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The Rail Disaster That Wasn’t

THE FRENCH RAILROAD SNCF ran a regularly scheduled in-house disaster drill Tuesday simulating a major incident with one of their ultra-high-speed TGV trains.

tgv a

Part of the practice exercise involves the public relations department who are responsible for dissemination of the public information. Unfortunately, the faux press release was posted on their website instead of the training page and panicked relatives all over the country were greeted with:

An explosion of unknown origin occurred at 8am today aboard TGV1234, close to Macon.“The first estimates of the fire service say 102 people died and another 380 were injured. All the victims were evacuated to hospitals in Macon.

“Due to the dramatic events today on TGV1234, our site will only be publishing essential information. Thank you for your understanding.

It didn’t take long for the word to get back to HQ and the notice was quickly removed. “On March 16th, just before 12.00, an error appeared on the sncf.com site relaying information about an accident. This never took place,” the company said, adding that an investigation would seek to find out what had gone wrong as they were busily calming down distraught relatives who had been checking on their loved-one’s arrival schedules.

This tv news video shows the renegade web posting. Our friends in Quebec will also enjoy the report:

The London Telegraph has the STORY.

Firegeezer note: One more thing for you to keep in mind when you are carrying out a disaster training exercise.

Posted by firegeezer on March 17, 2010 • Filed under: Training, Videos, public relations, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: SNCF railroad, TGV high-speed train

Good Public Education

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A MASSACHUSETTS FIRE CHIEF HAS DONE A good job of getting a vital message across to the citizens. Chief Kevin Gallagher has teamed up with Boston’s Channel 25 WFXT-TV to illustrate a severe fire potential that is built into some modular homes. The culprit here is a foam-epoxy glue that is used to assemble rafters, joists, and sections. The excessive quantities used beyond what is necessary are leading to extremely rapid fire spread.

Watch this video report that was produced as result:

This is good example of effective use of the media to not only educate the public, but this kind of publicity is sometimes the only way to jolt lawmakers and bureaucrats into paying attention.

gallagher a southcoasttoday

Chief Gallagher
(South Coast Today photo)

As a side note, it was just last month that the Acushnet Fire Dept. was fully merged with the local EMS to become the Acushnet Fire and EMS Department. It is a combination career/paid-on-call department with three stations and they have a good WEBSITE HERE.

Posted by firegeezer on March 3, 2010 • Filed under: Building construction, Fire Prevention & Education, Videos, education, public relations • Tagged: Acushnet Fire and EMS Department, epoxy glue, modular homes, public education, WFXT-TV

Silent Bob’s final words

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MONDAY WE LOOKED AT THE Kevin Smith/Southwest Air twitter/blog customer service interaction … along with hundreds of thousands of others. (story HERE)

It was hard finishing the article because I was seeing the Twitter “Whale Fail” when checking for updates.

WHEN WE LAST LEFT SILENT BOB

It appeared he was agreeing to be a guest on the Larry King Show.

After posting the article I was able to access the second Southwest Air apology, written by Linda Rutherford, Vice President of Communications and Strategic Outreach. The former VP of Public Relations and Community Affairs, she was a reporter for the Dallas Times Herald newspaper. This is her post: My Conversation with Kevin Smith.

Later Monday night, it appeared that Smith was done. He did not get what he wanted – admission that he was NOT To Fat To Fly - but he got more than many who have received humiliating treatment by an air carrier.

Smith posted this blog entry Running out of gas on this subject. It appeared to be his last word on the conflict.

TUESDAY NIGHT/WEDNESDAY MORNING PODCASTS

Twenty-four hours after that blog, Kevin Smith started posting short YouTube clips.

He also posted this tweet:

Wow. Natali – the girl on the plane (SModcast106), tracked me down. What she wrote meant the world to me. I’ll ask if she wants to share.

http://www.youtube.com/user/SModcaster

The first is a 3:17 minute clip explaining why he is posting these podcasts and mentioning that there are seven to ten media trucks outside his house. (HERE)

The first dozen clips cover the same information posted in the 1 hour 27 minute voice-only SMODcast 106 augmented by the conversation with Linda Rutherford.

