For the Record 3/24

Globe Gear Giveaway

MSA Safety, DuPont Personal Protection and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) are teaming up again in 2024 to provide 13 in-need volunteer fire departments with four sets of turnout gear and four helmets through the annual Globe Gear Giveaway program to increase firefighter safety.

To be eligible to apply, departments must:

• Be more than 50 percent volunteer
• Serve a population of 25,000 or fewer
• Be located in the United States or Canada
• Be a member of the NVFC (MSA will provide complimentary memberships to the first 500 applicants)
• Demonstrate a need for the gear

The deadline to apply is June 1, 2024.

For more information, visit nvfc.org/gear.

Leadership, Live Fire Training Courses

Two online training courses—one for fire and EMS department leaders, including chiefs and officers, and one for firefighters who will take part in live fire training—launched recently.

The National Volunteer Fire Council’s Leadership Track consists of 10 courses that cover the essential skills, knowledge, tools and mindset that are required to strengthen leadership abilities. The track is for new and established leaders, is taught by prominent subject matter experts and takes an estimated 10 hours to complete.

Prerequisites for Live Fire Training Participants, which is available through UL’s Fire Safety Research Institute’s Fire Safety Academy, is based on Section 4.3.2 of NFPA 1403: Standard on Live Fire Training Evolutions and focuses on the foundational material that firefighters need before they don their gear to take action on the training ground, including fire dynamics, fire behavior and development, firefighting tactics, and firefighter health and safety.

To learn about the Leadership Track, go to virtualclassroom.nvfc.org/products/the-leadership-track.

For information about Prerequisites for Live Fire Training Participants, visit training.fsri.org/course/121/prerequisites-for-live-fire-training-participants.

FirstNet Coverage to Expand, Transition to 5G Accelerating

A 10-year, $8 billion investment by the FirstNet Authority and AT&T will provide first responders with “always-on” priority and preemption across all AT&T 5G commercial spectrum bands, starting in March 2024. The initiative also will facilitate the construction of 1,000 new FirstNet cell sites across the United States and create a standalone 5G core to enhance current 5G functionality and support the transition of public safety’s Band 14 spectrum to 5G from LTE. Mission-critical services (voice, video, data and location) will be expanded to complement public safety’s localized, voice-only radio systems with reliable, wireless connectivity.

Go to firstnet.gov to learn all of the details about the 10-year investment.

Line-of-Duty Deaths

7 U.S. firefighters died in the line of duty. Two died after suffering a medical emergency on scene of an incident, one died after suffering a heart attack on scene of an automobile accident, one died from a heart attack after responding to an EMS call, one died from injuries that were sustained during fireground operations, one died from injuries that were sustained in a motor vehicle accident while returning from an EMS call and one died from injuries that were sustained in a training accident. This issue of Firehouse is dedicated to these firefighters.

FIREFIGHTER ROBERT “RORY” BOIRE, 64, of the Cumberland Head Volunteer Fire Department in Plattsburgh, NY, died on Jan. 3. On Dec. 27, 2023, Boire responded to the scene of an automobile accident when he suffered a heart attack. He immediately was transported to the hospital, where he remained for two days. He died from complications of the heart attack six days later.

FIREFIGHTER ROBERT EARL BROWN SR., 87, of the Glendale, SC, Fire Department (GFD), died on Jan. 18. Brown was pulling hoseline on scene of a brush fire when he suffered a medical emergency. He immediately was taken to the Spartanburg Medical Center, where he died a short time later from an apparent heart attack. Brown was the chief of the GFD from 1976–2017.

FIREFIGHTER DANIEL DEWOLF, 52, of the Fairville Volunteer Fire Department in Newark, NY, died on Jan. 21. DeWolf responded to the scene of a chimney fire. While he attempted to establish a water supply, he collapsed. EMS immediately initiated CPR. DeWolf was transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The cause of death wasn’t reported at press time. DeWolf previously served as the chief of the department.

FIREFIGHTER/EMT ROBERT “BOBBY” LEWIS JR., 40, of the Vonore, TN, Fire Department, died on Jan. 25. On Jan. 24, Lewis responded to an EMS call at a residence. The next morning, he collapsed at home. He immediately was rushed to the hospital, where he died from an apparent heart attack.

FIREFIGHTER MARQUES HUDSON, 32, of the Plainfield, NJ, Fire Division, died on Jan. 26.
While he fought a residential fire, Hudson became trapped. A mayday was called, and Hudson immediately was rescued. Crew members performed CPR. He was transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, where he succumbed to the injuries that he sustained in the incident.

CAPT. WILLIAM “TONY” BAUMGARTNER, 70, of the Lawrence Mill Volunteer Fire Department in Fayette, AL, died on Feb. 5. Baumgartner was returning to the station from the scene of a structure fire when the apparatus that he was driving left the roadway. Baumgartner was pronounced dead at the scene from the injuries that he sustained in the accident.

FIREFIGHTER/PARAMEDIC CHRIS NELSON, 55, of the Selma, CA, Fire Department, died on Feb. 8. On Feb. 8, 2014, Nelson was injured and paralyzed during on-duty training. He died 10 years to the day of the accident from the injuries that he sustained during the training.