The 468th meeting of the Massachusetts Institute of Fire Department Instructors was hosted by DFS/MFA on September 24th, 2003 with 18 members present. Peter Lamb, Mass Fire Academy Director welcomed us to the facility and  announced a proposal for MIFDI and the MFA to hold a cooperative training session or a mini conference sometime in the future. He also updated us on happenings at the Academy, (see ‘MFA Update’).

District Fire Chief Ken O’Donnell, City of Boston Fire Department was our guest speaker and  presented us with a very informative program on ‘Firefighter Safety in Training’. He stressed the importance of the Safety Officer and the responsibility of the Training Officer to continually stress safety. Paying attention to the small details will impress upon the student that safety is something to take seriously. He also stated that S. O. G’s are extremely important as well in the promotion of firefighter safety. Training officers can influence the content of S.O.G's and all training should be presented in accordance with written S.O.G’s. A total commitment from the Chief of a department is needed to properly implement and maintain firefighter safety.
 
 

President McLeieer thanked Director Lamb for the MFA accommodations for our MIFDI meeting.

Deputy Ed Morgan announced his retirement effective November 12th, 2003 after 32 years with the North Andover Fire Department, and will be stepping down from the MIFDI Secretary’s position after the first of the year as well. He intends to stay active in the organization however. Deputy Morgan also spoke briefly about the recent North Andover Fire Department pumper roll-over accident, noting that proper documentation of safety and maintenance records has been working in their favor.

Mark Roche, MIFDI 2nd Vice President, introduced new members and returning   members. He also announced the next meeting will be held at the enclosed reservoir project in Weston MA, the 4th Wednesday of October. (see ‘October Meeting Schedule’)

Scott Maker, MIFDI 1st Vice President, announced that Michael McLeieer had been nominated for Fire & Life Safety Educator of the Year by the Fire Marshal’s office.

Michael McLeieer, MIFDI President, announced that the retirement party for Ed Morgan will be posted on the MIFDI website. He also stated the need for topics and locations for future MIFDI meetings.

September Meeting                                                                  Bills paid
Checking Balance 1/1/03   = $1221.08                                     Oct 03 Newsletter  $105.00 Mike
                                                                                                 Web Page 5yrs      $  55.00 Mike

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       $   2.00
 

Total members = 139                                                             Mailings
Dues paid thru 2004 = 15                                  E-Mail - 3  Home - 77  Work - 23 = 100
Dues paid thru 2003 = 108
Dues paid thru 2002 = 16
 

New Members since last meeting
Captain Mike Feinberg = Lynnfield
Captain James Sheridan = Natick
Lt. Jeffrey Wall = Weymouth
Frank Severino – Dispatcher = Lexington
Valmore DeNault – Staff = Mass Fire Academy
 

Treasury Balance as of 10/1/2003 = Checking  $   488.51
                                                         Savings   $ 1,666.73
                                                         Total      $  2,155.95
 

Respectfully submitted   10/1/2003
David M. Jardin
MIFDI Treasurer
Deputy Fire Chief – Stoughton

Thank you to the membership for your support.

NEW BUSINESS:

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.
 

MFTC UPDATE:   Steve Persson - Nothing to report.

MFA UPDATE:  Everett Pierce - Peter Lamb supplied the following information:

• The burn building rehab is scheduled and funding IS available. The project should move forward after the first of the year.
• The status of the 40 million dollar expansion of MFA is unknown but is still active.
• There will be a recruit class graduation on October 3rd and a new class will begin  October 6th. The June 2004 class is filling up already.
• The ‘District Delivery’ programs are not working to the satisfaction of the DFS and as a result, there is now a change in the districts. There are now 5 total districts, and ‘need specific training’ is being planned. DFS wants to be a resource for almost any fire service training need.

The 469th M.I.F.D.I. meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 22, 2003 hosted by the Massachusetts Water Resource Authority and the Weston Fire Department. We will meet on location at the M.W.R.A. Norumbega Reservoir site at 55 Oak St., Weston.

Our training session will provide us with a fascinating look at the new 115-million gallon covered reservoir facility now nearing completion. The M.W.R.A. provides water to over 2-million people in 35 cities and towns in the Metropolitan Boston area. This meeting will offer us a rare opportunity to not only understand the technological process of supplying water to our communities, but we will also hear about the challenges that the Weston Fire Department faced with the demands of training a crew of members with confined space rescue techniques to deal with the massive construction project. We hope to have on display the fully-equipped rescue truck funded by the M.W.R.A. for the Weston Fire Department. The meeting will conclude with a unique tour of this $89 million facility, which is one of the largest in the country.

