http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/rss News articles published on iowafirechiefs.org using RSS 2.0 Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:02:26 GMT http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=68 We are now gearing up for our annual dues renewal for 2012. Dues are still $25.00 per member. Please find attached a dues renewal invoice. You can pay by check or PayPal. Please make sure that you print clearly, especially email addresses. If you have changed address, email or rank status. Please let me know ASAP. If you changed email, you may want to unsubscribe the old one and then resubscribe to our email list with your new one. We try to make sure that everything is current and up to date. If you have already paid your dues for 2012 or are a lifetime member. Please disregard the dues renewal notice. I would just as soon send you two notices, than no notice at all. Please log in the access invoice in document library. Please fill out and return to our office. Please note, on Saturday, March 24th, 2011 is the 8th Annual Volunteer Chiefs Workshop. This workshop will be held at Benton Auditorium in the Scheman Building of the Iowa State Center (located on the ISU campus next to Hilton Coliseum), Ames, IA. This workshop is FREE. Check the IFCA webpage for more information. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 23:23:42 GMT http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=68 http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=67 Special Presentations at Fire School Daniel Madrzykowski, Fire Protection Engineer, National Institute of Standards and Technology will be giving a special presentation entitled "Fire Dynamics for Structural Firefighting" at fire school in Ames on Saturday, February 25, 2012 at 4:45. This will be in the Scheman Building following hospitality. He will also be instructing a Pre-Fire school workshop "Wind Driven Fires in Structures" on Friday, February 24, 2012 from 2 - 5 p.m. The Fire Service Training Bureau hopes that you will take advantage ofthese extraordinary training opportunities by Daniel Madrzykowski! Thu, 26 Jan 2012 03:07:05 GMT http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=67 http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=66 Community Facility Grants -- USDA Rural Development Application Deadline: Grant proposals are accepted on a rolling basis. Description: This program provides grants to assist in the development of essential community facilities for public use in rural areas and towns of up to 20,000 in population. Community facilities may include hospitals, fire protection and safety services, and many other community-based initiatives. Grants are authorized on a graduated scale, so applicants located in small communities with low populations and low incomes receive a higher percentage of grants. Projects are selected based on a priority point system. Projects that receive priority are those that: serve small communities, with the highest priority going to projects located in communities with a population of 5,000 or less serve low-income communities, with the highest priority going to projects serving communities with median household incomes below the poverty line, or 60 percent of the state non-metropolitan median household income provide healthcare, public safety, or public and community services. Who May Apply: Grants are available to public entities, such as municipalities, counties, and special-purpose districts, as well as nonprofit corporations and tribal governments. In addition, applicants must have the legal authority necessary for construction, operation, and maintenance of the proposed facility and also be unable to obtain needed funds from commercial sources at reasonable rates and terms. Funding Amount: The amount of grant assistance for project costs depends on the median household income and the population in the community where the project is located and the availability of grant funds. In most instances, projects that receive grant assistance have a high priority and are highly leveraged with other loan and grant awards. Grant assistance may be available for up to 75 percent of project costs. Grant funding limitations are based on population and income, economic feasibility, and availability of funds. Web: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/HAD-CF_Grants.html Sun, 15 Jan 2012 05:08:13 GMT http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=66 http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=65 We are in the process of getting geared up for our annual dues renewal for 2012. Dues are still $25.00 per member. You will be sent a dues renewal invoice. You can pay by check or PayPal. Please make sure that you print clearly, especially email addresses. About the first part of February, we anticipate sending out a mass dues renewal email to our members on our email list and the rest via snail mail. If you have changed address, email or rank status. Please let me know ASAP. If you changed email, you may want to unsubscribe the old one and then resubscribe to our email list with your new one. We try to make sure that everything is current and up to date. If you have already paid your dues for 2012 or are a lifetime member. Please disregard the dues renewal notice. I would just as soon send you two notices, than no notice at all. Watch for more notices soon. Thanks! Scott Wed, 11 Jan 2012 00:39:18 GMT http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=65 http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=64 Grants Training in Des Moines, IA - February 27-28, 2012 Polk County Sheriff's Office and Grant Writing USA will present a two-day grants workshop in Des Moines, February 27-28, 2012. This training is for grant seekers across all disciplines. Attend this