BUCKS COUNTY FIRE NEWS
July 2009
A PUBLICATION OF THE BUCKS COUNTY FIRE CHIEFS’ & FIREFIGHTERS’ ASSOCIATION
WWW.buckscandff.com
The next meeting of the
Chiefs’ & FireFirefighters’
Association will be held the
Training Center on July 20,
2008.
7 PM Food
7:45 PM Meeting Start
The August meeting will be
held at the Training Center on
August 17th.
Highlights of the June
Meeting:
Bucks County signed a
Mutual Aid Agreement
several years ago with
Chester, Delaware,
Montgomery and
Philadelphia Counties. A
National Mutual Aid
agreement is proposed.
Challenges to FF1 will no
longer be permitted on the
same day as certification for
firefighters completing
Firefighter class. Additional
certification dates will be
established as the schedule at
the Training Center allows.
Firefighters who contact the
flu should be encouraged to
stay home in order to prevent
spreading the flu to other
station members. A concern
has been raised about entire
stations being unable to
respond because of a flu
outbreak.
Unprofessional behavior at
the trophy presentation by
some firefighters at the
county parade was discussed.
Their conduct not only
brought disgrace to
themselves, it reflected on the
County Fire Service in
general. Stations involved are
requested to take steps to
prevent a repeat.
Station 35, Lingohocken, has
announced that they have
adopted a new response
police for their Fire Police.
Blue lights will not be used
during a response. Once on
location, blue lights can be
used. All companies
responding into Station 35’s
local are asked to follow this
policy.
Association membership is
644 as of 6/09.
In 2007, U.S. fire
departments responded to
414,000 residential fires that
caused 2,865 civilian fire
deaths, 14,000 civilian
injuries, and $7.5 billion in
property loss
Station 34, Chalfont. A third
appeal has been filed in
Bucks County Court by the
neighbors concerning the
construction of the new fire
station. The fire company is
in continuing negotiations
with the individual who is
inspiring the neighbors.
Station 0, Yardley-Makefield
- 50%, Bristol Township Fire
Marshal's Office - 100% ,
Station 45,Newtown Fire
Association – 75% and
Station 58, Trumbauersville
Fire Company – 50%, have
been recognized by the Office
of the PA State Fire
Commissioner as
organizations that support,
promote and encourage their
emergency response
personnel to voluntarily be
recognized as a certified fire
professional in accordance
with nationally recognized
and sanctioned Professional
Qualification standards. The
NFPA standards for Fire
Service Professional
Qualifications identify the
minimum requirements for a
person. A person certified to
one of the Fire Service
Professional levels will have
demonstrated competency in
the knowledge and skills
2
required to perform at a
particular level. The service
that can be offered to the
citizens and community is
enhanced by the professional
competency attained through
this certification process.
Congratulations to YardleyMakefield, Bristol Township
Fire Marshal's Office,
Newtown Fire Association
and Trumbauersville for a
great accomplishment!
They join the following
Bucks County Companies
who have received a
certificate for their
participation in the
Pennsylvania Firefighter
Certification program:
Station 4, Trevose, 75%
Station 23, Dublin, 50%
Station 24, Plumsteadville,
50%
Station 26, Perkasie, 75%
Station 29, Warrington, 75%
Station 45, Newtown
Emergency Services, 100%
Station 59, Silverdale 10%
Station 60, Hilltown, 75%
Station 93, Hartsville, 75%
Thank you to Newtown Fire
Association for hosting the
County Parade. Pictures are
available at
http://berridgefirephotograph
y.photoreflect.com.
- Best Appearing Hand/Horse
Drawn Antique: 1st Place
Langhorne-Middletown Fire
Company.
BUCKS CO. FIRE NEWS
- Best Appearing Antique
Motorized- Fire Company
owned: 3rd Place
Newportville Fire Company
1945 Mack, 2nd Place
Trevose Fire Company 1934
Chevy, 1st Place YardleyMakefield Fire Company
1937 Studebaker.
- Best Appearing & Equipped
Basic Ambulance: 1st Place
Penndel-Middletown
Emergency Squad.
- Best Appearing & Equipped
Medic Ambulance: 2nd Place
Chal-Brit Regional EMS
1541 and 1st Place Bensalem
Rescue Squad 185.
- Best Appearing & Equipped
Special Service: 2nd Place
Point Pleasant Fire Company
and 1st Place Lower
Southampton Fire Company.
- Best Appearing & Equipped
Field Truck: 2nd Place
Langhorne-Middletown Fire
Company Field 21 and 1st
Place Union Fire Company
Tac 37.