Emphasized his humiliation at the incident. Complained about the inaccurate information from from the first Southwest Air apology. Written by Christi Day, “Not So Silent Bob” becomes a “kick in the nuts” at paragraph three. Complains about disclosure of private travel information, that he occasionally purchases two tickets and points out that he never got the first phone call.

I *AM* TOO FAT TO FLY ON SOUTHWEST AIRLINES

The second half of the posts covers his point that he is too fat to fly in the narrow Southwest Airline seats:

He suggests that fellow travelers that weigh more than 200 pounds consider buying two seats for a Southwest Airline trip. More consistent than the current Southwest Air policy which appears to be inconsistently and poorly handled in some situations.

Here is the Q&A section discussing Customers of Size (HERE), Southwest says that “… less than half a percent” of their customers are affected. (That might have been true when the policy was adopted 29 years ago,)

He continues to point out that 2 out of 3 Americans are “Customers of Size” and interviews Natali, the girl who was told to buy two seats on his final flight home, on this SModcast (Thinicism)

You can access all 24 video clips HERE.

Mike “FossilMedic” Ward

PS: Kevin Smith picked up another million Twitter followers since Sunday, and there are almost 1,400 articles about the incident. It appears more than a thousand are reposts of other articles, about 300 are reposts with a personal opinion.

Posted by fossilmedic on February 17, 2010 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, News, Twitter, Videos, current events, public relations • Tagged: Christi Day, fossilmedic, Kevin Smith, Linda Rutherford, Silent Bob, social media, Southwest Air

Fire Dog Gets New Duties

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IN THESE DAYS OF INCREASED LABOR EFFICIENCIES, job descriptions are being enhanced to include new and additional jobs for everybody in the F&R departments. And now it has even come down to giving the fire dog some extra responsibilities.

In Springfield, Massachusetts, a citizen has donated an 8-month-old dalmation puppy to the fire department and the pup has already begun rookie training as a fire prevention specialist. Tiller (his new name) has been living at the home of Capt. Michael Richard, the SFD’s public education officer, for the past 3 weeks now and is undergoing training to be used by the department for work with schoolchildren and other public education presentations.

WWLP-TV Ch. 22 has this video report from Tuesday’s public introduction of Tiller to the community:

Posted by firegeezer on January 14, 2010 • Filed under: Fire Prevention & Education, dogs, public relations, training-fire-rescue-topics

FF’s Give 8-yr.-old Cancer Victim His Dream Back

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ERICK ROMERO, 8, WAS DIAGNOSED WITH BRAIN CANCER when he was an infant and has been fighting the brave battle against it ever since then. His cancer is in remission now, but the Riverside, California, boy still suffers a partial paralysis generated from his treatments. But he has always had dreams of becoming a firefighter. The Press-Enterprise reported yesterday:

When Erick Romero, 8, removed the blindfold from his eyes he couldn’t believe what he saw: a row of shiny red fire trucks and firefighters waiting to meet him. He was speechless.

On Thursday, Erick, who lives in Riverside, was able to suit up in full firefighting gear and go on a ridealong with a Redlands Fire Department crew. He also ate lunch with his heroes and became an honorary member.

The Childhood Cancer Foundation / Special to The Press-Enterprise

The Childhood Cancer Foundation set up the special treat for Erick who says that he wants to become a fireman because “Firefighters save people. They get the people inside the house.”

Read the full story about this wonderful bit of public service by the Redlands FD HERE.

Posted by firegeezer on November 9, 2009 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, News, public relations • Tagged: cancer survivor, Erick Romero, firefighters, Redlands California

Texting-while-Driving

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A shocking video has been made for pupils in an attempt to stop car crashes caused by the driver texting while driving.

