FYI

                                                Posted 3/18/2004
                                  by Gary Johnson Chocolay Twp FD

As you may recall last year we completed an assessment of our county'spreparedness for a 
CBRNE event (WMD). As part of this assessment wefound a shortfall of training courses in the county for CBRNE. As a result the County of Marquette has received a grant in the amount of
$86,000 to conduct training. This money is to be used for all eleven disciplines that took part in the assessment. We now are in the process of developing a plan to distribute the money with the goal 
of training as many responders as possible. The following is a list of courses that apply to the fire service:
* Emergency Response to Terrorism: Basic Concepts - 16 Hrs
* Incident Response to Terrorist Bombings: Awareness - 4 Hrs
* WMD Radiological/Nuclear Awareness - 16 Hrs
* CBRNE Defensive Operations - 12 Hrs
* Unified Incident Command System - 16 Hrs
* May 5-7, 2004 Michigan Homeland Security Training Conference - 16 Hrs
***Note: to attend the CBRNE Defensive Operations and the Unified ICS
course; individuals must verify completion of the Terrorism Awareness
course. To become a trainer in these two courses individuals must verify
completion of HazMat Operations or CBRNE Operations level courses.

There are two ways we can utilize this training, either by train the trainer, or hosting these classes 
and paying a trainer to come in and teach the course. We are asking each department to provide
 us which course or courses their department wishes to take, and the number of people that would attend each. Further, if your department has certified trainers, and they are interested in teaching
 any of these courses please let us know that. We would like to see as many local trainers as we 
can. The grant will cover the cost of the course, milage, lodging and meals for train the trainers courses. For departments that have full-time members, the grant will cover overtime and backfill for those who attend courses. The grant will also cover the cost of instructors for any courses that we host.  It is important that we use this money, please let me know what your department is interested in, if the fire service does not use their share of the money, the other ten disciplines will make use of it. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have. The
deadline for getting back to me is April 12th. Thank you.

Gary Johnson
Marquette County Central Dispatch Supervisor
180 U.S. 41 East
Negaunee, MI 49866
Phone (906) 475-1196 Fax (906) 475-9927
Email gjohnson@mqtcty.org

                                                  Posted 3/17/2004
                                 by Thomas Kidd Chocolay Twp FD

To:  The Fire Service

Subject:  Cuts to Fire Grant Program

 

Poulsbo, WA – Action Training Systems, serving the Fire Service Community for over sixteen years, received the
 note below from Craig Sharman of the National Volunteer Fire Council. 

 

The House leaders of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus have written President Bush to express their dismay
at the $250 million dollar cut proposed for the Fire Grant program in 2005.

 

***Mr. Sharman urges the service to: contact their representatives and senators and ask them to support full 
funding of the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program at the $900 million level in FY 2005 and to ensure that the 
program continues to focus on basic firefighting and emergency response needs. If you do not know their telephone
 number or address visit http://www.congress.or g/congressorg/dbq/officials

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,
                                                                                        Mike Farmer

      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.
         Detroit has done the homework. We have looked before we leaped. Said to say other municipalities have not.

         4.)The 800 MHZ State System is a piece of s*&^. It is unreliable and just another ploy for the law enforcement and the radio folks to get their hands on our "tools of the trade." If one uses this particular system, might as well use tin cans with strings attached to them for communicating with one another. As the Verizon guy always says, "Can you hear me now?" No, not with an 800 MHZ system.

         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!!