class and you'll learn how to find grants and write winning grant proposals. Click here for full event details. http://grantwritingusa.com/grants-training/grant-writing-workshops/des-moines-iowa-february-2012.html?utm_source=janet&utm_medium=email&utm_content=firechief&utm_campaign=des-moines-iowa-february-2012 Beginning and experienced grant writers from city, county and state agencies as well as nonprofits, K-12, colleges and universities are encouraged to attend. Multi-enrollment discounts and discounts for Grant Writing USA returning alumni are available. Tuition payment is not required at the time of enrollment. Tuition is $425 and includes all materials: workbook and accompanying 420MB resource CD that's packed full of tools and more than 200 sample grant proposals. Seating is limited, online reservations are necessary. Complete event details including learning objectives, class location, graduate testimonials and online registration are available here. Contacts: The Client Services Team at Grant Writing USA 800.814.8191 cs@grantwritingusa.com Sgt. Brent Long Polk County Sheriff's Office 515.875.5630 brent.long@polkcountyiowa.gov Thu, 22 Dec 2011 01:49:44 GMT http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=64 http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=63 Changes to AFG award procedures announced by FEMA If you submitted 2011 AFG application, you need to be aware of some changes toward electronic applications. Today the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) released new award procedures for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program. In previous years, departments being considered for AFG awards would receive an email with a series of questions concerning their banking information and their willingness to meet certain requirements of the program. Within a few weeks, the department would receive a call from its senator or congressman announcing the grant. The procedure is about to change, and if you submitted a 2011 AFG application, here are a few items you need to be aware of: If your application is approved for an award, the person you listed on your application as the primary contact will receive a single email notification from firegrants@dhs.gov. A copy of this message will also be sent to your department's AFG Mail Center. To access your AFG Mail Center, log into the FEMA site you used to submit your 2011 AFG application. The first screen you will see is your application status page. This page contains all of the AFG, SAFER and FP&S applications that you have ever filed electronically. At the top of this page, you should notice a section titled Mail Center. Select this option and it will display any mail that has been sent to you regarding your application. You will only receive one email notice from FEMA announcing the approval of your grant. Within 30 days, you must either accept or decline this award utilizing the e-Grant application system. Instructions on how to do this are contained in the award email. If the primary contact does not formally accept or decline the award within 30 days of notification, the grant award will automatically be withdrawn. FEMA anticipates that award announcements will begin within a few weeks and continue on a rolling basis into 2012 until all AFG funds have been awarded. At FireGrantsHelp, we realize that this is one of the busiest times of the year both personally and departmentally. We have several suggestions to help your department deal with the new AFG award procedures: Make sure the person listed as the primary contact on your AFG application is aware of the award changes announced by FEMA. Respond to any emails from FEMA in a timely fashion to allow compliance with the 30-day rule. Have your department's primary contact or another designated member check the AFG Mail Center once a week to ensure your department's receipt of any messages from FEMA. If your department has not registered in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) please do so immediately by going to https://www.bpn.gov/ccr/default.aspx. If your registration is not current, you will not be able to draw grant funds if you receive an award. Please share this information with your department and with anyone you know who filed a 2011 AFG application. We will update you with any additional information as it becomes available. http://www.firerescue1.com/fire-grants/articles/1190219-Changes-to-AFG-award-procedures-announced-by-FEMA/ Information from Fire Rescue 1 Thu, 01 Dec 2011 13:10:41 GMT http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=63 http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=62 Georgia-Pacific Bucket Brigade™ Funds Life-Saving Equipment for Community Heroes Grant program has contributed nearly $800,000 in support Child rescued from house fire. Crews contain wildfire. Driver pulled from crash. We see these news headlines all the time. And the common theme behind each is a band of heroes who put their lives on the line to protect their community – fire and rescue teams. At a moment's notice, they must be prepared to walk into dangerous situations, often using outdated equipment or without the specialized gear they need. Many are unpaid volunteers. Georgia-Pacific rewards this dedication to serve through the Georgia-Pacific Bucket Brigade™, a national program that contributes to fire departments in communities with Georgia-Pacific facilities. These grants are used to purchase much-needed equipment that helps protect the lives and property of residents as well as their firefighters. "We are grateful for the brave men and women who put their lives on the line to keep our local communities safe," said Jim Hannan, chief executive officer and president of Georgia-Pacific. "The Georgia-Pacific Bucket Brigade program allows us to show our appreciation