***Sent on behalf of Dave Kaufman, Acting Assistant Administrator***

Please see the attached letter regarding the potential impact of sequestration on FEMA's Assistance to Firefighters Grants.

 Grantee_Letter_Sequestration.pdf

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Behavioral Health Takes Center Stage in 2013 Campaign

 

The International Association of Fire Chiefs and the National Volunteer Fire Council have announced that behavioral health will be the focus of this year's activities during the 2013 International Fire/EMS Safety and Health Week, to be held June 16-22.

 

Fire departments are encouraged to suspend all non-emergency activity during Safety and Health Week to focus on safety and health training and education, allowing all shifts and personnel to participate. An entire week is provided to ensure each shift and duty crew can spend at least one day focusing on these critical issues. 

 

Saving Our Own...An Inside Job 

 

This year's effort will capture the importance of responders looking out for their own and each other's mental and physical well-being. This year's tag line, Saving Our Own...An Inside Job, reflects the focus on the theme of behavioral health and the understanding that the most important factor in improving responder health and safety is other responders. 

 

National and international organizations have been focusing on behavioral health issues for the past several years, but they are still taboo in many departments. Safety and Health Week is an opportunity to start moving discussion, action, and resources to the local level. 

 

"Addressing behavioral health issues can only be done when we first acknowledge there is a problem, and we've been in collective denial as an industry for too long," said IAFC President Hank Clemmensen. "Our responders are under unprecedented pressure, and it's time we have some unprecedented conversations about how that impacts our health." 

"The mental and emotional well-being of our first responders is as important as their physical health," said NVFC Chairman Philip C. Stittleburg. "It is time we recognize that these issues have a critical impact on health and safety, and ignoring this puts our personnel at risk. The fire service community needs to understand these issues and remove the barriers to meeting the behavioral health needs of personnel."

 

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The Congressional Fire Services Institute and the MedicAlert Foundation will extend the application deadline for the Excellence in Fire Service-Based EMS Awards Program to March 15th.  The previous deadline was March 8th.    

 

Now in its third year, the Excellence in Fire Service-Based EMS Awards Program is designed to highlight innovations in Fire Service-Based EMS systems.  There are three separate categories of eligibility: volunteer, career and combination departments. The panel of judges includes representatives from the Congressional Fire Services Institute, International Association of Fire Chiefs, International Association of Fire Fighters, National Fire Protection Association and National Volunteer Fire Council.  Additional information about the awards is available here.    

 

The awards presentation will take place on May 9th at the 25th Annual National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner in Washington, DC. Sponsored by CFSI and attended by 2,000 fire and emergency services leaders, the dinner is the largest and most prestigious annual gathering of fire and emergency services leaders in the country. Previous keynote speakers include three Presidents, four Vice Presidents, and number of cabinet secretaries and congressional leaders.

Representatives of both CFSI and the MedicAlert Foundation will be attending the EMS Today Conference and Trade Show in Washington, DC from March 7th - 9th. They will have information about the awards program at their booths and can answer questions about the application process. If you attend the event, please visit their booths (CFSI - 561, MedicAlert Foundation - 1032). Otherwise please contact CFSI at 202-371-1277 if you have additional questions. 

 

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Name: Claudia Sokol
Rank: Fire Police Officer
Age: 55
Gender: Female
Status: Volunteer

Years of Service: 6
Date of Incident: 02/21/2013
Time of Incident: 1155hrs
Date of Death: 02/22/2013

Fire Department: Diligence Fire Company No.1
Address: 114 W Ludlow ST, PO Box 114, Summit Hill, PA 18250-0114
Fire Department Chief: Shawn Hoben

Incident Description: Fire Police Officer Sokol suffered a medical emergency while on traffic control duties at the scene of a motor vehicle accident on Thursday and passed away Friday evening, February 22.

Incident Location: Route 902 and N. Chestnut ST

Funeral Arrangements: Wake services will take place at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Chuch, 104 E. Abbott St in Lansford, on Tuesday evening from 5-8pm.

Funeral Services will be on Wednesday at the church with a call from 10-11am and service at 11am.