The short film, starring young actors from south Wales, shows a teenage girl killing four people after she uses her mobile phone to send a text.

Gwent Police said it hoped the graphic video would be shown in schools around Wales and hopefully the rest of the UK.

Research has shown texting while driving slows reaction time by 35%.

from BBC News: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/8203120.stm

(Nice depiction of fire and ems response. 4 minutes, 15 seconds)

Note: BBC has removed the embedded video from outside sites. Click on that link just above to watch it. It’s worth your time to do it, so….do it.

Mike “FossilMedic” Ward

8/16/2009 update @ 13:30 (EST)

John Sachen points out that Car and Driver magazine did research on this, go HERE to see the June 2009 article.

Posted by fossilmedic on August 16, 2009 • Filed under: public relations

A Fire Chief That Puts His Money Where His Mouth Is

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YOU CAN’T SAY THAT FRANKTON, INDIANA, FIRE CHIEF ROB AMICK isn’t dedicated. Frankton’s volunteer fire department is on the financial ropes and Chief Amick has taken out a $50,000 personal loan to keep the department afloat while he works to convice the town council to increase the funding for the 23-member department.

frankton-a-herald-bulletin-don-knight

Herald Bulletin / Don Knight photo

Last Wednesday he held a public meeting in the firehouse that spilled out onto the front ramp of the fire station where he explained to the citizens that the current annual budget of $63,000 isn’t enough to run the department. Not only are there the operating expenses, but their 45-yr.-old tanker needs replacing and come January 1st all of their SCBA’s will be non-compliant with mandatory standards. They will need another $120,000 just to replace those.

WRTV Ch. 6 Indianapolis has this video interview with Chief Amick:

The VFD is doing an exemplary job of maintaining public awareness of their needs and why they require the additional funding. And yet, in spite of all that there is a clueless town councilwoman who thinks they get enough money now because there are very few fires. The Town contributes $22,000 toward the budget.

The Anderson Herald Bulletin has a good article about last Wednesday’s public meeting HERE. It should be required reading for all VFD officers looking for some ideas on maintaing good public relations.

Posted by firegeezer on July 19, 2009 • Filed under: Fire-ology, public relations

NFPA Heads Pro-Sprinkler Group Response

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THE NATIONAL FIRE PREVENTION ASSOCIATION (NFPA) is heading up a coordinated effort to rebuff attempts to undermine the new home sprinkler standards.

Leading with the headline “Stand together to better protect firefighters and the public,” they issued a press release yesterday that begins:

Citing the fact that more than 90 percent of fireground firefighter deaths occur in one- and two-family homes, leading fire service organizations warned against state-by-state legislative efforts, orchestrated by homebuilders, which are designed to prohibit communities from requiring residential fire sprinklers in new home construction. Fire service groups are reiterating their strong support for sprinklers in the wake of several legislative attempts across the country.

This new campaign is serious and determined to bring to the public’s attention that many politicians are looking after the best interests of groups other than the public they represent and the fire and rescue responders. Lining up the heads of the collective fire service organizations, the NFPA quotes:

IAFC President Chief Larry J. Grorud: These anti-sprinkler bills will set a dangerous precedent. There are now bills in approximately 15 states that ignore the well established, life-safety benefit of sprinklers and if passed, will take away a real opportunity to enhance public and firefighter safety.

Georgia State Fire Marshal Alan R. Shuman, president of the National Association of State Fire Marshals (NASFM): Now is not the time to backslide on fire and life safety. It is important to move this technology forward with the adoption of sprinkler provisions from the model codes into state and local codes in order to bring this added level of safety to all citizens.

IAFF General President Harold A. Schaitberger: We see the devastating consequences of home fires every day, and we know sprinklers save lives. These misguided legislative efforts will make it harder to keep people safe, protect their property, and will jeopardize the lives of firefighters.