for their service and helps ensure that they are equipped with the critical resources they need to do their jobs." Launched in 2006, the initiative has contributed nearly $800,000 to rural and small town fire units across the United States. The program supports firefighters with cash donations to purchase necessary equipment, and provides safety education materials for presentations in local schools. The program is meeting critical needs during a time when increased demand for volunteer firefighters is putting additional strains on available resources. Volunteers comprise 71 percent of all firefighters in the United States, according to the National Volunteer Fire Council and the National Fire Protection Association. Headquartered at Atlanta, Georgia-Pacific is one of the world's leading manufacturers and marketers of building products, tissue, packaging, paper, cellulose and related chemicals. The company employs 40,000 people at 300 locations in North America, South America and Europe. Georgia-Pacific is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Koch Industries Inc., a privately-owned company headquartered in Wichita, Kan. Both companies have a strong tradition of focused community investment in communities where they have operations. Georgia-Pacific and other Koch companies have contributed more than $140 million for charitable causes during the past five years. Wed, 12 Oct 2011 03:13:01 GMT http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=62 http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=61 The Fall Conferences for the IFCA are as follows: 2012 Coralville, 2013 Knoxville and 2014 Le Mars. Watch for future announcements as they become available. Thank You!!! Tue, 11 Oct 2011 00:06:16 GMT http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=61 http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=60 The 14th Annual NATA Fire School will be held on November 5th & 6th, 2011 in Ft Dodge, Iowa at the Iowa Central Community College campus. For brochure, click this link. http://www.iafireschools.org/pdf/nata%202011%20brochure.pdf Tue, 04 Oct 2011 01:54:44 GMT http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=60 http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=59 Beyond Hoses and Helmets Strategy & Tactics of Leading a Volunteer or Combination Fire/Rescue Organization Saturday, October 29th, 2011 0800-1600 Hiawatha Community Center Free, Lunch and Snacks provided by Sponsor! The Beyond Hoses & Helmets course has been developed by members of the VCOC who have real life expertise in various educational components. The course curriculum was developed by national recognized fire service leaders from volunteer and combination departments across the United States. The United States Fire Administration and the National Emergency Training Center provided technical support in the development of course material and supporting documents. The support offered by Pierce Fire Apparatus allows VCOS Instructors to present this course throughout the nation in an effort to support the VCOS mission - to provide chief officers who manage volunteers within the fire/rescue/delivery system with information, education, services and representation to enhance their professionalism and capabilities. Beyond Hoses & Helmets is designed for chief officers, directors, commissioners and emerging fire officers of organizations which are staffed by volunteer, part-time, paid on-call and/or career personnel. Beyond Hoses & Helmets Topics may include, based on participant feedback. Problem-Solving Marketing Recruitment Retention Leadership Team Building Training Development Conflict Resolution Principles of Negotiation Verbal Communications Instructor Info: Chief James M. Grady III is a 35 year member of the Frankfort Fire District. Grady started out as a Volunteer Fire-Fighter rising through the ranks to Volunteer Chief then was promoted to full time Fire Chief. Chief Grady has a Masters Degree in Public Administration plus a number of Illinois Fire Service Certifications. He is recognized as a Chief Fire Officer Designee through the Center for Public Safety Excellence. Chief Grady is a Past President of the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association (2001-2001) Chief Grady is a member of the VCOS Leadership Training team for Beyond Hoses-Helmets and Transition program team and is also on the Near Miss Reporting System Leadership Team. Grady has been a featured speaker at FDIC, VCOS- Symposium in the Sun, Fire-Rescue International along with speaking at local & state functions. He is on staff at several local community colleges, universities and is a lead instructor for the regional Southwest United Fire Officer Academy. Cost is FREE. Lunch and snacks are sponsored by Pierce Dealer, Reliant Fire Apparatus. Registration: To register online, visit http://hiawathafirebhh.eventbrite.com Or, email mnesslage@hiawatha-iowa.com the name of any attendees with agency info. Or contact Chief Mike Nesslage at 319-393-4180 Sponsored by: IAFC Volunteer Combination Officer Section, Reliant Fire Apparatus, Pierce Fire Apparatus, And The Hiawatha Fire Department Sat, 01 Oct 2011 16:02:32 GMT http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=59 http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=58 Iowa Pipeline Awareness Pipeline companies across the country are committed to Emergency Responders and want to provide you with all the information they can to keep you and your community safe in the unlikely event of a pipeline emergency. The Training Center™ contains videos, on-line drills and presentations dealing with pipeline safety. The ultimate goal of the Training Center™ is to provide emergency responders with a simple, convenient and effective mechanism to acquire this information. Material and resources