Scuttlebutt 8/20

CA Fire Department Staffs All-Female Crew for First Time

When Pasadena, CA, Fire Department Engine 34 fielded an all-female crew in June, it marked the first time that happened in the department’s 133-year history. The lineup happened coincidentally, because all four firefighters were on overtime for a single 24-hour shift.

Of Pasadena’s 150 firefighters, eight are women (5 percent). The department is looking to create a firefighting camp for girls as a way to potentially recruit female members in the future.

Metro Chiefs Honor Hood, Onieal

COVID-19 caused the cancellation of the Metropolitan “Metro” Fire Chiefs annual conference in June, but all association business that is normally managed at the conference site, including the election of executive officers and board members, was completed electronically.

Among the numerous announcements, the Metro Chiefs bestowed the following 2020 Metro Awards:

Chief Charles H. Hood of the San Antonio Fire Department was named Fire Chief of the Year.

Chief Denis G. Onieal (Ret.) of the Jersey City, NJ, Fire Department, who also is a former superintendent of the National Fire Academy and a deputy administrator of the U.S. Fire Administration, received the Lifetime Achievement Award.

To see the complete list of new officers and board members, visit tinyurl.com/MetroChiefs.

NFPA Names Fire and Life Safety Educator of the Year

Maria Bostian, who is the public education and information officer (PEIO) for the Kannapolis, NC, Fire Department, was named 2019 Fire and Life Safety Educator of the Year by the NFPA.

The award is presented to an educator who works for a local fire department or fire marshal’s office in the United States or Canada who uses NFPA’s materials in consistent, creative, educational ways. To elevate awareness in the city’s elementary schools, Bostian uses NFPA’s Learn Not to Burn preschool program and NFPA’s Remembering When program for older adults.

Bostian was awarded a $1,000 honorarium, travel to the NFPA Conference & Expo and an engraved “Sparky” statuette. The Kannapolis Fire Department received a $1,000 donation to support public education activities.

For more information, visit nfpa.org.

FDSOA Announces Keynote Speaker for 2021 Conference

Gordon Graham will be the keynote speaker for the Fire Department Safety Officers Association (FDSOA) 2021 Health and Safety Conference, which will be held Jan. 18–21, 2021, at the TradeWinds Island Grand Hotel in St. Pete Beach, FL. Graham is a 33-year veteran of law enforcement, an expert in risk management, a public speaker and a practicing attorney. He co-founded Lexipol and has been an advocate for the fire service, helping to develop the websites FireFighterCloseCalls.com and FirefighterNearMiss.com.

FIRST iZ Nominated for Technology Award

FIRST iZ was named as a finalist in the Technology & Innovation category of the XCELLENCE Awards by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI). Winners will be announced during an awards ceremony at AUVSI XPONENTIAL on Oct. 6, 2020, in Dallas.

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The product submitted for the contest was FIRST Port, which is a rugged, weather-protected, remotely operated “smart” enclosure that offers the capability to provide autonomous deployment, data gathering and secure storage of a small unmanned aerial vehicle (sUAV), or drone. This port/drone solution can be utilized in a number of industries, including emergency response.

For more information, visit firstiz.co.

Acton Named Chair of NFPA Board

Amy Acton, who is a burn survivor and former burn nurse and nurse manager, was named Chair of the NFPA Board. This marks only the second time in the nearly 125-year history of NFPA that the Board will be led by a woman. Acton serves as the executive director of Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors, working to refine Phoenix Society’s mission and business outreach strategy to ensure that more people are aware of burn causes, injuries, rehabilitation and recovery.

The NFPA also announced that Chief Denis G. Onieal was named to its Board of Directors. Onieal recently retired from his role as deputy fire administrator for the U.S. Fire Administration, where he was responsible for the leadership of more than 400 career and contract employees as well as for the oversight of a 110-acre campus and 26 historic buildings. He was responsible for the National Fire Academy, which trains 100,000+ mid- to senior-level firefighters and officers in all aspects of executive leadership.

For a complete list of the newest officers and board members, visit nfpa.org.

NVFC Releases Directory of Behavioral Health Professionals

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) released a directory of behavioral health professionals who are equipped and ready to help firefighters, EMS providers, dispatchers and rescue workers.

The “Directory of Behavioral Health Professionals” provides local options for responders who seek assistance, so they can get the help that they need. It is part of the NVFC’s Psychologically Healthy Fire Departments initiative, which is being developed in partnership with Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance and American Psychological Association. In addition to the directory, the initiative includes a toolkit and training to help fire department leaders promote and support mental well-being among their members.

Access the directory at nvfc.org/help.