FireWatch
FireWatch is a service that provides links to news stories from the fire community that have attracted our attention.
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...
New roof anchor may make firefighting safer
A Massachusetts firefighter has designed a new roof anchor that provides a secure and stable working platform for firefighters as they use chainsaws and other tools to cut into roofs....
Drones could help fight forest fires
Thunder Bay professor and students to test programming drones for smoke and fire detection. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/story/2013/05/24/tby-fire-smoke-detecting-drones-research-lakehead-university-thunder-bay.html
Slave Lake wildfire probe ends without charges
The arson investigation into the massive wildfires in Slave Lake two years ago is over and no charges will be laid. The 12 police officers who worked full time on the case exhausted all leads and say no more work will be done unless additional tips come in....
5 ways to calm ‘feedback fires’
What we can learn from celebrity meltdowns. This has nothing to do with firefighting but lots to do with leadership. http://www.forbes.com/sites/joefolkman/2013/05/27/5-ways-to-calm-feedback-fires-what-we-can-learn-from-celebrity-meltdowns/
Phoenix firefighter dies after being crushed between engine and ambulance
A firefighter was crushed between an engine and an ambulance as the vehicles were being repositioned at a fire scene. http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/story/22290866/2013/05/19/firefighter-injured-while-fighting-mulch-fire
Mall owner sues Slave Lake and its fire department
The company that owns the Slave Lake Shopping Centre is suing the Province, the town of Slave Lake and its fire department for $3 million in damages caused by fire crews battling the wildfire that ripped through the community in May of 2011. The company claims...
Police and fire services to work together on prevention issues
Could joint police/fire efforts work for your community? Activities will include joint home fire safety and crime prevention visits and promotion of joint safety campaigns....
Changing severity of house fires related to building configuration and flammability issues
Last year the U.S. Fire Administration organized a workshop to explore how changing building construction methods, materials and building contents are affecting the way residential fires grow. The result was a recommended eight-point action plan....
Firemark launched to combat rental fires
Fires are seven times more likely to occur in rented accommodations than in accommodations occupied by the owner. To improve the education available for landlords the fire service is introducing an education program called "Firemark". The program is designed to...
Last summer for Mars water bomber as province cuts contract
This could be the last fire season for the Martin Mars four-engine cargo transport seaplane that has the largest payload capacity of water bombers in the world, carrying 27,276 litres and fire-suppressing foam....
National First Responders’ Day?
Oakville FD opens training ground to the media as part of a campaign by the Canadian Fire Service to create a national day that recognizes first responders for their sacrifices, contributions and commitment to public service.
The effects of beetles on wildfires
Dr. Dominik Kulakowski conducted research on insect outbreaks and wildland fires in Rocky Mountain forests for fifteen years. He found catastrophic fire is not an inevitable outcome of bark beetle outbreaks but that climate is more important to a fire risk and insect...
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