are continuously added to ensure you and your personnel have the most recent and current information available. As always, we encourage you to attend the face-to-face meetings conducted in your state and hope you'll use the Training Center™ to supplement what you learned and as an easy/convenient way to pass on that information to those in your department. If you were unable to attend a meeting this year, the Training Center™ offers another avenue for you to access pipeline safety information. Your feedback and suggestions on how the Training Center™ can be more effective are important to us and if you have information on how we can provide continuing educational credits, please email us at iapa@celeritas.com and/or call us at 1-888-383-8324. Sign Up For Your Account http://trainingcenter.pipelineportal.com/TrainingManager/Registration/UserRegistration.aspx?OrgId=6 To access this online training click the link below: http://trainingcenter.pipelineportal.com/trainingmanager?Orgid=6 Thank You in advance for your time, and we look forward to hearing your comments! Phone: 888.383.8324 Email: iapa@celeritas.com Note: The Training Center™ is not designed to replace any annual face-to-face meetings. We realize schedule conflicts and time limitations won't allow all departments to attend; the Training Center™ will serve as a supplement to annual meetings and provide pipeline companies with an additional method of distributing this information to a wider audience. Fri, 30 Sep 2011 03:29:00 GMT http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=58 http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=57 Tell Congress not to raise taxes on volunteer firefighters and EMTs! Time is running out, tell Congress not to raise taxes on volunteer firefighter and EMTs! TAKE ACTION! http://capwiz.com/nvfc/issues/alert/?alertid=53955551&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id] At the end of 2010, an exemption from income taxation on incentives that many local communities provide to volunteer firefighters and EMTs as a reward for their service expired. As a result, tens of thousands of volunteer emergency responders across the country will have to pay higher taxes this year without Congressional action. Contact your U.S. Representative and Senators now and tell them to co-sponsor the Volunteer Responder Incentive Protection Reauthorization Act (S. 933/H.R. 2353), which would extend and expand a federal income tax exemption on all property tax benefits and up to $600 per calendar year of any other type of benefit that volunteers receive as a reward for their service. If your Senator or Representative is already a co-sponsor of the Volunteer Responder Incentive Protection Reauthorization Act, contact them to let them know that you appreciate your support. The sponsor of S. 933 is Charles Schumer (D-NY) and the current co-sponsors are Susan Collins (R-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME). The sponsor of H.R. 2353 is John Larson (D-CT) and the current co-sponsors are Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Tim Holden (D-PA), Tom Latham (R-IA), Michael Michaud (D-ME), Dave Reichert (R-WA), Laura Richardson (D-CA) and Betty Sutton (D-OH). Wed, 28 Sep 2011 03:33:18 GMT http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=57 http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=56 Tri-State Firefighter Conference The Dubuque County Firefighter Association and Northeast Iowa Community College are pleased to announce the Tri-State Firefighter Conference on November 4th and 5th, 2011. This event will be located at the Grand River Center in Dubuque Iowa and will provide a great opportunity for firefighters to network, visit with national, regional and local vendors, and to enjoy great entertainment. This will be a unique conference for the fire service in this region (IA, IL, WI and MN). Seminar: The speaker this year will be John Norman, FDNY (retired), and author of "Fire Officer Handbook of Tactics". He will present two sessions which will provide 7 CEH's for attendees: 1. Private Dwelling Fires 2. Fire Behavior and Firefighter Survival Vendors: There will be over 50 vendors from the national, regional and local area. Please visit the website for a current list of commitments. The vendor area will be opened Friday evening and all day Saturday. Entertainment: Entertainment for the weekend will include a social hour to meet the speaker and network with other firefighters from the area. A comedian on Friday night and Bad Company performing in concert on Saturday night. The Diamond Jo is also offering all attendees to participate in a free slot tournament prior to the concert with the opportunity to win up to $750 in prize money. Please note that the entertainment tickets are $30.00 each and will get you into both events. You must be registered for the conference in order to purchase the entertainment tickets. Those that are registered will be notified by email on how to proceed on purchasing them. Special Promotions: Register by October 15 Register by October 15 for a special drawing of Diamond Jo dollars good for the use in the Diamond Jo Casino and gaming areas Join our Email Distribution List: Have a chance to win free tickets to next year's conference by joining our contact list locatedwww.nicc.edu/fireconference. Refer a friend and get an additional chance to win! Ready to attend: Go to www.nicc.edu/fireconference to register online or to print off a downloadable registration form. Phil Arensdorf Program Manager-CPR/FIRST AID/ACLS/PALS Tri-State Firefighter Conference Northeast Iowa Community College 680 Main Street Suite 100 Dubuque, IA 52001-6815 563-557-8271 ext 327 arensdop@nicc.edu Sun, 18 Sep 2011 23:55:09 GMT http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=56 http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=55 