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Newletters From May, 2008
PREPARING US FOR THE WILDFIRE SEASON 2008
Originally Posted: May 30, 2008 3:49 PM
Last Updated: May 30, 2008 3:49 PM
Americans are building homes in the wildland-urban interface – the zone where homes are intermixed with wildland vegetation.
One study estimates that 44 million homes in the lower 48 states are located in areas that meet or intermingle with wildland vegetation¹.
In the 1990s, 1.7 million new homes were built in the wildland-urban interface in California, Oregon, and Washington alone; bringing the total of homes contained in the WUI in these three states to nearly 7 million².
The story is similar in the Rocky Mountain States of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and Colorado. In these four States, during the same decade, the rate at which homes were being built in the WUI accelerated almost 23%³.
How Do Wildfires Begin?
Natural wildland fires are generally caused by lightning, which strikes the earth an average of 100 times each second4 and has caused some of the most notable wildland fires in the U.S.
parks from falling rocks
Volcanic activity such as Mount St. Helens
Unfortunately, human activity is the primary cause of wildland fires.
Every year many families are evacuated and unnecessarily lose their homes and possessions to wildland fire. These losses can be minimized if homeowners take the time to become aware of safety measures to help protect their homes and complete some effective actions.
Construct roofs and exterior structures of dwellings with non-combustible or fire resistant materials such as fire resistant roofing materials, tile, slate, sheet iron, aluminum, brick, or stone.
Treat wood siding, cedar shakes, exterior wood paneling, and other highly combustible materials with fire retardant chemicals.
Clear a perimeter of defensible space around homes.
Clean dead leaves and needles from your roof and gutters.
Cover chimneys and stovepipes with non-flammable mesh.
Stack woodpiles 100 feet from all structures.
Fire Safe Inside:
Install smoke alarms.
Install smoke alarms in bedrooms if you sleep with the door closed.
Keep a charged, ABC-type fire extinguisher in the kitchen and garage; make sure family members know how to properly use it.
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WASHINTON POST SAYS BIG DIFFERENCE AMONG NEIGHBORING JURISDICTIONS IN SERVING PATIENTS WITH CARDIAC ARREST: SOME ARE TWICE AS SUCCESSFUL IN TRANSPORTING A PATIENT WITH HEART BEAT
Originally Posted: May 29, 2008 4:43 PM
Last Updated: May 29, 2008 4:48 PM
Elissa Silverman writes in the Washington Post (May 29, 2008) that there is a dramatic difference between Washington, DC EMS success with cardiac arrest patients vs. success ambulance operators are having in nearby Arlington and Alexandria.
This raises the question, how effective are ambulance crews using the equipment, apparatus, and supplies they get from your company?
Arlington and Alexandria report that twice as many of their cardiac arrest patients make it to the hospital with a pulse vs. the Washington, DC.
This condition generates less than one percent of 911 calls in 61 square mile Washington DC, or 585 patients in 2005.
Washington EMS meets the national standard or reaching the victim within eight minutes of a 911 call 90 percent of the time.
But the chance of success with the patient declines each minute from the time of the arrest.
Not all jurisdictions calculate cardiac arrest survival. But the Washington DC Fire and Emergency Services chief medical officer Michael Williams told the Post
that the Washington rate is "too low."
Morphine and valium, used elsewhere, are not stocked in the Washington DC ambulances, though they were approved for use in 2002. Williams is planning to use a part of $3.7 million to buy these drugs.
Other jurisdictions with advanced life support vehicles carry these drugs according to the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians.
The Post: "Arriving in the emergency room with a pulse is important, but experts said the true rate of cardiac arrest survival is how many people are discharged from the hospital."
Alexandria has raised the number of patients who arrive at the hospital with a pulse.
They use ResQPOD which is disposable and sells for $100 to help increase blood flow and is recommended by national health organizations. Defibrillators also boos rates of survival. It also helps to have citizens trained in CPR on the streets and in the workplace. Federal employees are being trained in CPR.
Washington DC is participating a study by Emory University and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help track patients from the 911 call through hospitalization, the Post reported.
The data will come out in the Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival and thus will be made public.
EMS operations manager in Alexandria Brian Hricik: "Just because we bring a patient to the hospital with a pulse doesn't mean they survive to discharge. We'd love to know how our medicine in the field translates to survival rates in the hospital."
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CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER QUITS AT COMPANY MAKING AMBULANCE TO DOCTOR COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM FOR EMS MARKET
Originally Posted: May 28, 2008 5:37 AM
Last Updated: May 28, 2008 5:37 AM
Telemedicus, Inc. (Houston, TX) chief operating officer Steve Price has resigned.
Thomas Cloud, chief executive officer of Telemedicus: “We will seek his replacement and continue to progress the DREAMS technology to market. . . . the company will begin the process of gaining FDA medical device approvals.”
Telemedicus is commercializing life saving mobile medical communications technology using software and communications capabilities, such as audio, video and patient data communication between an ambulance service, med-flight helicopter, or a remote location and the physician in a hospital trauma center.
Telemedicus’ DREAMS™ (Disaster Relief and Emergency Medical Services), turns a 9-1-1 ambulance, med-flight helicopter, clinic or medical transportation vehicle into a mobile trauma center or physician office. Through the DREAMS™ Intelligent Communications Manager (ICM), the doctor is able to utilize bi-directional audio/video and patient biometric data to provide immediate treatment or diagnosis through the medical technician in real-time.
