The 465th meeting of the Massachusetts Institute of Fire Department Instructors was hosted by Greenwood Fire Apparatus courtesy of President Tim O'Neil.  The program provided was a powerpoint presentation overview of aerial ladders which included; construction, maintenance, tip loads, outriggers, and general operational safety. This informative session was presented by Dave McAlice of the Greenwood staff.

The presentation was followed by a tour of Greenwood's modern sales and service facilities provided by Walter Cryan, Vice President of Customer Relations.

As an additional bonus, members were treated to lunch courtesy Greenwood Fire Apparatus. Those members that attended this meeting would all agree that this was a most enjoyable and educational meeting.

Our thanks again to Tim O'Neil, Walter Cryan, Dave McAlice and the staff of Greenwood Fire Apparatus for hosting this meeting and providing our members with an informative program on this important topic.
 

A brief business meeting was conducted by 2nd. V.P. Mark Roche due to the absence of President Michael McLeieer and 1st. V.P. Scott Maker who were unable to attend due to a training commitment. Secretary Edward Morgan was traveling on vacation and also unable to attend. Treasurer David Jardin provided an encouraging report on the status of the finances and  membership of the organization. Members voted to accept the motion made to drop the 17 members in arrears since 2001. Member Randall Sherman offered highlights of the upcoming  June meeting featuring our annual clambake. Member Everett Pierce provided a brief update on  the Mass. Fire Academy. The 50/50 raffle was enhanced by the donation of hats and key chains donated by Greenwood. The meeting adjourned for our tour of the facilities.
 

The Secretary’s report:  No report as of press time.

The Treasurer’s Report:
Checking Balance 1/1/2003   = $1,221.08
Checking Balance 4/23/2003 = $2,345.96
Checking Balance 5/1/2003   = $2,348.46

50/50 Raffle = $90.00
Winner = John McLean, Sharon Fire - $45.00
Deposit from 50/50 Raffle = $45.00

BILLS PAID
May Newsletter  $105.00 Mike 5/1/03
MIFDI Stickers
And Pens Cost   $865.00                                              MIFDI Clothing collected $364.00
Collected           $  88.00                                                                     Purchased  $354.00
                        -$777.00                                                                                       $  10.00
                                                                     Owed to Treasurer for mailing           $  23.00
_______________________________________________Current Profit          $ -13.00
Total Members         = 131
Dues Paid thru 2004 =   05
Dues Paid thru 2003 = 102
Dues Paid thru 2002 =   24
Dues Paid thru 2001 =   17 Deleted from records Voted at April meeting
 
Mailings:
E-Mail - 34,
Home  - 74
Work  - 23
Total Mailed = 97

4 New Members Since Last Meeting: See Page 11.

Treasury Balance as of 05/01/2003  =  $2,348.46

Respectfully submitted 05/01/2003
David M. Jardin
MIFDI Treasurer
Deputy Fire Chief - Stoughton

Thank you to the membership for your support.

• A motion was made & supported and the membership unanimously approved  to delete the 17 delinquent, unpaid members from 2001.

• 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.

MFTC UPDATE:   Steve Persson

• Nothing to report

DIRECTIONS:
FROM BOSTON Route I-93 South:

• Take the Central Artery/Fitzgerald Expressway I-93 North.
• Merge onto I-95 South/MA Rte. 128 South via exit # 37B toward Waltham.
• Take the US-3 North/Middlesex Turnpike exit #32B-A toward LOWELL.
• Keep LEFT at the fork in the ramp.
• Keep RIGHT at the fork in the ramp.
• Merge onto US-3 North.
• Take the CONCORD ROAD exit #27 toward BILLERICA/BEDFORD.
• Take the CONCORD ROAD ramp toward NORTH BILLERICA.
• Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto CONCORD ROAD.
• Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto CUMMINGS STREET.
• Turn LEFT onto BOSTON ROAD/MA-3A North.
• Turn LEFT onto BOSTON ROAD/MA-3A North.
• Turn LEFT onto GOOD STREET.
• The parking lot is BEFORE the Fire Headquarters entrance.

FROM Route I-495 / Route 3:

• Take US-3 South.
• Take the ROUTE 129 East exit #29 toward NORTH BILLERICA/WILLMINGTON.
• Merge onto BILLERICA ROAD.
• BILLERICA ROAD becomes MA-129.
• MA-129 becomes BOSTON ROAD/MA-3A.
• Turn RIGHT onto GOOD STREET.
• The parking lot is BEFORE the Fire Headquarters entrance.

In these tough fiscal times when our budgets are being reduced and positions are in jeopardy of being eliminated, it is once again time for this organization and it’s members to unite together and contact your local legislators as to the importance of training and public education funding and opportunities here in the
Commonwealth.

One example of the proposed cuts for the fiscal year 2004 budget is in Line Item 8000-0619 S.A.F.E. and D.A.R.E., in the FY04 House Budget
Recommendation, which is ZERO, funded.  The explanation column in the budget states "Funding for this account eliminated."
 
This is another blow to funding for Fire & Life Safety Education in the Commonwealth.  $200,000 was allocated last year by Acting Governor Swift to provide the state match needed for $2,000,000 of federal D.A.R.E. monies.  None of the $200,000 in the current year's budget went to Fire & Life Safety Education.
 