National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) Chairman Philip C. Stittleburg: Home fire sprinklers provide an added level of safety because they control heat, smoke and flames allowing occupants time to escape and giving firefighters a safer environment. The NVFC’s state association members have been fighting and will continue to push back against attempts to restrict fire sprinkler installation in new residential construction.

You can read the entire press release HERE. It has links to contact NFPA for more information.

Posted by firegeezer on May 5, 2009 • Filed under: public relations, safety

Wood-Chips-and-Glue Awareness Grows

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DESPITE THE RELUCTANCE OF CORRUPT POLITICIANS and bent code enforcement officials, the word is finally starting to seep out into the public about the fire hazards of today’s building materials.

Firegeezer would like to think that just perhaps someone connected with a local fire department got through to the staff at television station KTBC in Austin, Texas. They have just broadcast an excellent, informative piece on these very hazards and include showing a very dramatic laboratory burn done by the Underwriters Laboratory. Take a look:

Now ask yourself, wouldn’t it be great if hundreds thousands of fire departments started getting this information out to the uninformed public?

Posted by firegeezer on March 31, 2009 • Filed under: commentary, public relations

More Education On Corrugated Steel Gaspipe

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FIREGEEZER HAS BEEN REPORTING (HERE and HERE) ON THE FIRE HAZARDS of Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing (CSST) gas piping in private dwellings. The cost-cutting plumbing is used heavily in the Midwest where lightning strikes are also prevalent and improperly-grounded piping fails when lightning charges the system.

csst-installation

Many fires have been started from this and a wide-ranging publicity campaign is being undertaken in Texas and Oklahoma to educate the homeowners about this hazard. KOKI-TV in Tulsa has been staying with this story steadily since last September and they just broadcast this latest in their series of video reports:

After viewing this report, click on the links above and make sure that you are also familiar with how these flimsy pipes are being installed. Firegeezer really likes this kind of public education campaign and it serves as a good model for FD’s to follow.

Posted by firegeezer on March 26, 2009 • Filed under: public relations

Free Fire Safety Videos

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Just a reminder that the NFPA has an extensive library of more than thirty Fire Safety Videos on a dedicated YouTube© site at:

http://www.youtube.com/user/nfpadotorg

This is an ideal way to bring your community directly to fire safety information — on the laptop screen in their own living room. Subjects include kitchen safety (five videos), Smoke alarms, home heating safety, scalds and burns, fireworks, christmas trees, fire escapes, electrical safety, and fire’s fury — all presented on an easy to navigate window.

A news release with home fire safety titles and content to both print and TV media is a no cost campaign that multiplies the Fire Prevention effort and continues it year round. Both media can use screen shots or video clips to develop their graphics and they will certainly respond favorably to offers of interviews with the Fire Marshals office.

John Sachen, Senior Fire Instructor
University of Missouri – Fire and Rescue Training Institute

A sample from their video library:

Posted by firegeezer on March 3, 2009 • Filed under: Training, public relations

Austin FD Educates Citizens On CFL Safety

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AUSTIN, TEXAS, FIREFIGHTERS ARE CONFRONTING THE CFL “SCARE” by launching a public relations campaign on how to handle them.

For reasons unknown, some major news organizations have been trying (successfully) to scare people into thinking that if they break a compact fluorescent lightbulb (CFL), then their house is poisoned and if they touch any of the pieces they will die. All because of a tiny speck of mercury that is present in the bulbs.

The Austin Fire Department started getting so many calls for “haz mat emergencies” which were nothing more than a broken lightbulb that they are now sending out public announcements and encouraging news reports on how to handle them.

This article from the Austin American-Statesman is one example of their program HERE.

Posted by firegeezer on December 3, 2008 • Filed under: public relations

Working Smoke Detectors Bring Free Pizza

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THE KATONAH, NEW YORK, FIRE DEPARTMENT spent part of Fire Prevention Week delivering pizzas and smoke detectors.

