FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NATIONAL FIRE ACADEMY announces new online course
Emmitsburg, MD – The U.S. Fire Administration’s (USFA) National Fire Academy (NFA) is pleased to announce the release of its newest online course,
Command & Control Decision Making at Multiple Alarm Incidents Self Study (Q297). In early 2007, efforts began to redesign several of the NFA’s resident courses using a blended learning format, whereby a portion of the newly revised course is available online. One of the first courses available under this new format is the
Command & Control Decision Making at Multi-Alarm Incidents (R297) course. This new self study course is the precourse assignment for the residential R297 course; however, anyone interested can enroll in the course.
“We are pleased to make this course available not only to the fire and emergency services, but to the general public as well,” said U.S. Fire Administrator Greg Cade. “This particular course serves to broaden the student’s knowledge and understanding of the use and significance of the Incident Command System.”
This course and additional online courses are available through the NFA’s online training site, NFA Online at
http://www.nfaonline.dhs.gov . Students who successfully complete the courses have instant access to their NFA certificate of completion and transcript.
Additional information on the USFA and the NFA is available at http://www.usfa.dhs.gov
DHS Announces Release of Application Guidance for Over $3 Billion in Grant Programs
http://www.dos.state.ny.us/fire/pdfs/bulletins/2008Bulletins/0802152.pdf
http://www.dos.state.ny.us/fire/BULLETIN%20FILES/2008TEXT/0802152.htm
NFAOnline
EMMITSBURG, MD. – The U.S. Fire Administration’s National Fire Academy is pleased to announce the launch of a new web-based online training system NFAOnline. NFAOnline provides an easy one-stop website where fire and emergency services personnel, first responders, emergency management personnel, and the general public will find free training and education programs that they can complete at their own pace.
“Now is the time for us to embrace the future and improve our education through distance learning,” said NFA Superintendent, Dr. Denis Onieal. “NFAOnline provides another option to help further the professionalism of the nation’s fire and emergency services and strengthen their ability to combat all hazard emergencies.”
NFAOnline provides a “user-friendly,” state-of-the art training system with technical support and the ability for the student to immediately print a certificate and transcript. The primary effort of NFAOnline is to make available training and materials for the fire service, particularly those unable to attend resident courses in Emmitsburg, Maryland.
To enroll in NFAOnline, visit
http://www.nfaonline.dhs.gov and browse the course catalog through the ‘New Students’ option.
NFAOnline COURSE CATALOG
Courses Available:
Distance Learning Courses (1)
NFA Online Tutorial
Emergency Medical Services Courses (1)
EMS Operations at Multi Casualty Incidents
Emergency Response to Terrorism Courses (1)
Emergency Response to Terrorism: Self-Study
Fire Prevention Courses (2)
Alternative Water Supply: Planning and Implementing Programs
Testing and Evaluation of Water Supplies for Fire Protection
Incident Management Courses (3)
ICS-100, Introduction to ICS for Operational First Responders
ICS-200, Basic NIMS ICS for Operational First Responders
Awareness of Command and Control Decision Making at Multiple Alarm Incidents
Management Science Courses (1)
Fire Service Supervision
DHS Announces Release of Application Guidance for Over $3 Billion in Grant Programs
http://www.dos.state.ny.us/fire/pdfs/bulletins/2008Bulletins/0802152.pdf
http://www.dos.state.ny.us/fire/BULLETIN%20FILES/2008TEXT/0802152.htm
National Response Framework Training Released
http://www.dos.state.ny.us/fire/pdfs/bulletins/2008Bulletins/0802153.pdf
http://www.dos.state.ny.us/fire/BULLETIN%20FILES/2008TEXT/0802153.htm
Department of Homeland Security and FEMA Support for Grants
http://www.dos.state.ny.us/fire/pdfs/bulletins/2008Bulletins/0802154.pdf
http://www.dos.state.ny.us/fire/BULLETIN%20FILES/2008TEXT/0802154.htm
Search the GPO Catalog of Government Publications
http://www.dos.state.ny.us/fire/pdfs/bulletins/2008Bulletins/0802155.pdf
http://www.dos.state.ny.us/fire/BULLETIN%20FILES/2008TEXT/0802155.htm
USFA Releases Provisional 2007 Firefighter Fatality Statistics
EMMITSBURG, MD – The United States Fire Administration (USFA) announced today there were 115 on-duty firefighter fatalities in the United States in 2007. In 2007, there were firefighters lost in 33 states and Washington, DC. South Carolina experienced the highest number of fatalities (11) while Pennsylvania, New York, North Carolina, and California each suffered more than 5 on-duty losses.
"This past year will be remembered by the entire fire service as one of the most tragic years for firefighters in recent memory," United States Fire Administrator Greg Cade said. "We are committed to continuing our dedicated efforts with the International Association of Fire Chiefs, National Volunteer Fire Council, International Association of Firefighters, and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation to make sure 2008 is not a repeat of 2007 and a year in which Everyone Goes Home at the end of their emergency response assignments."
Heart attacks and vehicle accidents were responsible for the deaths of 54 firefighters (47%) in 2007, down from 54 of the 106 (51%) firefighters in 2006. In 2007, 10 on-duty firefighters died in association with wildland fires.
On June 18th, Charleston, SC lost 9 firefighters while working to control a fire in a large sofa warehouse facility. Each year, firefighters becoming trapped and disoriented represent the largest portion of structural fireground fatalities. For 2007, 64% of all firefighter fatalities occurred while performing emergency duties. Almost 42% were at structure fires with 19 caught or trapped (16.5%).
