.

State leaders may feel more comfortable working with FEMA in the future under the new 90-page plan, although publishing the remainder of the 30 appendixes to the plan, plus numerous meetings will be necessary to re-build the positive Federal-state working arrangements. The new report does not seem to take power away from the head of the Department of Homeland Security but what will be more popular is the fact that FEMAs role will be strengthened.

This is pretty important in the Washington scheme of things because there has been consideration of splitting FEMA off from the Department of Homeland Security. An independent FEMA would look much more like the pre-Katrina days and might help to restore some of FEMAs reputation that has taken a serious dip in recent years.

The big question is: What role will the states reserve for themselves in dealing with national disasters that occur on state property? Handing over power to the Federal government during the Katrina aftermath left a lot a lot to be desired and few state leaders want anything to do with a Federal force which undermines the state efforts and then aims blame at state officials for most failures.

Meanwhile, only $114 million in state and federal aid has been distributed following the October 2007 southern California wildfires.

While 18,605 Californians have registered for disaster assistance 15,000 citizens and businesses have appealed to Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance centers seeking help.

At this point only 8,139 FEMA inspections have been completed in disaster-designated California counties. The deadline for Californians to ask for help was January 9, 2008.

While an analysis of how the FEMA-California-San Diego officials cooperated in 2007 has yet to be published, it is doubtful that San Diego area counties got all the help they needed. The fire chief and one US Senator have been brutally critical of the October 2007 Federal response. I have placed stories about the fire chiefs views and the views of US Senator Dianne Feinstein (D) in NEEDA NEWSLETTER. The Governor of California has re-convened the states Urban Wildfire Interface Task Force to make recommendations on future disaster response in California.

So, stay tuned as the states absorb and comment on the new Federal Disaster Response plan. Hopefully, it wont take another huge disaster to improve the way our nation handles crisis. And hopefully, the extraordinary tension between the Department of Homeland Security and the US Congress will decline in the months ahead as everyone settles to the fact that the problems of the Bush Administration in handling disaster are soon going to be past history. The US moves on to elect a new President and to make a fresh and more friendly start on Federal-state solutions to vital fire and disaster issues.

One of the first things the new US President will face is the appointment of new Department of Homeland Security and FEMA executives.

DOES YOUR DEALERSHIP HAVE A DISASTER RECOVERY PLAN? HERE ARE SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR NEEDA MEMBERS
Originally Posted: January 20, 2008 5:03 PM
Last Updated: January 20, 2008 7:36 PM

Fires, local flooding, and human error threaten computer systems, communications, and the ability of a business of any size to sustain continuous operations.

Gary Chen an analyst at YankeeGroup: Small businesses are expected to invest more in "resilience and backup" in 2008 according to cio-midmarket.com. "Most are on the edge where a couple of bad events could shut down business."

Emergency equipment dealers should create a disaster recovery plan to maintain their operations during a disaster or even through an outage lasting days.

The time and effort involved in creating the plan can be reduced by using readily available disaster recovery templates or working with consultants, but the starting point for every company is a risk analysis. Disaster Recovery Planning Forum says dealers should estimate the potential that the loss of business functions, processes, and records could have on the operation of your company.

Review your vulnerabilities and identify steps required you would need to restore and recover from a fire or other disaster.

Make sure data is backed up regularly and stored in a separate location.

Consider storage solutions including storage area networks, data replication systems, new virtualization systems, network attached storage devices, and managed storage.

Do your telecommunications providers have built diversity and redundancy in their networks?

Dealer employees should be fully informed about their responsibilities in preparing for a disaster. Your dealer disaster recovery plan should detail how business managers will communicate with their employees.

With the overload on cell phone communication that occurred during the September 11th, 2001 disaster in mind, some specialists are recommending options such as contracting with a third party service for backup e-mail domains or using text messaging services.

Managers also need to consider the impact of staff using the more affordable smart phones that can support business functions

Two products recommended by PC Magazine are SOS online backup, which costs $74.50 per year for 1GB; $237 per year for 10GB, and Mozy Remote Backup, which costs only $39.95 a year for 20 GBs.

internetnews.com: Third party services usually charge monthly rates for back up and storage of files and servers. Laura DuBois, an analyst at International Data Corp., believes many of these services are good enough but the service provider should be a true partner to function well in your disaster recovery.

Attila Kozma, president of Earth to Stars of Glendale, CA, the company offering ThetaBackup.com, suggests:

The transferred data need to be encrypted and compressed before transmission.

The online backup and data recovery practices of the online backup company should be verified to determine if they store SMB data securely;

Recovery times must be rapid.

On-site professional help should be available whenever requested at an affordable rate.

Open files should be backed up.

Many versions of files should be saved online, as opposed to only the last saved version.

The online backup client software should verify the sent data for its correctness.

cio-midmarket.com: Microsoft, Intel Corp., and Advanced Micro Devices are building virtualization into their infrastructures and, "It's now relatively easy to implement for an SMB without huge depth of knowledge of virtualization," says Carmi Levy of Info-Tech Research Group Inc. in London, Ontario.

Testing every six months or every year ensure that your recovery plan functions OK.

If you have a disaster recovery plan, would you share it with NEEDA to give other dealers an idea of what works best for you? Send to KentonP1@aol.com.

NY FIREFIGHTERS TAKE OPPOSITION TO GIULIANI TO FLORIDA PRIMARY DEBATE
Originally Posted: January 19, 2008 6:46 AM
Last Updated: January 19, 2008 6:46 AM

The International Association of Fire Fighters is sending a group of retired New York City fire fighters and family members of IAFF fire fighters killed in the September, 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the World Trade Center to Florida to criticize former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani as he campaigns in the state for the Republican Presidential nomination.

IAFF General President Harold A. Schaitberger: "Voters in Florida, where Rudy
has pinned his hopes for his election, need to know Giuliani's record of
poor judgment so they understand why we don't believe he's nearly qualified
to be our next President of the United States."

Jim Riches, a newly retired Deputy Chief of the Fire Department of New
York, will lead the IAFF "Fire Brigade."

Riches: "No one knows better than fire fighters who were at the World Trade
Center that Giuliani failed to prepare first responders before 9/11 and
that he is totally unprepared to become our commander-in-chief."

Riches, who responded on 9/11 and lost his fire fighter son, Jimmy Riches,
at Ground Zero: "We object to Giuliani using 9/11 as his calling card in
this campaign. He was an utter failure that day, and in the days and months
leading up to the attack."

The first event will be in Jacksonville where he meets
with members of Jacksonville Fire Fighters Local 122, retired and active,
to discuss Giuliani's record.