- Best Appearing & Equipped
Chief’s Car: 2nd Place Upper
Makefield Fire Company and
1st Place LanghorneMiddletown Fire Company.
- Best Appearing & Equipped
Tanker: 2nd Place
Lingohocken Fire Company
Tanker 35 and 1st Place
Haycock Fire Company
Tanker 63.
- Best Appearing & Equipped
Pumper Rescue: 3rd Place
Trevose Fire Company
Engine 84, 2nd Place
Yardley-Makefield Fire
Company Rescue 0, and 1st
Place Upper Makefield Fire
Company Rescue 71.
- Best Appearing & Equipped
Rescue: 3rd Place
Doylestown Rescue 19, 2nd
Place Richland Township
Fire & Rescue- Rescue 56,
and 1st Place Warrington Fire
Company Rescue 29.
- Best Appearing & Equipped
Squirt: 2nd Place Union Fire
Company (Cornwells) and 1st
Place West End Fire
Company Quakertown.
- Best Appearing & Equipped
Ladder Tower: 3rd Place
New Hope- Eagle Fire
Company Tower 46, 2nd
Place West End Fire
Company Quakertown Tower
18, and 1st Place YardleyMakefield Fire Company
Tower 80.
- Best Appearing & Equipped
Aerial Ladder: 3rd Place
Penndel Fire Company
Ladder 8, 2nd Place America
Hose Hook & Ladder- Ladder
25, and 1st Place YardleyMakefield Fire Company
Ladder 0.
- Best Appearing & Equipped
3
Engine 1999 and Older: 4th
Place Upper Makefield Fire
Company Engine 81, 3rd
Place Falls Township Fire
Company Engine 30-1, 2nd
Place Morrisville Fire
Company Engine 98-1, and
1st Place Doylestown Fire
Company Engine 19.
- Best Appearing & Equipped
Engine 2000 and Newer: 4th
Place Doylestown Fire
Company (79), 3rd Place
Falls Township Fire
Company #1, 2nd Place
Midway Volunteer Fire
Company, and 1st Place
Northampton Township Fire
Company.
- Best Appearing & Equipped
Pierce: Yardley-Makefield
Fire Company Ladder 0.
- Best Appearing Marching
Band: 2nd Place Middlesex
County Pipe & Drum, and 1st
Place Irish Thunder.
- Judges Award:
Ladder/Tractor 21 Kiddie
Truck and Red Knights
Motorcycle Group.
- Best Appearing Fire
Company With/Without
Music: 4th Place LanghorneMiddletown Fire Company,
3rd Place Edgely Fire
Company, 2nd Place Falls
Township Fire Company #1,
and 1st Place YardleyMakefield Fire Company.
BUCKS CO. FIRE NEWS
- Best Appearing Fire
Company: Yardley-Makefield
Fire Company.
Station 45, Newtown, had
their 1796 Hand Drawn
Pumper “Old Washy”
completely refurbished in
Lancaster County. It is now
displayed in the museum next
to the station 45.
The U.S. Consumer Product
Safety Commission, in
cooperation with Wagner
Spray Tech Corp., of
Minneapolis, Minn.
announced a voluntary recall
of 300,000 Heat Guns.
An electrical component
failure inside the heat guns
can cause them to continue to
produce heat after the power
switch is turned off. This can
melt the heat gun’s plastic
exterior, causing a burn if the
heat gun is touched and ignite
nearby combustibles, posing
fire and burn hazards
The CPSC, in cooperation
with Campbell Hausfeld Air
Compressors announced a
voluntary recall of 16,000
HU200099AV air
compressors with a 20-gallon
tank.
The compressor’s thermal
overload, which shuts the
unit off when it overheats,
can fail. This can lead to
overheating, melting of parts
and a risk of fire.
Sold at: Wal-Mart stores
nationwide from January
2009 through June 2009 for
about $250. Manufactured in
China.
The Open Records office has
ruled that Volunteer Fire and
EMS organizations are
covered by the PA Right To
Know Law (RTKL) and until
such time as the courts rule
otherwise or legislation is
passed by the legislature and
signed by the Governor; these
organizations must follow
the RTKL process. Attached
is a summary overview of
what is required to be in
compliance, distributed by
the Pennsylvania Freedom of
Information Coalition.
Three Major Fire Service
Concerns
1.
Smoke detectors don’t
wake the young and the old.
2.
The need to include
residential Sprinklers in all
new construction.