Teaming up with a local pizzaria, La Famiglia and the Katonah Paint and Hardware store, they carried the La Famiglia’s delivery guy on their pumper on the evenings they weren’t called to emergencies. When a Katonah resident called in a pizza order, instead of it arriving in a 1987 Toyota with a plug-in sign stuck on the roof, they were surprised to see the pizza coming out of a full-sized fire engine with the deliveryman surrounded by firefighters and, on one evening, a tv news crew.

[photopress:katonah_a.jpg,full,centered]

As the approached the door, they offered the residents a deal they couldn’t refuse: If they had a working smoke detector in the house, then the pizza was free. If the battery was dead, or the detector was missing, then the FD would give them a new one.

“It’s a proven fact that smoke detectors save lives,” Katonah Assistant Fire Chief Paul Bauer said. “We’re just trying to spread the message to our community.”

The Lower Hudson Journal News carried the STORY.
Channel 5, New York has a good video report HERE.
Katonah Fire Dept. WEBSITE.

Posted by firegeezer on October 14, 2008 • Filed under: public relations

Clark County Campaign For EMS Advances

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ON JUNE 26 WE WERE TALKING (HERE) ABOUT A public relations campaign that the firefighters in Clark County, Washington were waging.

The citizens in a major portion of the county will be losing all emergency ambulance service on Sept. 1 unless they restore a fire levy that expired two years ago. A special initiative will be voted on this month to reinstate the tax. Currently the city of Camas Fire Dept. has been covering the area as a matter of compassion, but they have said that they cannot afford to continue it unless the citizens provide the funds to keep the EMS coverage.

Yesterday KPTV in Portland, Oregon ran a special report on the initiative. After you read our first report HERE and then view the firefighters’ dedicated website promoting the iniative HERE you will see a fine example of public education carried out by the firefighters’ organizations. It’s a textbook case for you to learn from.

View the KPTV video report:

Posted by firegeezer on August 3, 2008 • Filed under: public relations

Do you Google your department?

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A COUPLE OF THE VISITORS TO the booth were talking about the We’re No Heros blog entry. http://firegeezer.com/2008/07/22/heroes/ A senior official from a volunteer company described the results of googling his department’s name, including nick-names and names of the rigs.

[photopress:jackass.jpg,thumb,pp_image]

Found enthusiastic youtube videos, some posted by visitors to the department. A few look like contenders for the next Jackass movie. Others have found surprising items found on MySpace, FaceBook or in blog entries.

We have written before about Digital versus Reality: http://firegeezer.com/2007/10/09/digital-vs-reality/
(See what happens when you leave Fossilmedic alone in the booth!)

Posted by fossilmedic on July 25, 2008 • Filed under: public relations

Truck Co. Rescues A Jar-Head

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THE CREW AT VANCOUVER, WASHINGTON, STATION 85 were faced with an unusual request last weekend. The Columbian tells the STORY:

When Ralph the cat’s family went camping over the weekend, they left their kitty home alone. Oops. When they returned at midday Sunday, they found the gray tabby with white boots had gotten its head stuck in a mason jar.

“They didn’t know what to do,” said Jim Flaherty, firefighter-spokesman for the Vancouver Fire Department. So they took Ralph to Station 85 at 3216 N.E. 112th Ave.

“The guys troubleshot it,” Flaherty said, and finally decided to try a little of the lubricating jelly they carry in their medical kits. A liberal dose allowed a firefighter to slide his fingers inside the jar and a moment later, “Ralph had the weight of the world lifted off his shoulders.”

[photopress:kitty_a_Vancouver_FD.jpg,full,centered]
Vancouver FD photo

“When somebody pulls in and needs help, we do what we can do,” Flaherty said.

(Yes, folks…..it was a slow news day yesterday)

Posted by firegeezer on July 21, 2008 • Filed under: public relations

"Who Ya' Gonna Call?"

