Prince George BC suspicious wildfires
Prince George (BC) Fire Centre has responded to 23 fires over the past two weeks, nine of them being investigated as suspicious. . All of these fires are being reported within the Fort St. John Fire Zone. The Wildfire Management Branch and the RCMP suspect...
Spate of fires may be linked Victoria police say
Victoria police want the public to assist with information on at least nine suspicious fires that have occurred in Victoria since April 25. The graphic in the link below shows where and when the fires occurred and their nature. This leads to the question “is this...
Fire apparatus manufacturing in North America 2014
This report examines the business of the manufacture of fire apparatus in North America. Product types examined include aerial ladders, aerial platforms, pumpers, rescue trucks, wildland/brush trucks, and aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) trucks. The study is a...
Pickering couple fined $30,000 for illegal seniors’ home
A Pickering couple has been fined $30,000 for operating an illegal seniors’ home out of their house. According to court documents Murney Brook and his wife Jane Brook both pleaded guilty to fire code violations and were fined $15,000 each. This isn’t the first...
Lithium-ion batteries that won’t catch fire
Scientists have discovered a new way to create high-output lithium ion batteries that do not pose a fire risk as the world continues to make greater use of the technology. These batteries are the first of their kind to have both high output and high life-span despite...
Dehumidifier recalled after 92 fires, $4 million in property damage reported
A major appliance manufacturer has reissued a recall for 12 brands of dehumidifiers, affecting about 2.5 million units in the U.S. and 55,000 units in Canada. More than 90 fires, and over $4 million in property damage have been reported. This recall involves...
What not to do if there is a grease fire in your home
This is a graphic video of the danger of putting water on a grease fire. You may want to add it to your fire prevention video collection. The article says the previous advice from fire prevention personnel to throw a damp tea-towel over a pan on fire was...
Recruiting and Retaining Volunteer Firefighters the New York way – RecruitNY 2014
This state wide volunteer firefighter recruiting and retaining program includes an online “Train the Recruiter” course. It only takes about an hour and the course is full of useful information and tips for conducting recruitment activities. It includes available...
Fireside protest: Toronto union’s alarmism tries to scare the public
Members of the Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association went to the site of a warehouse fire to hand out flyers warning of the peril Toronto residents would face when the city proceeded with a plan to save money by closing one fire station and taking four fire...
Worcester fire fighters dying at an alarming rate, not from fires
New statistical information highlights firefighter work-related illnesses that present later in life. The report, which was prepared by the Massachusetts AFL-CIO and MassCOSH, states that 19 percent of worker deaths that occurred in Massachusetts in 2013 were...
Another derailment of tanker cars carrying crude oil results in fire
Several train cars carrying crude oil derailed and caught fire with three black tankers ending up in the water and leaking some oil. It is the most recent crash involving oil trains that has safety efforts pushing for better oversight.
NFPA’s open flame test will become an important fire prevention resource
The NFPA recently announced that its Standards Council has approved the development of a test for open-flame sources, such as candles, matches and lighters. NFPA believes that the test will give furniture manufacturers a clear marker for determining fire resistance of...
Another reminder for fire apparatus drivers
Fourteen people, including five firefighters, were injured when two fire trucks collided sending one careening across a sidewalk and into a restaurant. One of the victims is in critical condition, officials said....
Fire department seeks new inspection fees, increase in fines
Public safety may be priceless, but the same probably can't be said for long about fire inspections intended to protect it. “We were charged (by council) to look at what other municipalities are doing, and more often than not they charge for inspections,” Fire Chief...
Toronto Professional Fire Fighters Association launches petition to stop planned removal of pumper trucks
The Toronto Professional Fire Fighters Association (TPFFA) has launched a petition to protest the city’s planned removal of four pumper trucks from fire stations. The TPFFA says the removal will compromise safety in the communities surrounding the stations by...
Letter to the Editor – “Four person fire crews are absolutely essential”
A paid-on-call firefighter was astonished to read a letter to the editor calling for reduced numbers of firefighters in Langley City. He said he is not an IAFF member but has been a paid-on-call (POC) firefighter for 33 years. He goes on to say, “The minimum...
Phoenix Fire Department can’t account for 850 keys
More than half of the keys that Phoenix Fire Department uses to access commercial buildings throughout the city have gone missing, officials said. The keys open lock boxes attached to the exterior walls of retail businesses, office buildings, apartment complexes,...
State of the art technology helping firefighters on the front lines
A team of experts holed up in trailers set up at a wildfire base camp in Arizona helped the fire managers and crews on the front lines. They were the actual "intelligence" behind the fire. Computers inside the mobile command post were giving officials...