Scuttlebutt 2/22

Feb. 14, 2022
Billing itself as “The World’s Largest Firefighting Museum,” the Hall of Flame Museum in Phoenix celebrated its 60th anniversary in December 2021.

Hall of Flame Celebrates 60 Years

Billing itself as “The World’s Largest Firefighting Museum,” the Hall of Flame Museum in Phoenix celebrated its 60th anniversary in December 2021. The Hall’s five galleries display thousands of artifacts, including more than 130 wheeled vehicles tracing the fire service profession back to the colonial days.

Firehouse talked with Executive Director Chuck Montgomery and Curator Mark Moorhead to gain additional insight as to the past, present and future of the Hall. 

Read the story at firehouse.com/21250534.

NFFF Scholarship Opportunities

Online applications are being accepted through March 1, 2022, for the 2022-2023 Sarbanes Scholarship Program, the Alan Patrick Sondej Memorial Scholarship Fund and the Motorola Solutions Foundation Enhanced Scholarship Initiative, which provides financial assistance to spouses, life partners, children and stepchildren of firefighters honored at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial.

To be eligible, children must be 29 years or younger presently and have been 21 years or younger at the time of their firefighter parent’s death. All applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalency or must be in their final year of high school. Applicants must be pursuing or planning to pursue undergraduate or graduate studies, a certification program or job skills training at an accredited institution and must be enrolled or planning to enroll as a full- or part-time student.

For more information, visit firehero.org.

Tubbs Named 2022 SFPE President

Beth Tubbs of the International Code Council (ICC) was named the 2022 president of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE). As a senior staff engineer with the Codes and Standards Development Department, she has been a key engineering resource and contributor to the International Existing Building Code, the International Fire Code, the International Building Code and the ICC Performance Code.

Tubbs has been an SFPE member since 1995, was elected a Fellow of SFPE in 2010, and has served on and/or chaired numerous SFPE committees and boards. She holds degrees in fire protection and civil engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. 

For more information, visit sfpe.org.

2022 Wildfire Community Preparedness Day

The NFPA and State Farm Insurance announced that the funding award application period for Wildfire Community Preparedness Day is open. As many as 100 participants from across the United States are eligible to receive $500 awards to complete a planned wildfire risk reduction project on event day, May 7, 2022. To be considered for a project funding award, participants must submit an application by Feb. 25, 2022. 

For more information, visit wildfireprepday.org.

Record Year for Verizon Response Team

The Verizon Response Team deployed more than 1,000 times to more than 700 communities across the United States in 2021.

During these deployments, the team provided public safety agencies with nearly 9,000 Verizon Frontline devices and solutions, including repeaters, mobile hotspots, routers, smart devices and drones, to dozens of deployable satellite solutions, such as Satellite Picocells on Trailers. The number of solutions that were provided in 2021 surpasses the previous year’s mark by more than 3,000 and represents a new high for the team.

The Verizon Response Team provides on-demand, emergency assistance during crisis situations to government agencies, emergency responders, nonprofits and communities on a 24/7 basis. Team members set up portable cell sites, Wi-Fi hotspots, free charging stations, and other Verizon Frontline devices and solutions that enable communications and/or boost network performance.

For more information, visit verizon.com/business/solutions/public-sector/public-safety.

This Month in Fire History

Feb. 2, 1978, Chester, PA—Wade Dump Fire leads to cancer deaths of 20 first responders

Feb. 7, 1904, Baltimore—Great Baltimore Fire destroys more than 1,500 buildings

Feb. 7, 2009, Victoria, Australia—Black Saturday bushfires kill 170

Feb. 14, 1995, Pittsburgh—Bricelyn Street house fire kills three firefighters

Feb. 14, 2000, Houston—McDonald's restaurant fire kills two firefighters

Feb. 15, 1999, Lake Worth, TX—Precious Faith Temple Church fire kills three firefighters

Feb. 18, 1969, Crete, NE—Anhydrous ammonia train derailment kills nine

Feb. 20, 2003, West Warwick, RI—Station Nightclub fire kills 100

Feb. 23, 1991, Philadelphia—One Meridian Plaza high-rise fire kills three firefighters

Feb. 24, 1989, Orange County, FL—Lake Buena Vista gift shop fire kills two firefighters

Courtesy: NFPA

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