Tribute is being paid to Fire Police Officer Claudia Sokol at http://www.usfa.fema.gov/fireservice/fatalities/

__________________________

Name: David Schnepp
Rank: Firefighter
Age: 43
Gender: Male
Status: Volunteer
Years of Service: 20

Date of Incident: 02/24/2013
Time of Incident: 1702hrs
Date of Death: 02/24/2013

Fire Department: Carter's Valley Fire Department
Address: PO Box 243, 2847 Carter's Valley RD, Church Hill, TN 37642
Fire Department Chief: Michael Yates

Incident Description: A short time after fighting a brush fire Sunday evening, February 24, Firefighter Schnepp passed away from a cause still to be determined.

Incident Location: Pending

Tribute is being paid to Firefighter David Schnepp at http://www.usfa.fema.gov/fireservice/fatalities


_______________________

Name: Nate Fruin
Rank: Firefighter
Age: 22
Gender: Male
Status: Volunteer
Years of Service: 3

Date of Incident: 02/26/2013
Time of Incident: 1830hrs
Date of Death: 02/26/2013

Fire Department: Mattawan Fire District
Address: PO Box 294, 55697 North Main St, Mattawan, MI 49071
Fire Department Chief: Terron McLean

Incident Description: Firefighter Fruin was responding to a structure fire when he fell ill from a cause still to be determined. Shortly after leaving the station, Fruin's partner, who was driving, called to report the medical emergency. He then pulled over to the side of the road, and according to reports, Fruin went into cardiac arrest. Other responding firefighters stopped and rendered aid, but Firefighter Fruin succumbed to his injury.

Incident Location: 22319 M-43, Mattawan, MI 49071

Tribute is being paid to Firefighter Nate Fruin at http://www.usfa.fema.gov/fireservice/fatalities/

_______________________

Name: Scott Morriso
Rank: Fire Chief
Age: 45
Gender: Male
Status: Volunteer
Years of Service: 29

Date of Incident: 03/03/2013
Time of Incident: 1615hrs
Date of Death: 03/03/2013

Fire Department: Knotts Island Volunteer Fire Department
Address: PO Box 115, 327 Knotts Island RD, Knotts Island, NC 27950
Fire Department Chief: Assistant Fire Chief Curt Burmeister

Incident Description: Incident Description: Fire Chief Morrison was operating at the scene of a brush fire when he collapsed from an apparent heart attack. Morrison was treated by fellow responders on scene and en route to a hospital where he passed away from his injury.

Incident Location: 500 Block of Knotts Island Road

Tribute is being paid to Fire Chief Scott Morrison at http://www.usfa.fema.gov/fireservice/fatalities/

_______________________

Name: Christopher Brown
Rank: Firefighter
Age: 39
Gender: Male
Status: Volunteer
Years of Service: 15

Date of Incident: 03/05/2013
Time of Incident: 2145hrs
Date of Death: 03/05/2013

Fire Department: Hudson Community Fire Protection District
Address: 502 N Broadway ST, Hudson, IL 61748-9451
Fire Department Chief: Dan Hite

Incident Description: Firefighter Brown was working with other responders on a multiple vehicle accident on Interstate 39 when a southbound semi-tractor trailer lost control and slid into the accident scene killing Brown and injuring several others. Investigation into the fatal accident continues.

Incident Location: Interstate 39 (MM6) near Hudson, IL

Memorial Fund Contact and Address: Max and Mason Brown Education Fund, c/o Hudson Community Fire Protection District , 502 N Broadway ST, Hudson, IL 61748-9451

Tribute is being paid to Firefighter Christopher Brown at http://www.usfa.fema.gov/fireservice/fatalities/

_______________________

Name: Donald Mize
Rank: Firefighter Cadet
Age: 62
Gender: Male
Status: Volunteer
Years of Service: <1

Date of Incident: 03/06/2013
Time of Incident: 1956hrs
Date of Death: 03/06/2013

Fire Department: League City Volunteer Fire Department
Address: PO Box 931, 601 2ND ST, League City, TX 77573-0931
Fire Department Chief: Brad Goudie

Incident Description: Firefighter Cadet Mize was cooling down after the training exercise at the department's training facility when he fell ill from a cause still to be determined. Mize was treated and transported to the hospital but succumbed to his injury.

Incident Location: Fire Department Training Field, 911 North Kansas AVE, League City, TX

Tribute is being paid to Firefighter Cadet Donald Mize at http://www.usfa.fema.gov/fireservice/fatalities/ 

To date, 10 firefighter fatality has been reported to USFA in 2012. Year-to-date monthly and annual USFA firefighter fatality reports are posted online @http://www.usfa.fema.gov/fireservice/fatalities/statistics/ff_stats.shtm