MORE INFO? www.telemedicus.com
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BRITISH FOX SHOWS HOW VIDEO SURVEILLANCE BEFORE AND AFTER A CRITICAL INCIDENT CAN LEAD TO CATCHING THE BAD GUY
Originally Posted: May 27, 2008 12:17 PM
Last Updated: May 27, 2008 12:17 PM
Sir Chris Fox: Cameras have emerged in the UK as welcome additions to security.
Leading to apprehension of a deranged bomber in UK detectives discovered fragments of an exploded sports bag (presumably carried by the bomber), and then spent hours and hours poring over video tapes of the crime scene and surrounding neighborhoods until they found tape of a man carrying such a sports bag before the bombing, but not carrying the same sports bag in other video footage shot after the bombing. Those images of the suspected bomber, widely disseminated by the UK media, led to the mass murderer’s rapid arrest.
During the infamous London Underground attacks of July 7, 05, images of the four alleged Muslim suicide bombers were captured by cameras mounted in London and throughout the metropolitan area. Those images, plus weeks of dogged detective work, led to the arrests of dozens of alleged co-conspirators.
In England, where he spent his career in police work, Sir Chris recalled that his fellow citizens had been terrorized for decades by deadly bomb attacks perpetrated by Irish Republican Army operatives. Exploded buildings, murdered children, shattered glass and bleeding victims were constantly displayed on the front pages of the nation’s tabloids. No wonder, Sir Chris remembered, that the public’s appetite for tighter security far exceeded its devotion to personal privacy.
"We got requests from neighborhoods to put cameras in," he recalled from his police work in those days, "but we never got a call to take them out."
By contrast, in the U.S. -- which apart from the attacks of 9/11 has been largely spared from terrorist-related violence -- the protection of personal privacy remains a cherished value among wide swaths of the public.
Sir Chris argues that video surveillance can be a vital tool in the U.S. "You have to accept a certain degree of intrusion for your own safety," he maintains.
Advice from Sir Chris:
• The actual monitoring of video images from community cameras should be handled by civilian employees of the municipality, not the police department, to avoid any public perception that the police have become "Big Brothers" intent on spying on the citizenry.
• Cameras can help create a "virtuous circle" in a community, by breaking the downward spiral in which fear of crime leads people to avoid certain areas of town, which in turn reduces public surveillance of activities in that neighborhood, which encourages increased crime, which can lead to a breakdown in all efforts to fight crime. Surveillance cameras can have the opposite effect.
• As video surveillance -- or community safety cameras – become more prevalent across the U.S., it will be important for nationwide standards and interchangeable rules to be established about the use of such captured video, so acceptable evidence can be introduced in any and all courts.
• If a municipality installs cameras, it must commit itself to hire enough employees to be able to respond quickly to signs of trouble brewing. "People will realize that cameras are just cosmetic if the police do not respond," says Sir Chris.
• The future of community safety cameras lies in the intelligent use of video analytics, such as facial recognition (to match "live" video to criminal mug shots), behavior identification (such as a loiterer in a parking lot suspiciously eyeing several different parked vehicles), and automated license plate recognition.
MORE INFO? Jacob Goodwin, GSN Editor-in-ChiefPublished May 19th, 2008 who heard Fox speak in Berkley, CA
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RURAL LOUISIANA EMS ALLIANCE GETS SATELLITE-BASED SERVICE IN TRAILERS LOCATED IN RURAL AREAS
Originally Posted: May 24, 2008 11:12 AM
Last Updated: May 24, 2008 11:13 AM
Squire Tech Solutions, Dallas TX, a satellite-based communications service provider of voice, video and data solutions, is providing avoice and data systems for four Louisiana Rural Ambulance Alliance EMS.
The Louisiana Rural Ambulance Alliance (LRAA), a coalition of EMS providers from rural parishes, works together to train, support, and strengthen individual EMS organizations. One resource is the fleet of mobile command trailers that can be deployed anywhere in the state with fully integrated communications.
Rusty Puckett, VP of Operations for Squire Tech Solutions: "The LRAA provides a critical service to the rural EMS personnel in Louisiana. "By adding state-of-the art satellite communications to their existing suite of command trailers, the alliance can offer a premium service to their constituents when they respond to an event.”
Donna Newchurch, CEO of the LRAA: “Our decision to use Squire Tech Solutions to add satellite communications to our fleet of trailers is already paying dividends to our alliance members. Soon after the first trailer was completed, we deployed it to Jena, Louisiana in response to the large crowds gathering for the 'Jena Six' hearings. Most people, including other response organizations, were having trouble using cell phones because of the large volume of users in one concentrated area. Our phones and high-speed Internet worked seamlessly in an environment that we know was causing other people all kinds of communication problems.”
LRAA will store command trailers in strategically placed locations throughout the state. In the event of a major disaster or incident, the closest trailer(s) can be deployed to provide a mobile work site for alliance members. Each trailer will receive two voice lines, high-speed Internet, and industrial strength wireless capabilities.
Squire Tech Solutions, is a satellite-based technology services company specializing in voice, video, Internet, and data in remote areas.
MORE INFO? www.louisianaambulancealliance.org or call 972.231.0308
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AMERICAN LaFRANCE GETS OK FOR CREDITOR'S PLAN TO BRING COMPANY OUT OF BANKRUPTCY WITH $40 MILLION IN NEW CREDIT
Originally Posted: May 24, 2008 11:03 AM
Last Updated: May 24, 2008 11:03 AM
American LaFrance says Judge Brendan L. Shannon entered
the Order confirming the company's Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization
allowing the American LaFrance to emerge from bankruptcy.
NEEDA Newsletter has published previous reports on American LaFrance which can be ready using the search application in the upper right of your NEEDA Newsletter screen.