3.
Light weight
construction and the dangers
it poses to home owners and
firefighters.
As expected, the PBA
(Pennsylvania Builders
Assn.) and the NAHB
(National Assn. of Home
Builders) are continuing
4
BUCKS CO. FIRE NEWS
efforts to derail the sprinkler
efforts in Pennsylvania. Even
though the membership of the
International Code Council
voted overwhelmingly to
require sprinklers in all new
construction, and
Pennsylvania’s Review and
Advisory Council voted to
maintain the national code as
written and not have it
weakened. Now, the next
round of attacks is underway.
announced that he would be
introducing legislation that
would remove the mandate of
sprinklers in the upcoming
code, and making sprinklers a
local option under certain
conditions. He is also
proposing to maintain the
2006 codes in place until the
2012 codes are published,
because the cost of new code
books and training the
inspectors is too expensive.
Recently, the PBA has
distributed a paper calling the
model and state building code
process flawed. The report
contains the typical
inaccurate data about costs
and the mandatory annual
inspections. Of course, don’t
forget that the real threat of
homes fires is in older
existing stock. Not the new
ones built out of lightweight
materials that collapse soon
after the arrival of the fire
department.
So what is the Coalition
doing about it?
The PBA claims that during
the ICC hearings, decisions
over sprinklers were taken
out of the hands of the
construction experts and
dictated by special interests –
the fire service. Do we as the
fire service have a special
interest when it comes to
building construction? We
sure do! It’s called
Firefighter Safety!
This week, Representative
Buxton (D-Dauphin County)
We need the entire fire
service of Pennsylvania to
join the Coalition and show
support for residential
sprinklers. Every one of
Pennsylvania’s fire
companies and firefighters
should reach out to their
elected officials and inform
them about the importance of
sprinklers. We need to block
the efforts trying to weaken
the state’s code.
In the coming weeks
educational programs will be
announced across
Pennsylvania to educate
elected officials and
consumers about sprinklers.
Train-the-Trainer programs
will also be offered to enable
the fire service to reach more
of our communities with this
life saving information.
Other programs are being
planned regionally and we’ll
post these as soon as the
dates are confirmed.
What we need from you!
1. Read the attached
documents in support
of sprinklers and use
these resources in
educating your
community and
elected officials.
2. Read the attached
documents presented
by the builders so you
are familiar with their
efforts to weaken the
code.
3. Encourage your Fire
Company or
Department adopt the
Coalition’s resolution.
4. Encourage all of your
members to join the
Coalition.
5.
Message contains
attachments
RESOLUTION.doc (25KB), Fire
Sprinklers Position Paper - April
2009.pdf (577KB), Buxton
letter.pdf (132KB), Builders
position to legislators.pdf (372KB),
Solobay letter.pdf (61KB),
Community Fire Protection - Who
Decides - Final.pdf (187KB)
Please contact Co-Chairs
John Waters at
jwaters@umtownship.org or
Tim Knisely at
tknisely@centreregioncode.or
g if you have any questions or
are in need of additional
information.
5
Stations 71 & 81, Upper
Makefield, have taken
delivery of a 2009
International 3000 Gallon
Tanker from 4-Guys. The
new Tanker will operate as
Tanker 71 and the old Tanker
71 has become Tanker 81.
When purchasing a new
home, some people chose a
“Lawn Sprinkler” and never
were advised by the builder
to consider a “Fire sprinkler
system”.
Question – How much more
BUCKS CO. FIRE NEWS
of civilian cars, which often
are lighter and smaller than
ambulances and police
cruisers. Nine ambulance
drivers and passengers were
killed in emergency-vehicle
crashes in 2004 compared to
24 occupants of civilian cars
and two pedestrians. 2004
National emergency vehicles
in...
Ambu
Fatal
crashes
Fire
Police
truck cruisers
31
21
106
563
706
7,344
safety can be designed into
gear before the costs become
prohibitive to departments
that need equipment the
most?
Injury
Are you a Good Samaratan?
A veteran defensive driving
expert with the National
Safety Council warns that,
the whole thing in the
emergency services is that if
you don't get to the fire or
arrive at the hospital in one
piece you're not going to do
anyone any good. He further
notes "when you're running
hot, there's an adrenaline rush
to this. I've gotta get there.
I've gotta get there. You can
get in trouble from that rush''.
– Good Samaratan laws are
not meant to exempt all
medical personnel in every
emergency situation, but only
those personnel who happen
across an emergency outside
the normal course of their
work and who have no duty
to assist.
