The 472nd MIFDI meeting was cancelled due to the impending inclement weather. While this storm was allegedly supposed to deliver up to twenty inches of snow, specifically to the south shore, it failed to live up to the expectations of the local forecasters. Because of the forecasts, the MIFDI Board of Directors chose to cancel the meeting so as not to unnecessarily place members at risk by asking them to travel in a snow storm.
The notice of cancellation was placed on the MIFDI website by 1200 hours of the day preceding the meeting, (Tuesday), and several members that are known to not have internet access were called and informed. However, this is when we were informed by ALL the local radio and TV stations that they no longer carry cancellations from entities other than local schools. We apologize if any of you were looking to these sources for cancellation information and were inconvenienced because of it.
We hope to reschedule the presentation with the Massachusetts State Police Bomb Tech's at a future date and we thank Trooper William Qualls of the S.P.D. Bomb Unit, and also MIFDI member Waltham Deputy Chief Michael Grigorakos for their assistance with this meeting.
BUSINESS MEETING: (Cancelled due to severe weather)
Meeting - January
Bills paid
Beginning Balances for 1/2004
Feb. 04 Newsletter $105.00 Mike
Checking $
646.77
Feb. 04 Web Page $ 23.85 Mike
Savings $1,669.52
1/04-3/04 @ $7.95/month
Total
$2,316.29
Feb. 04 FDIC "04" $340.00 Mike
Total
$468.85
50/50 Raffle =
Winner =
Deposit from 50/50 Raffle =
MIFDI Stickers & Pens Cost $865.00
MIFDI Clothing collected $ 364.00
Collected
$ 98.00
purchased $ 354.00
Owed to treasurer for Mailings $ 17.00- thru Feb.
2004 - includes clothing mailings
Labels $ 10.00
$ 27.00
Total members = 128
Mailings
Dues paid thru 2005 = 3
E-Mail - 32 Home
- 77
Dues paid thru 2004 = 52
Work - 19
Dues paid thru 2003 = 73
96
Balances as of 2/2/04
Membership Totals
Checking 572.77
96 - Active - 28 Retired - 4 Associate
Savings 1,970.23
Total $2,243.00
Respectfully submitted 2/2/2004
David M. Jardin
MIFDI Treasurer
Deputy Fire Chief – Stoughton
Thank you to the membership for your support.
NEW BUSINESS:
MFTC UPDATE: Steve Persson
MFA UPDATE: No Report
COMMITTEES:
The Historical Committee - consists of Steve Perrson, Ira Hoffman,
and Richard Gomes. Nothing to report.
The Bi-Law Committee - consists of Norm Aubert, C. Randall Sherman, Mort Shurtluff, Chris Kelly, Brian Ash, and John Cummings. Nothing to Report.
Public Relations Committee - consists of Mr. Ira Hoffman
and Michael McLeieer. Nothing to report.
SCHEDULE:
0900 Coffee & pastry, 1000 Presentation, 1130
Business meeting, 1200 Lunch
DIRECTIONS:
From Rte 495 in either North or South directions, take exit 53, the
Broad Street exit. Follow Broad Street north to the end, and the Fire Station
will be directly in front of you. Parking is to the left side and rear
of the building. Please, no parking on the
apparatus apron area in the front of the station.
LUNCH:
Lunch will be available on site at a cost of $10.00 per person.
As the cold weather continues in full force here in Massachusetts, it is a good time to remind everyone that hypothermia and frostbite occur more commonly during these frigid temperatures then during any other time of the year. Please remember to take the time to dress properly in layers of clothing, limit the intake of caffeine and alcohol and remember to cover your head. Most of the body’s heat is lost through an exposed head. This information is also a good reminder during our training sessions or emergency responses during this cold weather. We need to watch out for our brothers and get them into the warmth should signs of hypothermia or frostbite occur.
On another note, we have a very exciting meeting planned for Wednesday February 25th at Merrimac Fire Department. We have requested a representative from the Seabrook Nuclear facility (operated by Florida Power and Light) to speak to our group about some of the security measures they have taken since Sept. 11th as well as how this state of the art facility operates. Due to the increased National Security level, we will not be able to tour the facility at this time. However, they have promised us a great presentation for those who attend. You won’t want to miss this meeting.
Since our January meeting was cancelled due to the severe weather, the election (or re-election) of Officers will occur at the February meeting. We still have one opening on the Board of Directors and welcome those who are interested in serving, to contact me.
The list of members seeking to hold a position on the Board for 2004 is as follows:
Finally, it is time again to begin thinking about what our departments need and how we can apply for needed equipment from the FY 2004 Fire Act Grant. We have approximately 30 days until the website will be available to complete and submit applications online.
As in previous years, the Department of Fire Services will be holding training seminars throughout the Commonwealth during the months of February and early March. The PowerPoint presentation is also available to download from the FEMA website.
This is an excellent opportunity to continue to apply for and receive grant funding to assist those departments who are in need of firefighting safety and other equipment.
Remember, this is your organization. Please let the Officers or Board of Directors know if there is anything we can do for you.
Stay safe.
Michael
February 1-5, 2004, Firehouse World Exposition & Conference, San Diego, California - www.firehouse.com
February 1-7, 2004, "Burn Awareness Week"
March 3, 2004, "S.A.F.E. In-Service", Statewide In-Service Training. Contact DFS/MFA for more information.
March 20, 2004, Statewide Exam for Fire Chief & Deputy Fire Chief. Last day to apply is February 13, 2004 - www.state.ma.us/hrd
March 26, 2004, Mass Firefighting Academy Recruit Class # 162 Graduation. DFS/MFA Fire Station, 1:30 pm.
March 29, 2004, Mass Firefighting Academy Recruit Class # 163 begins.