The Company has been in bankruptcy for 17 weeks and is emerging with 90% of its creditors supporting its Plan.
Lynn Tilton, CEO of Patriarch Partners: "This is just another
milestone in the long history of this epic 175-year-old manufacturing
company. With many of its legacy difficulties now in its past, this great
American legacy is prepared to move forward continuing its build of some of
the best known truck brands in the industry. By having obtained an
extension of $40 million of new credit in connection with its exit from
bankruptcy, ALF is in a strong financial position to well service its
customers."
American LaFrance is one of the oldest fire, rescue, and EMS vehicle manufacturers in the United States, dating back to its founding in 1832. The Company operates eight manufacturing/servicing facilities and two company-owned vehicle dealerships.
MORE INFO? William K. Snyder, Chief Restructuring Officer, 843-486-7502
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INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS SEEKS AWARD NOMINEES BY JUNE 2, 2008
Originally Posted: May 22, 2008 4:51 PM
Last Updated: May 22, 2008 4:57 PM
At Fire-Rescue International (August14-16, 2008 Denver CO), the IAFC will honor members of the fire and emergency services who are making a significant contribution to our industry. IAFC is seeking nominees. Deadline is Monday, June 2, 2008. The award categories are:
Fire Service Award for Excellence
International Benjamin Franklin Fire Service Award for Valor
Excellence in Fire and Life Safety Award
Safety, Health and Survival Section Awards
Information and links to award criteria and guidelines follows. Questions? awards@iafc.org
The International Benjamin Franklin Fire Service Award for Valor, cosponsored by Motorola, is presented to deserving firefighters for expert training, professional service and dedication to duty displayed in saving a human life. ?Award coordinator: Jacqueline Garnier, 703-537-4807, awards@iafc.org
The IAFC Fire Service Award for Excellence, cosponsored by U.S. Safety Fire Technologies, recognizes innovations and success in managing resources to reduce the loss of life and property from fire and other emergencies.?Award coordinator: Jacqueline Garnier, 703-537-4807, awards@iafc.org
The Safety, Health and Survival Section Awards?Award coordinator: Vicki Lee, 571-221-2813, vlee@iafc.org
Alan Brunacini Fire Service Executive Safety Award: Cosponsored by Provident Insurance, this award honors the chief executive officer of a fire department (of any size or composition) who has demonstrated a unique commitment to fire service health and safety.
Garry Briese IAFC Safety Performance Award: This award is presented to an IAFC/SHS member in recognition of personal commitment and achievement in the area of health and safety.
Billy Goldfeder Fire Service Organizational Safety Award: Recently renamed to honor the work of Deputy Fire Chief Billy Goldfeder, this award is presented to fire-service organizations that have demonstrated an outstanding commitment or significant contribution in the area of fire service health and safety. Goldfeder, a firefighter since 1973, serves as deputy fire chief of the Loveland-Symmes (Ohio) Fire Department and is chair of the Safety, Health and Survival Section.
Safety Officer of the Year: Cosponsored by the Fire Department Safety Officers Association, this award recognizes a safety officer in a fire department (of any size or composition) who has made a significant contribution in the area of health and safety to his or her organization or the fire service as a whole.
The Excellence in Fire and Life Safety Award, sponsored by the International Code Council, honors those who have dedicated themselves to saving lives and property through the development of codes, fire-prevention practices and leadership techniques and who have served as examples to all fire-prevention and fire-protection professionals. Award coordinator: Joelle Fishkin, 703-537-
July 11, 2008 Nomination Deadline: In addition to the awards above, the deadline for one other award to be presented at FRI is also approaching soon:
The National Fire Fighter Near-Miss Reporting System Safety Leadership Award recognizes firefighters and fire departments that use the Near-Miss Reporting System as a part of their program to prevent line-of-duty deaths and injuries in their departments. Nominations must be received by July 11, 2008. ?Award coordinator: Amy Hultman, 703-537-4848 or ahultman@iafc.org
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FIRE APPARATUS AND EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT ASKS
Originally Posted: May 22, 2008 4:28 PM
Last Updated: May 22, 2008 4:31 PM
C. Peter Jorgensen, Editor and Publisher of Fire Appratus and Emergency Equipment, says (May 2008) ". . . all this "recession think" about the emergency services industry is a lot of bandwagon-driven talk influenced by two things:
"(1) The already tiresome 2008 presidential election "news" reported and commented about 24 hours a day . . .
"(2) The magnification of well-known, long standing problems surrounding the inability of American LaFrance to make a profit in the last 12 years and the decision by Federal Signal to divest itself of E-One just when things are on the upturn.
". . . As to American LaFrance, at this point the company is making progress pulling itself out of the Chapter 11 bankruptcy filed in January. Unsecured creditors will get 22.5 percent of what they are owed, according to the US Bankruptcy Court.
"An E-ONE inside source tells us not only will the company soon have a new owner -- probably by mid-year but the first quarter 2008 results will show a healthy sales increase over the same period last year, as well as over the last quarter of 2007 . . .
"The two other public companies in the fire truck business -- Oshkosh Corporation's Pierce Manufacturing and Spartan Motors Inc's Crimson Fire, Road Rescue admbulances and Spartan Chassis divisions -- are predictable in the first case and known in the second.
". . . Pierce has been the fire industry's top performer in both sales and proitability for at least the last 10 years, and with all its new products, that's unlikely to change when the numbers are released a week from this writing.
". . . Spartan Motors, Inc. traded on NASDAQ, reported April 24 (2008) that the first three months of 2008 were the best quarter in company history with an 84.4 percent increase in sales over the same period in 2007 and more than double the profit magins . . . Spartan fire truck chassis were down 2.3 percent (essentially flat) sales at Crimson and road Rescue were up 13.3 percent over the previous year."