          7.)Trust me please: 800mhz public safety radio systems are all but a pipe-dream seen thru the eye's & pockets ($$$) of the Mfgr.'s, it's industry & those that can get in on the action.Do they really work?: Ask the FDNY, DCFD, & the many others (duped, in my view!) that use them. Yes, they do work. But, only after extensive & costly "upgrade packages", new antennas & repeater upgrades, & followed too by CAD upgrades. All extremely costly, time consuming (down times=no communication!)& new training w/ a radio that is merely wanted & needed as a 2-way communication device. Why So Costly?: A municipality, community, etc. base their "new & needed" system specifications from Info. & data
that comes from the Mfgr./industry. That's the equivalent to spec'ing out new engine's based soley on the Mfgr. Info. & low bidder = a bare bones "new" engine w/out a deck-pipe, front intake, tank size, yada, yada, yada. The point is that yes, you'll get that "new & vastly improved" radio system, but will not work as envisioned or lead to believe. Hence: multiple upgrades (='s $$$) to just make it satisfactory.
           Reliability?: Just ask any public safety Dept. (Lg. or Sm.)about how confident they are in their "new, needed & improved" radio system. Don't ask the brass collars from HQ, but the grunts out in da streets everyday. You will more often than not, get a loud & sarcastic: "yeah right!" And forget not, those "upgrades" that come at the expense of public & firefighter safety. You can only learn of the dead spots, missed communication, system crashes, & the myriad of inherent problems that come along BY IT BEING USED! You wanna-be the guy stuck in that 2nd floor middle bedroom w/out a window trying to
call for help on a radio that is about the size & weight of a brick w/ child-like sized buttons on it? "Yeah right"!
           In theory & practice, the 800mhz system(s) really can beutilized as envisioned; particularly in the scope of integrated emergency management for incidents of any scale. However, for the day-to-day operations, if what your using full fills it's requirement & needs of both the public & the FDs-leave well enough alone. I'm reminded of a sign that was posted @the DCFD apparatus shops: "IF WE CAN'T FIX IT, IT AIN'T BROKE!" Be safe & Merry Christmas to the DFD & your families.

         8.)I only have this to say about the 800 mhz radio system the state police is trying to push on the fire departments in this state: FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, DON'T GO TO THIS SYSTEM!!!!
We've been on this waste of money here in Lansing for 7 unsafe years and it has been nothing but a nightmare from day one ! Feel free to call any LFD fire station and ask about it. For you guys on the H&S committees, do your research and do your best to protect your members from the people who's lives don't depend on good fire ground communications, but just want to put another feather in their political hat !

          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
For Immediate Release                                            For more Information Contact: 
November 25, 2003                                                 Craig Sharman  202-887-5700

Congress Passes Legislation to Cover Heart Attacks Under PSOB
WASHINGTON, DC -- On November 25, the Senate gave final approval to the Hometown Heroes Survivor Benefits Act (S. 459 / H.R. 919), which will expand the Public Safety Officers Benefit (PSOB) program to cover public safety officers who die of heart attacks or strokes in the line of duty. The legislation, which gained House approval on November 22, now heads to the White House for the President to sign into law.
"This is a huge victory for public safety officers nationwide," said NVFC Chairman Philip C. Stittleburg. "The fire service owes its utmost gratitude to the bipartisan group of Senators and Representatives that worked so hard to ensure this bill's passage."
The legislation was originally introduced in the House by Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-NC), along with Representatives Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Michael Oxley (R-OH), and Curt Weldon (R-PA). In the Senate the effort was spearheaded by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), along with Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Susan Collins (R-ME) and Jim Jeffords (I-VT).
Rep. Howard Coble (R-NC), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, and Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI), Chairmen of the Senate and House Judiciary Committees respectively, also played critical roles in moving the bill through the process.
The PSOB program currently provides a one-time death benefit payment of $267,494, which is administered by the U.S. Department of Justice, to families of public safety officers (fire, police and EMS) killed in the line of duty, as well as to officers permanently disabled while on duty. The death benefit is payable to the survivors of a public safety officer who "has died as the direct and proximate result of a personal injury sustained in the line of duty.
Unfortunately, in almost every incidence of death by heart attack or stroke, it has been ruled that the heart attack or stroke was not a direct result of an injury sustained in the line of duty and the family receives no benefits even though the deaths were clearly triggered by the rigors of the job.
The Hometown Heroes Survivor Benefit Act will correct that deficiency in the law, by ensuring that a public safety officer who suffers a fatal heart attack or stroke while on duty or not later than 24 hours after participating in a physical training exercise or responding to an emergency situation, is presumed to have died in the line of duty for purposes of public safety officer survivor benefits.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), 37 firefighters died from heart attacks in the line of duty in 2002.
"There is nothing more important to the NVFC than ensuring the families of our firefighters that they will receive proper benefits should their loved ones fall while serving their communities," Stittleburg added. "Nearly half of all firefighter fatalities, though clearly caused by the rigors of the job, are not covered because they were heart-related."