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WHEN THE 42-INCH-LONG PET IGUANA OF A COUPLE in Plymouth, England, decided to relocate his sunbathing site, the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service ended up in the sunlight with it.

Taz, as Terry and Karen Burton’s pet is known, usually takes his daily sun soak on the window sill. But when they came into the room on Monday, Taz couldn’t be found.

Desparately, they searched the house looking for him, but couldn’t find him. Later, while searching through the garden Mrs. Burton spotted his tail sticking out of the chimney where he had become stuck. Unfortunately, a mob of seagulls had spotted him, too, and they began gathering for a group buffet.

[photopress:iguana.jpg,full,centered]

The Burtons called the RSPCA who in turn called the fire brigade for help. When the fire service arrived they got more than they bargained for when the iguana put its extra-long tail to use. Iguana’s tails, which can make up half their body length, are a dangerous weapon, normally used in their native habitat in Central and South America.

“He whipped the firemen twice with his tail. It was quite embarrassing,” said Mr Burton. But the fire lads got him out of the chimney without incident or injury and Taz is back in his glass cage where he’ll be staying from now on.

The incident involved two fire crews, eight people, two engines and one long ladder. Firefighters wore gloves and face protection after taking advice from the RSPCA.

The Plymouth Herald has the full STORY.

Posted by firegeezer on April 24, 2008 • Filed under: public relations, rescue

"Time On Task and Outcomes" Data Collection

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FossilMedic reports on the latest….

DEVELOPING 21st-CENTURY TIME ON TASK AND OUTCOMES DATA

There is a multiple organization effort starting next month to identify the current “time-on-task” for fire suppression and ems activities from 400 fire departments. In addition, there will be 50 fire and 30 ems experiments to identify the time required to obtain measurable outcomes. The results of this effort may have the same effect on staffing, deployment and evaluation as the Ontario Pre-hospital Advanced Life Support (OPALS) project had on paramedics in 2005. http://www.chsrf.ca/final_research/ogc/stiell_e.php

LAST CENTURY’S RESEARCH

When California voters passed Proposition 13 in 1978, local government revenues were significantly reduced due to restrictions on the property tax rate. This required immediate and serious reductions in local government staffing and services. The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) was faced with the possibility of a reduction in staffing of their single-unit engine companies. At that time about half of the 103 LAFD fire stations operated a single-unit engine company.

The LAFD developed a task analysis of typical initial fireground scenarios that included a list of required on-scene performance objectives for an engine company. They broke each objective into fundamental and discreet tasks and performed extensive time and motion studies using different staffing levels to accomplish the tasks. The Measure of Effectiveness System (MES) identified the tasks performed by each fire fighter in chronological order. The analysis was performed with variations in crew size from three to six members and documented significant increases in the time that was required to accomplish the standard fireground objectives as the size of the crews decreased. The results justified retaining five fire fighters on single-unit engine companies.

There were three subsequent studies that followed the LAFD success. They formed the core of fire suppression staffing and deployment research in the 1980s. Seattle, Houston and Phoenix used research to support the maintenance or expansion of fire company staffing and deployment.

There is a problem with the 1980s research. While the results were valuable for decision makers in Los Angeles, Seattle, Houston and Phoenix, the process cannot establish a validated set of best practices for use by others. They did not use the structure and academic vigor needed for professional-grade research. To be fair, none of the studies were constructed with that goal, but for two decades we have tried to extrapolate their results to make the connection.

THE START OF 21st-CENTURY RESEARCH

During the 2003 IAFF EMS conference, 17 focus group meeting were held to identify indicators of EMS system quality. The IAFF EMS committee was charged with generating an agreed-upon set of performance indicators. http://www.iaff.org/tech/ops/performance.htm

[photopress:iaff_logo_1_2_3_4_5.jpg,full,centered]

The resulting IAFF/IAFC EMS System Performance Measurement instrument consists of 15 EMS quality indicators, their definitions and performance measures. The instrument also provides background information relating the indicator to quality in an EMS system, explains any existing standards, notes the absence of standards, proposes a system goal and provides for data collection of information related to each main measure. The indicators include: call processing time, turnout time, defibrillation time to first shock, employee turnover, patient outcome, protocol compliance, deployment of mobile resources, staffing and employee illness and injury. The measurement instrument will provide system leaders the best way to collect relevant data and to report on that data in the future.

