SF fire chief bans helmet cameras in wake of crash
San Francisco's fire chief has explicitly banned firefighters from using helmet-mounted video cameras. Chief Joanne Hayes-White said she issued the order because, "There comes a time that privacy of the individual is paramount, of greater importance than having a...
Judge orders FDNY not to use apparatus over 10 years old
FDNY officials argued that older trucks are critical response vehicles for non-fire calls. “This award will potentially endanger numerous lives by frustrating the only means of transportation available to numerous lieutenants and captains employed by the FDNY.”...
NIOSH – Evaluation of Chemical Exposures during Firefighter Training Exercises Involving Smoke Simulant
If you use chemical smoke simulants during training exercises you should read this. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/hhe/reports/pdfs/2012-0028-3190.pdf
Coroner confirms girl was fatally struck by a fire truck at San Francisco International Airport during response to crash
A student from China was still alive after the July 6 plane crash but died after suffering multiple blunt-force injuries consistent with being run over by a vehicle outside of the plane....
Kelowna fire chief wants older apartments retrofitted with balcony, attic sprinklers
The Kelowna fire chief references a report published by the University of the Fraser Valley which identifies that out of 2,638 multi-residential building fires of this type, 10 per cent of them occurred on the balconies....
Inmates fight fires, reclaim their lives
The Colorado Department of Corrections “SWIFT” (State Wildland Inmate Fire Team) program helps inmates learn teamwork and also provides a potential post-prison career and gives back to communities by performing an important role in a fire-prone state....
A fatality caused by a 1930 fire truck during a parade sparks a debate over lack of inspections for antique vehicles.
Even a 1930s fire truck, assuming it's well cared for, shouldn't be any more risky than any other vehicle, but it needs proper maintenance and attention by somebody who understands that technology....
Esri and Institute of Fire Engineers Partner to Improve Fire Prevention Planning
Esri and the Institute of Fire Engineers—USA (IFE) have partnered to improve fire prevention planning through the use of simple risk analysis capabilities that include computer mapping and demographic analysis. The methods being developed will be made available for...
In this video a 9 year old girl deliberately lights a fire in a store and then skips away
This video may be a good addition to your fire prevention library. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/watch-girl-lights-store-fire-skips-article-1.1397999?localLinksEnabled=false
Ask a cop: Is there a rivalry between police and firefighters?
Is there a rivalry between police and firefighters. http://www.ksl.com/?sid=26093533&nid=148
Vancouver, Washington Fire Department test SUVs for medical calls
The initial review of a pilot project by the Vancouver, Washington Fire Department suggests responding with SUVs rather than engines to low priority calls will keep engines available for priority calls and cost less money. The department spends $1.34 a mile to drive...
NIOSH reports on death of fire fighter struck and killed by backing fire apparatus
NIOSH’s Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program investigated the line of duty death of a fire fighter struck and killed by backing fire apparatus at a rural brush and structure fire to identify contributing factors and make recommendations....
Spanish company developing drones for wildland firefighting
A Spanish company has developed drones capable of carrying and dispersing a large quantity of liquid at the site of a fire. The unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, are launched from transport planes, fly to the location of the fire using the guidance system developed...
Bed bug treatments leave homes in flames
Investigators have linked a number of fires to radiant heaters used by exterminators. Last year a 50-unit condominium in Edmonton burned when exterminators used propane fired heaters to bring the temperature in the infested room above 120 degrees. Exterminators say...
Fire problems caused by Chinese lanterns
Fire chiefs in the UK call for an "urgent review" into the use of Chinese lanterns. The lanterns have become an increasingly popular sight at weddings, Halloween celebrations, music festivals and even funerals. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23129276
Indonesia to use rain-making technology (cloud seeding) to stop fires
Indonesia plans to use weather changing technology to try to unleash torrents of rain to extinguish fires. http://phys.org/news/2013-06-indonesia-rain-making-technology.html
Controlling Fires in Space (NASA, International Space Station)
Watch this four minute video on research into fires in space that may lead to a better understanding of the chemistry of fire and technological advances here on earth. http://spaceref.com/onorbit/controlling-fires-in-space-nasa-international-space-station.html
Fire-fighting robot could change the game for fire departments
A research team at Purdue University is developing a fire-fighting robot some say will change the way fire departments perform internal attacks. A spokesperson said, “You can put the robot in places where you would never dream of putting a human...
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