Please send in registrations for the 60th Annual Fall Conference - Manchester Follow this link for more information-http://www.ifaconvention2012.com/ Thanks! Fri, 16 Sep 2011 22:09:59 GMT http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=55 http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=54 STATE FIRE MARSHAL DIVISION WARNS OF DANGERS USING DECORATIVE "GEL FIRE POT" The Iowa Department of Public Safety-State Fire Marshal Division urges citizens to use caution when using or lighting decorative gel fueled fire pots. Three citizens have been recently admitted to the University of Iowa Burn Unit with serious burns caused by decorative fire pots. Nationally, there have been over 37 reported accidents with 23 of them injuring consumers. Iowa has seen four cases in the last 30 days. State Fire Marshal Special Agent in Charge Ron Humphrey says, "The issues occur when people are re-filling the fire pots with the fuel gel. The fire pots burst into flames spraying gelatin fuel all over the person refueling the devices." In the latest incident this last weekend in Des Moines, Iowa, the fire pot had been burning for about ninety minutes when the container simply exploded launching the burning fuel onto the person's lap. That person was eventually admitted to the University of Iowa Burn Unit with serious burns. Decorative fire pots can be purchased at many local retail stores. The fire pots use a "gel-like" fuel inside a metal container which is housed in a decorative ceramic piece. Witnesses to local fire incidents likened the fuel gel to napalm, saying it exploded into a fire ball and stuck to clothing making it very difficult to extinguish, even when rolling on the ground. Several companies have voluntarily pulled the products off the shelf and some of the fire pots have been recalled due to fire risks. Manufacturers have several safety tips for operating decorative fire pots: 1) Do not overfill the devices. If you accidentally overfill the device, wash the ceramic vessel with soap and water before inserting the fuel. 2) Do not reach over the fire pot. 3) Never leave the device unattended and never let children play near the fire pots. 4) Keep a portable fire extinguisher or water supply near the fire pot. 5) Never add fuel to an open flame and assure the ceramic vessel has cooled sufficiently before adding fuel. The State Fire Marshal Division would recommend using something other than fire and combustible liquids when you relax on your deck this summer. Keep a safe distance from fire pots. In some cases the flaming gel has sprayed over 3-4 feet from the fire pot. The Iowa Department of Public Safety reminds you to play it safe as you spend your summer and fall outside. Ray Reynolds, Director State Fire Marshal Department of Public Safety 215 East 7th St. Des Moines, IA 50319 515-725-6150 fax 515-725-6172 cell 515-402-6538 rreynold@dps.state.ia.us Secure Email: raymond.reynolds@leo.gov Wed, 31 Aug 2011 01:24:33 GMT http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=54 http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=53 The Iowa Fire Chiefs Assn's 60th Annual Fall Conference will be held in Manchester, Iowa Friday, October 7th and 8th, 2011. Manchester Fire Dept will be hosting this event. Conference Agenda, Lodging, Registration Form and Ladies Program information can be found in the document library or at the following link http://www.ifaconvention2012.com/. Deadline for registration is September 19th, 2011. Conference information will be sent out via our mass email system. We will also be following up vial US Mail for those who are not signed up in our email system or in our database. If you DO NOT receive conference information via email or regular mail, please let our office know ASAP. ALL vendors should contact the host department directly. Thank you! Iowa Fire Chiefs Assn. ***************************** N O T I C E ******************************* 8-14-2011 UPDATE- For those members and non-members of the IFCA that DO NOT have an email address in our database, hard copies of the Conference information will be mailed out in the next week. Thanks! Mon, 15 Aug 2011 00:45:45 GMT http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=53 http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=52 Guardians of the Ribbon Greater Kansas City Chapter Supporting Women, Raising Awareness The Pink Fire Truck, bringing its "Cares Enough to Wear Pink" campaign, will be in West Burlington, Iowa on Saturday, September 10, 2011 at Great River Medical Center from 3-5 pm. We would be honored if you would stop by the truck and sign In Honor Of or In Memory Of a special woman in your life. All survivors will receive a free hug as well! This is the organizations first visit to the State of Iowa. The "Cares Enough to Wear Pink" campaign is the fastest growing movement in the country! We selflessly put our women first in their battle against cancer; at the very least we wear her color to let her know we CARE! We bring Love and Hope to communities around the country in the form of Pink Fire Trucks and ask all of you to join forces in celebrating the most important people in our lives, Women!! The Guardians will drive pink fire engines, dressed in pink fire gear, to honor and support ALL women, healthy and the ones in the fight for their lives. The Guardians wear pink to honor ALL women and ask everyone else to do the same. We hope that the country will see the color PINK, not just as a benefit for breast cancer, but as a way to support ALL women in their fight against ALL cancers. If the world was in pink, it would lift her spirits; it would show the world that we are tired of the suffering due to this terrible disease. The pink fire engines are free; they bring love and hope for the women in each city. We ask