To explain Giuliani's leadership, the IAFF created a 13-minute
video, which can be viewed at http://www.rudy-urbanlegend.com, and on YouTube,

380,000 You Tube views have been made. The
IAFF is funding and assisting the "Fire Brigade" as it crisscrosses
Florida.

Riches said. "He couldn't even protect his own fire fighters, forcing us to use radios that didn't work, placing the emergency command center in a known terrorist target that collapsed on 9/11 and then disrespecting fire fighters and families when he cut short the recovery effort and began scooping and dumping bodies in a trash dump."

Al Santora, a retired Deputy Chief who lost his fire fighter son, Christopher Santora, on 9/11: "His actions at the time and leading up to the attack, and during the day itself, showed a tremendous lack of judgment, and failure of
leadership."

Santora: "Rudy talks a big game about 9/11, but the fact is he was on the street that day, not in a controlled place making command decisions, because he had placed his emergency command center at 7 World Trade Center -- the number one terrorist target in the world, which collapsed on 9/11. That video that everyone has in their heads of Giuliani on the
streets is him running away from the scene because he had nowhere to go
because of his bad decisions."

Riches: "Rudy continues to lie about his role on 9/11, but we're not going to
let him get away with it. The IAFF and our Fire Brigade are
going to be the conscience of 9/11, haunting Giuliani's footsteps in this
campaign. We will not forget his failures, and we want the American people
to remember, as well."

The International Association of Fire Fighters, Washington, DC, represents 287,000 full-time professional fire fighters and paramedics who protect 80 percent of the nation's population.

MORE INFO?www.iaff.org

SPARTAN MOTORS SAYS BUSINESS IS MUCH BETTER THAN COMMON STOCK PRICES REFLECT
Originally Posted: January 19, 2008 6:31 AM
Last Updated: January 19, 2008 6:31 AM

Spartan Motors,Inc. (Charlotte, MI) has repurchased 250,000 shares of Spartan common stock in the open market in December 2007. Spartan says its stock is undervalued. Spartan expects to report a record 2007 fourth quarter and year-end driven by growth in all three of its primary product lines - luxury motorhome chassis, emergency rescue and specialty vehicles.

Spartan Motors, Inc designs, engineers and manufactures custom chassis and vehicles for the recreational vehicle, fire truck, ambulance, emergency-rescue and specialty vehicle markets.

Spartan paid an average price of $7.75 per share to repurchase its own shares. Spartan took made the repurchase at the direction of its board of directors and can buy an addition 750, 000 shares in the next six months if it still believes the stock market has unvalued the company.

John Sztykiel, president and CEO of Spartan Motors: Emergency-rescue vehicles must still respond to calls for help every 20 seconds, regardless of the economy. . . . with the current backlog and the expectation of additional
subcontract orders in the near future from our MRAP military customers, Spartan specialty vehicle chassis will see very substantial growth in 2008.

The Company's brand names are - Spartan(TM), Crimson Fire(TM), Crimson Fire Aerials(TM), and Road Rescue(TM). The Company employs
1,300 at facilities in Michigan, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and South Dakota. Spartan had sales of $445 million in 2006.

MORE INFO? www.spartanmotors.com

NEEDA MEMBERS INVITED TO '09 WORLD CONGRESS ON DISASTER AND EMERGENCY MEDICINE: VICTORIA, CANADA
Originally Posted: January 18, 2008 11:23 AM
Last Updated: January 18, 2008 11:23 AM

Invitation to Register
16th World Congress on Disaster and Emergency Medicine
May 12-15, 2009
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
http://www.wcdem2009.org
###############################################################################
The World Association of Disaster and Emergency Medicine (WADEM) invites you to register for the 16th World Congress on Disaster and Emergency Medicine (WCDEM).
Potential Topics to date for the 2009 WCDEM congress include but are not limited to:
Pandemics, Epidemics, and Infectious Diseases
Mass Gatherings: Large Scale Sporting Events
Safe Hospitals
Terrorism - Biological and others
Natural Disasters: Water, Wind, Wild Fires, & Earthquakes
Refugees and Disasters
Psychosocial Issues related to Disasters
Paediatrics and Disasters
The role of EMS in Disasters
Civilian Military Collaboration
This 2009 Congress will offer many opportunities for sharing of information, networking, collaboration, and hearing the latest advances in a wide number of issues related to Disaster and Emergency Medicine.
Building on the success of the May 2007 WCDEM Congress in Amsterdam with over 900 delegates attending, Victoria 2009 should prove to be even more interesting and rewarding.

To Register visit: http://www.wcdem2009.org

We hope to see you in Victoria in 2009

For more information not found on our web site contact:

WCDEM 2009 Congress Organizer
Nova Clinical Services Inc.
650 Brookleigh Rd.
Victoria, British Columbia
Canada V8Z 3J9
Telephone: 250-658-6056
Fax: 250-658-6109
Email: info@wcdem2009.org

MORE INFO? www.wcdem2009.org

EPA PROVIDES NEEDA WITH INFO TO VERIFY EMISSIONS FROM AN ENGINE THAT HAS BEEN RETROFITTED TO MEET EPA STANDARDS
Originally Posted: January 16, 2008 2:17 PM
Last Updated: January 16, 2008 2:17 PM

After I wrote a NEEDA Newsletter article on diesel emissions recently, I received some reader questions. The information I received came from the US Environmental Protection Agency. Here below is information EPA provided to NEEDA. Kenton Pattie, Executive Director, National Emergency Equipment Dealers Association (NEEDA)

This page provides information on the process a diesel retrofit manufacturer must go through to have his product's emission performance verified by EPA.

Program Overview for Manufacturers
Verification Process Overview
Testing Protocols
To read files on this page, you might need:
MS Excel reader for spreadsheet files
MS Word reader for document files
Zip archived files

You will need Adobe Reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA's PDF page to learn more.

Please contact us if you require accessibility help for these files.

Program Overview for Manufacturers
Program Overview (DOC) (14 pp, 103K, November 2003)
As retrofit manufacturers, you must complete all steps leading to verification, and you must understand the in-use emissions testing requirements for which you will be responsible. The following are some important points:

Technology Status: You must have a commercially available product that is ready to be installed on equipment, vehicles, or engines. No products still in the research and development stage will be verified.

Fuel Additives: If a retrofit technology consists of products that require fuel additives, the additives must be registered with EPA. Registered additives must be verified by EPA's health effects analysis process. The Agency maintains current Lists of Registered Fuel Additives. These lists contain approximately 6,000 additives.

If a retrofit technology includes an additive that is not currently registered with EPA, the kit manufacturer should consult 40 CFR Part 79 and contact the following EPA representatives to assess the appropriate course of action to register the additive:

Jim Caldwell (caldwell.jim.epa.gov), telephone: 202-343-9303 or
Jose Solar (solar.jose@epa.gov), telephone: 202-343-9027.