Nationally, 170 people were
killed and 18,772 were
injured in emergency vehicle
crashes in 2004, according to
the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration. The
bulk of those killed in
emergency vehicle accidents
are the drivers and passengers
crashes
All
crashes
4,301 2,637 26,639
The newly formed
Pennsylvania Association of
Fire Code Officials (PAFCO)
held its first meeting on June
25th in Altoona. Many fire
code officials have expressed
a desire for such an
organization similar to what
the building code officials
have had in place for many
years. Building code officials
have such organizations such
as the PA Association of
Code Officials (PACO), and
the Pennsylvania Building
Code Officials (PENNBOC)
where they can confer with
their colleagues, set up and
attend training seminars.
Many of the fire code
officials are currently
members of the PA
Residential Fire Sprinkler
Coalition and were present in
support and provided
testimony during the UCC
Review and Advisory
Council hearings on proposed
exclusions from adoption in
the 2009 ICC Codes.
PAFCO’s first meeting was
primarily organizational,
establishing standing
committees and procedures.
The meeting also included a
discussion on the PA
adoption of the 2009 IRC
with the sprinkler
requirement and the need to
secure resolutions.
Great Leaders take input
from their followers.
The National Institute of
Occupational Safety and
Health (NIOSH) points out
that carpet, ceramic tile,
lightweight concrete, and
similar floor coverings may
increase the danger to
6
firefighters because they add
weight to the floor system
and because the insulation
these materials provide may
cause the floor to not feel
warm, despite the fire
beneath it.
NIOSH also stresses that
engineered wood I-joists
represent a rising technology
in the building sector, since it
offers certain advantages over
traditional construction
methods. Changes in the
building construction
industry, driven by
technological advancements
and societal needs, suggest
that the use of engineered
wood products will continue
to grow, according to
NIOSH.
NIOSH also stresses that
engineered wood I-joists
represent a rising technology
in the building sector, since it
offers certain advantages over
traditional construction
methods. Changes in the
building construction
industry, driven by
technological advancements
and societal needs, suggest
that the use of engineered
wood products will continue
to grow, according to
NIOSH.
The U.S. Consumer Product
Safety Commission and
Kidde announced a voluntary
recall of Model PI2000 Dual
Sensor Smoke Alarms. An
electrostatic discharge can
BUCKS CO. FIRE NEWS
damage the unit, causing it
not to warn consumers of a
fire. Only date codes 2008
Aug.01 through 2009 May 04
are included in this recall.
Manufactured in: China.
Excellent reading – Don’t
miss the article by Billy
Goldfeeder about the
Loudoun Cty., Va. house fire
in the July 2009 issue of
Firehouse Magazine.
Visible fire that appears to
be running the exterior of any
structure should be
extinguished/knocked down
prior to entry.
Stop and make a concerted
effort to remain calm and
slow your breathing.
Find the furniture and other
items around you to see if
you can identify what they
are.
Activate your PASS device.
Listen to your radio.
Continue to attempt to reorient yourself.
Find a wall, any wall.
Stop and listen.
Station 98, Morrisville, has
Firefighter Safety – Once the
the following apparatus for
sale:
alarm sounds, firefighters are
already at risk. Stastic show
that many firefighter deaths
and injuries occur while
responding to and returning
from fires. If we are to solve
the firefighter injury and
death problem, we must
reduce or eliminate the fire
and the need to respond in the
first place. We must spend
time educating all firefighters
regarding the need to support
fire prevention, proper smoke
detector coverage/
interconnection and sprinkler
systems. Preventing fires is
the key to firefighter safety.
Rescue 98
1991 Pierce Dash Walk-In
Rescue, Seating for 7, 27,000
Miles, 15 KW Generator, Air
Cascade, (2) Hurst Simo
units w/ (4) 100’ Reels, (3)
250’ Electrical Reels, (2)
100’ Air Reels, (8) 1000 Watt
Scene Lights, Large array of
included equipment.
$125,000.00 Available
November 1, 2009
All Offers & Questions
Contact:
Matt Wiedenhaefer
267.278.5113
matt@morrisville98.com
If you are faced with calling
a “Mayday” what should you
do next?