This project is the latest example of labor-management initiatives that benefit the fire service. Part of this effort includes the 2007 Fire-Based EMS white paper and DVD that was profiled in my July 24th column.
http://firegeezer.com/2007/07/24/walking-the-fire-based-ems-talk/

[photopress:IAFC_logo_1_2_3_4_5_6.jpg,full,centered]

FIREFIGHTER SAFETY AND DEPLOYMENT STUDY

Building upon the work started by the IAFF/IAFC EMS Systems Performance Measurement program, a Department of Homeland Security funded research effort is starting to gather data and conduct time-on-task experiments to develop a prospective deployment model. http://www.firereporting.org/

Joining the IAFF and IAFC in this effort, are three national groups and one technical sponsor: the Center for Public Safety Excellence http://www.publicsafetyexcellence.org/ , the Worcester Polytechnic Institute Department of Fire Protection Engineering http://www.wpi.edu/Academics/Depts/Fire/What/index.html , National Institute of Standards and Testing http://www.fire.nist.gov/ , and Firehouse Software http://www.firehousesoftware.com/ .

From May through the end of 2008 FireReporting.org will be obtaining data from 400 fire departments, including the 53 largest fire departments. The letters of invitation will be going out next month. The data obtained will be used to document experience with time-on-task skills and outcomes.

[photopress:safety_logo.jpg,full,centered]

While the data is obtained, crews from Montgomery County, Maryland, and Fairfax County, Virginia, will be participating in experiments to determine time-on-task requirements and comparing different staffing schemes with outcomes. There are 50 fire suppression and 30 ems time-on-task experiments. We are coming a full circle, as these experiments are similar to the LAFD fireground task studies using three to six firefighter engine companies in 1979.

May even address the issue of two paramedic versus one paramedic and one emt ambulance staffing. This will end thousands of hours of passionate but statistically devoid firehouse kitchen debates.

Posted by fossilmedic on April 22, 2008 • Filed under: commentary, public relations

A Good Example For A Public Information Office

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DEMONSTRATING THAT YOU DON’T HAVE TO be as large as the Los Angeles FD before you set up a public information website, the Smithtown Fire Department in New York has done just that.

The Long Island department’s public information officer Jeff Bressler has established a site that is informative to the public by posting the monthly alarm totals, having a weekly safety tip and fire prevention lessons, and passing along to the citizens what the department is doing, both emergency calls and administrative functions.

Most emergency calls that are of consequence are described and explained. A good example is THIS AUTO FIRE (scroll down) that was posted yesterday. The engine company went to the scene of an auto crash around 4 am and found the car had brought down an electric line which set the car on fire. The car was still charged with current when they arrived.

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After knocking down the fire sufficiently to determine that any rescue of the driver would be futile, they were forced to back off and let it burn until the electric company arrived and shut down the power.

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Thanks to Jeff for sending along these pictures that he also took himself. We also notice that the SFD sponsors an Explorer Scout Post, too. Good going, Guys!

Smithtown FD Public Information WEBSITE.
Smithtown Fire Department WEBSITE.

Posted by firegeezer on April 11, 2008 • Filed under: public relations

Prompt Pizza Delivery

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THE SENECA (SOUTH CAROLINA) FIRE DEPARTMENT WILL BE CONDUCTING a novel public education campaign next week. It’s being promoted as part of the annual daylight-saving time reminder to set clocks forward one hour March 9 and replace the batteries in all smoke detectors.

