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FYI
Posted 3/18/2004 As you may recall last year we completed an assessment of our
county'spreparedness for a
Posted 3/17/2004 To: The Fire ServiceSubject:
Cuts to Fire Grant Program Poulsbo,
WA – Action Training Systems, serving the Fire Service Community for over
sixteen years, received the The
House leaders of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus have written President
Bush to express their dismay ***Mr.
Sharman urges the service to: contact their representatives and
senators and ask
them to support full or call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121. For
more information visit http://www.action-training.com/femafireactgrant.asp
Posted 1/05/2004 800 MHZ Digital system Listed below is a series of messages that were posted on the DFD message board. Which I found to be interesting, these are not necessarily my view point. I will send these out to all departments for review. I will also post these on our web site under FYI. I also did a search utilizing Google, typed in800 MHZ Fire Problems and came up with 39,000 plus hits.
Sincerely, 1.)I pray that you really have done your homework as you say. I hope you have really checked into the problems the other municipalities have had and not just listened to the salesman answers from people selling you a system. Your comment that it is sad that other municipalities did not look before they leaped tends to make me believe that you got the same answer from Motorola and the State that we did when we first signed on. That the problems experienced by other agencies are the fault of those agencies expecting more than they should have from the system and that it certainly is not the fault of the system. There were a lot of promises made during our investigation phase into the system. Enough to get the sale. One example, we were told there were enough backups in the system that a complete failure was not possible. Within a month of us signing on to this established system, a storm came thru and bypassed those backups, leaving us without radio coverage for 3 days. We had to go back to the VHF system and do all dispatch, rig, and portable radio traffic thru handheld radios on our old system that weathered the same storm. We did State supervised testing of the 800 MHZ digital system prior to implementation. Testing transmissions from known problem spots that our VHF system had. For some reason, after changing over to the State's radio, we experienced many more problems with loss of signal than we had during those tests. It has since proven to be much worse coverage than our old VHF system. I cant imagine that this is a unique problem with the State system. Many of these problems, like cell phone interference, will surface on any of these digital systems that are in competition for the same radio bandwidth. Do you really feel that digital is worth the risk? When our digital radios dont get a stong enough signal, either transmitting or receiving, regardless of the reason, the voice is repeated as garbled, distorted, unrecognizable, electronic spaghetti. When analog systems receive a weaker signal, they repeat a weaker message, but one that may still be understood. Another problem with digital - you can not use this system for alerting stations as your present VHF system is being used. If your plan is like ours was, to keep the old system for station alerting, then why waste all the money you will have to for new digital coverage when you still have to put money down to upkeep the old system as well? It all sounds hi-tech and state of the art, so it might look good on paper, but when you are actually holding on to that $3500 portable radio (which by the way, cant get wet or it fails), and you need to call for help, but you are waiting for the "go ahead" signal from your radio before you can transmit (because absolutely, under no conditions will more than one radio be allowed to transmit at the same time!), then you find that the digital signal cant get thru the concrete and steel so you get the "out of range" bonking noise - which means you have to go over to a window so you can lean out to get a repeater to receive your signal, but wait, you cant go to a window because you are stuck in the basement, damn, how could this have happened with such a state of