FOR NEWS ABOUT THE COMPANIES MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE USE THE SEARCH APPLICATION IN THE UPPER RIGHT OF THIS NEEDA NEWSLETTER PAGE. NEEDA HAS WRITTEN NUMEROUS STORIES ABOUT THE COMPANIES MENTIONED ABOVE.
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NASA AWARDS $1.5 CONTRACT FOR FIRE AND SECURITY AT 14 NASA SITES: NINE SUBCONTRACTORS INVOLVED
Originally Posted: May 22, 2008 5:43 AM
Last Updated: May 22, 2008 5:43 AM
NASA has awarded a huge five year $1.5 billion fire service contract to Coastal International Security, Inc. Lorton, VA to work at 14 NASA locations.
In addition to fire services the company will also provide security services,
emergency management, export control, protective services information
assurance/technology security, and protective services training.
The contract contains an option to increase the maximum value by 20 percent.
Subcontractors for the contract are Intergraph - IT of Madison, AL., Arctic Slope Airfield & Range Services of Greenbelt, MD., RONCO Consulting of Washington, Trident Group of Baltimore, Ameriguard Security Services, Inc. of Fresno, CA., Sallyport Support Services of New Orleans, La., Excalibur Associates, Inc. of Alexandria, VA., SAGE Systems Technology of Manassas, VA., and American Eagle Security, Inc., Austin, TX
MORE INFO? www.nasa.gov
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AMERICAN FLAME’S GAS VALVES RECALLED DUE TO FIRE HAZARD
Originally Posted: May 22, 2008 5:32 AM
Last Updated: May 22, 2008 5:32 AM
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports a voluntary recall of 12,000 Fireplace Gas Valves manufactured by American Flame Inc., of Fort Wayne, IN. The units were made in Taiwan.
Hazard: Gas can continue to flow into the fireplace pilot light area
after the switch has been turned "off," posing a fire or explosion hazard
to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: American Flame has received two reports of
incidents involving valve failure and continuous gas flow. No injuries or
fires have been reported.
The recall involves American Flame AF-4000 series fireplace gas valves installed in residential fireplaces made by twelve manufacturers under the following brand names: Pacific Energy, Travis Industries, CFM Corporation, Canadian Heating Products, Portland Willamette, Rasmussen, Chimeneas de Columbia, Twin Eagles, FDM, Inca Metals (Savannah Heating), Even Temp, and Valley Comfort.
The valves were installed in some but not all fireplaces. Date codes included in the recall include 0622 through 0718. The gas valve model number is located on a label on the bottom of each gas valve. The date code is located above the label.
The units were sold nationwide September 2006 through July 2007 for $500- $2,000 plus installation.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1973 and charged with protecting the American public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction.
MORE INFO? www.cpsc.gov/talk.html
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FIRES IN EVERGLADES INCLUDE ONE STARTED BY A US NAVY JET ON A PRACTICE BOMBING RUN
Originally Posted: May 19, 2008 6:03 AM
Last Updated: May 19, 2008 6:03 AM
Almost 33,000 acres of the Everglades National Park were burning Sunday, fire officials said, the latest in a series of wildfires that have scorched parts of Florida in May.
The smoke cast a haze over parts of South Florida, including Miami, prompting a dense smoke advisory from the National Weather Service.
Southern Area InterAgency Management Blue Team: The fire, which threatened private property as well as an endangered bird, started Friday May 16, 2008.
By Sunday, May 18 it was 20 percent contained, and fire crews were working to restrict it to the park while protecting the Cape Sable seaside sparrow, a federally protected species whose only habitat is in the Everglades.
Windy conditions Sunday, May 18 morning pushed the fire into the corner of the park closest to Miami, fire officials said.
About 200 personnel battled the blaze in southern Florida Saturday May 17 , but more crews joined them Sunday.
It is the latest wildfire to scorch Florida. More than 12,000 acres burned in the "Brevard Complex" fire near Palm Bay, on Florida's Atlantic Coast just south of Daytona Beach. That series of fires is about 75 percent contained and is expected to be fully contained on Tuesday, the National Interagency Fire Center said Sunday.
The Brevard County fires have destroyed about 22 homes and structures, and damaged another 160 homes. Damage totals more than $9 million, officials said.
A 19,000-acre fire near Clewiston, Florida, on the south end of Lake Okeechobee, is about 50 percent contained, the fire center said Sunday.
And a 1,300-acre fire north of Apalachicola in the Florida Panhandle was 80 percent contained by Sunday, it said.
Last week, U.S. Navy officials said a Navy jet sparked a 257-acre forest fire in the Ocala National Forest in the north-central part of the state. The jet had missed a target on a practice bombing run.
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WASHINGTON, DC EMS SERVICE FACES BUDGET CUT DESPITE HAVING JOB OF HAVING TO PROVIDE RESCUE TO MANY FAMOUS LEADERS
Originally Posted: May 15, 2008 6:03 PM
Last Updated: May 15, 2008 6:03 PM
Emergency Medical Services are being cut in Washington DC for fiscal year 2009. DC fire chief Dennis Rubin says he faces $3 million in cuts even though the budget is 4.4 percent higher than last year.
The importance of the Washington DC EMS became a national news story when a New York Times reporter was mistakenly taken for a drunk after he was mugged on the street in 2006. The ambulance responding to the mugging got lost in getting to the scene and the reporter died in Howard University Hospital.
The EMS department was planning to give smoke detectors to the needy in 2009, but with the budget cuts will have to seek grants to support the free smoke dectector goal.