SCHEDULE:
0900 Coffee & pastry, 0945 Board of Directors,
1000 Presentation & tour, 1200 Business meeting, 1230 Lunch (Off site)

DIRECTIONS:
This facility is simple to get to. From I 95 (Rt.128), take Exit 24 which is Rt.30. Follow Rt.30 WEST to the 4th left (aprox 1.5 miles), that is Oak Street. Follow Oak St. a very short distance and you will see the M.W.R.A. gate on the right (#55 Oak St.). Enter the driveway to the parking area. We will meet at the MWRA building on site.

LUNCH:
Lunch will be off site and "on your own", however, it is recommended that we reconvene at the Ninety-Nine Restaurant in Waltham, a short drive from the meeting site. If you head back Rt.30, your original route, turn left at the 3rd traffic light (just prior to I 95), that is River Rd. follow River Rd. into Waltham which turns into South St. and the restaurant is located at 110 South St. just beyond Brandeis University.

The fall nights are growing shorter & cooler and winter is not far away.   Your MIFDI Officers and Directors have been busy planning the 2004 meeting schedule.  I have met with Mr. Peter Lamb, Director of the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy, and we are working together to schedule the first annual MFA/DFS/MIFDI cooperative training event to be held in the spring, 2004.  It is my understanding that MIFDI has conducted such training events in the past on a smaller scale; however, this would be the first opportunity to utilize the expertise and resources we have within these well-respected organizations.  I will keep the membership updated as we continue to move forward in planning this event.

I would like to thank District Chief Ken O’Donnell from the Boston Fire Department for his fantastic presentation to our membership Sept. 24th.  A “thank you” also goes out to Mr. Peter Lamb and Mr. Everett Pierce for making the arrangements to allow us to conduct our September meeting at the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy.

The October meeting will be held on the 4th Wednesday, October 22nd and will be hosted by the Massachusetts Water Resource Authority and the Weston Fire Department.  You won’t want to miss this very informative meeting.

I also have some new, hot off the press information regarding those departments who apply for Federal FEMA Fire Act or Fire Prevention grants.

All applicants for federal grants are required, as of October 1, 2003, to have a DUNS Number. These  numbers allow us to better track and account for grants and grant recipients. You will not be allowed to submit an application until you have a number. The Fire Prevention Grant application period will be announced within days. Anyone intending to apply should acquire a DUNS Number ASAP. The information to obtain the DUNS # is below. Even if you are not thinking of applying for a FP grant you should get one so you will be ready to apply for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant.

The DUNS number is the Data Universal Numbering System by Dun & Bradstreet and is used by Federal government to tack all expenditures on grants. All applicants must have a DUNS number at time of application. There is no charge for a DUNS number.  It is best to obtain a DUNS # ahead of time by calling 1-800-333-0505.  When the question comes up on the grant it has a pull down that directs the   applicant to call to obtain a number. They will be assigned a number over the phone at the time of the call.

Please let me know if you have any questions regarding these new procedures.  The DUNS # is totally free, but mandatory for future grant submissions & will be as important to retain just like your town’s Federal ID #.

I want to welcome those new members (and several are very familiar faces from the past).  We welcome you back to MIFDI!

We still need ideas for topics and meeting locations in 2004.  If you or your department are interested in hosting a meeting or have a speaker in mind for an interesting topic, please don’t hesitate to contact Mark, Scott or me.

Finally, I would like to thank our secretary Deputy Chief Ed Morgan for his dedication to this organization and wish him well on his retirement November 12th.  We still hope you remain an active member Ed.  We value your expertise and experience!

Remember, this is your organization.  Please let the Officers or Board of Directors know if there is anything we can do for you.  See you in Weston.

Stay safe,
Michael

October 3-5, 2003, Worcester Firefighters Memorial Safety & Survival Seminar
Contact 508-831-0519 for info or www.wfd1009.org

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

October 5-11, 2003, National Fire Prevention Week.   This year’s theme:  When Fire Strikes, Get Out, Stay Out.  Visit www.nfpa.org for more information.

October 6, 2003, Massachusetts Firefighting Academy Recruit Class #161 begins.

October 24, 2003, Retirement Party for D.C. Edward Morgan, N.A.F.D.
DiBurro's Function Hall, Rt. 125, Haverhill. Social 6:30, Dinner 7:30
For ticket info contact Chief Dolan, North Andover F.D. 978-688-9593

October 25, 2003, M.R.S. Collectors & Fire Memorabilia Show
St. James Church Hall, 465 Mt. Auburn St. (Rt.16), Watertown
From 12:00-4:30pm, For info contact 617-969-3000

David Jardin has been promoted to Acting Chief of the Stoughton Fire Department.