All Fire & Life Safety Educators are urged to contact members of the House Committee on Ways and Means, as well as their local legislator, to reiterate the necessity of funding for the S.A.F.E. program, which, in addition to the numerous documented Young Heroes has scientifically demonstrated a change in both the knowledge and behavior of students.

Recently, funding was also cut and classes were cancelled at the National Fire Academy.  Soon after the cuts were announced and while attending a luncheon, Secretary Tom Ridge was questioned as to the cuts and reporters wanted to know what kind of message was being sent to the Firefighters and First Responders in this country?  Soon after that interview, funding has now been restored and many if not all of the classes cancelled, have been reinstated.

Unless we speak up as to the importance of funding for training, public education and other necessary programs, it is unlikely that funding will be restored.

Remember, this is your organization.  Please visit the MIFDI website at www.mifdi.org often and let the Officers or Board of Directors know if there is anything we can do for you.  I look forward in seeing everyone at Billerica.

Stay safe.

Michael

May 18-21, 2003, FDNY 9-11 Memorial Golf Outing, Myrtle Beach, SC.
For info contact www.fdnygolf.com

May 19-23, 2003, 25th Annual New England Arson Seminar "Preparing for Terrorism", Saint Anselm College, Manchester, N.H.
For info call 603-641-7026.

June 11-14, 2003, IAFF Emergency Medical Services Conference
Hollywood, Florida. For info contact www.IAFF.org

June 13, 2003, Massachusetts Firefighting Academy Recruit Class #158 Graduation Ceremony at the M.F.A. Fire Station @ 1:30 p.m.

June 14, 2003, MAFFA 26th Annual Fire Parade, Show, & Flea Market
Edgewater Office Park, Wakefield, Mass.

June 18, 2003, 6th Annual PFFM Scholarship Golf Tournament
Ponkapoag Golf Course, Canton, Mass.

June 20-21-22, 2003, New England Fire/Rescue/EMS 2003
Eastern States Exposition, West Springfield, Mass.
For info contact www.newenglandfirechiefs.org

October 5-9, 2003, IAFF Redmond Symposium, fire service health & safety event.
San Francisco, California. For info contact www.IAFF.org

How many of you feel that the fire service needs another challenge?  Just as I suspected, none of you, including myself. When the fire service became more involved in Emergency Medical Services for our communities, no one imagined that it would evolve into a whole new world of hazards.

It wasn't that long ago when it was not uncommon to see an EMS worker holding a bare hand over a wound to stop an arterial bleed, in fact the biggest concern then was for lower back injuries from improper patient lifts. Then along came such hazards as hepatitis, different strains of the flu virus and of course A.I.D.S. All of these threats have changed the way that we deal with E.M.S. today including adding the terms "Scene Safety" and "Universal Precautions" to our S.O.G's.  As if all of this is not enough we now add S.A.R.S. to the mix, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. Here are some statistics on this new epidemic; there are more than 4800 cases of SARS in 27 countries including 293 deaths. The U.S. has fewer than 300 suspected or probable cases with no known deaths. Massachusetts has 19 suspected or probable cases.

The virus, possibly associated with livestock, starts in the lungs of its victims. The virus incubates in the body for 2-7 days and progresses in two stages. The initial stage may include muscle aches, fever of over 100.4 degrees, loss of appetite, and diarrhea. The second stage may include headache, fatigue, feeling of discomfort, chills, and dry cough. Chest X-rays appear similar to pneumonia. Inflamed lungs cause difficulty in breathing preventing adequate oxygen to the blood. It is
unclear exactly how the virus spreads but it most likely spreads through airborne droplets caused by a sneeze of cough. The illness is a virus rather than a bacteria making antibiotics ineffective.

So what can we do to protect our people? It is important to establish a protocol with your local Health Department and the hospital(s) within your community as to
handling a suspected SARS case. It is vital for your dispatchers to gather as much information as possible and relaying it to responding units without violating patient confidentiality. If it is determined that a patient is experiencing any of the SARS symptoms and has traveled to an Asian country or other SARS hot spots within the past ten days, than the term "Additional Precautions" can be used to give responding units a "heads up". All companies should now be equipped with N-95 Medical Masks and company officers should limit the amount of personnel that may be exposed at an incident. Placing an oxygen mask on the patient will help provide the victim with necessary oxygen as well as limiting the possibility of airborne particles from the patient. Finally, document the incident including members that were involved as well as providing follow up procedures for all who participated.
 
We do not yet know enough about this new illness, the World Health Organization believes that SARS might be beat but the C.D.C. is less optimistic. In either case, we must err on the side of caution. Be careful and stay safe!

Captain Rick Bartlett - Marblehead Fire Department
Captain Brian Belliveau - Fitchburg Fire Department
Captain Kevin Lyons - Acton Fire Department
Firefighter Louis LaCachance - Hingham Fire Department

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

MAY 28th:                      Billerica Fire Department Central Station - Billerica, MA

JUNE:                             Barnstable County Fire Academy - Annual Clam Bake

JULY/AUGUST:             Enjoy the Summer!!

SEPTEMBER 24th:       Department of Fire Services / Massachusetts Firefighting Academy, Room 109 - Stow, MA

OCTOBER 22nd:           MassPort / Logan Crash Fire Rescue

NOVEMBER 26th:        To be announced

DECEMBER 17th:        Yerardi's Restaurant, 418 Watertown St., Newton.