The Washington DC fire and EMS services are united under the Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services with a $179 million budget. The Department’s performance is under exceptional public scrutiny because of the presence of the U S Congress, White House, Federal agencies and embassies from most countries in the world. A single failure attracts national and even worldwide attention.
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PENNSYLVANIA’S FIRE EXPO OPENS THIS WEEK
Originally Posted: May 15, 2008 5:37 AM
Last Updated: May 15, 2008 5:37 AM
Fire Expo 2008 opens this week at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg PA (2301 N. Cameron Street, off Interstate 81. Admission is $7. There will be 418 exhibitors and attendance is projected to be 20,000. For information call 717 464 3291.
This big annual event is hosted by the Lancaster County Firemen’s Association, Inc. Many dealers and manufacturers will exhibit at this show which attracts decision makers and buyers from fire and EMS departments from throughout the East Coast.
The show opens at 10 AM Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 16-18, 2008.
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$190 MILLION IN FEDERAL SAFER GRANTS TO FIRE DEPARTMENTS; APPLICATION DEADLINE IS JUNE 27, 2008
Originally Posted: May 15, 2008 5:21 AM
Last Updated: May 15, 2008 5:21 AM
The Department of Homeland Security will soon open the application period for Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Services (SAFER) Grants.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) posted May 12, 2008 the Program Guidance document for the FY2008 SAFER Grants at the website for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program - www.firegrantsupport.com.
Under the DHS Appropriations Act of 2008, Congress appropriated $190 million for SAFER Grants. The SAFER Grants are administered by the DHS's Federal Emergency Management Agency
Beginning May 27, 2008, at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time, DHS will begin accepting applications for SAFER Grants.
The deadline for receipt of the SAFER Grant applications will be 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on June 27, 2008.
The applications will be automated and will be accessible from DHS's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
MORE INFO? www.firegrantsupport.com
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CALIFORNIA TEST OF COMBINATION WOOD TREATMENT TO CREATE PROTECTION IN WILDFIRE THREATENED SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Originally Posted: May 14, 2008 4:54 PM
Last Updated: May 14, 2008 4:54 PM
MSE Enviro-Tech Corp. in conjunction with Megola Inc. say their Hartindo AF21 Fire Inhibitor and Woodsmart Solution's BluWood® product combination will be used in a new home being constructed to replace a house lost in the record-setting fires of October, 2007 in southern California.
This will be the first use of the Hartindo AF21 and BluWood® combination in a California structure. Earlier this month, the Company's Hartindo AF21 Fire Inhibitor combined with WoodSmart's BluWood® product was applied in the high profile "Florida's Showcase Green Envirohome(TM)."
Sufficient quantities of Hartindo AF21 Fire Inhibitor and BluWood® are scheduled to be shipped to California to treat all of the lumber and other wood building components being readied for construction of the replacement home for the one destroyed by fire last year.
The combination of Hartindo AF21 Fire Inhibitor and BluWood® brings the ultimate in wood protection, preservation, and fire safety to building components constructed of wood. WoodSmart's BluWood® treated lumber and other wood components protect against mold and mildew, wood rot, termites and other wood-ingesting insects, thereby guarding against the nightmares that befall many home owners due to these destructive elements. The addition of Hartindo AF21 Fire Inhibitor to the BluWood® lumber treatment process adds the additional, much coveted element of fire safety to all wood components.
Extensive testing has been carried out of the two products the companies say.
Michael S. Robinson, President & CEO MSE Enviro-Tech Corp: "The managements of MSE Enviro-Tech Corp. and Megola Inc., as well as our partner in this endeavor, WoodSmart Solutions, Inc., are very enthusiastic about the potential for this unique wood treatment combination, particularly in light of the strong reception received to date in the high profile test markets of Florida and California."
MORE INFO? www.mseenviro-tech.com or www.bluwood.com
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US HOSPITALS NOT READY FOR MASS CASUALTY EVENT IN BIG CITIES
Originally Posted: May 14, 2008 4:22 PM
Last Updated: May 14, 2008 4:24 PM
Hospital trauma centers in seven major cities do not have the capacity to handle even a modest terrorist attack, according to findings by a US House of Representatives committee investigation.
NEEDA Executive Director, Kenton Pattie: "There are not enough ambulances and emergency medical technicians to meet the victim transportation requirements and medical needs of a major emergency in most cities. The problem has been highlighted by earthquakes, 9-11-01, Katrina and projections of a possible major earthquake in the central area of the US eminating from the New Madrid fault. For example, response times by ambulances and fire apparatus during the October 07 California wildfires took 16 or more minutes, far exceeding the national performace standard."
Lawmakers looked into hospitals’ ability to deal with a sudden influx of victims in the five cities considered at highest risk for terrorist attack and in the two cities hosting this summer’s political conventions.
The 34 hospitals surveyed in New York City, Washington, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Denver and Minneapolis had no space in their emergency rooms to treat a sudden surge of victims, had few available beds in their intensive care units and too few regular beds to handle even those with less serious injuries.
Hospitals in Washington and Los Angeles were particularly overburdened, said Henry Waxman, D-Calif., chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Waxman: “truly alarming.”
The survey was taken March 25, 2008 at 4:30 p.m. local time in each city. The date was chosen at random; the time was chosen because it was neither the busiest nor slowest time of day in emergency rooms.
Waxman: “If a terrorist attack had occurred on March 25 when we did our survey, the consequences would have been catastrophic. The emergency care systems were stretched to the breaking point and had no capacity to respond to a surge of victims.”
