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Soaring to New Heights

Highlights from Fire-Rescue International in Denver

In August, fire chiefs and officers from around the country—and across the world—met for the International Association of Fire Chief’s Fire-Rescue International (FRI) conference. Held in Denver, the event marked the 135th featured many valuable educational sessions and opportunities to recognize fire service leaders. Following are a few notable news events and announcements from the conference.

Recognizing Excellence
Several fire service organizations and associations marked the event with award presentations recognizing individuals who have gone above and beyond their profession.

Chief Ronald L. Mastin of the Fairfax County (Va.) Fire and Rescue Department was named the winner of the 2008 National Fire Fighter Near-Miss Reporting System Safety Leadership Award.

Firefighters Keith A. Grant and David E. Johnston, of the City of Watertown (N.Y.) Fire Rescue Department, were selected as the winners of the International Benjamin Franklin Fire Service Award for Valor, co-sponsored by the IAFC and Motorola. The award was presented at the general session, honoring these two firefighters’ dramatic and daring rescue of two citizens during an apartment fire.

FireRescue Editor-in-Chief Tim Sendelbach presented the FireRescue Company Officer of the Year award to Capt. Daniel Corder of Loudoun County (Va.) Fire and Rescue Department.

New Faces
The IAFC introduced new leaders in Denver, as outgoing President Chief Steve Westermann wrapped up his year at the helm at the Presidential Celebration Saturday night. Westermann introduced the incoming president, Chief Larry Grorud, CFO, MIFireE, fire chief of the Janesville (Wisconsin) Fire Department.

Chief Grorud has been very active with the IAFC since joining in 1987. He has served on the IAFC board as the Great Lakes division director and he chaired the IAFC Constitution, By-laws and Resolutions Committee. As an IAFC board member, Grorud has served on 11 committees and task forces.

Also on Saturday, Jeff Johnson, fire chief and chief executive officer of Tualatin Valley (Ore.) Fire & Rescue—and a member of the FireRescue editorial board—was installed as first vice president and will succeed Grorud in 2009 as president of the IAFC. Jack Parow, fire chief of the Chelmsford (Mass.) Fire Department won a spring election to become the IAFC’s second vice president.

FireRescue Editor-in-chief Tim Sendelbach presents the 2008 FireRescue Magazine Company Officer of the Year Award to Captain Daniel Corder of the Loudoun County (Va.) Fire & Rescue Department. At left is Chief Larry Grorud, 2008–2009 president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs; at right is Chief Steve Westermann, IAFC president for 2007–2008. The award was presented on August 14 during the Education Keynote Session at IAFC’s 2008 Fire-Rescue International conference in Denver. Photo courtesy Oscar Einzig

Chiefs Gordon Routley and Shane Ray provided an update on a study of structural stability of engineered lumber in fire conditions. Sponsored by Underwriters Laboratories and Tyco, the study began with a series of nine tests conducted in UL’s test furnace to compare failure times for lightweight vs. standard assemblies. The findings have serious implications for firefighters, including the possibility of collapse much faster than with standard construction. Watch for the initial report from UL in the next several weeks.

Chief Routley also announced that NIOSH has approved funding for a 2–3-year project that will involve anthropomorphic scanning and measurement of firefighters to determine whether current PPE and equipment specifications are suitable for the average firefighter. The study will look at factors such as seatbelts, PPE, handrail spacing, etc.

The IAFC’s Homeland Security Summit Team released a draft version of its new guidebook, “Terrorism Response: A checklist and guide for fire chiefs.” Available in October, this resource walks fire chiefs through a process to assess their department’s capabilities and prepare their department to better respond to an attack. The information is presented in a clear, easy-to-use checklist format. IAFC members can download the document at www.iafc.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=21#homeland

Vision 20/20, a DHS-funded project to develop a national strategy for fire prevention, was highlighted during a special session at FRI. The project, which is led by 170 fire and other organizations, identifies five strategies to reduce fire loss. FireRescue technical editor Jim Crawford is a key leader in this project. Watch his column for regular updates.

Professor Denise Smith and Gavin Horn from the University of Illinois Fire Institute announced the results of a DHS-funded study to measure factors contributing to firefighter injury and death on the fireground. The study concentrated on the role heat stress plays in increasing sudden cardiac events as well as fatigue linked to increased slips, trips and falls. Slides from the presentation and results of the field study are available at www.fsi.uiuc.edu.

TargetSafety and the IAFC’s Volunteer and Combination Officers Section (VCOS) announced a $1.5-million online training grant for U.S. volunteer and combination fire departments. The grant will provide these departments with 6 months of free access to TargetSafety’s PreventionLink platform, covering NFPA-approved fire curriculum and EMS continuing education as well as OSHA, human resources and general safety courses. Volunteer and combination fire departments interested in applying for the grant can go to www.targetsafety.com/grant.

VCOS and the IAFC’s EMS Section announced the release of the Orange Ribbon Report. Building on the Red, White and Blue Reports issued in previous years by VCOS, the report provides best practices for volunteer or combination departments looking to incorporate or expand EMS services into their organization. It addresses the areas on communications, deployment, logistics, funding, and more. The report will be provided first to VCOS and EMS members as a benefit of their membership; following that initial distribution, it will be made available to the entire fire service. Read more at www.iafc.org/displayindustryarticle.cfm?articlenbr=37236.

For more information on FRI, including dates for next year, visit www.iafc.org/fri.