Provide Information: Understand the retrofit technology verification process and the information you will be required to provide.

Applications for Verification: Applications for verification are available on this Verification Process web page. The application describes the minimum information required to begin verification.

Statement of Verification: Upon verification of your technology, you will receive a Statement of Verification. Example Verification Statement (PDF) (3 pp, 130K, October 2001)

Verified Retrofit Technology List: Once your technology is verified, EPA will add your technology to the Verified Retrofit Technology List. The list describes the technology, the percentage of expected emission reductions, and engine family compatibility.

In-Use Emissions Testing: Understand and comply with the information in our In-Use Emissions Testing Requirements. This in-use test element is critical to whether the technology will remain on EPAs Verified Technology List.

Verification Process Overview
Verification Process Flow Chart
Verification Application: To begin the verification process, manufacturers must fill out and submit the application packet to CleanDiesel@epa.gov :
Intent to Verify Form
Application Form Guidance (XLS) (39K, October 2006)
Application Form (XLS) (9K, October 2006)
Manufacturer Cover Letter (DOC) (2 pp, 20K, September 2006)
The application form outlines the minimum information required for verifying a technology. EPA requires a clear explanation of:

How the technology works
Intended market application and engine groups
The basis for emission reduction claims
Any potential unique testing needs
Operating criteria
Potential concerns for health or safety
Engine Groups: EPA has grouped together engine families with similar emissions performance characteristics as illustrated in the tables below. A retrofit technology manufacturer may provide test data to show that a product tested on one engine family, within a grouping, may be applied to other similar engine families.

Highway Engine Family Groups (PDF) (2 pp, 76K, May 2006)
Non-road Engine Family Groups (PDF) (4 pp, 184K, May 2006)

Test Plan Preparation

A test plan is developed based on the specific technology and manufacturer's intended market. EPA provides verification protocols which are the basis for testing devices, fuels, additives and SCR systems. Under these protocols, the Federal Test Procedure (FTP) is used to measure emissions. The engine, number of tests, fuels, devices, conditioning and other details are specified.

Testing

Prior to testing, the manufacturer provides a degreened device (25-125 hrs of operation), an aged device (1000 hrs of operation), and the test engine to the test facility. EPA prefers that the devices are aged in the field.

Data Analysis and Interpretation

Once testing is complete, the ETV program generates a report documenting the test program and results. EPA reviews data and determines if the technology has qualified for verification and assigns the level of emissions reduction. It is important to note that this report is posted on the EPA ETV web sites and is available to the public.

In-use Testing Requirement

Once technologies are placed on the verified technology list and 500 units are sold, the manufacturer is responsible for conducting in-use testing on field-aged devices and reporting the results to EPA. Prior to retrieving devices, EPA will work with the manufacturer to select the appropriate sources of devices and establish test sequences.

Testing Protocols

Devices: Final Draft Testing Protocol (PDF) (48 pp, 654K, February 2002) Generic Verification Protocol for Diesel Catalysts, Particulate Filters and Engine Modifications.

Fuels: Final Draft Testing Protocol (PDF) (67 pp, 484K, September 2003) Generic Verification Protocol for Determination of Emissions Reductions Obtained by Use of Alternative or Reformulated Liquid Fuels, Fuel Additives, Fuel Emulsions, and Lubricants for Highway and Nonroad Use Diesel Engines and Light Duty Gasoline Engines.

SCR: Final Draft Testing Protocol (PDF) (42 pp, 212K, September 2003) Generic Verification Protocol for Determination of Emissions Reductions from Selective Catalytic Reduction Control Technologies for Highway, Nonroad, and Stationary Use Diesel Engines.

WATER MAINS USED BY FIRST RESPONDERS: THIS ARTICLE PROVIDES A SIMPLE EXPLANATION . . . BUT MANY COMMUNITIES STILL STRUGGLE TO REPLACE PIPES AND HYDRANTS WHICH FREQUENTLY FAIL
Originally Posted: January 16, 2008 1:33 PM
Last Updated: January 16, 2008 1:33 PM

I have often written in NEEDA Newsletter about the failure of public water mains when fire fighters attempt to get water for fire fighting. Here is an article which explains the blue PVC 20 foot lengths of pipe commonly used in the replacement of failed and outdated pipes. Kenton Pattie, Executive Director of the National Emergency Equipment Dealers Association

Water Mains
Article by Gregory Havel

Plastic piping for water and chemicals became available during the 1960s.
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe in larger sizes for water mains became available in the 1970s and in the last ten years has replaced other materials as the most common in construction of new water mains and systems. PVC pipe does not rust or corrode, and is expected to have a longer service life than metal or concrete pipes.

PVC pipe for water mains usually is supplied in 20-foot lengths, meets the requirements of the American Water Works Association (www.awwa.org) and
Underwriters Laboratories, and is usually blue in color. (PVC pipe for sanitary sewer is usually green.) Long runs of PVC water pipe are usually connected by
push-on joints with rubber gaskets, similar to those used with ductile iron pipe. Since these connections are not mechanically fastened, thrust blocks or fittings must be installed at bends and at the ends of the runs, so that the
water pressure does not push the lengths of pipe apart. This method is similar to that used for ductile iron and pipe of other materials. Visit with www.awwa.org/awwa/sourcebook for product, installation, and engineering data.

Valves, flanges, and fittings for PVC pipe are usually made of ductile iron. To
simplify the connections and to provide for mechanical strength, rubber-gasketed flanges with mechanical joint restraints have been developed. These use flanges, bolts, and gripping wedges tightened by set screws hose heads break off when the proper torque has been applied.

All of the valves and fittings are connected to the PVC pipe with flanges that attach with gripping wedges, set screws, and bolts.

Visit www.awwa.org/awwa/sourcebook for product, installation, and engineering data. When the water main is to be extended, the short piece of pipe with the cap will be removed from the 8-inch valve, and new pipe connected, without having to shut down the water main that is already in use.
Some of the snapped-off blue set- screw heads are visible in the soil by the valve.

Since water mains are usually buried at least five feet deep in Wisconsin for protection from frost, valve boxes must be installed on top of the valves so that they can be operated from the surface of the street.

At the bottom of each valve box is the top of the bell-shaped fitting that covers the top of the valve, shown mostly covered with crushed bedding
stone. The upper section of each valve box is threaded, and can be adjusted up or down to match the finished surface of the street. In the foreground is the new hydrant that is connected to the six-inch gate valve. The band of duct tape below the hydrants break-away flange holds the water mains tracer wire (for locating the plastic pipe after it is buried) in place.