organizations, like the police and fire departments, in each city to set an example by wearing Pink. We also ask the local politicians and teachers, along with citizens of each community to join the efforts. It is a show of support of the women of this country, and in doing so, will create a Pink Army, an army that supports our women as a whole and not just a charity. Cancer is the biggest bully of them all, and no one likes bullies! For more information on our Chapter, please visit our web site and/or our Facebook page. We may also be contacted at pinkfiretruck@kcguardians.org or the office (816) 519-8119. West Burlington Fire Department is hosting this event. Please contact Chief Mike Heim @ 319-752-5451, Deputy Chief Mike Steward @ 319-850-8687, or Kara Steward @ mandksteward@MSN.com www.kcguardians.org * pinkfiretruck@kcguardians.org http://www.facebook.com/PinkHealsGreaterKSCity Fri, 05 Aug 2011 03:52:51 GMT http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=52 http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=51 The Dubuque County Firefighter Association and Northeast Iowa Community College are pleased to announce the Tri-State Firefighter Conference on November 4th and 5th, 2011. This event will be located at the Grand River Center in Dubuque Iowa and will provide a great opportunity for firefighters to network, visit with national, regional and local vendors, and to enjoy great entertainment. This will be a unique conference for the fire service in this region (IA, IL, WI and MN). Seminar: The speaker this year will be John Norman, FDNY (retired), and author of "Fire Officer Handbook of Tactics". He will present two sessions which will provide 8 CEH's for attendees: 1. Private Dwelling Fires 2. Fire Behavior and Firefighter Survival Vendors: There will be over 40 vendors from the national, regional and local area, please visit the website for a current list of commitments which will be updated frequently as we confirm them as we have the opportunity to host up to 80 vendors for this event. Entertainment: Entertainment for the weekend will include a social hour to meet the speaker and network with other firefighters from the area. A comedian on Friday night and Bad Company performing in concert on Saturday night. The Diamond Jo is also offering all attendees to participate in a free slot tournament prior to the concert with the opportunity to win up to $750 in prize money. Please note that the entertainment tickets will be processed later this summer and will be $30.00 each and will get you into both events. You must be registered for the conference in order to purchase the entertainment tickets. Those that are registered will be notified by email on how to proceed on purchasing them. The "First Alarm" sign up promotion is available for those registered before August 31st for a chance to win: 1) Upgraded general admission tickets to front row tickets for you and a guest to the 2011 Conference entertainment-Comedian and Bad Company Concert, 2) Entered into a drawing to win a free 2012 conference registration. (The dates for the conference will be November 2-4, 2012). One winner will be selected per state (IA, IL, WI and MN). Attached is a flyer. For additional information please go to the website at www.nicc.edu/fireconference. If you have questions, please feel free to contact Phil Arensdorf at arensdop@nicc.edu Tue, 24 May 2011 19:44:44 GMT http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=51 http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=50 State Fire Marshal Unveils New Reporting System for Iowa Fire Departments Des Moines, IOWA --- The Department of Public Safety and the Office of the State Fire Marshal are launching a new web-based fire reporting system for Iowa fire departments to report fires. This new reporting system will allow fire departments to report fires more accurately and easier. Iowa's 900 fire departments are required by state law to report all fire call responses, in order to provide fire data to the U.S. Fire Administration. Fire data collected through the National Fire Incident Reporting System is used to develop fire prevention policies, as well as help local and state officials prevent fires through enforcement and education efforts. The new web based program called Fire Bridge, developed by the company Image Trend, will allow fire departments to report fire response information from any laptop or computer with internet access. The system should be available for use by Fire Departments within the next 60 days. State Fire Marshal Ray Reynolds says, "I anticipate a cost savings of more than $100,000 for Iowa tax payers. Fire departments are currently paying for costly software upgrades every year in order to report fire calls in their jurisdictions." Currently only 38% of Iowa's 900 fire departments report fire calls to the State Fire Marshal. Many departments can't afford the software purchases to report their fire responses. State Fire Marshal Special Agent Justin Wade, who also serves as a volunteer firefighter on the Wilton Fire Department says, "With only 38% of Iowa fire departments reporting, it's very hard for us to have accurate data for members of the public when they ask, 'What's the fire risk in Iowa?' " Other states that have switched to a web based reporting system like Fire Bridge have seen reporting increase from 30% to 97%, nearly overnight. The Iowa Department of Public Safety is committed to this project. Collecting accurate fire data is necessary for the State Fire Marshal and the Fire Service of Iowa to identify fire causes and risks, and develop fire prevention strategies to protect Iowans. Ray Reynolds, Director State Fire Marshal Department of Public Safety 215 East 7th St. Des Moines, IA 50319 515-725-6150 fax 515-725-6172 cell 515-402-6538 rreynold@dps.state.ia.us