Scuttlebutt 9/16

NVFC Announces First Recipients in 2016 Globe Gear Giveaway

Globe, DuPont Protection Technologies and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) have partnered for the fifth year to provide new, state-of-the-art turnout gear to fire departments in need. This year, a total of 13 departments will receive four sets of gear each.

The first three recipients of the 2016 Globe Gear Giveaway are the Klawock, AK, Volunteer Fire Department; the Franklin Township, NJ, Volunteer Fire Department; and the Norton Volunteer Fire Department in New Brunswick, Canada.

“We received over 600 applications for gear, demonstrating the real need that exists for this type of program,” said NVFC chairman Kevin D. Quinn. “Many departments are struggling to provide gear to their members and often have to make do with gear that is old, non-compliant, ill-fitting and otherwise inadequate, putting the safety of the boots-on-the-ground firefighters at risk. Thank you to Globe and DuPont for recognizing this need and for five years of supporting our nation’s volunteer fire departments through this significant donation.”

To be eligible to apply for the four sets of new Globe turnout gear, departments had to be all-volunteer or mostly volunteer, serve a population of 25,000 or less, be legally organized in the United States or Canada, demonstrate a need for the gear, and be a member of the NVFC. To help departments meet this last requirement, Globe sponsored NVFC Department Memberships for the first 500 applicants.

Additional awards through the Globe Gear Giveaway will be made monthly throughout 2016. A total of 52 sets of gear will be distributed to departments in need. Stay tuned to the NVFC website, Dispatch newsletter, and its Facebook page, as well as the Globe Facebook page, for additional information and announcements regarding the Globe Gear Giveaway.

Pierce to Host 4th Annual 9/11 Stair Climb for NFFF

Pierce Manufacturing Inc. hosts the fourth annual 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb at historic Lambeau Field in Green Bay, WI, on Sept. 10, 2016. All funds raised will benefit the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) to assist the families of fallen firefighters. The 2016 Memorial Stair Climb is co-sponsored by the Green Bay Metro Fire Department. Organizers are hoping that 1,000 participants will come together this year to honor the firefighters who perished in the World Trade Center attacks 15 years ago.

Since forming a partnership with the NFFF, Pierce has raised more than $325,000 to assist the NFFF’s mission to help the families of fallen firefighters rebuild their lives through support networks, conferences, workshops and scholarships.

Stair climb participants are invited to climb the equivalent of 110 stories—the height of the fallen World Trade Center towers—on the steps of Lambeau Field. This year the climb will span the entire bowl inside the stadium to accommodate an anticipated increased number of climbers who come to pay tribute to the firefighters who gave their lives at the World Trade Center on 9/11.

Each climber will be given a badge with the name and photograph of one of the fallen firefighters, to symbolically complete the climb with one of the fallen. “As participants in previous 9/11 Memorial Stair Climbs—as well as those who have come out to support them—can attest, they leave Lambeau Field with lasting memories,” said Jim Johnson, Oshkosh Corporation executive vice president and president of the Fire & Emergency segment and Pierce Manufacturing.

NVFC Announces CSX Scholarship Recipients

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) has partnered with CSX, a premier transportation company providing rail, intermodal, and rail-to-truck transload services, to provide scholarships to help more first responders attend their hands-on rail response training programs. Six NVFC members who live in CSX’s service area were selected from across the nation to receive an all-expense-paid trip to attend a weeklong course at the CSX Railroad Education and Training Institute (REDI) in Atlanta, GA.

CSX was originally providing three scholarships to outstanding first responders. However, due to the many quality applications, they increased the award to provide six individuals with full scholarships for the weeklong trainings. Three winners attended the CSX Responder Outreach Unit Train Emergencies course in August, and the other three will participate in the CSX HazMat Sentinel Class in October.

“The NVFC extends our heartfelt gratitude to CSX for their dedication to first responder training. Their generosity allows six boots-on-the-ground firefighters the opportunity to enhance their skills and better serve their communities.” said NVFC Chairman Kevin D. Quinn, who participated in a CSX training in May. “I can attest to the high-level, professional training at the REDI. We look forward to continuing our partnership to benefit departments nationwide.”

Learn more about CSX at csx.com.

This Month in Fire History

Sept. 1, 1923, Tokyo and Yokohama, Japan—Earthquake conflagration kills 142,807

Sept. 8, 1934—SS Morro Castle fire kills 135 off New Jersey coast

Sept. 11, 2001, New York—World Trade Center attacks kill 2,666, including 343 members of the FDNY

Sept. 17, 1872—First sprinkler system patented by P.W. Pratt

Sept. 20, 1929, Detroit, MI—Study Club fire kills 22

Sept. 25, 2003, Nashville, TN—Nursing home fire kills 14

Courtesy of NFPA