Politics & Law Web Exclusives

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  • House-Senate Panel Blocks Exemption For Hazmat Shipments

    Most of the time, this column reports on what has gone wrong on the fire politics battlefront. The reason is that so many things seem to go wrong and, when they do, it's essential for all of you to be aware of a new problem and prepared to take...

    Article • December 31st, 1998

  • Major Fire-Rescue Groups Back Blue Ribbon Panel's Report

    There has been a positive reaction from the fire-rescue service to the Blue Ribbon Panel report on the federal fire programs and operations of the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), the National Fire Academy and their relationship with the Federal...

    Article • November 30th, 1998

  • Supreme Court Decisions Put New Focus On Sexual Harassment Law

    Earlier this year, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down two important decisions regarding sexual harassment (Faragher v. City of Boca Raton and Burlington Industries Inc. v. Ellerth). These two decisions reaffirm the critical need for fire departments...

    Article • November 30th, 1998

  • Blue Ribbon Panel Presents Master Plan For Federal Fire Programs

    A hard-hitting report from the Blue Ribbon Panel to review the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) has been delivered to the director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and it is everything the fire-rescue service could hope for. It...

    Article • October 31st, 1998

  • A Firehouse Kitchen Conversation

    It could have been a kitchen-table conversation in any firehouse in America. There were strongly held (and expressed) views on controversial issues, humor, "war stories" about incidents in the firehouse and while out on calls, and much more. It was...

    Article • October 1st, 1998

  • Election Campaign: Time To Raise Fire Issues

    Another election campaign is underway and the next few weeks present a small window of opportunity to let the politicians know about the issues that concern the fire-rescue service. Their eyes may glaze over and they may profess total ignorance, but...

    Article • October 1st, 1998

  • Volunteer Fire Departments And Political Activities

    In my April 1998 column describing the legal limits on political campaign activities, I focused on individual firefighters, especially those employed by local governments. I urged that the fire service, both institutionally and individually, be an...

    Article • August 1st, 1998

  • Fire Service Fights Agri-Business Over Hazmat Transport Rules

    A long-running dispute between the fire service and the agriculture-business industry has become a semi-monthly skirmish on Capitol Hill. The issue is hazardous materials regulations and the battleground is the hearing rooms of various congressional...

    Article • August 1st, 1998

  • Battling Over The Code Process

    When it comes to saving lives and property on a grand scale, nothing is more important than the strict enforcement of strong building, fire and life safety codes. Every hour of every day, fire departments respond to alarms that turn out to be routine...

    Article • July 1st, 1998

  • Feds Taking Notice Of Fire Service Concerns

    There have been several important developments on two issues of vital concern to the fire service: (1) preparing first responders for terrorist attacks, and (2) saving the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) and National Fire Academy from sliding into...

    Article • June 1st, 1998

  • Report Writing: It Really Is Important

    For most of us, writing reports and keeping records is the least favorite part of the job. Paperwork is boring to the action-oriented firefighter or paramedic/EMT. Further, it sometimes seems hard to understand the need for the seemingly endless...

    Article • June 1st, 1998

  • Something Is Rotten At Emmitsburg

    It was 25 years ago this month that a presidential commission delivered a report entitled, "America Burning," which led to creation of the U.S Fire Administration (USFA) and the National Fire Academy. While there have been some important...

    Article • May 1st, 1998

  • Traffic Fatalities Lead To Firefighter Indictment

    The chief prosecutor of Prince Georges County, MD, has authorized the filing of criminal charges against the driver of a fire engine that struck a car, killing a woman and her 4-year-old son. On May 4, 1997, at about noon, the engine was responding to...

    Article • November 30th, 1997

  • A Wake-Up Call For America's Firefighters

    While a start has been made in preparing the fire-rescue service to deal with terrorism, progress has been painfully slow. The federal government's effort to help local fire departments has been hampered at times by inadequate funding, a lack of...

    Article • November 30th, 1997

  • Apathy, Ignorance To Blame For Upswing In U.S. Fire Deaths

    A new study by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) confirms what firefighters have always known that the American public is apathetic and dangerously misinformed when it comes to the threat of fire. Given this dismal fact-of-life, it is...

    Article • October 31st, 1997

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