Rep. Christopher Shays, R-CT.: There’s no easy way to prepare for mass casualties. We cannot afford to build and maintain idle trau ma facilities, waiting for the tragic day we pray never comes.
Some cities have contingency plans for crises that involve reopening closed hospitals and using large public spaces to set up makeshift hospitals.
Irwin Redlener, director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University, said those efforts would help—but not much because most emergency rooms are already over capacity.
Redlener: “For a really serious catastrophic acute event – a nuclear detonation or widespread chemical attack where you have thousands of victims simultaneously – there is no urban area that is prepared for large-scale disasters."
Waxman and emergency care experts said new government regulations reducing federal Medicaid reimbursements to hospitals will further strain the nation’s overcrowded emergency rooms.
Roger Lewis, an emergency room doctor at the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles County: A decrease in federal funds “will severely cripple our ability to meet the nation’s needs for emergency care, whether delivered under everyday conditions or in the extraordinary setting of a mass casualty event.”
Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt and Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff testified today in the House on national preparedness.
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STUDY SAYS PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT GOALS CAN BE GOOD, BUT TOO MUCH GATHERING OF DATA THAT IS NOT USED DOES NOT LEAD TO BETTER PERFORMANCE . . . MAY LEAD TO EMPLOYEE CONFUSION OR FRAUD
Originally Posted: May 14, 2008 3:26 PM
Last Updated: May 14, 2008 3:26 PM
Actuate Corporation (San Mateo, CA), a research organization, says that organizations that use strategic performance management significantly outperform those that do not.
A lot of emergency equipment dealers have performance goals and measure their success and opportunities by achieving goals. Fire equipment manufacturers like to see strategic planning and goals oriented selling by dealers and some promote specific models for dealers to use. But the report mentioned in this NEEDA Newsletter story says some larger firms put too much emphasis on and spend too much time with performance management.
The findings, from over 1,000 respondents from the US, UK, Canada and Australia, confirm that merely having a set of performance objectives and performance measures in place does not lead to better performance.
Too much “performance management” leads to a decrease in performance with perverse and dysfunctional behaviors such as sub-optimisation, target fixation and fraud the report says.
The study Strategic Performance Management in Government and Public Sector Organizations concluded in early 2008 cites 10 principles for effective performance management for organizations that want to ensure closer alignment between everyday operations and top-level strategy.
Key points in the research results:
While organizations have made huge progress with performance management, the implementations are often too mechanical and numbers focused which prevents improvements in performance.
A skill gap in performance management comes when massive amounts of data on performance are collected, but little of it is used.
The lack of a clear strategy leaves employees confused and unable to make effective decisions.
68% of organizations have fabricated performance data: performance management can’t be trusted to provide valid input into the decision making.
Author Bernard Marr: “The way performance management is handled may be misused to keep external forces off their backs.”
Roy Weisert, Strategic Operations Officer, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dam Neck, U.S. Navy: “It's important to remain focused on strategic goals. Metrics, effective measurement are key to this process, ensuring goals and success factors are at the forefront of systematically improving performance.”
MORE INFO? www.actuate.com/PublicSector-ResearchPaper
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MSA ELECTS NEW PRESIDENT AND CEO: WILLIAM LAMBERT; COMPANY KNOWN FOR SELF-CONTAINED BREATHING APPARATUS, TERMAL IMAGING AND OTHER SAFETY PRODUCTS
Originally Posted: May 14, 2008 2:47 PM
Last Updated: May 14, 2008 2:48 PM
The Board of Directors of MSA (Pittsburg, MA), elected William M. Lambert, 50 to the position of President and Chief Executive Officer of the company, and John T. Ryan III as non-executive Chairman.
Lambert's election is part of a planned management succession the company announced in March, 2007. Ryan, will retire from MSA as an active full-time employee June, 2008.
Lambert is the eighth CEO of the 94-year-old Pittsburgh-based company and most recently served MSA as President and Chief Operating Officer.
Ryan: "I congratulate Bill Lambert his election. He is a highly skilled leader, has contributed much to MSA in his 27 years with us and is very well qualified to lead the company going forward."
As President and CEO, Lambert will continue to oversee the
implementation of many strategic initiatives across MSA's global portfolio
to drive the future performance of the company.
Lambert: "Our strategic focus worldwide is on enhancing MSA's productivity, processes and reputation for product leadership, all of which are central in our effort to achieve new levels of customer loyalty."
Lambert joined MSA in 1981 as a Design Engineer where he developed
and received a patent on the Quick-Fill(R) breathing apparatus accessory,
an important MSA product to this day. Over his 27-year career with the
company, he has served in a variety of capacities, including Product Line
Manager for air-line respirators, Nuclear Industry Specialist, Project
Engineer for self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) development,
Director of Marketing for safety products and Vice President/General
Manager of the company's former Safety Products Division, before becoming
President, North America.
Lambert received a master's degree in Industrial Administration
from Carnegie Mellon University in 1990 and a bachelor's degree in
Mechanical Engineering from Penn State University in 1980.
A registered professional engineer in Pennsylvania, Mr. Lambert is a
Director of the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, the American Red Cross of
Southwestern Pennsylvania, and the International Safety Equipment
Association of Arlington, Va. He also serves as secretary for the National
Fire Protection Association's technical correlating committee on Fire and
Emergency Services Protective Clothing and Equipment.
Mr. Ryan's grandfather, John T. Ryan, co-founded MSA in 1914 with
George H. Deike. His father, John T. Ryan Jr., transformed the company into
a truly world-wide concern as President and then Chairman of MSA from 1952
to 1990.