the art system that promises such excellent mobile coverage. I was shown a copy of an application which indicated that the City of Detroit was joining the State of Michigan radio system. This application said that the use was for Police, Fire and EMS. It didnt say anything about Detroit Water. Now maybe this is just so you can be compatible with the MSP system (but why would Fire & EMS units need to talk to MSP?). Like I said, I cant imagine these problems are unique to the MSP system. I do think that many of the problems we have been experiencing are common place to a digital system, as well as the shorter bandwidth of 800 MHZ systems. After several years on the MSP system we are finally getting relief in the form of a trunked ANALOG system in the 400 MHZ bandwidth. The bad experience we had as a fire department on the digital system kept area police departments from converting as they had planned. We are now joining together to build a County wide radio system that will work as a radio system should, and will be compatible with our neighbors too. 2.)Information going around is that the City of Detroit will be signing on to the State of Michigan's digital 800 MHZ radio system for police, fire & EMS dispatching. As both a dispatcher and now a firefighter that has been subjected to using this system in Lansing, I would urge you to take evasive action while you can! After viewing the problems we are having with this system, the police departments in Ingham County decided against signing on and researched a new radio system that is just now being constructed. I know my opinion means little, so let me just say - quit listening to the salesmen from Motorola and MSP, call some people that have actually used the system! Check into the problems FDNY had, talk to people in Livingston County, call the Fire Chiefs at Lansing FD. An informed source there is Chief Bouth at (517) 483-4561. 3.)The city of
Detroit is building it's own system and not simply joining the MSP system. The
backbone of this system is seperate from MSP's and the only thing in common it
will have is that they can use each other as backup. I believe the agreement
discussed in this thread is between MSP and Detroit Water and not public
safety. DWSD needs to talk well outside the city limits and the MSP system
allows them to do this. As far as failures of 800mhz in the past. The
committee working on this project is well aware of the problems of other
municipalities and has learned from their errors in implementation. Detroit
has taken in account these errors and made sure that there is adequate
antennaes in place unlike DC who had 1 up when they rolled out there system,
In building repeators, and mobile repeators on all engines. If failure occurs
on the scene the radio traffic switches back to analog and is simply
broadcasted simulataneously over both networks so communications can be
maintained. 5.)KANSAS CITY HAS AN 800 SYSTEM ALSO AND IT IS FOR SHIT!! THEY HAVE HAD A FEW TOO MANY "CLOSE CALLS" DUE TO THE INABILITY TO TRANSMIT FROM MANY COMMON PLACES. 6.)I've heard
that you can get burned off the antenna's!! If this is true or not Im really
not sure but I've heard this more than a few times. The only good that I've
ever heard from this came from of all people a Michigan State Police officer.
They liked it because he could hear "Staties" in the U P while they
were in the Southern Lower. I would like to talk across my city on portable
but I could care less if I could talk across the state!! 9.)Same problem in Columbus, Ohio with 800 mhz - good luck tx from inside a bldg, below or above grade. We have a "car to car" channel which is off line from the 800 mhz trunking system and basically line of site communications. In theory it's great but realistically not very reliable. Several Depts. in Erie County N.Y. and the City of Buffalo have gone to 400 mhz and its working better than 800 mhz.
Posted 11/30/03 Submitted By: Dave Ogelsby NFR NVFC News Alert Posted 7/16/03 This was submitted by Mike Gregorich M.T.F.D.
Subject: Daily Safety Tip - Static
Electricity and Flammable Liquids
FYI
A
Special Note put out by the Plant
Communications Team in DCX! A friend shared this with me.
The Shell Oil Company recently
issued a warning after three incidents in which mobile phones (cell phones)
ignited fumes during fueling operations.