Secure Email: raymond.reynolds@leo.gov Fri, 29 Apr 2011 02:27:59 GMT http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=50 http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=49 Registration is now open for the 2011 Missouri Valley Fire Chiefs Conference. The conference will be held July 13-15, 2011 at the Hyatt Regency in Wichita, Kansas. The conference brochure which is attached provides descriptions of the conference speakers and the conference agenda. The conference brochure and registration for the 2011 Missouri Valley Fire Chiefs Conference is now available on-line through Wichita State University at http://www.wichita.edu/conferences/mvfc http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/member/doc/attachments/42/2011%20Missouri%20Valley%20Fire%20Chiefs%20Conference%20Brochure.pdf.pdf If you have any questions, please contact: Jennifer Harry Conference Registrar Office of Continuing Education Wichita State University 1845 Fairmount St. Wichita, KS 67260-0136 Phone (316) 978-6724 Fax (316) 978-3064 Wed, 06 Apr 2011 21:02:43 GMT http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=49 http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=48 FIREFIGHTER DEATH DOWN-AGAIN The USFA announced today there were 85 on duty firefighter fatalities in the United States as a result of incidents that occurred in 2010, a 6 percent decrease from the 90 fatalities reported for 2009. The 85 fatalities were spread across 31 states. Illinois experienced the highest number of fatalities (9). In addition to Illinois, only New York (8), Ohio (8), Pennsylvania (7), and Kansas (5) had 5 or more firefighter fatalities. Heart attacks and strokes were again responsible for the deaths of 51 firefighters (60%) in 2010, nearly the same proportion of firefighter deaths from heart attack or stroke (58%) in 2009. Nine on duty firefighters died in association with wildland fires, about half the number that died in association with wildland fires in 2009 and a third of the 26 such fatalities in 2008. 48% percent of all firefighter fatalities occurred while performing emergency duties. Eleven firefighters died in 2010 as the result of vehicle crashes, down substantially from 16 deaths in 2009, and for the first time since 1999, none the of the deaths involved aircraft. Four firefighters in 2010 died in accidents involving firefighters responding in personal vehicles. Seven firefighter deaths involved fire department apparatus, one of which was a double firefighter fatality incident. These 2010 firefighter fatality statistics are provisional and may change as the USFA contacts State Fire Marshals to verify the names of firefighters reported to have died on duty during 2010. The final number of firefighter fatalities will be reported in USFA's annual firefighter fatality report, expected to be available by July. HERE is the entire report: http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/media/press/2011releases/010711.shtm Wed, 30 Mar 2011 22:40:10 GMT http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=48 http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=47 The National Association of State Fire Marshals (NASFM) just forwarded this release to me in dealing with tainted drywall. Initially the CPSC stated all electrical wiring exposed to this drywall had to be replaced. They are since backing down from that. Many southern states were seeing this. I have not heard of any cases in Iowa since we are rich with drywall companies. (When I say drywall, I am not meaning to offend product names. Sheetrock, drywall, etc, its all the same to me) CPSC and HUD Issue Updated Remediation Protocol for Homes with Problem Drywall WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) are issuing an updated remediation protocol (http://www.cpsc.gov/info/ drywall/Remediation031811.pdf) for homes with problem drywall. A study (http://www.cpsc.gov/info/drywall/electrical031811.pdf) conducted on behalf of CPSC by Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico, finds no evidence of a safety hazard to home electrical systems. Sandia simulated long-term exposure of wiring and other electrical components to hydrogen sulfide gas, which is associated with problem drywall. Based on this study, CPSC and HUD staff, representing the Interagency Task Force on Problem Drywall, are no longer recommending the removal of all electrical wiring in homes with problem drywall. This change in the government's protocol may reduce the cost of remediation for many homes. After simulating more than 40 years of corrosive conditions that could exist in problem drywall homes, Sandia staff did not observe any acute or long-term electrical safety events, such as smoking or fire. Corrosion and blackening of the exposed electrical components did occur and was observed to be consistent with the characteristic corrosion reported to CPSC by thousands of consumers. Based on this study, it is the belief of the staffs of CPSC, HUD and Sandia that long-term exposure of wiring and other electrical components to hydrogen sulfide gases does not indicate a safety hazard to a home's electrical systems. With these changes, the remediation guidance for homes with problem drywall calls for the replacement of all: · problem drywall; · fire safety alarm devices, including smoke and carbon monoxide alarms; · electrical distribution components, including receptacles, switches and circuit breakers; and · gas service piping and fire suppression sprinkler systems. CPSC and HUD staffs are also issuing an updated identification guidance (http://www.cpsc.gov/info/drywall/IDguidance031811.pdf), which broadens the range of installation years of affected homes to include homes where drywall was installed as late as 2009. Importantly, the drywall installed in 2009 had been previously imported