Gregory Havel is a member of the Town of Burlington (WI) Fire Department;
retired deputy chief and training officer; and a 30-year veteran of the fire service. He is a Wisconsin-certified fire instructor II and fire officer II, an adjunct instructor in fire service programs at Gateway Technical College, and safety director for Scherrer Construction Co., Inc. Havel has a bachelor's degree from St. Norbert College and has more than 30 years of experience in facilities management and building construction.

SHOULD FEDERAL GAS TAX RISE 40 CENTS PER GALLON BY 2012? NATIONAL SURFACE TRANSPORTATION POLICY AND REVENUE BOARD SAYS "YES!"
Originally Posted: January 16, 2008 8:49 AM
Last Updated: January 16, 2008 8:49 AM

The National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Board is urging the government to raise federal gasoline taxes by as much as 40 cents per gallon over five years to ease traffic congestion and repair infrastructure. Under the recommendation, the current tax would be increased annually for five years -- by anywhere from 5 cents to 8 cents each year -- and then indexed to inflation afterward. The commission was formed by Congress in 2005.

US IS WEAK IN BASIC RESEARCH, SCIENCE, ENGINEERING AND DEVELOPMENT: 08 REPORT SHOWS CHINA AND EUROPE INCREASING THEIR R AND D WHILE THE US IS FLAT OR DOWN
Originally Posted: January 15, 2008 5:42 PM
Last Updated: January 15, 2008 5:42 PM

By Kenton Pattie
Executive Director
National Emergency Equipment Dealers Association (NEEDA)
KentonP1@aol.com

The Department of Homeland Security is not in the top ten US agencies which support basic research, science, engineering and development of products and solutions despite the official warnings issued since the 9-11-01 terrorist attack tragedy in New York City, Arlington, VA and Pennsylvania.

Only about one percent of Homeland Securitys money goes to applied and basic research and development, according to data on page 4-25 of Volume 1 of the 08 report released today.

I attended a meeting today on this as a member of the US Chamber of Commerces Procurement Committee.

India and China are producing more engineers than the United States and both China and the countries of the European Union have vowed to compete with and beat the US in science and engineering.

While Congress has recommended an infusion of Federal funding to support more scientific research in the US, the prospect for increased Federal funds in 08 is very dim because of the severe Budget cutbacks anticipated coming from the Bush Administration which is struggling to keep up its payment plan for the military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.

House Majority Whip James E. Clayburn (16th District of South Carolina) said the US is plummeting into a recession and therefore Congress must face stimulating the economy in the next two weeks with timely, temporary, and targeted programs such as more research and development.

Dr. Steven Beering, Chairman of the National Science Board, said the National Science Board would be issuing a report on the status of science and engineering on the 15th of January every two years from now on. The 08 version is in two volumes and is full of charts and graphs showing how the US is doing or not doing in research and development.

Dr. Louis Lanzerotti, National Science Board, said Europe and Asia are growing so rapidly in their science investment that the US is no longer the epicenter of science and invention.

He said there has been a downturn in Federal support for academic research since 2001 while the Chinese have rapidly increased their degree awards for new scientists and engineers.

He said 90% of foreign students getting degrees in the United States are staying here after graduating. But later in the meeting, others said the trend is for students to go back home because their Visa had expired. Dr. Kathie Olsen, Deputy Director of the National Science Foundation said around 65% get employed in the US.

Members of the audience criticized the Bush Administration for failing to increase the percent of minority students who get science and engineering degrees and jobs.

Some in the audience are worried that because more and more US manufacturing is being shifted abroad, there will be less and less US based research and development in the industries which have re-located production to Asia and elsewhere.

A representative of the information technology industry told the Board members that her company is disappointed that the Administrations research budget is being flatlined again in 08. We discussed working together on a presentation to Congress on the need to invest more Federal funds and support for research and development as one part of stimulating the US economy in 08.

As the only delegate speaking for the fire and emergency industry, I shared in the disappointment that while other countries fund research in fire and emergency response, there is not enough support in the US. Like so many other industries, if there is going to be any research and development it is going to be done mainly by the our industry without any government funding, encouragement or support. The problem at Homeland Security Department is that they are so huge but so up against the wall working on daily problems that they dont have a thorough long range plan that involves investment in scientific research, development and engineering.

So, it rests with our industry: to play a part in the strengthening and protecting of our country we are going to have to do the work ourselves science, engineering and product development.

RECOVERING FROM DISASTER: JAN 17, 2008 IN SAN DIEGO, CA
Originally Posted: January 15, 2008 7:04 AM
Last Updated: January 15, 2008 7:04 AM

I previously announced that all NEEDA members will be welcome at this event. I hope you can attend. Kenton Pattie, NEEDA Executive Director

LAST CHANCE FOR NEEDA MEMBERS TO REGISTER!
Long Term Recovery in Southern California:
Applying Lessons Learned from Around the Nation

When:
January 17, 2008
8:30 a.m. 2:00 p.m.

Where:
The Westin San Diego
400 West Broadway
San Diego, CA 92101

Cost:
Free for NEEDA MEMBERS

Why Should You Attend?
What is the current status of the wildfire recovery in San Diego?
How will the current recovery program in San Diego affect the regions ability to withstand future wildfires?
How can companies contribute most effectively to long-term recovery efforts?

Discuss these questions and hear presentations from:
Stephen Jordan, Executive Director of BCLC, who will share lessons learned about recovery from BCLCs experiences around the country.
Ruben Barrales, President and CEO of the San Diego Regional Chamber, who will speak about the current wildfire recovery efforts in Southern California, and how you can play a role.

Jeff Finkle, President and CEO of the International Economic Development Council, regarding the timely study of the economic impact of the wildfires.
Daniel Alesch, one of the nations most renowned experts on long-term recovery and Emeritus Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.
This forum is ideal for business leaders in disaster assistance and response, local chambers of commerce, economic recovery experts, and technology, retail, financial services, insurance, housing and real estate, marketing, and travel and tourism sector recovery specialists.

Breakfast and lunch will be served. BCLC will arrange for networking opportunities before and after the forum, and will also invite local, state, and federal disaster response and recovery officials to participate as well.

Hotel arrangements should be made individually. The Westin San Diego can be reached at (619) 239-4500.

Following the forum, Lisa Hamilton, President of the UPS Foundation and Tom Serio, Director of Global Business Continuity Management for Office Depot will host the BCLC Disaster Assistance and Recovery Working Group semi-annual meeting.

New members are welcome. For more information on the benefits of the working group, or to support the BCLC Disaster Assistance and Recovery Program, please contact Rebecca Freyvogel at rfreyvogel@uschamber.com.

