http://washingtonfirechiefs.org The latest news from Washington Fire Chiefs. en-us Wed, 20 Aug 2008 08:29:13 -0800 10 http://washingtonfirechiefs.org/default.asp?deptid=1&com=news&pressid=1930 Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0800 Gary Aleshire has been elected President of the Western Fire Chiefs Association.WFCA PRESIDENTAssistant Fire Chief Snohomish Fire District 112310 Meridian Ave.Everett, WA 98208Tel: (425) 551-1200Fax: (425) 754-1048Email: galeshire@firedistrict1.org Gary Aleshire is the Assistant Fire Chief for Snohomish County Fire District 1 located north of Seattle in Washington State. He has been involved in the fire service for nearly 30 years; moving to Snohomish County Fire District 1 in 2005. Gary&n ... http://washingtonfirechiefs.org/default.asp?deptid=1&com=news&pressid=1927 Wed, 13 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0800 If your department does not have a formal, written policy for dealing with the death of a department member either through a Line of Duty Death (LODD) or one that occurs off duty, you may not be able to effectively take care of family and department members who need it most during this extremely stressful time. Assembling a policy is not as difficult as you may think. A model policy has been developed though a collaborative effort by the Washington Fire Chiefs (WFC), Washington Fire Commissione ... http://washingtonfirechiefs.org/default.asp?deptid=1&com=news&pressid=1928 Wed, 13 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0800 Everything that happens immediately after a line-of-duty death affects the way the family, the department, and the community recover from the loss. Lack of resources and planning often adds to the confusion and pain that occurs. Depending on the circumstances, events surrounding the death and funeral can last for a week or more. Staff members cannot be expected to deal with this level of stress indefinitely. For this reason the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF), through a grant fro ... http://washingtonfirechiefs.org/default.asp?deptid=1&com=news&pressid=1918 Mon, 11 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0800 The other day, my training captain and I were having a discussion with one of our acting officers. We were inquiring as to why a crew he was working with the previous shift had chose to respond into a situation that sounded unsafe based on the short report by our dispatching agency. The short report indicated that there were sounds of gun shots in the area. Our inquiry lead to a long conversation about the importance of not becoming complacent in your job, being aware of your surroundings, stag ... http://washingtonfirechiefs.org/default.asp?deptid=1&com=news&pressid=1920 Mon, 11 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0800 There is much that can be done to protect children and the public from fireworks injuries according to State Fire Marshal Mike Matlick “First set family rules. Only adults should light fireworks. Second, fireworks should not be available to tempt young children, and should be stored in a secured location to prohibit their access. Third, check for additional restrictions in your area. Most importantly, talk about safety. Summer weather conditions make grass and other vegetation dry and vulnerable ... http://washingtonfirechiefs.org/default.asp?deptid=1&com=news&pressid=1921 Mon, 11 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0800 There were 1,059 fireworks-related injuries and fires reported to the State Fire Marshal’s Office in 2007, by fire departments and hospital emergency rooms. This is a 6% increase from the previous year’s total of 1,001. Of the 1,059 reports received, there were 899 fires, and 160 injuries. These incidents most often occurred on July 4th. Most incidents were caused by males age 8-14. The incidents of greatest concern are: 38 Commercial fires totaling $20.5 million in loss, 10 were caused by ille ... http://washingtonfirechiefs.org/default.asp?deptid=1&com=news&pressid=1922 Mon, 11 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0800 During the first half of 2007, twenty-one fire deaths were reported to the Office of the State Fire Marshal. In light of the deadly fire that claimed the lives of three people over the past weekend, State Fire Marshal Michael Matlick reminds all Washington State residents to practice fire safety in their homes. “If every household had working smoke alarms and practiced a home escape plan, few people would die in home fires. Fire sprinklers are another life saving feature home owners and renters ... http://washingtonfirechiefs.org/default.asp?deptid=1&com=news&pressid=1913 Fri, 8 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0800 Douglas County Fire District #3 and #5 regretfully reports the passing of one of their members. Assistant Chief William Dean McLean passed away at approximately 0600 on August 7th, 2008 after responding to several calls in the local area. The funeral service will be held at the Mansfield School in Mansfield, Washington on Tuesday, August 12th, at 10:00 AM.  The graveside service will be held at the Mold Cemetery followed by a fellowship luncheon at the McLean ranch at 901 Road 9 NE, Coulee ... http://washingtonfirechiefs.org/default.asp?deptid=1&com=news&pressid=1915 Fri, 8 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0800 Dear Fire Safety Professional: If you haven’t had a firsthand look at FullyInvolved, the acclaimed incident command training simulation for personal computers, Compelling Technologies, Inc. invites you to see it for yourself this month in Denver when the International Fire Chiefs Association hosts Fire Rescue International (FRI) August 14 -16 at the Colorado Convention Center. FullyInvolved is the new training simulation that builds real-world decision making skills safely and economically. It’ ... http://washingtonfirechiefs.org/default.asp?deptid=1&com=news&pressid=1916 Thu, 7 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0800 Thank you for your support yesterday, once again we prove that together we can accomplish much, sometimes even more than we think we are capable. Attached is the eulogy that I gave yesterday on our behalf. There were several good ideas on how we can remember Dan and create some positive outcomes from such a tragic loss. Regards, WayneChief Dan Packer Memorial Service August 7, 2008 I am here today on behalf of all the Fire Chiefs of the State of Washington in recognition of Chief Dan Packer, th ... http://washingtonfirechiefs.org/default.asp?deptid=1&com=news&pressid=1925 Tue, 5 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0800 Unrelenting stress, the kind that many people face daily at work or at home, is debilitating. Sociologists and others often call it America's number one health problem. Here are some striking facts about stress in everyday life: It's such a major factor that we have an agency devoted to the subject – the American Institute of Stress. The AIS estimates that stress on the job costs industry and business more than $300 billion a year because of accidents, absenteeism, employee turnover, diminished ...