Passage of this legislation has been a top priority for the NVFC in the 108th Congress.

Posted 7/16/03

This was submitted by Mike Gregorich M.T.F.D.

Posted 3/30/03

Press Release

For Immediate Release

March 25, 2003
Contact: CDC Media Relations
404-639-3286

Temporary Deferral Recommended for Heart Patients Volunteering for Smallpox Vaccination

The 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."
"We continue to believe that it is important and necessary to vaccinate health care workers to prepare our nation in the event we have to respond to a smallpox outbreak," Dr. Gerberding said.

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
(http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/smallpox/vaccination/heartproblems.asp)

VACCINE INFORMATION STATEMENT (VIS): Smallpox Vaccine and Heart Problems: Important Interim Supplementary Information -- March 27, 2003
(http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/smallpox/vaccination/heartproblems-vis.asp)

Smallpox Website
(http://www.cdc.gov/smallpox/)

# # #

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

This was sent to me from Dave Ogelsby FF Negaunee City FD..

URGENT MESSAGE:

The budgets of all state government agencies are being cut as part of the Governor's plan to balance the 2002-03 budget. 

It has been confirmed that the Department of State Police has recommended a budget reduction averaging 1.7% department wide with the exception of the Michigan Fire Fighters Training Council where a 12.3% reduction is being recommended in the amount of $183,800.

The recommendation is to immediately cut each County Training Committee allocation by $2,000 and reduce it to $3,000.

Neither the Fire Marshal Division nor the MFFTC were included in the decision making process and were not given the information until after the recommendation was made to Management and Budget.

MFFTC budget should not be singled out and cut over 7 times more than other State Police programs.

We urge you to contact your legislators IMMEDIATELY and object to this inequity!

Michael J. Burke
Michigan State Firemen's Association

 

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

• 1,734,500 fires were attended by public fire departments, a slight increase 1.6% from the year before
• 521,500 fires occurred in structures, an increase of 3.2%
• 396,500 fires or 76% of all structures fires occurred in residential properties
• 351,500 fires occurred in vehicles, a slight increase of 0.8% from the year before
• 861,500 fires occurred in outside properties, a slight increase of 0.9%

    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

• 6,196 civilian fire deaths occurred in 2001;2,451 of these fire deaths occurred due to the events of  9/11
• Exclusive of the events of 9/11, an estimated 3,745 civilian deaths occurred
• 3,110m civilian fire deaths occurred in the home, a decrease of 9.1%
• Nationwide, there was a civilian fire death in the home every 170 minutes

Civilian Fire injuries

•  21,000 civilian fire injuries occurred in 2001; 800 of these civilian injuries occurred due to the events of 9/11. This estimate for civilian injuries is on the low side, due to under reporting of civilian injuries to the fire service.
• 15,575 of all civilian injuries occurred in residential properties, while 1,650 occurred in non residential structure fires, excluding the 800 due to the events of 9/11.
• Nationwide, there was a civilian fire injury in the home every 34 minutes

Property Damage

• An estimated $44,023,000,000 in property damage occurred as a result of fire in 2001. (This figure includes $33,440,000,000 due to the events of 9/11.)
• Excluding the events of 9/11, $8,874,000,000 damage occurred in structure fires
• $5,643,000,000 of property loss occurred in residential properties

Incendiary and Suspicious Fires

• An estimated 45,500 intentionally set structures fires occurred in 2001
• Intentionally set fires in structure resulted in 2,781 civilian deaths; 2,451 due to the events of 9/11; and 330 in other set structure fires
• Intentionally set structure fires also resulted in $34,453,000,000 in property loss; $33,440,000,000 due to the events of 9/11; and $1,013,000,000 in other set structure fires.
• $39,500 intentionally set vehicle fires occurred, a decrease of 15.1% from a year ago, and caused $219,000,000 in property damage, an increase of 17.7% from a year ago

*** Source Michigan Fire Ties-November 2002

Posted 8/02/02