FERRARA DEALER, FIRE EQUIPMENT SERVICES, SUMTER, SC, SELLS 12 TRUCKS IN DORCHESTER COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA
Originally Posted: January 14, 2008 8:25 AM
Last Updated: January 14, 2008 8:25 AM

Ferrara Fire Apparatus, Inc.(Holden, LA), builder of custom fire apparatus, recently completed a 12-truck order for Dorchester County, South Carolina. Won in a competitive bid, the Ferrara dealer who sold the trucks was Fire Equipment Services in Sumter, South Carolina. The trucks have already been placed in service in the twelve different fire departments within Dorchester County, located in the southern part of the state, near Charleston, South Carolina.

CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES GENERATED 2,500 STATE FARM CLAIMS OUT OF ANNUAL 50-60,000 CLAIMS
Originally Posted: January 14, 2008 8:01 AM
Last Updated: January 14, 2008 8:02 AM

Many losses insurers say are preventable.

When it comes to homeowners' claims, NEEDA NEWSLETTER readers envision the Southern California wildfires about which NEEDA has written many stories. But, when we asked Bill Sirola from State Farm if the 07 wildfire claims swamped the everyday accident claims, he said: "We have 50,000 to 60,000 homeowners' claims each year in California, The wildfires accounted for only about 2,500 of the total."

THOMAS ESSIG IS NEW PROCUREMENT CHIEF FOR US DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY'S $12 BILLION SPENDING PROGRAM
Originally Posted: January 14, 2008 7:22 AM
Last Updated: January 14, 2008 7:22 AM

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff announced the selection of Thomas Essig to serve as chief procurement officer for the department. In his welcoming remarks, Chertoff noted that Essig's responsibilities will include management, administration and oversight of all the department's acquisition, financial assistance, strategic sourcing and competitive sourcing programs, involving almost $12 billion in expenditures in FY 2008. Prior to holding office at DHS, Essig served in a variety of executive positions in the U.S. Navy, most recently as director of the Program Analysis and Business Transformation Division.

FIRE TRUCK EMISSIONS STANDARDS: EPA WANTS TO TAKE POWER FROM THE STATES, EVEN FROM STATES THAT EXCEED FEDERAL DIESEL EMISSIONS STANDARDS
Originally Posted: January 11, 2008 4:48 PM
Last Updated: January 14, 2008 7:29 AM

by Kenton Pattie
Executive Director
National Emergency Equipment Dealers Association (NEEDA)
KentonP1@aol.com
703 850 8552

While the Presidential primaries are getting headlines these days, there is an issue no candidate has addressed but which is going to be a serious problem for the next Congress and the next President.

May states set their own truck diesel emissions standards or will all states have to obey the Federal rules set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Until now, under the Clean Air Act states have been allowed to set their own emissions standards. But recently, the EPA is prohibiting states from setting their own emissions standards.

California and other states have tougher standards than the EPA dictates and until now the EPA has left California alone to manage enforce their own emissions levels. But when the EPA started saying No the Californias standards, a lawsuit was filed in San Francisco insisting that California has the right to implement its own 2004 law designed to do a better job of lowering carbon dioxide output from trucks than the FDAs rules.

Recognized as the leader among states for its strick emissions standards, Californias Attorney General Edmunc G. Brown Jr. says There is absolutely no justification for the EPA administrators action. Its illegal. Its unconscionable and a gross dereliction of duty.

New York also was offended by the EPAs new rules and is leading a 15 state coalition backing Californias right to set its own truck emissions standards. New York Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo says: The EPAs attempt to stop new York and other states from taking on global warming pollution from trucks and automobiles is shameful. By denying New York the right to set global warming emissions standards for cars and trucks, the Bush administration is intentionally obstructing our efforts to combat climate change.

Other states which agree with New York and California: Massachusetts, Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, new Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.

Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) says the EPA has deviated from standard Administration protocols in making this unprecedented decision.

So, where does this leave emergency equipment dealers who are setting fire truck engines to meet the new standards when no one knows exactly what the new standards will be until after the litigation has gone to the Supreme Court?

Just three years ago, NEEDA reported a series of US Environmnetal Protection Agency grants under the Clean Diesel Campaign being granted to various states and cities to help them meet their own diesel emissions standards.

For example, NEEDA reported a $75,000 grant from EPA to Baltimore to retrofit 37 fire trucks and 26 ambulances under the Baltimore City fire Department.

At that time, EPA awarded $1.6 million in grants to 18 projects nationwide to set the example for what states and communities could to meet emissions standards.

The EPA said its grant funds would result in reductions of 2.95 tons/year of volatile organic compounds, 0.07 tons/year of particle pollution and 27.65 tons/year of carbon monoxide emissions. ((In 2004, Baltimore had been designated non-attainment for EPAs new 8-hour ozone standard and the new fine particle (PM 2.5) air quality standards. Retrofitting Baltimores fire trucks and ambulances would help the city come into attainment under both standards through emission reductions because diesel exhaust emissions contain particle pollution, as well as the ingredients for ground-level ozone or smog.

But, Bush Administration officials are pressing to take over the vehicle emissions standards business by stopping states like California from having higher standards while penalizing states that have weaker standards enforcement.

IAFF ASKS FOR CARBON MONOXIDE SCREENING FOR ALL FIREFIGHTERS
Originally Posted: January 10, 2008 6:14 PM
Last Updated: January 10, 2008 6:16 PM

International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) has recommended that 3,000 local union presidents in the United States and Canada call for routine carbon monoxide (CO) screening using a Pulse CO-Oximeter for all fire fighters potentially exposed to CO.

The IAFF, represents 287,000 full-time, professional fire fighters and emergency medical personnel who protect 85 percent of the nation's population.

Because CO is present in every fire and its symptoms are nonspecific and easy to miss, the dangers of acute and prolonged CO poisoning are more pronounced for fire fighters. The risk of prolonged CO exposure during a fire does not end once the fire is controlled.

The "overhaul" phase of fire control, when fire fighters seek out and extinguish any remaining fires to eliminate rekindles and stabilize both the structure and scene, can be time consuming and expose firefighters to CO levels high enough to cause death or permanent impairment. Repeated or accumulated exposures present a risk to fire fighters.

Even a single high level exposure, or prolonged exposure to low levels of CO, has the potential to cause long-term cardiac, neurocognitive and psychiatric damage. The long-term effects of CO -- including Parkinson-like syndromes affecting motor skills and speech, dementia, cortical blindness, acute renal failure, muscle cell death, and more -- can be devastating for fire fighters and their families.

The IAFF says any fire fighter potentially exposed to CO and presenting with headache, nausea, shortness of breath, or gastrointestinal symptoms should be assessed using a Pulse CO-Oximeter.

IAFF General President Harold A. Schaitberger, speaking on the prevalence, severity and frequency of the detrimental effects of CO: "We believe that many of the cardiac arrests fire fighters are experiencing may well be attributable to CO exposure."

