FireWatch
FireWatch is a service that provides links to news stories from the fire community that have attracted our attention.
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...
Firefighters Without Borders donate equipment
Since 2008 the B.C.-based Firefighters Without Borders Canada charity has donated 13 fire trucks, more than 1,000 sets of turnout gear, over 400 SCBAs, and other gear totalling 20-plus tons of equipment valued at more than $2 million. Recipients have been located in...
What should happen when mutual aid becomes standard response
When a fire department is woefully under-staffed should taxpayers elsewhere bear the burden of this deficiency -- and have their firefighters put at risk? http://www.nj.com/hudson/voices/index.ssf/2013/05/poll_should_towns_cut_back_ass.html
Fire alarm testing pokers ‘are gimmicky waste of money’
The fire service should be spending money on life saving equipment and not gimmicks is the opinion of readers who have reacted to this story about plastic sticks for homeowners to press buttons on their smoke alarms....
Surrey smokes competition at fire awards
The City of Surrey received a 2013 Community Health and Safety Program Excellence Award from the International City/County Management Association for its approach to fire prevention through a targeted smoke alarm giveaway program. The program sends firefighters...
NFPA report, “US Firefighter Deaths in 2012 Second Lowest in 35 Years”
Good news from the NFPA. On-duty firefighter deaths in 2012were the second lowest in 35 years and the number of sudden cardiac arrests was the lowest on record....
Chrysler recalls 2.7 million Jeeps due to potential fire risk
Chrysler Corp. recalls 2.7 million older model Jeeps over fuel tanks that can rupture and cause fires in rear-end collisions. The recall affects approximately 180,000 vehicles in Canada....
B.C. man appeals $860,000 fine for starting wildfire while camping
The BC Wildfire Act allows the province to recover wildfire suppression costs from people deemed responsible for causing the fire. Ability to pay is not a factor....
Million dollar house fire sparks concern about old insulation
Fire officials have not confirmed the exact cause but say the home had 40 year old cellulose insulation in the attic. Cellulose resembles finely shredded newspaper with a fire resistant spray on it. This article says that the spray wears off leaving an...
New 27 million dollar fire hall at CFB Esquimalt
The state-of-the-art emergency centre at CFB Esquimalt replaces a Second World War era building too small for the department’s needs. http://www.timescolonist.com/news/world/cfb-esquimalt-s-firefighters-find-room-of-their-own-1.315945
NASA satellite photos of Saskatchewan wildland fires
NASA's Aqua satellite collected this natural-color image with the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer. Actively burning areas are outlined in red. The three fires shown here are more than 100 hectares in size (>247 acres)....
NIST live fires will benefit research and firefighter training
Eight houses will be burned to test ventilation methods used to prevent or at least delay flashover. In conjunction with the experiments, the International Society of Fire Service Instructors (ISFSI) will videotape and develop training modules that will be...
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Movers & Shakers
Greater Napanee Fire promotes Shawn Armstrong to Fire Chief- Appleton Fire Department Captain Jeffrey “Nelly” Nelessen retires after 29 years of service
- Glendale Fire Department Fire Chief Greg Fish announces retirement after 33 years of service
- Waynesville names a long-time loyal firefighter, Chris Mehaffey, as interim Fire Chief