For the Record 3/21

CFSI Announces Virtual Symposium

The Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI) will offer the 2021 National Fire and Emergency Services Symposium virtually. The event, which is scheduled for April 27–29, 2021, will feature seminars on public safety and leadership issues that will be conducted by prominent fire service leaders and federal officials.

For more information, visit cfsi.org.

NFPA Seeks Input on Cannabis Fire Protection Standard

The NFPA is considering the development of a new standard for the fire protection of cannabis facilities that would provide clear guidance on fire and life-safety provisions for the cannabis industry. This comes in response to serious fires that occurred at these facilities in recent years; the rapid legalization of medical and/or recreational use of cannabis throughout the United States; and the exponential growth of cannabis facilities around the world.

As proposed, the effort would build on the work that started several years ago in NFPA 1, Fire Code, which addresses the fire protection aspects of the growing and processing facilities. The new standalone document would expand on those requirements, referencing appropriate resources as needed, with the overall goal of addressing the protection of facilities from fire and related hazards where cannabis is grown, processed, extracted and/or tested.

The NFPA is seeking comments to gauge whether support exists for development of such a standard and is soliciting feedback on the following:

Are you or your organization in favor of the development of an NFPA Standard pertaining to the fire protection of cannabis growing and processing facilities?

Please state your reason(s) for supporting or opposing such standards development.

All comments must be submitted by March 31, 2021, to [email protected].

Study: Fire Station Dust is from Unknown ‘Forever Chemicals’

A new study by researchers from the University of Notre Dame and Harvard University, which was published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology, heightens concerns about firefighters’ exposure to the fluorinated “forever chemicals,” or PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). Nearly 99 percent of the fluorine that was found in dust tests from inside of fire stations likely came from unknown PFAS that couldn’t be identified as ones for which researchers tested.

According to the Environmental Working Group, some PFAS, including PFOS (perfluorooctanesulfonic acid) in firefighting foam, were linked to serious health hazards, including cancer, reproductive and developmental harms, and reduced effectiveness of vaccines. The researchers vacuumed floor dust samples of various rooms in 15 fire stations in eastern Massachusetts and measured levels of PFAS in 39 dust samples. They also measured PFAS in six wipe samples of turnout gear. The findings reinforce an earlier study by researchers from Notre Dame that found PFAS that are used to treat firefighters’ gear could pose a threat to their health.

For more on this study, visit ewg.org.

Line-of-Duty Deaths

9 U.S. firefighters recently died in the line of duty. Six firefighters died after contracting COVID-19, two died from injuries sustained during a roof collapse and one died from a health-related incident. This issue of Firehouse is dedicated to these firefighters. For the latest on COVID-19-related LODDs, visit firehouse.com/covid-19.

CAPT. WILLIAM CHRISTOPHER MERTZ, 54, of the Rancho Santa Fe, CA, Fire Protection District, died on Jan. 20. While on duty at the fire department on Dec. 27, Mertz contracted COVID-19.

CAPT. ERIK SEGURA, 45, of the Laredo, TX, Fire Department, died on Jan. 26. Segura was part of the COVID-19 response team for the department and contracted the virus while responding to an EMS call from a patient who was known to have the disease.

CHIEF LONNIE BOLAR, 45, and FIREFIGHTER TAYLER BRADFORD, 28, of the Waynoka, OK, Volunteer Fire Department, died on Jan. 29. Bolar and Bradford responded to a residential fire with a reported person trapped in a bedroom of the home. Upon entry, Bolar and Bradford found a man and woman. While attempting to perform rescues, there was a roof collapse, which killed all four of them.

CHIEF ENGINEER EDWARD P. BOOKMYER, 60, of the Craley Fire Department in Wrightsville, PA, died on Jan. 30. Bookmyer was working on a piece of apparatus after returning from a fire call on Jan. 24 when he suffered a medical emergency. He was taken to the hospital, where he later died.

LT. EDWARD VASQUEZ, 35, of the NASA Fire Department, White Sands Test Facility in Las Cruces, NM, died on Jan. 30. While on duty on Dec. 7, Vasquez contracted COVID-19 at the fire department.

LT. BRIAN RITCHIE, 50, of the Weirton, WV, Fire Department, died on Feb. 2. Ritchie, who also was the assistant chief of the Hooverson Heights Volunteer Fire Department, contracted COVID-19 while on-duty at the fire department.

CAPT. GUANDES “MOOK” SMITH, 27, of the Sardis, MS, Volunteer Fire Department, died on Feb. 8. Smith contracted COVID-19 while on duty at the fire department on Dec. 9.

TRAINING LT. TERRY WATTS, 51, of the Shelby County Fire Department in Memphis, TN, died on Feb. 10. Watts contracted COVID-19 while on duty at the fire department on Jan. 20.

MAJOR GARRY KEY, 70, of the Zoneton Fire Protection District in Shepherdsville, KY, died on Feb. 13. Key developed COVID-19 while attending mandated fire department meetings and other fire department functions on Jan. 10.

FIREFIGHTER JOHN JONKER, sr., 80, of Erskine Lakes Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 in Ringwood, NJ, died on Feb. 10. Shortly after returning home after participating in a training drill at the fire department, Jonker collapsed from an apparent heart attack. Efforts to revive him were unsuccessful.