UL FSRI Report on Near-Miss Incident
UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute (FSRI) released a report that details a deflagration incident at a 2.16-MWh lithium-ion battery energy storage system (ESS) facility Surprise, AZ. The report provides a detailed technical account of the explosion and fire service response, along with recommendations on how to improve codes, standards, and emergency response training to better protect first responders, maintenance personnel and nearby communities.
The report is a first-of-its-kind research effort from UL FSRI to capture the experience of surviving firefighters to better understand a potentially devastating situation. Four career firefighters who have specialized hazmat training were injured severely in the explosion. They recounted their experience to help to inform the report, the investigation team’s understanding of how the fire and gases behaved and subsequent recommendations for ESS safety training.
To read the full report and all recommendations, visit ulfirefightersafety.org.
CPSE White Paper Cites Critical Fire Service Issues
The Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE) published a white paper that explores the “21st Century Fire and Emergency Services.” Developed in partnership with the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), the white paper identifies eight critical issues with associated initiatives and strategies to address these issues.
The critical issues that are outlined in the white paper are: re-identification of the fire and emergency services; culture of the profession; the robust use of data; health and wellness threats; opportunities for partnerships; sustainability challenges; technology advancements and adoption; and inclusiveness of the fire and emergency services.
The white paper is available for download at cpse.org/projects/21st-century.
Firefighter Hero Award
Drew Gerken of the Omaha, NE, Fire Department was given the Firefighter Hero Award from the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) and MAGLITE. Gerken was honored for his ongoing efforts to help families who are in need after they experience a devastating fire. He assists families, who lost their material possessions in a fire by replacing the furnishings that they need to help them to return to some level of normalcy. Gerken organizes teams of volunteers who pick up and deliver donated furniture to the families.
The National Firefighter Hero program is a joint effort between MAGLITE and the NFFF. The program periodically honors single firefighters, groups and whole departments for extraordinary commitment to upholding excellence in firefighting and related activities.
For more information, visit firehero.org.
UL FSRI, Collaborators Publish Archival Journal on PPE Cleaning
The U.S. fire service has become acutely aware of the need to clean PPE after fires. However, there is concern that damage from repeated cleaning might affect critical protection on the fireground. “Impact of Repeated Exposure and Cleaning on Protective Properties of Structural Firefighting Turnout Gear” is a peer-reviewed, archival journal article that summarizes the effect of repeated smoke exposures from household combustibles followed by different cleaning techniques (laundering, wet decontamination, dry decontamination) on critical performance characteristics of NFPA 1971: Standard on Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting compliant PPE.
To read the report, visit tinyurl.com/CleaningPPE.
FAMA Names Scholarship Winner
The Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association (FAMA) awarded its 2020 Phillip L. Turner Fire Protection Scholarship to University of Maryland student Genevieve Tan, who will receive the $5,000 scholarship in recognition of her outstanding educational accomplishments and commitment.
FEMA Releases Information for Mitigation Grant Program
FEMA released a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program. The program was authorized through the Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018. Under the BRIC grant program, $500 million is available for fiscal year 2020 for states, local communities, tribes and territories to implement pre-disaster mitigation activities. One of the key criteria for eligibility is that mitigation projects must, at a minimum, be in conformance with the latest published editions (meaning either of the two most recently published editions) of relevant consensus-based codes, specifications and standards that incorporate the latest hazard-resistant designs.
FEMA will begin to receive applications on Sep. 30, 2020. The deadline for submission is Jan. 29, 2021.
For more information, visit cfsi.org.
Corrections
In the August 2020 issue of Firehouse Magazine, in “Emergency Lighting: On Scene,” the image of a large, full-size arrow board on an apparatus should have been credited to the Inver Grove Heights, MN, Fire Department. We regret the error.
Line-of-Duty Deaths
6 U.S. firefighters recently died in the line of duty. Four firefighters died from health-related issues, and two died from COVID-19. This issue of Firehouse is dedicated to these firefighters. For the latest on COVID-19-related LODDs, visit firehouse.com/covid-19.
FIREFIGHTER/MEDIC JASON CUFFEE, 27, of the Charleston, WV, Fire Department, died on July 20. Cuffee was working at Station 3 on July 19 but failed to respond to a call. Upon their return, his co-workers found Cuffee unresponsive. They performed CPR and then transported him to the hospital where Cuffee was pronounced deceased early the next morning. The cause of his death hasn’t been determined.
FIREFIGHTER JUSTIN ROBINSON, 50, of the Haralson County Fire Department in Buchanan, GA, died on July 21. Robinson was at the scene of a motor vehicle accident performing extrication of injured patients when he went into cardiac arrest. Crews initiated life-saving measures, and Robinson was transported to the local hospital, where he died one week later.
CAPT. LEROY LUCIO, 62, of the Houston Fire Department, died on July 20. Lucio contracted COVID-19 while on duty on June 17. He was battling the virus at a hospital in San Antonio when he died a month later.
SGT. STEVEN SPLAN, 46, of the Bloomfield Hills, MI, Department of Safety, died on Aug. 2. Splan was on fire duty helping to remove a tree that blocked a roadway. Later that evening during patrol, he went on a meal break to the public safety building. He was found unresponsive in the department kitchen. CPR was performed before he was taken to the local hospital, where he was pronounced deceased from an apparent heart attack.
FIREFIGHTER/PARAMEDIC GERARDO “JERRY” PACHECO, 50, of the Houston Fire Department, died on Aug. 3. Pacheco contracted COVID-19 while on duty on July 18. He died two weeks later.
FIREFIGHTER ALEC TANNENBAUM, 29, of the Vails Gate Fire Department in New Windsor, NY, died on Aug. 4. Tannenbaum completed an on-duty shift with the West Point Fire Department before responding to numerous storm-related alarms as a member of the Vails Gate Fire Department. He was found unresponsive in his home later that night. He was transported to Montefiore St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased from an apparent heart attack.
Firehouse Staff
Content written and created by Firehouse Magazine editors.
