Who Is Killing The USFA?
The slow and miserable death of the United States Fire Administration is nothing new and has been going on for a number of years now. Why does the American fire service allow this to continue? One firefighters has a few thoughts that relate to why we have put ourselves in this position.MORE

US Fire Departments Seek $2.3 Billion in FIRE Grants in FY 06
During the March 6-April 7 application period for FY 2006 FIRE Grants, the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program Office received 18,160 applications.MORE

Former Fire Engineering Editor Tom Brennan Dead at 65
'Mister tell it like it is' served as a 'father figure' to a younger generation of firefighters. "Tom fought fires when fires were fires," said one chief. "Tom fought fires when the city was burning." MORE

Scott & White Pre-Hospital Services Seeks Clinical Practice Supervisor
Minimum of six years EMS experience required, with at least two years supervisory experience. MORE

New Partnership Seeks to Eliminate Home Fire Deaths by 2020
The Public-Private Fire Safety Council released the first in a planned series of white papers that will outline major strategies for reducing the annual death toll from home fires. MORE

Search and Rescue Robots Deploy to Disaster City
Twenty-six potential emergency response robots underwent technical evaluation exercises in April at Disaster City™ in College Station, TX, to test their effectiveness in an actual Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) environment. MORE

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) Focuses on Pandemic Flu Challenges
The challenges of a pandemic versus an epidemic are expected to have a significant impact on all first responders, communities and families. MORE

Upcoming Urban Search and Rescue Courses at Disaster City in Bryan, Texas
The 52-acre mock community features three rubble piles and full-scale, collapsible structures designed to simulate various levels of disaster and wreckage. MORE

Comments Sought on Texas Department of State Health Services "Medical Special Needs" Draft
The Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is tasked with developing a plan for dealing with medical special needs populations during a disaster including evacuation, sheltering, and medical support for shelters. MORE

Fire Chiefs Should Review Requirements for Handling E85 Fuel
Fires involving E85 should be treated differently than traditional gasoline fires, because E85 is a polar/water-miscible flammable liquid. E85 is highly flammable, and will be easily ignited by heat, sparks or flames. MORE

2006 Marks 25th Anniversary of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend
The 25th annual National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend will be held October 7-8, 2006. A plaque with the names of 98 firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2005 will be added to the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial, located on the National Fire Academy campus. MORE

Fireman's Fund Insurance Company Employees Direct Nearly $1 Million in Grants in 2005
Fireman's Fund Insurance Company and their employees nationwide demonstrated a strong commitment to supporting the fire service in 2005 by awarding 47 grants totaling more than $900,000 and donating more than 1,000 hours of volunteer time. MORE

Research Institute Offers HazMat Software
The software includes detailed information on 130 of the most common chemicals associated with HazMat incidents, with a minimum of 2,000 additional chemicals to be added. A desktop version of the software is under development. MORE

Hill College Hiring Four Part Time EMS Instructors
Hill College is currently seeking qualified candidates for four (4) part time EMS instructor positions. Job will include day and night courses. MORE

Brookdale Recalls Smoke Hoods
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with Brookdale International Systems Inc., has announced a voluntary recall of the company's emergency escape smoke hoods. MORE

City of Killeen Seeks Fire Chief
Employee must have Intermediate Firefighter Certification from the Texas Commission on Fire Protection Personnel Standards and Education. MORE

There Is No Wrong Way To Do The Right Thing
The loss of any firefighters' life is tragic and takes a toll on all who serve in our profession. To lose a 21 year old man of such quality as Kevin Apuzzio seems absolutely intolerable. MORE

Edward "Big Ed' McCormack dies at 67
McCormack. "Big Ed" was best known as the former Executive Director of the International Society of Fire Service Instructors (ISFSI) and former manager of the Fire Department Instructors Conference. MORE

Texas Firefighter Succumbs to Injuries Sustained in March Wildfires
Firefighter James McMorries Jr., 62, who suffered critical injuries when his apparatus rolled on March 12 near Alanreed, died as a result of those injuries on April 9, 2006. MORE

IAB Releases Spring 2006 SEL
The InterAgency Board for Equipment Standardization and Interoperability (IAB) has released the Spring 2006 version of its Standardized Equipment List (SEL). MORE

International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) Launches Mutual Aid Web Pages
The IAFC announces its new Mutual Aid Web page at www.iafc.org/mutualaid. On the new mutual aid web page, you will find useful resources for intrastate and interstate mutual aid. There are links with examples of state mutual aid plans, a description of what the IAFC is doing to address mutual aid, and other related resources. MORE

National Fire Academy (NFA) Training Opportunities
Vacancies exist in the following NFA courses at the National Emergency Training Center in Emmitsburg, Maryland. MORE

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Seeks Comment on Proposed Standard
The NFPA Hazardous Chemicals Technical Committee will be creating a new Hazardous Chemicals Code, NFPA 400 for publication in 2007. MORE

IAFC Issues an Alert Clarifying Its Role in Mutual Aid Initiatives
NIMS is a system designed to deal with command and control issues from the most basic to the largest incidents such as Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. MORE

Nordstrom Inc. Recalls Egg-Shaped Candle Holders as Fire Hazard
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission today announced a voluntary recall of Egg-Shaped Candle Holders sold by Nordstrom, Inc. The holder is constructed of plastic and could ignite. MORE

IAFC issues an Alert Clarifying the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) Role in Mutual Aid Initiatives
The IAFC is currently developing two projects that will help the fire service's ability to support the National Response Plan (NRP) and implement concepts presented in the National Incident Management System (NIMS). MORE

Ten Things You Need to Know About Pandemic Influenza
Avian influenza refers to a large group of different influenza viruses that primarily affect birds. On rare occasions, these bird viruses can infect other species, including pigs and humans. MORE

Fire Chiefs Urged to Support the Nomination of Chief R. David Paulison
The International Association of Fire Chief's (IAFC) called for all Fire Chiefs support the nomination of Chief R. David Paulison to be the Department of Homeland Security's Under Secretary for Federal Emergency Management. MORE

Free Propane Emergencies Program
Propane is a flammable substance and one of several constituent gases that make up Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), is the LP-Gas most frequently encountered by the Emergency Services Sector (ESS) responding to industrial, commercial, and consumer incidents. MORE

Rules Changes for Texas EMS Rules Posted in the Texas Register
Proposed rules regarding first responder organization, certification, recertification and paramedic licensure has been posted in the Texas Register. MORE

USFA and IAFF Launch New Online Emergency Vehicle Safety Program
Of the 106 firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2005, 26 were due to emergency vehicle accidents. In fact, emergency vehicle accidents are the second leading cause of on-duty firefighter deaths. MORE

Fire Engineering Magazine to Host NIMS Webcast
NIMS represents a core set of doctrine, principles, terminology, and organizational processes, which are established to enable effective, efficient, and collaborative incident management at all levels. MORE