during the years 2006-2007 and does not represent any new importation of problem drywall. The staffs of CPSC and HUD believe that following the updated identification and remediation protocols (http://www.cpsc.gov/info/ drywall/guidancesummary.pdf) will enable homeowners to correctly identify homes containing problem drywall and comprehensively remediate those homes to address any potential health and safety issues associated with the problem drywall. CPSC is in the final stages of completing its scientific investigation into problem drywall. For additional findings from the Interagency Drywall Task Force's investigation, visit www.DrywallResponse.gov --- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. The CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years. To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (301) 595-7054. To join a CPSC e-mail subscription list, please go to https://www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx. Consumers can obtain recall and general safety information by logging on to CPSC's Web site at www.cpsc.gov Ray Reynolds, Director State Fire Marshal Department of Public Safety 215 East 7th St. Des Moines, IA 50319 515-725-6150 fax 515-725-6172 cell 515-402-6538 rreynold@dps.state.ia.us Secure Email: raymond.reynolds@leo.gov Wed, 23 Mar 2011 21:12:30 GMT http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=47 http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=46 DES MOINES, Iowa -- The National Weather Service is adding a new type of alert to its warning system: a grassland fire danger index. "Throughout the state, we're seeing a lot of grass fire responses," said Ray Reynolds, the Iowa state fire marshal. Reynolds is also a firefighter in Indianola who sees people underestimate fire dangers every spring. "The conditions change so rapidly that you don't have time to put those fires out and then the wind carries them away, and so you're in trouble the next thing you know," said Reynolds. "We've had a couple real warm days and some warm windy days and that really kind of heightens the fire danger," said NWS meteorologist Kenny Podrazik. The new grassland fire danger index alerts will be issued by county and offer hour-by-hour forecast timeframes. "You'll have to pardon the expression, but it is the perfect storm. Whenever you have a storm front moving in, you've got lightning issues," said Reynolds. Podrazik said the index will take into account temperatures, wind and relative humidity. Spotters will also report conditions around the state, including how dry grasses are. "It's issued just like an advisory, like a winter weather advisory, that kind of thing," said Podrazik. "We see a very good partnership coming in the future to where we can notify fire departments to, at least be on guard," said Reynolds. "Until you see green and you start mowing, you're at risk." Source KCCI-TV Wed, 23 Mar 2011 19:55:01 GMT http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=46 http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=45 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Kimberly Quiros Phone: 202-887-5700 Email: kimberly@nvfc.org Help the Japan Firefighters Association with Relief Efforts The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) joins with the rest of the world in expressing our sorrow at the loss and devastation in Japan that has resulted from Friday's earthquake and tsunami. The NVFC has established an International Relief Fund to assist the Japan Firefighters Association in their relief efforts. Please make a contribution to help aid the Japan Firefighters Association during this time of extreme crisis. Follow this link to donate: https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_flow&SESSION=8iwZNgzsR31v9UMThewspMaoxKBDAydDO6iSRKRleoV5h93osDhPFh9QQSe&dispatch=5885d80a13c0db1f8e263663d3faee8d5fa8ff279e37c3d9d4e38bdbee0ede69 Donations can also be made via check. Make the check out to 'NVFC' and indicate Japan Relief Fund in the memo line. Mail checks to: NVFC Attn: Japan Relief Efforts 7852 Walker Drive, Suite 450 Greenbelt, MD 20770 With thousands dead and thousands more still missing, as well as continuing aftershocks, mounting nuclear reactor problems, and millions of people without water, food, or heat, Japan has a long road ahead toward recovery. Join the NVFC in assisting the Japan Firefighters Association with rescue and cleanup efforts by making a contribution to the International Relief Fund. All funds raised by the NVFC for the Japan relief efforts will go to the Japan Firefighters Association. The Japan Firefighters Association has assisted U.S. firefighters in times of need through donations to 9/11 relief efforts as well as contributions to the NVFC's Volunteer Firefighter Support Fund, which provides financial assistance to volunteer firefighters in the wake of a state- or federally-declared disaster. Members of the Japan Firefighters Association have visited the U.S. many times to meet with leaders from the NVFC and local departments across the U.S., including a visit in October. NVFC Executive Director Heather Schafer attended a conference of the Japan Firefighters Association in Tokyo last month, and NVFC Chairman Philip C. Stittleburg previously attended an international fire service conference in Tokyo in 2008. Tue, 15 Mar 2011 16:17:07 GMT http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=45 http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=44 the 2011 Missouri Valley Conference will be held in Wichita, Kansas July 12 to 15. 2011. Follow this link for registration and conference information: http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/member/doc/attachments/33/2011_conference_flyer.pdf Mon, 14 Mar 2011 01:51:12 GMT http://www.iowafirechiefs.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=44