William Shute has been promoted to Chief of the Amesbury Fire Department.

Jonathan Brickett has been promoted to Deputy Chief of the Amesbury Fire Department.

Ed Morgan, Deputy Chief, North Andover Fire Department, will retire as of November 12th, 2003. We wish Ed all the best!

Fuel Cell Vehicles and Hydrogen Fueled Vehicles – Safety Issues Raised

The following is a synopsis of information obtained from the International Consortium for Fire Safety, Health and the Environment, PO Box 14270, Washington, DC. The complete article can be found on their web site at www.clean-and-safe.org.

    The current discussion on dependence of foreign oil imports and the President’s “Freedom Car” initiative has brought alternatively fueled vehicles and hydrogen to the attention of the public. Even though all current fuel cell and hydrogen vehicles are experimental and only being tested in low numbers on public roadways, several states have mandated zero emission vehicles to be introduced (ZEV) in the near future.
    As new technologies, fuel cells and hydrogen have some associated safety concerns that have to be addressed. Although some of the concerns raised are similar to those encountered with substances such as compressed or liquid natural gas (CNG or LNG) and technologies such as electrically powered vehicles, the combination of different technologies in new vehicles and the addition of new and unproven technology warrant special attention. First responders should be informed of the potential risks of newly developed vehicles before they are commercialized, and measure should be put in place to minimize the hazards to the general population.
Areas of Concern
    The two prime dangers from fuel cell and hydrogen-powered vehicles are the danger of electrical shock and the flammability of the fuel.
    Fuel cells power vehicles by electro-chemically combining hydrogen gas and oxygen from the surrounding air into water and electrical energy. The electrical energy is then used to power both the locomotion of the vehicle through electrical motors and the current electrical usage devices such as the radio, lights and air-conditioning. A notable difference between current and new-technology vehicles is that the voltage needed to power the electric motors is much higher in new vehicles than can be accommodated by the current standard voltage of a 14V system; the automobile industry is in the process of moving to a new standard of a 42V system. The 42V system was chosen as an industry standard in part for safety reasons: anything greater than 50 volts can stop a human heart. On the other hand, some fuel cell vehicle motors run on voltages exceeding 350V. With such high currents, the danger of electric shock is great.
    The second area of concern lies in the fuel used to power this future generation of vehicles. Even though hydrogen remains the main focus of future fuel cell vehicles, it is neither the only   possible fuel for them (other fuels used to power fuel cells directly include methanol, ethanol and methane), nor is hydrogen used only for this purpose. In addition, the hydrogen used to power a vehicle does not necessarily have to be stored on the vehicle as hydrogen. Reforming different hydrogen sources, such as alcohols, methane, propane and even regular gasoline, can create gaseous hydrogen in the vehicle itself. Hydrogen stored as such in a vehicle or reformed in it can also be used to power a “classic” internal combustion engine.  Besides reforming hydrogen in the vehicle itself, there are several ways of storing hydrogen in a vehicle. Each has its own set of flammability issues.
    Both the electrical current and the flammability concern of the fuel translate into the design needs for the vehicle itself as well as the requirements for structures intended for the storage,  refueling and repair of these vehicles.
    Fuel cell vehicles currently being tested include public transportation and personal mobility vehicles. According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), there were nine different hydrogen vehicle-testing projects underway in the U.S. as of March, 2003. The safety issues regarding the vehicle can be divided into two separate categories. One category encompasses issues with normal vehicle operations; the other category contains issues with vehicle accidents.
    As stated, the main issues with fuel cells and hydrogen-powered vehicles stem from electrical shock and the flammability of the fuel.

Chief Fitz long fire service career began as a salesman for Eastman Nozzle Co. He was later employed with the Underwriters Insurance Company of Boston, and also the Gamewell Fire Alarm Company. In 1969 he became Deputy Chief of the Hampton, N.H. Fire Department and became Chief of that department until 1977 when he moved to Lebanon and became Deputy Chief of the Lebanon Fire Department until his retirement in 1990.

Bob was a part-time instructor with the N.H. Fire Standards & Training Academy for over 30 years and earned the first Emeritus Award as a Fire Instructor. He was a former member of M.I.F.D.I. and was an avid collector of fire, police, and military memorabilia.

Bob was an encyclopedia of fire service knowledge and those that had the honor of knowing this great and honorable man were truly blessed. May he now be at peace.

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

OCTOBER 22nd:          M.W.R.A. Norumbega Reservoir site at 55 Oak St., Weston

NOVEMBER 19th:        Chelmsford

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

JANUARY 28th, 2004:   T.B.A.