Scuttlebutt 10/22

National Fire and Emergency Services Symposium

On May 22–23, 2022, approximately 1,500 fire service leaders from across the United States will gather for the 33^rd annual National Fire and Emergency Services Symposium. The event, which will be hosted by the Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI), will afford attendees the chance to interact with federal leaders to discuss federal programs and legislation that address the needs of firefighters and emergency services personnel.

The event also is a fundraiser, with the goal of enabling CFSI to perform its mission to educate federal leaders on the importance of federal programs and funding to help first responders perform their work safely and effectively. A prospectus that outlines the opportunities for fire industry suppliers to serve as sponsors of the event can be accessed at cfsi.org/documents/2023-sponsorship-prospectus.

For more information about the symposium itself, email CFSI Executive Director Bill Webb at [email protected].

L.A.’s The Commissioner Training Tower Celebrates 20 Years

For the past 20 years, almost every one of the 3,500 members of the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) trained at some point at The Commissioner training tower. So have police and SWAT team members. Because the LAFD focuses on scenario-based training and opts not to use the live burn room, there are no issues with rust or deterioration. “We anticipate getting another 20 years of active usage from this training tower,” Assistant Chief Steve Hissong of LAFD’s training division says.

The training tower, which was constructed by Fire Facilities Inc., stands 40 feet tall and 73 feet long. Over the years, the LAFD adjusted the structure to customize it for training that’s applicable to the department’s geographic area and needs. This includes converting the second floor into a hallway with small rooms to resemble a standard residential apartment area.

For more information, go to firefacilities.com.

Campaign to Help Firefighters Beat Cancer

“Response Time Matters” is a campaign to educate firefighters to recognize health changes that could be early warning signs of cancer. Launched in September 2022 by nonprofit organization DetecTogether, the program provides “an actionable, life-saving plan to recognize potential cancer symptoms and accelerate the time to diagnosis,” the organization says.

Dr. Sara Jahnke, who has served as a contributing editor to Firehouse Magazine and is the director of the National Development & Research Institutes and a member of DetecTogether’s advisory board, believes that “The DetecTogether educational program provides the missing link to help educate firefighters on how to take control of their own health and take proactive steps to get diagnosed and treated early—the best way to increase survival.”

For more information, go to detectogether.org.

10-Year Firefighter Fatality Report

The “Firefighter Fatality Report: 2012–2022” analyzes more than 1,000 reported work-related deaths of firefighters from 2012 to 2022. The report includes information on the role that COVID-19 has had over the past two years. Produced by the Firefighters and EMS Fund, the report is said to complement the organization’s efforts to advocate for better healthcare and resources for firefighters. Details of the report include cause of death distribution and death trends by age.

To download the report, go to tinyurl.com/firefighterfatalityreport.