Engine 98
1986 Pierce Dash Pumper
Seating for 6, 22,000 Miles
5 KW Generator, 1250 GPM
Top Mount Pump, 750
7
Gallon Water Tank, (2) 500
Watt Scene Lights, 100’ – 1”
Booster Reel
Large array of included
equipment . Please Make
Offer - Available
Immediately
Station 46, New Hope Eagle,
to Hold “2009 Dash for the
Axe”. Volunteers Needed for
October 3rd 5K-Road Race
In an effort to recruit
volunteer firefighters and
raise funds for firefighter
training and equipment,
Eagle Fire Company will host
the 2009 Dash for the Axe
October 3—a fun-filled,
family-oriented event that it
hopes becomes a local
tradition.
The event will start at
9:30 a.m. with a one-mile
Fun Run well suited for
children, strollers, and dogs
on leash.
The gun will fire for
the 5-K Dash at 10 a.m.
The 5-K (3.1 mile)
road race will circle around
the scenic village of New
Hope, following a route
known locally as Smiley’s
course. Runners will progress
along Sugan Road, trek
through the southern and
eastern ends of the borough,
jog along the Delaware River,
then Dash for the Axe to the
Firefighter’s Finish.
Participants will be
hosed down as they conclude
the course. “Engine 46 is
BUCKS CO. FIRE NEWS
primed!” the company
promises. “You're on fire!
We’ll save you. It’s what we
do!”
Medals will be
awarded for the three top
Dash finishers by age and
gender categories.
Both runs start and
finish at the Eagle Fire Co.
Station at Route 202 and
Sugan Road, where food will
be available under a tent.
Music will be provided using
a sound system.
Fire trucks will be on
display for the curious, and
firefighters will be on hand to
answer questions.
Volunteers, Sponsors Needed
New study shows
that sprinkler
requirements are
not detrimental to
housing starts
A recently completed
research report concluded
that the presence of sprinkler
ordinances has no negative
impact on the number of
homes being built. In fact, in
the comparison of two sets of
counties, the municipalities
actually saw an increase in
construction in the year after
regulations became effective,
compared to the adjacent
counties without sprinkler
ordinances.
The Bucks County Fire
Chiefs and Firefighters
Association is pleased to
nominate Fred Hashagen,
2194 Spinnerstown Road,
Spinnerstown, PA 18968
(hashagen@bucks.edu) for
the 2009 Charles Pentz
Memorial Fire Training
Award. Fred is a State
Certified Fire Instructor, and
serves as the Director of
Operations for the Bucks
County Public Safety
Training Center in
Doylestown, PA. Fred is
being nominated for his
outstanding efforts in
spearheading the
commissioning of the new
Bucks County Public Safety
Training Center Burn
Building.
BC Fire Regional
Task Force
At
the June county Chief’s
meeting,
the
committee
provided an update on the
work completed over the past
month.
 An after action report
from the April 2009 drill
deployment has been
created and published.
The full report can be
found on the Task Force
Google Talk Group.
 Task Force 1 changes
were
reviewed
and
accepted
by
the
8
membership.
Dave
Worthington is the task
force leader.
 Task Force 2 changes
were
reviewed
and
accepted
by
the
membership. Don Harris
is the Task force leader.
The task force team has
developed and is managing a
work list. The top three
items identified are:
1. Fall Deployment – A
request will be coming
from
Montgomery
County running a mass
incident in October 2009.
If requested, it would the
recommendation of the
team to deploy task force
2.
2. Recruitment – At this
time there are several
open positions needed to
be filled for the task
force, especially in the
lower end.
Any fire
company wishing to join
is requested to fill out the
application.
3. Credentialing – The
team is looking to
develop a process that
would easily enable the
management
of
credentials for members
of the task force.
In
addition
to
the
communications provided at
the monthly County meeting,
the task force team has setup
a Google talk group.
A
BUCKS CO. FIRE NEWS
Google talk group enables
anyone who joins the group
the
ability
to
review
documentation created for the
task force, and provide input
on topics under discussion
with the task force. This is a
closed group, meaning, you
can only join the talk group
by request or invitation and
that you have a Google sign
on.
Any member of the
Counties Chief & Firefighters
Association can join by
sending
a
request
to
bcfrtf@gmail.com.
A twitter account has also
been setup and anyone can
request to follow the task
force. Twitter is an alternate
form of communications in
times where the task force
has been dispatched and
members of the organizations
would like to follow and get
updates on what the task
force is doing.
If you have any questions,
comments, or feedback you
would like to provide to the
task force team, please send
an
email
to
bcfrtf@gmail.com or talk
with any member of the team.
The task force team members
are:
1. Stephen Cronin
2. Mike Bean
3. Brian DuBree
4. Greg Jakubowski
5. Wayne Murphy
6. Nicholas Rafferty
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