Scuttlebutt 12-14

Dec. 1, 2014
IAFC Accepts Ice Bucket Challenge…

IAFC Accepts Ice Bucket Challenge…

The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) accepted an Ice Bucket Challenge from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) to raise money and awareness about amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig's Disease), a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord.

IAFC department directors and executive staff, including Mark Light, IAFC's CEO and executive director, accepted that challenge and collected donations from the IAFC staff, who bid their own money for a chance to dump ice water on their bosses.

“The IAFC staff accepts the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge from our friends at NFPA,” declared Light in front of IAFC headquarters in Fairfax, VA. “This is a most worthy cause and we are delighted to participate and help raise money and awareness about this terrible disease, which affects as many as 30,000 Americans at any given time.”

“We challenge the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association (FAMA), Fire and Emergency Manufacturers and Services Association (FEMSA) and International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) to take the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.”
The IAFC thanked the City of Fairfax Fire Department for participating in the challenge.

…As Does the NVFC

The staff of the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) accepted the challenge of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) to participate in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, but rather than dump ice, they donated money to one of their favorite charities and attempted to raise awareness for other charities as well.

“The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has raised awareness that all charities need help in meeting their mission. The NVFC Volunteer Firefighter Support Fund is currently depleted and now is a time to give back to those who give so much to their community,” said Heather Schafer, NVFC Executive Director. The NVFC staff encourages others to find a charity they believe in and contribute.

 The NVFC Volunteer Firefighter Support Fund provides a stipend of $250 to volunteer first responders whose homes have been impacted by a state- or federally declared disaster. The stipend helps these firefighters and emergency personnel meet their basic needs in the aftermath of the disaster. Recipients who are not already NVFC members also receive a complimentary one-year Individual Membership into the NVFC.

 The Volunteer Firefighter Support Fund was created in response to the devastation caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. Since then, the fund has also assisted volunteer first responders impacted by flooding in New York and along the Mississippi River, tornadoes in different parts of the country, Super Storm Sandy and other large-scale disasters. So far, more than half a million dollars have been distributed to volunteer firefighters in need.

The fund relies on the support of individuals and organizations to assist volunteer first responders in need. To learn more about the fund (or to make a donation), please visit www.nvfc.org/supportfund.

PGFD Picks Pierce Pink Pumper

Pierce Manufacturing, an Oshkosh Corporation company, delivered a Pierce Velocity pumper to Prince George’s County, MD, Fire/EMS Department (PGFD). Nicknamed Courage through a contest conducted through the department’s social media outlets, it is one of six Pierce apparatus recently purchased by the department. PGFD chose to have the pumper painted pink with a lavender stripe – the first ever new Pierce vehicle so painted – as a way to promote its campaign to fight breast cancer and all other types of cancers.

“This new Pierce pumper expands a conversation between our department and the citizens of Prince George’s County; it’s a real community relations builder,” said Fire Chief Marc Bashoor of PGFD. “When we ordered these six Pierce apparatus, the decision was made to paint one of the pumpers pink in order to build momentum for our ongoing cancer awareness program. The typical reaction we get is that of amazement, but the underlying goal is to encourage citizens to get screened and tested on a regular basis.”

“Pierce offers hundreds of custom colors, including more than one hundred shades of red, but this is our company’s first-ever brand new pink pumper, and it generated lots of excitement amongst Pierce employees as it made its way through the plant,” said Jim Johnson, Oshkosh Corporation executive vice president and president, Fire & Emergency. “We’re proud to supply Prince George’s County with this highly visible vehicle that will work to help protect lives even beyond what is typically expected from a Pierce pumper.”

In addition to the Velocity pumper, PGFD purchased three additional Velocity pumpers, an aerial ladder, and a rescue squad scheduled for delivery later this fall.

Nationals’ Harper Dons D.C. Fire Helmet During Celebration

When the Washington Nationals won the National League Eastern Division title, star outfielder Bryce Harper proudly wore a D.C. fire helmet during the locker room celebration. Harper, in fact, tweeted a selfie wearing the helmet that bears his number with the caption, “Well, that was epic!! What a night with the guys…Also, thank you D.C. Fire! Helmet is on point! #NLEastChamps.”

D.C. Firefighter John Landi, assigned to Truck 17, had the helmet specially made knowing Harper’s interest in the fire department. Harper had previously been quoted as saying that if he couldn’t play baseball, he wanted to be a firefighter. Landi and Engine 24’s Jason Vogt custom made the helmet for No. 34 and sent it to Harper’s agent.

In a story on Firehouse.com (firehouse.com/news/11692635), Landi said, “All the guys on the job were real happy about it. [Harper’s team] just won the NL East and he wants to represent the D.C. fire department, so it's pretty good.”

Landi added that he was hoping to see Harper wear the helmet in other locker room celebrations this season. “He's got to do it now! It's a good luck charm!” Sadly, the Nationals were eliminated by the eventual champion San Francisco Giants.

2015 World Police & Fire Games

Registration is now open for the 2015 World Police & Fire Games, scheduled to take place in Fairfax, VA, next summer. The Games are one of the largest multi-sport events in the world, drawing more than 12,000 athletes who represent 70 countries across the globe. Open to all active and retired law enforcement personnel and firefighters, the Games provide an opportunity for these individuals to enjoy a well-deserved break to engage in friendly competition. 

Registration will take place exclusively online at www.fairfax2015.com. There is no pre-qualification, so all interested athletes are encouraged to participate. Space for many of the more popular events fills up quickly.  

New Guide for Family Members of Volunteer Responders

Joining the volunteer fire service means a lifestyle change, not only for the individual volunteer, but also for their entire family. To help family members navigate the volunteer fire service life, the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) partnered with FirefighterWife.com to create the new resource, What to Expect: A Guide for Family Members of Volunteer Firefighters.

The guide is intended for spouses, children, parents, siblings or significant others of volunteer and paid-on-call responders. It introduces family members to the basics of the volunteer firefighter life and provides guidance for keeping family relationships strong, being part of the fire department family, and more. There are also first-hand accounts from volunteer firefighters and their family members along with an array of tips and resources to help first responder families adjust to this lifestyle.

The guide is available for free download from the NVFC website, or print copies may be ordered from the NVFC store. For a limited time only, NVFC members can order up to 25 print copies for free; access the discount code in the Members-Only section of the NVFC website.

This Month in Fire History

December 1, 1958, Chicago, IL

Our Lady of the Angels school fire kills 95

December 2, 1913, Boston, MA

Arcadia Hotel fire kills 28

December 5, 1876, Brooklyn, NY

Brooklyn Theater fire kills 295

December 7, 1946, Atlanta, GA

Winecoff Hotel fire kills 119

December 16, 1835, New York, NY

Great New York fire destroys New York Stock Exchange

December 18, 1964, Fountaintown, IN

Nursing home fire kills 20

December 20, 1970, Tucson, AZ

Pioneer Hotel fire kills 28

December 22, 1910, Chicago, IL

Stockyard cold storage fire kills 21 firefighters

December 30, 1903, Chicago, IL

Iroquois Theater fire kills 602

Courtesy of NFPA

For details on fires that occurred 100 years ago this month, turn to Paul Hashagen’s “Rekindles” on page XXX.

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