A single high level exposure, or prolonged exposure to low levels of CO, has the potential to cause long-term cardiac, neurocognitive and psychiatric damage. The long-term effects of CO -- including Parkinson-like syndromes affecting motor skills and speech, dementia, cortical lindness, acute renal failure, muscle cell death, and more -- can be devastating for fire fighters and their families.

CONGRESS HELPS SMALL BUSINESSES DEDUCT PURCHASES OF EQUIPMENT, MACHINERY
Originally Posted: January 10, 2008 5:23 PM
Last Updated: January 10, 2008 5:23 PM

The new tax law includes tax relief for small businesses. It increases the maximum amount that many small businesses may choose to deduct for purchases of equipment, machinery and items in the year those items are purchased and used, instead of having to spread those costs over several years.

This is often referred to as "Section 179 expensing," which refers to an Internal Revenue Code section.

Under the new legislation, the maximum amount that may be expensed for 2007 rises to $125,000 from $112,000. The new measure also raises this provision's phase-out threshold to $450,000 from $400,000 under current law.

Both the phase-out level and the expensing level are indexed for inflation through 2010, according to a congressional summary.

HOUSE BACK IN BUSINESS JANUARY 14, 2008; SENATE RECONVENES JANUARY 22, 2008
Originally Posted: January 10, 2008 4:43 PM
Last Updated: January 10, 2008 4:43 PM

The US Senate is schedule to reconvene on January 22, 2008 and the US House is schedule to reconvene on January 14, 2008. At the end of 2007, Congress passed and the President signed the Omnibus Appropriations bill. Eleven of the appropriation bills were wrapped up into the Omnibus (HR 2764).

Omnibus (HR 2764):
Electronic Employment Verification:
Four of the Senate-passed appropriations bills included language that would mandate the use of the governments electronic employment verification system (E-Verify, formally Basic Pilot) by government contractors. All of these were removed.

Tax Certifications:
Four of the Senate-passed appropriations bills included a provision that requires contractors to certify in writing, prior to award, that they have no unpaid Federal tax assessments, have not been notified of any delinquent taxes, have not received notice of a tax lien, and if so, have entered into an installment agreement. Two of these were included in the Omnibus.

Commerce, Science, Justice (Division B): Section 535
Labor, HHS, Education (Division G): Section 523
Legislative Language:
SEC. 535. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made
available by this Act may be used to enter into a contract in
an amount greater than $5,000,000 or to award a grant in excess
of such amount unless the prospective contractor or grantee certifies
in writing to the agency awarding the contract or grant that,
to the best of its knowledge and belief, the contractor or grantee
has filed all Federal tax returns required during the three years
preceding the certification, has not been convicted of a criminal
offense under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and has not,
more than 90 days prior to certification, been notified of any unpaid
Federal tax assessment for which the liability remains unsatisfied,
unless the assessment is the subject of an installment agreement
or offer in compromise that has been approved by the Internal
Revenue Service and is not in default, or the assessment is the
subject of a non-frivolous administrative or judicial proceeding.

Competitive Sourcing Provisions
A number of barriers to the competitive sourcing process remained in the bill. Many of these were included in previous years.
Agriculture (Division A), Section 730
Comm/Sci/Justice (Division B): Sections 214, 527
Energy and Water (Division C): Section 103
Financial Services (Division D): Sections 739, 747
Homeland Security Division E): Sections 515, 549
Interior & Environment (Division F): Section 415
Labor/HHS/Education (Division G): Section 111
Defense Appropriations (HR 3222), which was passed a standalone bill, included provisions as well: Sections 8015, 8021

Defense Authorization (HR 1585):
Congress passed the Defense Authorization bill, but the President vetoed it because of a provision that would allow victims of state-sponsored terrorism to sue foreign governments in U.S. courts (Section 1083). It is still unclear how the House and Senate will proceed to send the President an acceptable Defense Authorization bill (or try to override his veto), but I do not expect the bill to be opened back up and many of the other sections changed. Title 8, as always, includes many of the procurement related sections along with many others scattered throughout (competitive sourcing Sections 322-327).

MAJOR WILDFIRE THREAT LOOMS OVER DRY TEXAS; VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS FACE BIGGEST CHALLENGE
Originally Posted: January 8, 2008 10:14 AM
Last Updated: January 8, 2008 10:14 AM

A heavily-fueled fire season continues to threaten homes in Texas. Dry grass may fuel a catastrophic fire the Texas Forest Service says. Forest Service experts predict the 08 fires will exceed the 2005-07 season. The many Volunteer Fire Departments in the area are gearing up to meet the threat.
Burn prohibitions are in place. A wildfire burned 7,000 acres destroyed the entire North Texas town of Cross Plains. Hill Country wildfires have left ash junipers and other trees for future fire incidents; lack of rain makes them all vulnerable.

Texas burned nearly 700,000 acres in the Panhandle and killed 11 in 06. During the 2005-06 fire season, Texas had 515 consecutive days of fires; 2 million acres were burned, 734 homes were destroyed and 19 people lost their lives.

If experts are right Texas is in more danger than California was before record-breaking October 06 fires. Texas farmers and ranchers have been urged to stop piling up hay bales to prevent extreme fire conditions.
Texas officials say heavy March rains are needed to fend off a prolonged Texas spring-summer fire season in 08.

TYCO OFFERS FIRST QUARTER RESULTS ON FEB 5, 08
Originally Posted: January 7, 2008 6:39 PM
Last Updated: January 8, 2008 9:56 AM

Jan. 7, 2008. Tyco International Ltd. (Pembroke, Bermuda) will report first quarter results for fiscal 2008 before trading begins on Tuesday, February 5, 2008.

Tyco International is a provider of security products and services, fire protection and detection products and services, valves and controls, and other industrial products.

Tyco had 2007 revenue of $18 billion and has 118,000 employees worldwide.

MORE INFO? www.tyco.com

RECOVERY FROM WILDFIRES: SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA . . . NEEDA MEMBERS ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE
Originally Posted: January 5, 2008 3:33 PM
Last Updated: January 5, 2008 3:33 PM

NEEDA members are invited to a January 17, 2008 8:30 a.m. 2:00 p.m.
program on Long Term Recovery in Southern California: Applying Lessons Learned.

The program is free and will take place at the Westin San Diego, 400 West Broadway, San Diego, CA 92101.

Questions to be addressed at this meeting:
What is the current status of the wildfire recovery in San Diego?
How will the current recovery program in San Diego affect the regions ability to withstand future wildfires?
How can companies contribute most effectively to long-term recovery efforts?