[photopress:domino__s.jpg,full,alignleft]

Teaming up with the Seneca Domino’s Pizza shop, they will be delivering pizza orders on a random basis from 5 pm to 7 pm on Monday thru Friday all next week.

If the customer gets a fire truck delivery, then the FF’s will check their smoke detectors on the spot. And if they are all working, the pizza will be free. If any of them aren’t operating, the FF’s will either replace the batteries or leave a new detector to replace the faulty one.

Domino’s has always had a good reputation for response times. Now it’s up to the Seneca Fire Dept. to maintain it.

Read about the promotion in the Anderson Independent Mail HERE.

Posted by firegeezer on February 29, 2008 • Filed under: public relations

Public Safety Training Tips

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A WEBSITE CALLED HurricaneInsurance.com has published a list of “34 DIY Tips, Tools and Techniques to Fireproof Your Home.”

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If you’re ever called to talk to a citizens’ or homeowners’ association, this would be a handy checklist to make an outline for your talk. There are lots of good ideas and practical applications that you can draw from.

Many of them you probably know about already, but they’re nicely compiled for reference. But I have to admit that I didn’t know how to make fireproof paper before.

Read all about it HERE.

Posted by firegeezer on January 5, 2008 • Filed under: Training, public relations

British FF Honored by Prime Minister

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FIREFIGHTER MICHAEL COLEMAN WAS HONORED LAST WEEK at #10 Downing St. when he and nine other “unsung heroes” met with Prime Minister Gordon Brown at a special reception.

[photopress:coleman_a_guardian.jpg,full,centered]
FF Michael Coleman at the UK’s most famous address
Guardian photo

FF Coleman, a member of green watch at Tooting fire station, rescued a man from a serious house fire in Streatham last November and he was awarded the Vodafone Life Saver Award.

The Guardian has the full STORY.

Posted by firegeezer on December 27, 2007 • Filed under: Fire-ology, public relations

Montgomery County Fire Takes Lead On New Internet Radio Show And Podcast

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BEING THE RADIO JUNKIE that I am, I stumbled upon a pleasant surprise over at BlogTalkRadio.com. The Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Services (Maryland) Life Safety Section has begun ‘broadcasting’ a new radio show over the Internet. The show titled ‘MCFRS Fire Side Chat’ hosted by Bill Delaney, is described as “A new and innovative communication tool that will be used by Montgomery County Fire and Rescue to disseminate educational and informational programming to the citizens we serve as well as our own membership.”

Montgomery County selected BlogTalkRadio, a social radio network that allows users to connect quickly and directly with their audience. Using an ordinary telephone and computer hosts can create free, live, call-in talk shows with unlimited participants that are automatically archived and made available as podcasts. No software download is required. Listeners can subscribe to shows via RSS into iTunes and other feed readers. - Craig Luecke, Firegeezer.com

MCFRS Radio Station Page: http://blogtalkradio.com/Profile.aspx?userurl=mcfrs
MCFRS Blogspot Page: http://mcfrs.blogspot.com/
Blog Talk Radio: http://blogtalkradio.com

Posted by backdraft on October 8, 2007 • Filed under: public relations

FF's Rappel To Promote Movie

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AUSTIN, TEXAS TV STATION KXAN reports today:

Firefighters rappelled down the IMAX Theatre in Downtown Austin for the opening of a movie about wildfires.

It’s something you don’t see every day, but firefighters actually use this technique more than you think.

“The most frequent use of the rappelling team with special operations is in the Barton Creek Greenbelt and in the area greenbelts around Austin in the Wildland,” said Austin Fire Department Battalion Chief Harry Evans, “is where we typically use when we have a patient that’s fallen down a cliff face, and we try to access that patient with rescuers.”

Smokey the Bear was also on hand to kick off the movie called “Wildfires, Feel the Heat.” It’s the newest film to hit the IMAX inside the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum.

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Austin Fire Dept. WEBSITE.

Posted by firegeezer on September 10, 2007 • Filed under: public relations