Fire Safety


Texas DPS Hosts Annual Emergency Management Conference

"As a large and geographically diverse state, Texas faces the full gamut of public safety threats, including severe weather and natural or manmade disasters, and preparedness is our number-one defense against such emergencies," said Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw.

Health effects of breathing welding fumes include eye, nose, and throat irritation; possible lung damage; various types of cancer; kidney and nervous system damage; and suffocation when oxygen-displacing gases are involved in welding in confined or enclosed spaces.

Keep An Eye on Welding PPE

The OSHA mandatory standard specifies both eye protection and protective clothing for welders.

Steel Company Firefighter's Death Investigated

Nitrogen exposure is the expected cause of death for Kenny Ray Jr., 32, a fire technician/industrial firefighter for Canton, Ohio-based TimkenSteel Corporation.

NFPA Webinar to Aid Volunteer FF Recruiting, Community Engagement

Country music star Craig Morgan, Firehouse Magazine, and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation helped to launch the Step Up and Stand Out campaign earlier this year to recognize current volunteers and encourage citizens to investigate becoming volunteer firefighters.

@FDNYAlerts

NYC Fire Department Launches 24-Hour Twitter Handle

The department cautioned that @FDNYAlerts does not replace 911 calls and is not a means for reporting emergencies to the department.

DC Metrorail System Shuts Down for Fire Safety Inspections

Inspections of approximately 600 "jumper cables" are being done along all tunnel segments on the 118-mile Metrorail system in the nation's capital after an electrical fire occurred in a tunnel.

OIG Audit Finds Deficiencies in DOT IT Systems' Resilience

The DOT agencies have not all effectively tested their plans to ensure they will work in the event of a disruption, the audit found, with OIG reporting that the Federal Aviation Administration did not conduct annual contingency plan testing for certain high-impact systems as required.



Seattle Explosion Injures Nine Firefighters

The natural gas explosion flattened two buildings.

The American Red Cross installed almost 1,000 smoke alarms in one day in North Carolina homes in early 2015.

Domino's, NFPA Teaming Again on Smoke Alarm Campaign

"Daylight saving time is a great time to remember to change your smoke alarm batteries after you set your clocks ahead. This small step is an easy one, but it can help save lives," said Jenny Fouracre, a spokesperson for the pizza company.

Employers

Are You Fire Ready?

If you expect your workers to use firefighting equipment, you should give them appropriate equipment and train them annually to use the equipment safely.

Typically the fire department arrives anywhere from 4 to 10 minutes from the time of the 911 call. It is important to have accounted for all employees, visitors, and contractors.

Fire Drills: Evaluating Employee Exit Strategies

A major issue with conducting pre-announced fire drills is that employees know the drills are not a real emergency alert and therefore, have no sense of urgency.

$10K Grants Available for Fire Sprinkler Coalitions' Campaigns

Up to 10 Bringing Safety Home Grants will be awarded to organizations in the United States and Canada by the National Fire Protection Association's Fire Sprinkler Initiative.

CAL FIRE announced that law enforcement investigators concluded a faulty gas water heater sparked one of the fires that merged to become the Rocky Fire, one of 16 active wildfires in the state as of Aug. 19, 2015.

NIST Touts Data's Role in Improving Wildfire Defense

A NIST study examined three fires in February 2011 in suburban areas outside Amarillo at the wildland urban interface, the area where residential communities and undeveloped wildlands meet. Those fires destroyed 70 homes, burned more than 25,000 acres of land, and caused nearly $6 million in property damage.

Bill Would Make British Columbia's Fire Code Compliance Monitoring Risk-Based

"The Fire Chiefs' Association of BC applauds the adoption of the new Fire Safety Act. This legislation provides local governments with new and better tools with which they can provide for fire safety within their communities," said Timothy Pley, president of the Fire Chiefs' Association of British Columbia.

Only One CSB Imperial Sugar Recommendation Still Open

It is the recommendation made to OSHA, asking the agency to promulgate a comprehensive combustible dust standard.

Valentine

About Those Romantic Valentine's Day Candles ...

From 2009 to 2013, there were 9,300 reported home structure fires in the United States started by candles, an average of about 25 reported fires per day, according to an NFPA report.

Philadelphia Ending Fire Department Brownouts

Mayor Jim Kenney and the city's acting fire commissioner are ending the current practices of rotating firefighters through stations and temporarily closing firehouses to cut costs, steps taken during the administration of Kenney's predecessor.

International Code Council Taking Applications for Tall Wooden Buildings Panel

The committee will investigate the feasibility of, and take action on, developing code changes for tall wood buildings, and its work will continue through the 2018/2019/2020 cycle.

The explosion in West, Texas, prompted President Obama

West Report Calls for OSHA, EPA Regulatory Changes

The board's report calls on OSHA and EPA to strengthen their regulations to protect the public from hazards posed by fertilizer grade ammonium nitrate. "Overall," said CSB Lead Investigator Johnnie Banks, "the CSB's investigation found that training and reference materials did not adequately inform emergency responders about the potential for FGAN to detonate in a fire."

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