In the first case, the phone was placed on the car's trunk lid during fueling; it rang and the ensuing fire destroyed the car and the gasoline pump. In the second, an individual suffered severe burns to their face when fumes ignited as they answered a call while refueling their car. And in the third, an individual suffered burns to the thigh and groin as fumes ignited when the phone, which was in their pocket, rang while they were fueling their car. You should know that: Mobile Phones can ignite fuel or fumes. Mobile phones that light up when switched on or when they ring release enough energy to provide a spark for ignition. Mobile phones should not be used in filling stations, or when fueling lawn mowers, boat! , Etc. Mobile phones should not be used, or should be turned off, around other materials that generate flammable or explosive fumes or dust, i.e. solvents, chemicals, gases, grain dust, etc. To sum it up, here are the: Four Rules for Safe Refueling 1) Turn off engine 2) Don't smoke 3) Don't use your cell phone - leave it inside the vehicle or turn it off 4) Don't reenter your vehicle during fueling Bob Renkes of Petroleum Equipment Institute is working on a campaign to try and make people aware of fires as a result of "static electricity" at gas pumps. His company has researched 150 cases of these fires. His results were very surprising: 1) Out of 150 cases, almost all of them were women. 2) Almost all cases involved the person getting back in their vehicle while the nozzle was still pumping gas, when finished and they went back to pull the nozzle out the fire started, as a result of static. 3) Most had on rubber-soled shoes. 4) Most men never get back in their vehicle until completely finished. This is why they are seldom involved in these! types of fires. 5) Don't ever use cell phones when pumping gas 6) It is the vapors that come out of the gas that cause the fire, when connected with static charges. 7) There were 29 fires where the vehicle was reentered and the nozzle was touched during refueling from a variety of makes and models. Some resulting in extensive damage to the vehicle, to the station, and to the customer. 8) Seventeen fires that occurred before, during or immediately after the gas cap was removed and before fueling began. Mr. Renkes stresses to NEVER get back into your vehicle while filling with gas. If you absolutely HAVE to get in your vehicle while the gas is pumping, make sure when you get out to close the door TOUCHING THE METAL, before you ever pull the nozzle out. This way the static from your body will be discharged before you ever remove the nozzle. As I mentioned earlier, The Petroleum Equipment Institute, along with several other companies now, are really trying to make the public aware of this danger. You can find out more information by going to http://www.pei.org . Once here, click in the center of the screen where it says "Stop Static". I ask you to please send this information to all your family and friends, especially those who have kids in the car with them while pumping gas. If this were to happen to them, they may not be able to get the children out in time. Pat Cabiling Chevron Texaco USA RFMS Richmond California Refinery! Phone: (510) 242-1454 Email: ppca@chevrontexaco.co Posted 3/30/03 Press ReleaseFor Immediate Release March 25, 2003 Temporary Deferral Recommended for Heart Patients Volunteering for Smallpox VaccinationThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today took the precautionary step of adding a temporary medical deferral to the smallpox vaccination program for persons who have been diagnosed with heart disease. CDC is investigating whether there is any association between smallpox vaccination and reports of heart problems in seven health care workers who have been vaccinated. CDC added the temporary measure to the existing list of deferral criteria based on information from its real-time monitoring system, which showed a small number of heart-related incidents among health care workers following smallpox vaccination. It is not clear whether this number is greater than would be expected normally in this population, CDC scientists said. "We promised to closely monitor this program and to put safety first,
so we are exercising exceptional caution," said Julie Gerberding, M.D.,
CDC director. "If our investigation shows this precautionary measure
should become permanent or the need for other changes or enhancements in the
civilian smallpox vaccination program, we will take immediate action." CDC is recommending that persons with known cardiac disease - such as cardiomyopathy, previous heart attack, history of angina, or other evidence of coronary artery disease - be temporarily deferred from receiving smallpox vaccination. CDC will provide states with simple questions about heart problems to use in screening people volunteering for smallpox vaccination. In pursuing its promise of safety, last week CDC asked the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices' (ACIP) Smallpox Vaccine Safety Review Board to examine reports of heart-related adverse events occurring in connection with the smallpox vaccination program. CDC is also beginning research projects aimed at identifying and understanding any associations that may exist between smallpox vaccine and heart-related problems. "A major part of our monitoring program involves regularly sharing information about adverse events with experts such as those on the ACIP. They can help assess whether the smallpox vaccine is, indeed, associated with