Under Mr. Ryan's guidance, MSA has grown to a company with record sales
of $990 million last year and more than 40 international locations. In
2007, he was recognized for his outstanding and life-long commitment to
business ethics, as Mr. Ryan was named recipient of the first ever
Excellence in Leadership Award presented by the University of Pittsburgh's
David Berg Center for Ethics and Leadership. As a follow-up to that honor,
the entire company received the Pittsburgh Business Ethics Award in 2008
from the Pittsburgh chapter of the Society of Financial Service
Professionals and the University of Pittsburgh.
MSA products are used by workers around the world in the fire service, homeland security, construction and other industries, as well as the military.
Principal products include self-contained breathing apparatus, gas masks, gas detection instruments, head protection, respirators and thermal imaging cameras. The company also provides consumer and contractor safety products through retail channels. These products are marketed and sold under the MSA Safety Works brand.
MSA has annual sales of $1 billion, manufacturing operations throughout the United States and Europe, and more than 40 international locations.
MORE INFO? www.msanet.com
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RURAL METRO HAS AMBULANCE AND FIRE PROTECTION BUSINESS GROWTH OF 12.9 PERCENT IN THIRD QUARTER
Originally Posted: May 12, 2008 12:41 PM
Last Updated: May 12, 2008 12:41 PM
Rural/Metro Corporation (Scottsdale, AZ), an ambulance and private
fire protection says net revenue for the third quarter increased 12.9% to
$125.8 million, compared to $111.4 million for the same period in the prior
year. Ambulance services revenue was $107.1 million, or an increase of
12.7%, compared to $95.0 million for the same period of the prior year.
FOR OTHER STORIES ABOUT RURAL METRO USE THE SEARCH APPLICATION IN THE UPPER RIGHT OF YOUR NEEDA NEWSLETTER SCREEN.
Jack Brucker, President and Chief Executive Officer: "Third-quarter results are supported by steady growth in revenue in both our ambulance and fire protection businesses, as well as lower overall operating expenses as a percent of net revenue. We were pleased to achieve a solid 10.7% margin on EBITDA from continuing operations."
The Company made a $5 million unscheduled principal payment to further reduce the outstanding balance on its senior Term Loan B to $78.0 million. A total of $57million in unscheduled principal payments have been made on the loan since its inception in March 2005 to reduce the principal balance from the original issue of $135 million.
The Company reported that its operations building for sale in
Scottsdale, Arizona, remains on the market. The Company continues to
aggressively market the property.
Other services revenue, which includes fire services, was $18.7 million, or
an increase of 13.9%, compared to $16.4 million for the same period of the
prior year. Consolidated net revenue growth for the period was primarily
driven by increases in same-service-area ambulance revenue, new revenue
from 911 and non-emergency ambulance contracts, ambulance subsidies, fire
subscription rates and master fire contract fees.
Consolidated net revenue growth for the period was primarily driven by
increases in same-service-area ambulance revenue, new revenue from 911 and non-emergency ambulance contracts, ambulance subsidies, fire subscription rates and master fire contract fees.
MORE INFO? www.ruralmetro.com
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FEDERAL SIGNAL'S SALE OF E-ONE STILL ON TRACK
Originally Posted: May 8, 2008 5:45 AM
Last Updated: May 8, 2008 5:45 AM
As previously reported in NEEDA NEWSLETTER, the Board of Federal Signal Corporation has approved a plan to sell E-ONE, a manufacturer of fire rescue and other fire apparatus.
In February, 2008 NEEDA reported Federal Signal was exploring strategic sale of E-ONE and was in discussions with prospective buyers.
Peter Guile, president of E-ONE: “The Board’s approval of a plan to sell E-ONE is an important step for the Company and reinforces our commitment to make the transfer to new ownership expeditiously. E-ONE is making solid progress in its turnaround plan; the business is cash positive and we expect to see ongoing improvement as the year progresses. We have been making changes to better meet the needs of our customers in terms of products and services, and the results are showing both in strong order bookings and market share gains.”
In the first quarter of 2008, E-ONE orders increased 19% year-over-year; US municipal and government orders were up 19% and exports were up 22%. The increase domestically is partly attributed to a strengthening dealer network and expanded coverage in previously underserved market areas. Internationally, E-ONE experienced strong demand for its airport response vehicles and Bronto aerial apparatus.
Guile “Our goal is to leverage our advanced engineering capabilities to bring
industry-leading products and solutions to customers. At the FDIC show in April, E-ONE introduced several innovative new safety features, cutting-edge communications technology, and a new top-mount enclosed pumper design providing greater storage space with a shorter wheelbase. Product innovation and customer support are the foundation of our future and will remain as top priorities throughout E-ONE’s transition to another parent company.”
With the decision to sell E-ONE, Federal Signal has adjusted its financial reporting to remove E-ONE from its portfolio of continuing operations. Federal Signal has begun presenting E-ONE within discontinued operations as required by the accounting standards for assets held for sale.
As a leading manufacturer of fire rescue vehicles, E-ONE engineers and builds a complete line of apparatus including 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.
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AMBULANCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY MOVES INTO ARIZONA MARKET AS REVENUE INCREASES 5.9%
Originally Posted: May 8, 2008 5:26 AM
Last Updated: May 8, 2008 5:26 AM
Emergency Medical Services Corporation’s (Greenwood Village, CO) William A. Sanger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer says American Medical Response, Inc. (AMR), the Company’s healthcare transportation services division, has expanded into Arizona.
For the quarter ended March 31, 2008, AMR generated net revenue of $326.3 million, an increase of 5.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Fuel costs were $2.3 million higher than the same quarter last year. Insurance expense was $0.8 million higher than the same quarter last year and included a $1.9 million favorable prior period adjustment.
