Szymanski Elected to Nevada Broadcasters Hall of Fame
Public Information Officer Timothy R. Szymanski of Las Vegas Fire & Rescue has been inducted into the 2017 Nevada Broadcasters Association’s (NBA) Broadcasters Hall of Fame. Szymanski, a contributing editor at Firehouse, was inducted because of his close relationship with the media and providing the media with photos and videos of incidents that were used for broadcasting of news stories. In 2008, Szymanski received the NBA’s prestigious Community Achievement Award for promoting working relationships with public safety PIOs and the media.
The Nevada Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame was first created with the goal to bring added respect, honor and appreciation to the employees of the state’s radio and TV stations. Individuals must have been in the broadcast industry in Nevada for a minimum of 20 years to be eligible for this honor. Szymanski has been a PIO in the fire service for the past 32 years of his 48-year career, and is in his 21st year as PIO in Las Vegas.
FDSOA Sets Date for 30th Annual Apparatus Symposium
The 30th annual Apparatus Specifications and Maintenance Symposium, hosted by the Fire Department Safety Officers Association (FDSOA), in cooperation with the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers Association (FAMA), will be held Jan. 15-17, with a pre-conference session on Jan. 14, at the Scottsdale Plaza Resort in Scottsdale, AZ
Presentations from leading industry figures, as well as apparatus and equipment manufacturers, will provide the attendees with a wide range of information. Breakout sessions and networking events provide a forum for sharing personal experiences with peers. Last year's event attracted more than 350 attendees and more are expected at the 2018 conference.
FDSOA’s Annual Safety Forum will take place Jan. 17-18 in the same venue immediately after the Apparatus Symposium. The two annual conferences have been combined into one event, offering a full week of training opportunities.
For more information and details, as well as course descriptions, registration forms and vendor display information, visit FDSOA.org.
NVFC Receives Grant from Motorola
The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) has received a grant for $50,000 from the Motorola Solutions Foundation, the charitable arm of Motorola Solutions, Inc. The grant will make it possible for the NVFC to provide hundreds of volunteer firefighters and EMS providers across the country with critical health and safety training.
The NVFC has benefited from the Motorola Solutions Foundation’s grant program since 2009. Thanks to the new grant, the NVFC will develop three new courses addressing critical areas of firefighter health and safety as well as offer two in-person workshops. The grant will also enable the NVFC to offer a selection of its Virtual Classroom courses at no charge to thousands of first responders. In addition, an outreach campaign will be conducted to let first responders know about the availability of these courses.
“This public safety grant will allow us to continue our training initiatives, including developing new courses and offering many of our existing online courses free of charge,” said NVFC chair Kevin D. Quinn. “Promoting health and safety is a core mission of the NVFC, and the generosity of the Motorola Solutions Foundation will greatly assist us in that effort.”
The Motorola Solutions Foundation awards grants each year to organizations that support and advance public safety programs and technology and engineering education initiatives. This year, programs that served underrepresented populations, including females, people with disabilities, and veterans, were prioritized. Overall, Motorola Solutions Foundation grants will support programs that help over 2 million students, teachers, first responders and community members across the United States.
For additional information on the Motorola Solutions Foundation grants program, visit motorolasolutions.com/foundation. For more information on the NVFC, visit nvfc.org.
IAFC Releases Succession Management Publication
The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and the IAFC Company Officers Section (COS) have released a new publication exploring the importance of succession management in the fire service and offers simple steps fire chiefs can take to prepare their fire department for the future.
“Succession Management for the Fire-Rescue Service—Understanding and Applying the Process” is a user-friendly, 34-page guide providing steps for departments to start their own plans and includes a history of succession management in the fire-rescue service.
The guide includes:
- History and data related to succession management in the fire-rescue service
- Succession management basics
- Survey data
- Sample documents from fire departments
Chief Thomas Jenkins, IAFC president and chairman of the board, commended the Company Officers Section for spearheading the project and creating a valuable resource for IAFC members and the fire and emergency service.
“The guide is designed for departments of any size to help them create their own succession management program,” said Chief Thomas Jenkins, IAFC president and chairman of the board. “It’s a useful tool to help fire-rescue organizations better serve their members and communities through meaningful succession management planning.”
Captain Randall Hanifen, Company Officers Section vice chair, said that although COS was responsible for developing the guide, its creation represented a collaborative effort by a group consisting of fire-rescue and associated members whose ranks vary from firefighter to fire chief. Other contributors included individuals from the International City/County Management Association and the National Fire Academy, as well as consultants whose work centers on succession management in the fire-rescue service.
“Succession Management for the Fire-Rescue Service” is available for purchase on Amazon.
Sterling Donates FCX Proceeds
Sterling Rope Company has announced that a portion of sales from every FCX device sold will be donated to the Lt. Joseph DiBernardo Memorial Foundation. The Joey D. Foundation provides financial aid to fire departments to purchase personal life-safety rope systems and to send teams to firefighter survival training. In just under three years, the Foundation has provided nearly $100,000 in grants to fire departments across the country. FCX Escape Systems are available in more than 36 custom kit configurations, and seven Fire Escape Systems are UL-certified to NFPA.
For more information, visit sterlingrope.com.
This Month in Fire History
October 2, 1922—First national Fire Prevention Week proclaimed by President Warren Harding
October 5, 1858, New York, NY—Crystal Palace destroyed by fire
October 7, 1979—First Firefighters Memorial Sunday is held
October 8, 1871, Peshtigo, WI—Forest fire kills 1,152 people
October 8, 1871, Chicago, IL—Great Chicago fire kills 250
October 15, 1984, Washington, DC—U.S. Postal Service headquarters fire causing $100 million in damage and injuring at least 25 firefighters
October 20, 1873, Baltimore, MD—International Association of Fire Chiefs founded
October 23, 1989, Pasadena, TX—Phillips Petroleum plant fire kills 23 employees and injures 314.
October 29, 1974—Federal Fire Prevention & Control Act of 1974 creates U.S. Fire Administration
Courtesy of NFPA
Firehouse Staff
Content written and created by Firehouse Magazine editors.
