The #447 meeting of the Massachusetts Institute of Fire department Instructors was held at the West Barnestable Fire Department.  This meeting was sponsored by the West Barnstable Firefighters Association and Captain Randy Sherman from the Yarmouth Fire Department.  There was an update from the Barnstable Fire Academy that discussed the academy will be closed July and August 2001.  The Barnstable County Fire Academy announced that there would be Technical Rescue and Rapid Intervention classes that will be announced in the near future.  There will be also TWO Flashover classes in the fall and TWO in the spring.  You can find out what’s new on the web at WWW.BCFRTA.ORG.

Deputy Chief Cummings from the Brockton Fire Department Training Division gave a presentation on his trip to FDIC last spring.  He updated us on Hepatitis B/C, the silent killer for firefighters, and physical fitness and firefighter health and safety.  Captain Gorman from the Brockton Fire Department gave a presentation on Juvenile Fire Setters and how to read body language during questioning.  As usual the lobster boil was outstanding, there was not a dissatisfied customer in the house.
 
BUISNESS MEETING:

The Secretary’s report was not read due to the absence of the secretary.

The Treasure’s report was read and accepted.

Members paid up to date: 103          NEW members since last month:  03           Total Active:  126

Not paid for 1999:  25                    Not paid for 2000:  45                                  Total not paid:  70 

Associate members:   11                 Retired members:   36                                   Non-Active:     25  “1999”

Members paid since last month:  2          “Thanks we don’t want to lose you!”

MIFDI mailing cost for last month:  $328.80                                                      Treasury account balance:  $2,748.30
Mailing List:    145 members

June mailing costs:                                                                                         $150.00
50/50 raffle:                                                                                                  $  75.00
MIFDI clothing and stock sold in May and June:                                           $ 188.00
New Members:                                                                                            $   75.00
Total :                                                                                                          $ 338.00

Membership dues received (Jan-May)                     $1,797.00
Newsletter mailing and printing cost:                        $1,770.00

Again my goal is to have this organization over 200 members strong by the end of this year.  Please spread the word about our organization to members of the fire service and tell a friend.

OLD BUISINESS:

Vice President and Worcester Deputy Chief (RET) John McNamara suggested, that we provide a mass mailing to the ISFI organization membership to solicit a possible merger of ISFI and MIFDI.   It was suggested and voted not to have this mailing at this time.

NEW BUISNESS:

2nd Vice President Mike McLeieer, has the NEW MIFDI website up on line, the website address is: HTTP://MIFDI.8M.COM/.  We will  post the monthly bulletin on the website each month also.  It was also suggested and voted to have a “Dominion Name” for the website which will cost approximately $120 - $150 and pay a TWO year registration fee will be $24.95.   The membership also decided to have a membership listing that will include (Rank) and fire department affiliation  (Active or Retired) members of MIFDI.  Mort  Shurtleff gave the organization MIFDI bulletins 001 to 075 which will be placed in the MIFDI archives; they were donated by the widow of Lt. McClean from the Sharon Fire Department (RET).    It was decided that the MIFDI secretary would maintain and preserve these documents.  Membership listings were given out at the June meeting who attended.  Mort Shurtleff informed the membership that the 9th meeting of MIFDI in 1960, which was held in Falmouth Mass., was  $4.00 for the lobster boil.

COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED:

The Historical Committee consists of Fire Captain Steve Perrson from Cambridge, Mr. Ira Hoffman from FSP Bookstore, Deputy Rick Gomez from Norton.
The Bi-Law Committee will consist of Fire Captain Norm Aubert from Massport, Fire Captain Randy Sherman from Yarmouth, Mort Shurtluff, Brockton Fire (RET), Deputy Chris Kelly from Concord, Fire Lieutant Brian Ash from Lowell, and Deputy John Cummings from Brockton.
Public Relations Committee will consist of  Mr. Ira Hoffman and 2nd Vice President Mike McLeieer.

MFTC UPDATE: Captain Steve Perrson gave an update for the June MFTC session.

MFA UPDATE:  Joe Guamero was promoted to a (03) Special Projects coordinator.  Joe Neddar was appointed liaison for FF I Tier Training for Call and Volunteer departments.  James Haggerty was placed in charge of the physical fitness training for the Recruit program.  Brian Duggan was placed as the Seminars Coordinator.  The Gas Program will be placing new props at the DFS/MFA in the near future.
MFA TRAINING OPORTUNITIES:  The Flashover Recognition Simulator will be on the road this fall.  The class will be THREE hours classroom and THREE hours practical.  The class will be limited to TWENTY-FOUR students, and the selection process for location selection will be divided throughout the counties in Massachusetts.  This fall there will be R.I.C. Standard hand off program offered by the DFS/MFA.  November 17th and 18th 2001, there will be the 3rd FDNY “Back to Basics” Seminar in Amherst Massachusetts.

WORCESTER TRAINING OPORTUNITIES:  The Worcester Fire Department will again sponsor a Firefighter Safety Seminar in October 26, 27, 28 2001 at the Worcester Centrum. (Worcester FFs Memorial 2001)

INSTRUCTOR'S CORNER by John McNamara, Retired:

The following information was obtained from a Boston Police memo sent to their Commanding Officers on April 3, 1993

The memo stressed the need for both the Police and Fire Departments to work together at a fire scene and other emergencies. This is only a portion of that letter.

"Strategic placement of fire apparatus is critical and must be accomplished in a timely manner. The improper placement of non-fire department emergency vehicles at a fire scene can severely hamper this effort. This necessitates a change in tactics by the Incident Commander that is completely avoidable. It is imperative that the front of the building be kept clear in order to properly ladder the building for rescue purposes and for roof access."