The first quarter of 2007 included a favorable prior period insurance adjustment of $3.2 million.
Emergency Medical Services Corporation (EMSC) operates two business segments: American Medical Response, Inc. (AMR), the Company’s healthcare transportation services segment, and EmCare Holdings Inc. (EmCare), the Company’s emergency department and hospital-based management services segment. AMR provides ambulance services in the United States.
MORE INFO? www.emsc.net
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SUMMIT AND JUST IN CASE FIRE SIGN DEALER AGREEMENT
Originally Posted: May 8, 2008 5:03 AM
Last Updated: May 8, 2008 5:04 AM
Summit Environmental Corporation (Oak Creek, WI) has signed a 10 year license and distributorship agreement with Just-In Case Fire, Ltd. of Calgary, Alberta, Canada to sell FlameOut in Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Kuwait, Tunisia, Nigeria, Thailand, Sweden and other jurisdictions as may be added by the parties.
Just-In Case Fire’s FlameOut device, called a Caddy, is used in situations where a large amount of fire suppressant is required. The Caddy was developed for use in the lumber industry in Canada.
The fire suppressant "FlameOut" was developed by Dr. Mohsen Amiran
and can be applied in large fires and under the trade name "FirePower" in
aerosol form for small fires. Dr. Amiran is executive vice president of
Summit.
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WHAT JARGON DO THE BRITS USE AROUND THE OFFICE?
Originally Posted: May 8, 2008 4:43 AM
Last Updated: May 8, 2008 4:43 AM
Here is some work site language the British use when facing office problems!
1. Calling a colleague a '404' (as in the web error message 404: Not Found) for being completely useless.
2. Saying you will "knife and fork" a task - in other words, manage it bit by bit.
3. Claiming at an interview that you are "ready to plug and play" - that you are ready to start the job immediately without any support or training.
4. Offering to "bookmark" someone you meet at a conference, rather than taking note of their contact details.
5. Inviting colleagues or staff to a "thought showering" session - the supposedly PC term for brainstorming.
6. Referring to your PC as the "square headed spouse."
7. Declaring that there is an "elephant in the room" or a "100lb gorilla". What you actually need to do is admit that there is a big problem that everyone is ignoring.
8. Describing yourself as being "behind the curve" to demonstrate your grip on modern technology and life.
9. Talking about "swallowing the frog" when tackling a particularly horrible task.
10. Talk about spending the afternoon "in the field," when everyone knows you are playing hooky.
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FEDERAL SIGNAL ANNOUNCES PROGRESS IN SALE OF E-ONE, BUT QUARTERLY NET INCOME DOWN VS. 07
Originally Posted: May 3, 2008 4:27 AM
Last Updated: May 3, 2008 4:27 AM
Federal Signal
Corporation (Oak Brook, IL) had net income $4.3 million for the first quarter of 2008 on revenue of $228 million, down from $7.3 million on revenue of $213 million in 2007.
The company reports higher litigation expense, $1.1 million in increased reserves associated with a disputed contract and $0.8 million in severance and other expenses associated with a cost reduction program initiated during the quarter.
Jim Goodwin, interim president and chief executive officer: "I
am pleased with our progress this quarter in advancing a number of
significant initiatives, including completing our exit from the non-core
tool business, our planned divestiture of E-ONE and success in key
litigation. These changes will both narrow our strategic focus and improve
our financial health. I am especially pleased with winning the firefighter
hearing loss trial in Chicago. After a four and a half week trial, the jury
returned a unanimous verdict in the Company's favor in less than two hours.
This verdict is a win for our shareholders and affirms the Company's
position that sirens are important public safety devices."
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AMERICAN LAFRANCE CREDITORS APPROVE PLAN TO DIG OUT OF BANKRUPTCY COURT
Originally Posted: May 1, 2008 10:40 AM
Last Updated: May 1, 2008 10:40 AM
American LaFrance, (Summerville, SC), a manufacturer of fire truck and vocational vehicles, says creditors voted overwhelmingly in favor of the Company's Plan of Reorganization. American LaFrance plan for digging out of bankruptcy court will be the subject of a May 22, 2008 hearing.
Unsecured creditors, Convenience class, and Secured Lenders all voted for the
Company's rapid emergence from bankruptcy.
William Snyder, Chief Restructuring Officer of American LaFrance, LLC: "Based on broad and deep creditor support, we are optimistic that the
Court will approve the plan. The Official Committee of Unsecured
Creditors for the Plan played a primary role in rallying support for the
Plan among creditors across all classes.
American LaFrance, LLC, through its predecessor entities, is one of the
oldest fire, rescue, and EMS vehicle manufacturers in the United States,
dating back to its founding in 1832.
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GOOD IDEA: TRAINING POLICE TO BE FIREFIGHTERS? ASK WOODBURY, MN
Originally Posted: May 1, 2008 10:01 AM
Last Updated: May 1, 2008 10:01 AM
Training police to respond to fires saves money for Woodbury, MN. But the jury is still out on he idea of a combined fire and police force.
Response times in Woodbury have improved, and the program has saved the equivalent of 4.5 full-time jobs.
So far, 10 of Woodbury’s 63 police officers have been trained as firefighters. The extra training is worth $1.25 more per hour, in addition to base hourly wages ranging from $22 to $31.
Police squad cars have been replaced with specially equipped SUVs with firefighting gear and clothing.
Officials in other cities are cautious in commenting on the Woodbury experiment.
Woodbury first doubled-up police duties in the 1990s, when the city began training some police officers as paramedics.
When paramedic cops answer calls today, they don’t have to wait for an ambulance to take action.
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