March 29 - April 15, 2004, Public Fire & Life Safety Educator class Milford Fire Dept. Station 2. Contact DFS/MFA for more information.
April 24, 2004, Statewide exam for Firefighter Municipal Service. Last day to apply is February 6, 2004 - www.csexam.hrd.state.ma.us/hrd
April 26-May 1, 2004, FDIC 2004 (Fire Dept. Instructor's Conference) Indianapolis, IN - vist www.fdic.org
May 1, 2004, National Fire Department Honor Guard Competition Indianapolis, IN - vist www.FDSOA.org for more information.
June 6-9, 2004, "FIRE 2004", NYSAFC Fire, Rescue, & EMS Expo Syracuse, NY - contact www.nysfirechiefs.com for more information.
June 12, 2004, Lynnfield Parade, Muster, & Firematic Flea Market Edgewater Office Park, Audubon Rd., 10am-4pm.
June 24-27, 2004, New England Fire/Rescue/EMS Eastern States Exposition, West Springfield. For information contact www.newenglandfirechiefs.org.
July 13-18, 2004, Firehouse Expo Baltimore Maryland. Contact www.firehouse.com for info.
July 21-24, 2004,
I.F.B.A.
International Convention, Quebec City, Canada.
Best wishes to Deputy Chief John Cummings of the Brockton Fire Department on his retirement effective January 10, 2004 after 32 years of service. John was appointed to the Brockton Fire Dept. on April 17, 1972, promoted to Lieutenant July 25, 1978, and promoted to Captain July 28, 1987. It should be noted that John spent most of those years on Brockton's busy Squad A. He was promoted to Deputy Chief on February 27, 1996 assigned as the Drill Master. On May 12, 2000, Chief Kenneth Galligan appointed Deputy Chief Cummings as Deputy Chief of Operations/Commander of the Training Division. During John's command, 107 recruit firefighters graduated Brockton's Drill School, a remarkable achievement. We are happy that John will remain active as a MIFDI member and continue to share his knowledge and experience with our membership. Congratulations John!
Congratulations also go out to John's replacement, Peter Germaine who was promoted to Deputy Chief /Commander of Training Division of the Brockton Fire Department as of January 12, 2004. Congratulations Peter!
Congratulations to Peter Lamb, Director
of the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy on his appointment as Chief of
the North Attleboro Fire Department. Director Lamb's last day as Academy
Director was January 30, 2004. The officers and membership of the Massachusetts
Institute of Fire Department Instructors wish Chief Lamb well in his new
position and offer our thanks for his support of this organization during
his leadership of the MFA.
A special technical report on the risks of firefighter training, and ways to reduce deaths and injuries, has been released by the Department of Homeland Security’s, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The special report underscores the inherent danger of such training but reiterates the importance of experience gained in real, rather than closely controlled training fires.
The review, compiled by the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), also highlights the importance of following currently accepted procedures and standards to avoid training injuries and deaths and the need for on site instructors to avoid situations for which the students are not yet prepared.
Since 1987, reported training-related injuries have increased by nearly 21 percent. In 2001 alone, almost 7,000 training-related injuries were reported. That same year, you may recall a firefighter died, and two other firefighters were injured while participating in a live burn training evolution in upper New York State.
Live fire training buildings and simulators fed by propane or natural gas have many built-in safety features, but may not provide the same quality of realism as live fire training in acquired structures. The same training buildings, for example, fail to teach students to react to the diverse conditions encountered in real fire operations.
“Safe and effective but realistic firefighter training is vital to meet our mission of persevering life and property,” said U.S. Fire Administrator R. David Paulison. “This special report reviews training issues, tragic mistakes of the past, and determines ways fire-related training can be safer but effective.”
Also, in cases reviewed by this report in which serious injuries resulted, procedures from either the NFPA 1403 Standard or the department’s own established guidelines were violated. Failure to follow well-established standards, guidelines & procedures occurred in virtually every training injury reviewed during this study.
Finally, the report states there is a need for improved health and wellness programs. Firefighters continue to become injured or killed as a result of poor physical fitness. Improved health and wellness programs can reduce firefighters’ risk for heart attack and stroke and better overall physical fitness can reduce the risk of other injuries like sprains and strains.
A copy of the full report can be found at: www.usfa.fema.gov/applications/publications/tr100.shtm
MIFDI
Attn: David Jardin,
Treasurer If
you have not already done so, it's time to renew your dues.
Due Jan. 1st.
52 Willow Street
Stoughton, MA
02072-1027
*Dues are $25.00 per year for Active Members -
*$100.00 per year for Associate members (which includes a 1/4 page of advertising in the MIFDI Bulletin and on the MIFDI website).
*Retired members
dues are $12.50 for one calendar year (January 1 through December 31).
This forum is an extension of the Guest
Book on the MIFDI Web-site, and provides our members a way to ask
questions and get answers about problems encountered in the Fire and EMS
service. If you would like to reply to a question, pose your own question
or submit an article for publication in the MIFDI bulletin, but have no
internet capabilities, you may do so in writing to: Michael McLeieer,
President - MIFDI, PO Box 507, Merrimac, MA 01860-0510.
Fax # (877) 327-4353. Faxing or e-mailing of articles is preferred.
Please e-mail articles in MS Word format to michael.mcLeieer@merrimacfire.com
FEBRUARY 25th: Merrimac Fire Department - Seabrook Nuclear Facility Presentation
MARCH 24th: DFS/MFA - Elevator Emergencies
APRIL 21st: 3rd Wednesday, the 21st, Billerica Fire Department - Are you ready for an ISO Audit?
CANCELLATIONS: During the
winter months, please check the MIFDI website for severe weather cancellations
at www.mifdi.org.