Hear presentations from:
Stephen Jordan, Executive Director of BCLC, who will share lessons learned about recovery from BCLCs experiences around the country.
Ruben Barrales, President and CEO of the San Diego Regional Chamber, who will speak about the current wildfire recovery efforts in Southern California, and how you can play a role.
Jeff Finkle, President and CEO of the International Economic Development Council, regarding the timely study of the economic impact of the wildfires.
Daniel Alesch, one of the nations most renowned experts on long-term recovery and Emeritus Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.
This forum is ideal for business leaders in disaster assistance and response, local chambers of commerce, economic recovery experts, and technology, retail, financial services, insurance, housing and real estate, marketing, and travel and tourism sector recovery specialists.

Breakfast and lunch will be served. You will have networking opportunities before and after the forum, and will also invite local, state, and federal disaster response and recovery officials to participate as well.

SEN. DODD WITHDRAWS FROM DEMOCRATIC RACE; RECEIVES PRAISE FROM INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE FIGHTERS
Originally Posted: January 4, 2008 1:42 PM
Last Updated: January 4, 2008 1:46 PM

Harold A.Schaitberger, general president of the International Association of Fire Fighters, issued this statement after Chris Dodd announced he was ending his campaign for the presidency of the United States following the Iowa caucuses:

"The IAFF put our trademark gold and black 'Fire Fighters For' political effort and operation behind Senator Chris Dodd based on principle, against the toughest odds.

"We supported Chris because of what he has done, not what he was promising. He earned our support.

"No one has done more than Chris to ensure that our communities have the resources for emergency response. No one has done more to help working families fulfill their obligations and realize their promise.

"Chris Dodd knows how to work across party lines and has the experience to lead our country back to a leadership role in the world once again.

"Simply put, we have stood with him because we believe that Chris Dodd should be the next President of the United States.

"Now that he is ending that quest, we thank Chris for a hard fought campaign. We have been proud to stand with him through this tough effort.

"We know Chris will continue to fight on behalf of the fire fighters and workers of this country as a U.S. Senator. And we will stand proudly with him in legislative battles to improve our nation in the years to come.

"This union and our members in Iowa campaigned harder than anyone out there over the past four months. Because of that tremendous effort, we had twice as many members attend caucuses this time than we did when we helped John Kerry to his improbable victory in 2004.

"I am extremely proud of the time, sweat, and heartfelt effort the professional fire fighters of Iowa gave for Chris. Once again, they showed their value and tenacity as the strongest campaigners in the game. While we walk away with our heads held very high, knowing we made the right decision to support the right candidate, ultimately, this time, with the extremely high turnout and massive funding dvantages of other candidates, our effort was not enough.

"Every candidate participating in the caucus knows the value and effort our fire fighters bring to the table. At every level of politics, candidates pursue our support and the proven political operation we put into action. That's why the campaigns of all of the Democratic and a number
of Republican candidates sought out the IAFF's ndorsement early on. And that's why the Democratic frontrunners actively sought us out to try to make a deal to support their candidate if Chris wasn't viable in a particular caucus location.

"We didn't make any deals because this process for the IAFF is about supporting the candidate who earned our endorsement - and there was one who stood head and shoulders above the rest - Chris Dodd. It was never about
picking the winner in a horse race. And it isn't about that for us now.

"We made our original endorsement based on our strong principle and after considerable internal discussion. That's why we didn't ask our
members to prepare a Plan B for another candidate if Chris Dodd did not reach his 15 percent threshold at their Iowa caucus. Fire fighters had good reason to support Chris, and we remained with him for as long as he was standing.

"Going forward, we will let the process play out. Sometime after March, we will begin to reevaluate the remaining candidates and once again begin the process of determining which candidate deserves the support of America's rofessional fire fighters and emergency medical workers."

SIEMENS CUSTOMERS GET EXCLUSIVE 911 LINE TO REACH FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES
Originally Posted: January 3, 2008 6:06 PM
Last Updated: January 3, 2008 6:06 PM

If your office were in a building covered by Siemens Building Technologies, Inc. (Buffalo Grove, IL) security and fire alarm Central Monitoring Station (CMS) you are top priority on Philadelphia's 911 Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) system using a Verizon line.

Siemens Central Monitoring Station data administration
manager Tim Kennedy: "Our systems use a dedicated line that exclusively
connects us directly to the 911 dispatch center. Our calls are instantly
identified as coming from us and that assures the highest level of
priority- thus our calls get answered more quickly. When our customer's
building security is being breached or is on fire, minutes can mean
everything when it comes to halting threats, preserving human life, or
reducing the impact of property loss." Siemens offers this at no additional cost.

The Philadelphia Police Department's communication center is the main
PSAP for Philadelphia and handles over 3.3 million police, fire and EMS
calls each year.

To take advantage of Philadelphia's new program and establish the direct-dial DID PBX line, Siemens contracted with national telecommunications provider Verizon.

The dedicated line bypasses local phone system bottlenecks so calls connect directly to PSAP dispatch operators from Siemens.

Over the next several months, Siemens expects to contract for more dedicated lines and introduce the benefits of this direct connectivity to its security and fire customers in other cities and communities nationally.

Siemens Building Technologies employs 7,200 people in 100 locations.
Worldwide, the company has 28,000 employees and operates from 500
locations in 51 countries.

MORE INFO? www.usa.siemens.com/buildingtechnologies

LATEST OFFICIAL STATS ON FIREFIGHTER FATALITIES, TO NOVEMBER 2007
Originally Posted: January 3, 2008 5:16 PM
Last Updated: January 3, 2008 5:16 PM

Number of On-Duty Firefighter Fatalities: 115
Count of Hometown Heroes: 8

Classification:

49 Career 42.6%
3 Wildland Full-Time 2.60%
2 Paid-on-Call 1.73%
59 Volunteer 51.3%
1 Wildland Contract 0.86%
1 Industrial 0.86%

Number of Multiple Firefighter Fatality Incidents: 7
Number of Firefighter Fatalities Associated with Wildland Incidents: 10

Type of Duty:

24 Responding 20.8%
11 Training 9.56%
37 On-Scene Fire 32.1%
8 On-Scene Non-Fire 6.95%
13 After 11.3%
20 Other On-Duty 17.3%
2 Returning 1.73%

Percent of Fatalities Related to Emergency Duty: 64.3%
Number of firefighter fatalities associated with suspicious/arson fires: 2

Type of Incident:

5 Wildland 4.34%
48 Structure Fire 41.7%
7 MVA 6.08%
3 Hazmat 2.60%
6 EMS 5.21%
1 Tech Rescue 0.86%
1 Outside Fire 0.86%
1 False Alarm 0.86%
41 Not Incident Related 35.6%
1 Other 0.86%
1 Unknown 0.86%

Cause of Fatal Injury:

19 Caught/Trapped 16.5%
1 Contact with 0.86%
4 Fall 3.47%
55 Stress/Overexertion 47.8%
4 Collapse 3.47%
3 Struck by 2.60%
26 Vehicle Collision 22.6%
2 Lost 1.73%
1 Other 0.86%

Nature of Fatal Injury:

16 Asphyxiation 13.9%
3 Crushed 2.60%
7 Burns 6.08%
2 CVA 1.73%
33 Trauma 28.6%
1 Electrocution 0.86%
52 Heart Attack 45.2%
1 Other 0.86%

Age of Firefighter When the Fatal Injury Was Sustained:

5 - Under 21
6 - 21 to 25
9 - 26 to 30
26 - 31 to 40
31 - 41 to 50
21 - 51 to 60
16 - 61 and Over

Percent of Firefighter Fatalities Under Age 40 37.4%

Type of Activity:

14 S&R 12.1%
2 IC 1.73%
11 Advance Hose Lines 9.56%
2 Extrication 1.73%
1 Standby 0.86%
3 Ventilation 2.60%
24 Responding 20.8%
3 Support 2.60%
3 Water Supply 2.60%
1 Scene Safety 0.86%
2 Other 1.73%
2 Unknown 1.73%
46 Not On Scene 40%
1 Unknown 0.86%

Time of Fatal Injury:

9 0100-0259
4 0300-0459
3 0500-0659
4 0700-0859
14 0900-1059
13 1100-1259
7 1300-1459
12 1500-1659
8 1700-1859
19 1900-2059
6 2100-2259
11 2300-0059
5 Unknown

Month of the Year:

8 January 6.95%
11 February 9.56%
7 March 6.08%
7 April 6.08%
13 May 11.3%
15 June 13.0%
13 July 11.3%
14 August 12.1%
10 September 8.69%
5 October 4.34%
6 November 5.21%
6 December 5.21%

Firefighter Fatalities by State by Location of Fire Service Organization:

3 Alabama 2.60%
1 Arkansas 0.86%
1 Arizona 0.86%
8 California 6.95%
1 Connecticut 0.86%
1 District of Columbia 0.86%
4 Florida 3.47%
1 Georgia 0.86%
2 Idaho 1.73%
5 Illinois 4.34%
3 Indiana 2.60%
5 Kansas 4.34%
3 Kentucky 2.60%
1 Louisiana 0.86%
4 Massachusetts 3.47%
1 Maryland 0.86%
1 Maine 0.86%
5 Michigan 4.34%
1 Mississippi 0.86%
8 North Carolina 6.95%
1 Nebraska 0.86%
5 New Jersey 4.34%
9 New York 7.82%
5 Ohio 4.34%
1 Oklahoma 0.86%
10 Pennsylvania 8.69%
11 South Carolina 9.56%
3 Tennessee 2.60%
3 Texas 2.60%
1 Utah 0.86%
1 Virginia 0.86%
1 Washington 0.86%
2 Wisconsin 1.73%
3 West Virginia 2.60%

Firefighter Fatalities by State by Location of Fatal Incident:

3 Alabama 2.60%
1 Arkansas 0.86%
1 Arizona 0.86%
9 California 7.82%
1 Connecticut 0.86%
1 District of Columbia 0.86%
4 Florida 3.47%
1 Georgia 0.86%
1 Idaho 0.86%
5 Illinois 4.34%
3 Indiana 2.60%
5 Kansas 4.34%
3 Kentucky 2.60%
1 Louisiana 0.86%
4 Massachusetts 3.47%
2 Maryland 1.73%
1 Maine 0.86%
5 Michigan 4.34%
1 Mississippi 0.86%
8 North Carolina 6.95%
1 Nebraska 0.86%
5 New Jersey 4.34%
8 New York 6.95%
5 Ohio 4.34%
1 Oklahoma 0.86%
10 Pennsylvania 8.69%
11 South Carolina 9.56%
3 Tennessee 2.60%
3 Texas 2.60%
1 Utah 0.86%
1 Virginia 0.86%
1 Washington 0.86%
2 Wisconsin 1.73%
3 West Virginia 2.60%

ALTERNATIVE MINIMUM TAX: NEW LEGISLATION PASSED LATE BY CONGRESS WILL CAUSE SOME DELAYS IN IRS TAX PROCESSING IN 2008
Originally Posted: January 3, 2008 5:07 PM
Last Updated: January 3, 2008 5:07 PM

Linda Stiff, Acting IRS Commissioner: "We've taken extraordinary steps to figure out a way that we can start the filing season on time for most taxpayers, including some using minimum tax (AMT)-related forms. Our goal has always been to make sure we can accurately process tax returns while getting refunds to taxpayers as quickly as possible."

The February, 2008 delay will affect taxpayers using any of these five forms:

Form 8863, Education Credits.
Form 5695, Residential Energy Credits.
Form 1040A's Schedule 2, Child and Dependent Care Expenses for Form 1040A Filers.
Form 8396, Mortgage Interest Credit.
Form 8859, District of Columbia First-Time Homebuyer Credit.
While these five forms require significant additional reprogramming due to the AMT patch, the IRS has been able to reprogram its systems to begin processing seven other AMT-related forms, including Form 6251, Alternative Minimum Tax Individuals. Taxpayers filing these seven forms should not experience delays in filing, and the IRS expects to begin processing those returns starting on Jan. 14, 2008.

Electronic returns involving those five forms will not be accepted until systems are updated in February. Paper filers must wait to file as well. All other e-file and paper returns will be accepted starting in January, 2008. The IRS urges affected taxpayers to file electronically in order to reduce wait times for their refunds.

E-filers with direct deposit gets refunds in as little as 10 days, while paper returns take four to six weeks.

E-file is a great option for everyone, especially if they are affected by the AMT, said Richard Spires, IRS Deputy Commissioner for Operations Support. Filing electronically will get people their refunds faster, and e-file greatly reduces the chances for making an error on the AMT or other tax issues.

IRS urges taxpayers to avoid problems:

Taxpayers filing electronically should update their tax software in order to get the latest AMT updates.

Taxpayers with $54,000 or less in Adjusted Gross Income can use Free File to electronically file their returns for free. Free File will only be available by visiting the official IRS web site at IRS.gov. In all, 90 million taxpayers qualify for free service.

Taxpayers who use tax software to print out paper copies of tax forms should update their software before printing out forms. Taxpayers using paper forms can also visit IRS.gov to get updated copies of AMT forms.

The IRS has created a special section on IRS.gov to provide taxpayers with additional information and copies of updated forms affected by the AMT. IRS has posted updated copies of all forms affected by the late enactment of the AMT changes by Congress.

Printed tax packages went to the printer in November before the AMT changes were enacted. The packages reflect the law in effect at the time of printing. The tax packages include cautionary language to taxpayers that late legislation was pending.