Speed and a lack of seat belts contributed to many deaths as well. More than 2 of every 10 firefighter fatalities in 2007 occurred when responding to or returning from an incident. While seat belts and speed were not necessarily factors in all of these fatalities, they were contributing factors for most of them.
These fatality statistics for 2007 are provisional and very much subject to change as the USFA contacts State Fire Marshals to verify the names of firefighters reported to have died on-duty during 2007. The final, annual firefighter fatality report for 2007 is expected to be available by early June.
For additional information on firefighter fatalities, including the annual fatality reports from 1986 through 2006 and the Firefighter Fatality Retrospective Study 1990–2000, please visit the USFA Web site.
http://www.everyonegoeshome.com/
USFA Releases Fire-Related Firefighter Injuries Report
EMMITSBURG, MD. – Twice as many firefighters are injured each year performing fireground duties as there are fire injuries to the civilian population, according to a new report issued today by the Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Fire Administration (USFA). In 2004, there were an estimated 36,880 firefighter fireground injuries. The new report, Fire-Related Firefighter Injuries in 2004, was developed by the National Fire Data Center, part of the U.S. Fire Administration, and is based primarily on analyses of the 2004 National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) Version 5.0 data.
“Everyday firefighters face great risks of bodily injury and possibly even death,” said National Fire Data Center Director Alex Furr. “Firefighting, by its very nature, is an extremely dangerous job, and therefore it is important that we take steps to educate the fire service on improving firefighter health and safety and focus on injury prevention.”
The report presents the details of firefighter injuries sustained at or responding to a fire incident. These injuries may be the result of operations at the fire scene or responding to or returning from an incident. Additionally, this report examines firefighter injury rates and fire-related injury characteristics. Eighty-nine percent of firefighter injuries reported to NFIRS in 2004 were associated with structure fires. Of these injuries, 76 percent occurred on residential properties. Injuries to the upper and lower extremities accounted for 30 percent of all reported fire-related firefighter injuries. An additional 20 percent of injuries were to the head, neck, and shoulder areas. For the nature of the injury, 34 percent were related to sprains, strains, cuts, and wounds. Burns accounted for an additional 11 percent of the reported injuries.
http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/2004_ff_injuries.pdf
Fire Research You Can Use at fire.gov
http://www.dos.state.ny.us/fire/pdfs/bulletins/2008Bulletins/0802156.pdf
http://www.dos.state.ny.us/fire/BULLETIN%20FILES/2008TEXT/0802156.htm
CPSC Takes Major Step Toward Reducing Upholstered Furniture Fires
http://www.dos.state.ny.us/fire/pdfs/bulletins/2008Bulletins/0802158.pdf
http://www.dos.state.ny.us/fire/BULLETIN%20FILES/2008TEXT/0802158.htm
Department of Homeland Security Announces Application Period for FY 2008 Assistance to Firefighters Grants
The Department of Homeland Security's Grant Programs Directorate will begin accepting applications for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) beginning March 3, 2008, at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EST) with the deadline for receipt of the applications no later than April 4, 2008, at 5:00 p.m. EDT. The AFG, which will be distributed in phases throughout FY 2008, will ultimately award approximately $500 million.
Interested applicants can access the FY 2008 AFG application through the AFG website (http://www.firegrantsupport.com), the U.S. Fire Administration's (USFA) Website (http://www.usfa.fema.gov) and the Grants.gov Website (http://www.grants.gov). The website contains important information about the AFG including the FY 2008 funding priorities and program guidance, a web-based tutorial on the application process, a listing of frequently asked questions and other materials. Fire departments that have questions regarding this grant opportunity should contact the Help Desk at 1-866-274-0960 or email to firegrants@dhs.gov. During the application period, Help Desk hours will be from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and on Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EDT. Additional Help Desk hours may be added if demand is high.
Eligible applicants for the FY 2008 AFG are limited to fire departments and nonaffiliated emergency medical service (EMS) organizations operating within the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
Interested applicants may submit two separate applications for consideration under each of the following two program areas:
Operations and Safety Program Area: Eligible activities for fire departments and nonaffiliated EMS organizations are limited to training, equipment, personal protective equipment, wellness and fitness, and modifications to facilities.
Vehicle Acquisition Program Area: Eligible apparatus available to fire departments under this program area include, but are not limited to, pumpers, brush trucks, tankers/tenders, rescue vehicles, ambulances, quints, aerials, foam units, and fireboats.
The FY 2008 AFG will also allow eligible applicants to submit an additional application for a regional project through which multiple organizations, serving more than one local jurisdiction, may benefit directly from the activities implemented with the grant funds.
Pilot Course Opportunities Posted in Error by the National Fire Academy
Contributing Factors to Firefighter Line of Duty Death
in the United States
From www.firefighterclosecalls.com
http://www.dos.state.ny.us/fire/pdfs/bulletins/2008Bulletins/0803168.pdf
http://www.dos.state.ny.us/fire/BULLETIN%20FILES/2008TEXT/0803168.htm
National Emergency or Disaster Grants to Assist
Low-Income Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers
http://www.dos.state.ny.us/fire/pdfs/bulletins/2008Bulletins/0803176.pdf
http://www.dos.state.ny.us/fire/BULLETIN%20FILES/2008TEXT/0803176.htm