the medical conditions described in the adverse event reports," said Walter Orenstein, M.D., director of CDC's National Immunization Program. CDC has received several reports of heart-related problems among the 25,645 people who have been vaccinated in the civilian program. The seven cases prompting today's precautionary action include three cases of myocardial infarction (heart attack), one of which resulted in death; two cases of angina (chest pain); and two cases of myopericarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle or sac surrounding the heart). In each case the individual's medical history, including risk factors for heart disease, is being studied. Cases of heart inflammation following smallpox vaccination were reported in the 1960s and 1970s. However, the information from these reports does not provide any information about the types of people who may be at higher risk for heart-related problems following smallpox vaccination. For more information, see: INTERIM
SMALLPOX FACT SHEET: Smallpox Vaccine and Heart Problems VACCINE
INFORMATION STATEMENT (VIS): Smallpox Vaccine and Heart Problems: Important
Interim Supplementary Information -- March 27, 2003 Smallpox Website # # # CDC protects people's health and safety by preventing and controlling diseases and injuries; enhances health decisions by providing credible information on critical health issues; and promotes healthy living through strong partnerships with local, national, and international organizations. Posted 1/27/03 This was submitted by Chief Robert E Lohfink W.T.FD Dated January 23,2003 To: County Training Committees From: Gregory Kirt, Director of Training Subject: Partial Restoration of MFFTC Budget Cut In mid December 2002, the Michigan Fire Fighters Training Council (MFFTC) was directed to reduce the budget appropriation by 12.3%, which equated to $183,800 reduction. $166,000 was to be removed from county allocations at the rate of $2,000 per county. Council was also directed to take the remaining$17,000 from MFFTC operating budget. Because the budget reduction came near the end of the state's first fiscal quarter, over two thirds of the counties had already received MFFTC approval and encumbered most or all of their allocations. The majority of those classes scheduled were already in progress. Recognizing that canceling training in progress would cause hardship for students, instructors and fire departments, it became impractical to reduce each of the 83 county allocations by $2,000 to achieve the intended reduction. MFFTC made the decision to freeze the remaining county allocations and allow the classes already approved to continue. On the down side, the decision to freeze the remaining county allocations meant 14 counties would receive zero training dollars for fiscal year 2003 and 12 other counties would receive more than a 2,000 cut. At the December 2002 meeting, MFFTC members passed a motion directing Chairman Burke to file an objection with State Police Director, Col. Stephen D. Madden, Regarding the lack of input in the decision making process and the disparity between the MFFTC reduction and other programs. Chairman Burke met with Col. Madden January 7,2003 and was given an opportunity to explain the devastating impact of the cut to fire fighters safety and their ability to protest communities. MFFTC has been notified that was restored to the MFFTC from the State Police budget, effective immediately. This includes the additional $13,886.52 that was taken from MFFTC operating budget to cover the initial shortfall in county allocations. Col. Madden indicated the monies were being restored to ensure that no county was cut by more than the intended amount of $2,000. The spreadsheet being provided to County Training Committees identifies the 26 counties that received partial restoration of their budget reduction, The amount restored is now available to those counties for training. The affected 26 counties must encumber the restored monies for training classes by march1, 2003or the monies will be returned to the statewide training account. The spread sheet also identifies the remaining counties, their original allocation, the amount encumbered prior to the budget reduction, and if they received a cut, the amount of the reduction. If you have any questions regarding your scheduled classes or county training allocation, please contact your Region Supervisor. On behalf of MFFTC, we appreciate your cooperation during these difficult times. Posted 12/14/03
POSTED 11/15/02 NFPA Reports - Fire Deaths in U.S. Homes Drop More than 9% in 2001 The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recently released the fire loss statistics for 2001. Estimates were based on data the NFPA received from fire departments responding to its 2001 National Fire Experience Survey. The Following is a synopsis of this report. The entire report can be downloaded from the NFPA web site at www.nfpa.org. OVERVIEW OF 2001 U.S. FIRE EXPERIENCE Number of Fires
What does this mean? Every 18 seconds, a fire department responds to a fire somewhere in the nation. A fire occurs in a structure at the rate of one every 60 seconds, and, in particular, a residential fire occurs every 80 seconds. Fires occur in vehicles at a rate of 1 every90 seconds, and there is a fire in an outside property every 37 seconds. Civilian Fire Deaths
Civilian Fire injuries
Property Damage
Incendiary and Suspicious Fires
*** Source Michigan Fire Ties-November 2002 Posted 8/02/02
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