For the Record 6/17

FDSOA and Firehouse Partner to Offer ISO Academies

The Fire Department Safety Officers Association (FDSOA) and Firehouse, with the support of VFIS, announced a partnership to offer Incident Safety Officer Academies across the country. Improving firefighter safety was the driving force that brought the FDSOA and Firehouse together to work to increase the number of trained, certified fire department incident safety officers.

The two-day ISO Academies will be based on Jones & Bartlett’s book Fire Department Incident Safety Officer 3^rd Edition, and provide the skills and knowledge for a fire department ISO. FDSOA instructors will provide the training, and at the conclusion of the academy, attendees will be eligible to take the test for ISO certification in accordance with the Pro Board.

“The role of the incident safety officer in firefighter safety cannot be overstated,” says Rich Marinucci, executive director of the FDSOA. “But this only applies if the ISO is properly trained to do their job while allowing firefighters to do theirs.”

FDSOA plans to deliver the ISO Academy in locations across the nation, including Nashville, TN, Fort Lauderdale, FL, St. Louis, MO, South Metro, CO, and Alexandria, VA.

“We’re excited to partner with the FDSOA and assist them in promoting the message of firefighter health and safety throughout the country,” says Firehouse Editor-in-Chief Tim Sendelbach. “Having a trained and qualified ISO is a key part to fireground safety and Firehouse is proud to support the FDSOA in training the men and women who will oversee the safety of those operating on the front lines.” 

The FDSOA’s ISO certification program is part of its core mission to promote safety standards and practices in the fire, rescue and emergency services community. The program also supports the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation’s 16 Life Safety Initiatives, specifically #3, Focus on integration of risk management, and #4, Empower firefighters to stop unsafe practices.

For further information on how to host an academy or to register for the Incident Safety Officer two-day academy, visit fdsoa.org.

NFPA Issues White Paper on Tiny Homes

An alternative to traditional housing options, tiny homes are growing in popularity. These permanent dwellings, known for their small size and economical living costs, are cropping up across the United States, as are concerns regarding the applicability of building and life safety codes for these unique dwellings.

Addressing these concerns, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has released a new white paper, “Applying Building Codes to Tiny Homes.” The paper underscores general code requirements guiding traditional home construction and the applicability of these requirements to tiny homes. Code provisions highlighted in the paper include requirements for room size, means of escape, stairs, smoke alarms and automatic fire sprinklers. The paper also highlights code provisions for sanitation and how the National Electrical Code can safeguard homes of all sizes against electrical hazards.

“While building codes do not specifically address the concept of tiny homes, many code provisions are applicable to these dwellings and do not conflict with tiny home design,” says Ray Bizal, NFPA senior regional director and staff liaison for NFPA’s Building Code Development Committee, which developed the white paper. “Our intent with the white paper is to highlight how codes and standards can safely guide the creation of today’s tiny homes while pointing to possible code-compliance issues that could impact a tiny home’s design.”

Download the report at tinyurl.com/m6au22n.

LION Announces Firefighter Cancer Awareness Campaign

LION Group Inc.’s new “Not in Our House” firefighter cancer awareness campaign was launched to increase awareness about the issue of firefighter cancer with a call to action to sign a pledge of safety.

Not in Our House focuses on the importance of firefighter safety. Through the campaign website, firefighters are asked to make every effort to protect themselves, their team and their families from harmful cancer causing carcinogens by signing the pledge. To support those efforts, Not in Our House provides downloadable resources, awareness statistics and an outlet to share personal firefighter cancer stories.

“Historically, dirty gear and not using your protective self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) was a badge of honor,” explains Billy Goldfeder, deputy chief of Loveland-Symmes, OH, Fire Department. “We didn’t know we were at risk, but wow, we definitely know now as cancer is the #1 killer of firefighters.”

“LION stands behind cancer awareness because it aligns with LION’s mission to fulfill the personal safety of first responders,” says Mark Smith, senior vice president, LION. “We’ve already begun partnerships with industry organizations such as the: National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, Firefighter Cancer Support Network, and the National Volunteer Fire Council. As founding partner of Not in Our House, we welcome other industry organizations to partner with the campaign.”

To learn more about the campaign, and the issue of cancer in firefighters, visit notinourhouse.com.

Line-of-Duty Deaths

8 U.S. firefighters recently died in the line of duty. Four deaths were health-related, two were caused by motor vehicles, one was the result of complications from an injury during training and one occurred during firefighting operations. This edition of Firehouse is dedicated to these firefighters.

FIREFIGHTER CHARLES “RICK” GENTILCORE, 52, of Montgomery County, MD, Fire Rescue Services–Burtonsville Volunteer Fire Department, died on April 7. While on duty at Burtonsville Fire Station 15, Gentilcore succumbed to a nature and cause of fatal injury still to be reported. Fellow emergency responders immediately initiated all possible means of emergency care, but resuscitation efforts were not successful.

DISTRICT CHIEF/MEDIC JAMES “JIM” BENKEN, 65, of the City of Wyoming, OH, Fire and EMS, died on April 14. After completing a 24-hour shift, which included one emergency response the previous evening, Benken fell ill at approximately and succumbed to an apparent cardiac arrest.

CAPTAIN MICHAEL “BUBBA” ERIC PENNELL, 49, of the Central Alexander, NC, Fire Department, died on April 17. While on-duty Pennell suffered a medical emergency and collapsed in the bay of the apparatus room as he completed station duties. He was transferred to the Frye Regional Medical Center where he succumbed to a nature and cause of fatal injury still to be reported.

FIREFIGHTER WILLIAM N. TOLLEY, 42, of the FDNY, died on April 20. Tolley and members of Ladder 135 responded to a fire in a second-floor apartment in a five-story apartment building. He was assigned as his unit’s outside ventilation firefighter and was accessing the roof of the structure when he fell five stories. Tolley was transported to Wyckoff Heights Medical Center where he succumbed to the injuries sustained in the fall.

BATTALION CHIEF JEROME BOYD, 55, of the Los Angeles Fire Department, died on April 28. Boyd suffered a medical emergency while on-duty driving near downtown Los Angeles in a fire department vehicle. He was transported by an LAFD rescue ambulance to California Hospital Medical Center, where he later died.

FIREFIGHTER WILLIAM GERACE, 54, of Gibbsboro, NJ, Fire Company No.1 Inc., died on April 28. On April 10, as he was advancing hoseline during mandatory live-burn training, Gerace suffered a spiral fracture to his right fibula. On April 28, his spouse contacted 9-1-1 as he was showing signs of severe respiratory difficulty. Upon the arrival of emergency responders, Gerace stopped breathing and went into cardiac arrest. He was immediately transported to a local hospital where doctors pronounced him deceased. Autopsy results showed that he suffered a pulmonary embolism, which was directly attributed to being a complication of his initial leg fracture and recovery process.

FIREFIGHTER DAVID LEMPONEN, 83, of the Austinburg, OH, Volunteer Fire Department, died on April 28. Lemponen was directing traffic on the north side of State Route 307 at the scene of a minor motor vehicle accident when he was struck by another vehicle. He was treated and transported by Medevac to a Cleveland hospital, but succumbed to his injuries.

FIRE CHIEF DOUG DECKARD, 51, of the Cove Creek Pearson, AR, Fire Department, died on April 30. While outside of his vehicle checking water conditions during severe storms that were occurring throughout north-central Arkansas, Deckard was struck by another vehicle on Highway 25. He passed away a short time later from the injuries sustained when struck.