"Non-fire department vehicles improperly placed at an emergency scene run the risk of being blocked in for the duration of the incident, effectively taking these vehicles out of service unnecessarily."

"The best assistance a police officer can render is to keep open the fire lanes for arriving fire apparatus, control the traffic around the fire scene and control the crowd. For example, privately owned vehicles should never be allowed to drive over Fire Department hose lines without permissions of the Incident Commander."

"Loss of water in a hose line has on more than one occasion led to injury of firefighters. Police Officers performing these duties are recognizing their role and conducting themselves accordingly. Above all, a police officer should never leave an unattended vehicle blocking a street as this practice blocks access for fire apparatus causing unnecessary delay."

To obtain the rest of the information in this memo I would suggest contacting James M. Clairborne, Superintendent, in the Bureau of Field Services, Boston Police Department.

WELCOME NEW MIFDI MEMBERS:
 

MFA SAFETY & SURVIVAL 2000 AND BEYOND:

Firefighter Rescue & Survival Course “Chicago” October 10,11,12, 2001 Met State Hospital           Waltham  Course #208154S18

Firefighter Skills “Saving Ourselves” September 8,9, 2001 New Marlborough
 Course # 20815461G

Flashover Recognition Training September 17, 2001 Danvers Fire
 Course # 208154291D / 208154291E

***************************************************************************************************************************

CONGRADULATIONS to MIFDI Treasure Dave Jardin to his promotion to Deputy Fire Chief

OUR CONDOLENCES go out to the family of Boston firefighter Rick Graham of Ladder Co.#15 who died in a motorcycle accident in July.
 

BEST OF LUCK TO: Deputy Chief John McNamara on his retirement and moving to Tampa Florida.

SEPTEMBER MIFDI MEETING - ** NEW LOCATION, see WHAT'S NEW SECTION - 09/20/2001 **
 
THE MASSPORT FIRE RESCUE DEPARTMENT, WILL HOST THE 448TH MEETING OF MIFDI ON SEPTEMBER 26, 2001.  DEPUTY CHIEF ROBERT DONAHUE AND SARGENT DAVID THOMPSON OF MASS STATE POLICE TROOP F LOGAN WILL Give THE PRESENTATION.  THE TWO HOUR PRESENTAION WILL BE ON DISASTER PLANNING, THE MASSPORT GO-TEAM RESPONSE OF THE AMERICAN AIRLINES MD-80 CRASH IN LITTLE ROCK ARKINSA, AND BASIC ANTI-TERRORISM TIPS.  THERE WILL BE A CATERED LUNCH PROVIDED BY MASSPORT FIRE RESCUE, RSVP IS REQUIRED NLT Friday 21 September 2001.  PLEASE CONTACT ME AT (617) 561-3419.

DIRECTIONS: LOGAN AIRPORT, TAKE HARBORSIDE DRIVE “AT CAR RENTALS” AND FOLLOW TO THE END.  (162 HARBORSIDE DRIVE)
 

FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT:

As training officers you properly try, to find ways make your training or drills more desireable.to the company members of your department.  In looking back twenty years ago when I joined the USAF Fire Service there were two extremes of training, one was intensive by the numbers training, and the other side of the spectrum was “simulate and terminate”.  Training was usually punishment for an emergency response that went bad, someone screwed up.  This type of forced feed drilling usually no one got anything out of this type of training.  So how do we train today?  Are our concerns and actions accepted by our peers and members of our departments?  Do our company officers feel that training is not a concern, and that the training division should ONLY deliver training?  Do you have support from the management and command staff; do they understand the importance of training,?  Is there an understanding that there is a more than a liability issue for training?

Sometimes the training officer can be taken for granted, but TRAINING SHOULD BE A PRIORITY SECOND TO EMERGENCY RESPONSE!  Vince Lombardi never said “Practice make perfect” but “perfect practice makes perfect” and this is what we should try to attain during our training evolutions.  Do you base your training on national standards, and have a quality assurance system to monitor the training that is being delivered?  Do you have a plan? Remember, FAILING TO PLAN IS PLANNING TO FAIL.

I feel that a training officer is a professional who strives to finds ways to motivate, stimulate, and neutered members of our department and tries not to compromise the integrity of their office.  He or she is a person who in the most part is doing the job for the love of the job and we are a dying breed.  I would like to propose that MIFDI should establish a Training Task Force and Forum in the months to come and to try to tackle some of these issues that I discussed.  We will not change the way the Fire Service operates or thinks, but we will be able to hopefully help ourselves deliver a better product to our members.  I am committed to to work on these areas through networking and I hope I have the support of our MIFDI membership.

I received a letter of response from Fire Marshal Coan on the Phase III expansion project that was sent to Governor Jane Swift a few months ago.  (SEE ATTACHED LETTER AFTER THIS COLUM).   Please contact your State Representatives and State Senators in regards to the passing of the DFS/MFA Phase III Project.  THE HOUSE BILL IS H5352.  Also please give input for the proposed Massachusetts concept of mandatory firefighter training. (SEE ATTACHED LETTER AFTER COLUM).   Please let the officers of the MIFDI organization know if there is anything that we can do to make our organization better than it is.  This is your organization, be proud, and lets be stronger than ever before.

I am proud to represent all the members of MIFDI.
See you at MASSPORT in September!!!!
 
Be safe,

Norm
 

DRILL SCHEDULE:

SEPT:  MASSPORT
OCT:  NORTON
NOV:  TBA
DEC:  TBA
JAN:  TBA