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Only 26 Days until the 2011 Hill Day
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Only 26 Days until the 2011 Hill Day!
We are pleased to announce that the 2011 FAMA/FEMSA Hill Day will take place Wednesday, April 6, and Thursday, April 7, 2011, in Washington, D.C., in conjunction with CFSI's 23rd Annual National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner. Building on the success of past Hill Day events, FAMA/FEMSA members who participate this year will be organized by state into teams that will visit their senators and representatives. These meetings will be arranged by the FAMA/FEMSA Governmental Affairs Committee's advisory team Dave Gatton, and Joni Goodman.
Your participation in the 2011 Hill Day is critical to continuing our industry's efforts to promote our Washington agenda in support of our nation's fire service, particularly given the current pressure to cut domestic programs including those within the Department of Homeland Security. Holding Hill Day in concert with the CFSI Annual Dinner allows us to deliver our message just as Congress is forming the annual federal budget while at the same time providing us the opportunity to interact with the wide range of fire service leaders who will be attending the CFSI Dinner and Seminars.
To participate in the FAMA/FEMSA Hill Day, please complete the online registration form by March 11, 2011, at www.fama.org/hillday or www.femsa.org/hillday. The $50.00 registration fee is payable online by credit card. (Please note that this is separate from any fees to attend the Fire Dinner.) Our Hill Day orientation session will begin at 10:00am on Wednesday, April 6, at the Hilton Washington. (A draft agenda and schedule for Hill Day is attached.) Congressional meetings will be scheduled for you for Wednesday, April 6, and Thursday morning, April 7.
To purchase your ticket for the CFSI Fire Dinner, please visit the Congressional Fire Services Institute's Web site at www.cfsi.org/events/how_to_register.cfm. Tickets are $275.00 per individual, payable by credit card or check directly to CFSI. When you purchase your ticket to the Fire Dinner, please mention that you are a member of FAMA or FEMSA; CFSI will work to seat FAMA/FEMSA members together.
Those attending Hill Day and/or the Fire Dinner are responsible for booking their own hotel accommodations. Links to book your accommodations online for CFSI's preferred rate are available at www.cfsi.org/events/hotel_accommodations.cfm.
Source: FAMA/FEMSA GAC Back to Top
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FEMA, National Commission on Children and Disasters Announce New Partnership to Promote Fire Safety Awareness for Families
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Announcement Comes as FEMA Releases New Report Showing Children under Four at Growing Risk of Death or Injury in Fires
With home fires on the rise in winter months and a new study showing that young children are at an especially high risk of getting seriously injured or dying in residential fires, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Commission on Children and Disasters announce a new public awareness campaign to help keep children and families safer from the threat of home fires.
As part of this effort, FEMA's U.S. Fire Administration released a new report on the risks fires pose to children. The report, which is based on the latest available data released by the National Center for Health Statistics, found that young children face the greatest - and a growing - risk of death or serious injury in home fires, with 52 percent of all child fire deaths in 2007 involving children under the age of four, a slight increase from the most recent study previously conducted in 2004. Click here for a copy of the report.
"This latest report reveals a deeply troubling trend and should serve as a wake-up call for all of us," said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. "The bottom line is that one of the greatest threats our youngest kids may face during the winter months exist in their homes. It's critical that all families are aware of these risks and take the simple steps now to prevent fires due to cooking, heating, or other causes at home. These deaths are preventable, and working together we can educate each other and save lives."
"During the past decade of unprecedented disasters, the needs of kids were too often left behind in disaster planning," said Mark Shriver, Chairman of the National Commission on Children and Disasters. "We not only hope this partnership helps better protect children from home fires, but also puts a spotlight on the unique needs of kids when disasters strike. We're grateful that Administrator Fugate has demonstrated such strong leadership and made significant progress for protecting children in a very short time."
In addition, the report found that:
- Deaths from fires and burns were the second leading cause of accidental deaths not related to transportation, after drowning;
- Boys are at higher-risk of dying from fires than girls;
- Between 2006 and 2008, smoke alarms were not present in at least 23 percent of residential fires;
- African-American children are at an increased risk of fire deaths; and
- Low-income children are at greatest risk of exposure to home fires.
- "Children are one of our most vulnerable populations. Through diverse partnerships we can highlight the dangers which are threatening children throughout the country," said FEMA Acting U.S. Fire Administrator Glenn Gaines. "Through reports, such as this one, we can target specific types of hazards to keep children safe from fires."
To help families protect their homes and loved ones, especially young children, from fires, FEMA, the U.S. Fire Administration, and the National Commission on Children and Disasters are asking families to take simple steps now to prevent fires in their residences, and partnering with leading organizations across the fire, emergency medical services, public health, and emergency management fields - including the National Volunteer Fire Council - to get the message out.
To provide families with important tips about fire safety and lists of additional resources, FEMA is launching online and social media tools, including:
- An updated web page dedicated to children's fire safety, including tips on how to prevent the two leading causes of fire during the winter months: cooking and heating;
- A widget that will link to this website and resources;
- A Facebook tab; and
- A dedicated Twitter hashtag to engage the public in a dialogue about how to protect kids from fires.
- Among other things, these updated tools with offer tips for how to prevent the two leading causes of fires during the winter months: heating and cooking.
To view the updated web page and the widget, click here.
Join the conversation on Twitter by using the hashtag #kidsfiresafety and be sure to follow the agency, @fema, and Administrator Fugate, @craigatfema.
Follow FEMA on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fema.
FEMA's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
Source: NVFC
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| NVFC Releases Critical Health and Safety Issues in the Volunteer Fire Service Report | |
The NVFC has always been dedicated to keeping first responders healthy and safe, and is constantly working to address key issues affecting the volunteer fire and emergency services. A new NVFC report titled Critical Health and Safety Issues in the Volunteer Fire Service identifies and evaluates pressing health concerns in the fire service and resources available to help departments reduce preventable firefighter death and injury.
Read More>>
Source: NVFC
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U.S. Flood Forecast for Spring 2011: North Central U.S. Residents at Risk
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If you or your business resides in the affected area, take steps now to prevent future disaster. Early preparation saves time, money, and potentially lives.
Read More>>
Source: Disaster Resoucre Guide
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The Use of Social Media in Disaster Response
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Here are some recent examples of social media usage during emergency and disaster response.
Read More>>
Source: Disaster Resoucre Guide
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The United States Fire Administration (USFA) has received notice of the following firefighter fatalities:
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Name: Joshua Wilkes
Rank: Firefighter
Age: 26
Gender: Male
Status: Volunteer
Years of Service: 5+
Date of Incident: 02/13/2011
Time of Incident: 1600hrs
Date of Death: 02/13/2011
Fire Department: Unity Fire Department
Address: 367 Road 2216, Guntown, MS 38849
Fire Department Chief: Larry Williams
Incident Description: Upon leaving the scene of an outdoor fire and while returning to quarters, Firefighter Wilkes and another firefighter stopped at a convenience store to fill their apparatus with fuel. After entering the inside of the convenience store, Firefighter Wilkes suffered a medical emergency and passed away. The nature and cause of Firefighter Wilkes' injury is still to be determined.
Incident Location: Woco-Saltillo, 189 Mobile ST, Saltillo, MS 38866
Funeral Arrangements: Pending
Memorial Fund Contact and Address: Pending
Tribute is being paid to Firefighter Joshua Wilkes at http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/fatalities/
Source: USFA
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