OSU Student Receives FAMA Scholarship
UL FSRI Rebrands
UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute is expanding its focus to address fire safety more broadly and extending its collaborative model to actively engage fire investigators, fire safety engineers, academia, government, industry, safety educators and the general public, in addition to the fire service. To better reflect all of this, the organization changed its name to UL’s Fire Safety Research Institute.
In a recent survey conducted by Firehouse Magazine, fire departments were asked which of the following they planned to purchase in 2021: apparatus, drones, PPE, radios/communication equipment, rescue tools, SCBA and thermal imaging cameras. They also were asked whether they plan to build a new fire station/facility. With the economy on the rebound following the COVID-19 pandemic, the departments that responded seem to be in a buying mood. A substantial 73 percent look forward to buying a new piece of apparatus and new PPE. In fact, every category garnered at least 38 percent of respondents showing an interest in purchasing (with the exception of drones). Almost 40 percent of respondents have interest in building a new facility.
Line-of-Duty Deaths
10 U.S. firefighters recently died in the line of duty. Two firefighters were killed in a plane crash, two were killed when struck by motor vehicles, two deaths were health-related incidents, two firefighters were killed in motor vehicle accidents, one was killed during fireground operations, and one died after contracting COVID-19. This issue of Firehouse is dedicated to these firefighters. For the latest on COVID-19-related LODDs, visit firehouse.com/covid-19.
AIR TACTICAL GROUP SUPERVISOR JEFF PIECHURA, 62, of the U.S. Forest Service/Coronado National Forest and AIR ATTACK PILOT MATTHEW ROBERT MILLER, 48, of U.S. Forest Service/Falcon Executive Aviation, died on July 10. Piechura and Miller were aboard a Beechcraft King Air C-90 conducting visual reconnaissance and aviation command and control over the Cedar Basin Fire near Wikieup, AZ, when the aircraft crashed, killing both men.
FIREFIGHTER JANET TRACY, 59, of the Caballo, NM, Volunteer Fire Department, died on July 20. Tracy was on scene of a single-vehicle, noninjury crash on I-25 south of Truth or Consequences, NM. While providing aid and support at the scene, another firefighter who was repositioning a Caballo fire truck struck her. She was pronounced dead on scene.
FIREFIGHTER THOMAS ROYDS, 48, of the Lower Merion, PA, Fire Department/Belmont Hills, PA, Fire Company, died on July 24. Royds was dispatched to a vehicle accident with injuries on Interstate 76. At approximately 3:23 a.m., while preparing to leave the scene of the initial incident, another vehicle struck Royds and two other firefighters from Belmont Hills Fire Company. Multiple EMS units were requested to assist the injured first responders. Royds went into cardiac arrest on scene and was transported by ground ambulance to Paoli Hospital where he died. The two other firefighters were flown to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center where they were listed in critical but stable condition. An investigation of the incident is ongoing.
FIREFIGHTER DANIEL “DANNY” IRETON, 60, of the Martin County Volunteer Fire Department in Stanton, TX, died on Aug. 4. Ireton and another firefighter were responding to a motor vehicle collision when the fire apparatus that Ireton was driving struck another vehicle. Ireton was pronounced dead on scene. The other firefighter was taken to the hospital and remains in stable condition.
LT. LARRY DEAN ADAMS, 65, of Yazoo County, MS, District 3 Volunteer Fire Company, died on Aug. 8. On Aug. 6, Adams suffered a medical emergency while operating the pump panel at a vehicle fire, which caused him to fall unconscious and to strike his head on the sideboard. He was treated on scene by fellow firefighters and was flown to the University of Mississippi Medical Center, where he later died.
FIREFIGHTER DEREK POOLE, 33, of the Catawba, NC, Volunteer Fire Department and the West Iredell, NC, Fire Department, died on Aug. 9. On April 15, 2007, Poole had responded to the scene of an arson fire that had been set in the woods. As he was returning to the fire station in his personal vehicle, he missed a stop sign at the road’s intersection and crashed into another vehicle. Poole was ejected from the automobile and suffered serious injuries from which he never recovered.
CAPT. JOSHUA D. LAIRD, 46, of the Frederick County, MD, Division of Fire and Rescue Services, died on Aug. 11. Laird responded to a residential fire and, while working to extinguish the fire, fell through the first floor into the basement. Rescue efforts were initiated, and fellow emergency responders located and removed him from the structure. Laird was found to be in cardiac arrest and was rushed to MedStar Washington Hospital Center but was unable to be revived.
FIREFIGHTER/EMT COLIN MCFADDEN, 26, of the Burlington, CT, Fire Department, died on Aug. 12. On Aug. 10, McFadden suffered a medical emergency while operating on scene of a large residential structure fire in New Hartford. He was taken to the John Dempsey Hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery. During treatment, it was discovered that he had leukemia, which caused his sudden illness. He died two days later.
FIREFIGHTER/EMT TIMOTHY WATSON, 48, of Barrow County Emergency Services in Winder, GA, died on Aug. 15. On June 13, Watson responded to a possible cardiac arrest where numerous individuals, including the patient, had COVID-19. He subsequently contracted the virus.
