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Governmetal Affairs Committee |
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GAC Resources For GAC documents, announcements, and information please click here to visit the microsite.
HELP THE GAC!
Dear FAMA/FEMSA member: In January, you received an e-mail from the FAMA/FEMSA Governmental Affairs Committee (GAC) asking you to complete a survey that will help the GAC and its consultants learn what congressional relationships FAMA/FEMSA member companies have established. This information is essential to the GAC’s work to increase FAMA/FEMSA’s dialogue with federal government agencies in an effort to educate key officials on the important role our industry plays in providing equipment and services to the nation’s first responders. To help us enhance these efforts, we once again ask you to take a few moments to complete the enclosed survey. Specifically, this survey will help the GAC compile a comprehensive list of FAMA/FEMSA members’ locations and the congressional senators and representatives for those locations, an important step in establishing an educational network with the members of Congress and the administration. Please note that the survey can be conveniently completed online here. We also ask that the survey be completed as soon as possible. We have tried to keep this survey as simple and straightforward as possible. We thank you in advance for your assistance in this important effort. Sincerely, FAMA/FEMSA Governmental Affairs Committee
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The FAMA / FEMSA GAC would like to thank all the members who participated in the 2006 Home Day Program. Many of you had incredible results, and we encourage you to share those experiences with your fellow members. The GAC has posted a small website with information about some of the Home Day activities by FAMA and FEMSA member companies. Remember - Every Day is Home Day! Please click here to see the site.
Upcoming Events
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Late Eversole 'never acted as important as he really was' Fire Chiefs Appeal for Help in Reducing Fire Fatalities More States Pass Fire-Safe Cigarette Laws NVFC Offers Training Courses on Retention and Recruitment, Health and Safety FEMA Pricing of Trailers Called Unfair Atlantic Hurricane Season Preparations Underway Mark W. Light Selected as IAFC Executive Director Late Eversole 'never acted as important as he really was' Deputy Chief (Ret.) John Eversole of the Chicago Fire (IL) Department, whose pioneering work in the area of hazardous materials and terrorism response left an indelible mark on the history of the U.S. fire service, was laid to rest on May 25, 2007. Below is the eulogy composed by his friend and colleague Greg Noll. My name is Greg Noll. For the last 25 years, John and I have been very good friends, professional peers, and occasionally, partners in crime. When Mike told me that John asked if I could do his eulogy, there was no way I could ever say no. The challenge came when John told Mike that it had to be five minutes or less...classic Eversole! Click Here to Read the Full Article
Source: Fire Engineering Magazine Fire Chiefs Appeal for Help in Reducing Fire Fatalities Fairfax, VA, May 25, 2007… Six people were killed in a Baltimore row house fire this week (May 22). Detroit is reporting its seventh fire fatality in the city in five days. Saginaw, Michigan is mourning the death of a man and five children killed in a house fire early Thursday, May 24th. Two weeks ago, a Kentucky mom and her two children perished in a blaze. Source: IAFC More States Pass Fire-Safe Cigarette Laws Twelve states have now passed legislation requiring cigarette retailers in their states to sell “fire-safe” cigarettes, which self-extinguish when left alone. This means 35.6 percent of the population lives in a state with fire-safe cigarette legislation on the books. The legislatures in Iowa and Maryland have passed bills that are waiting to be signed by the governors of those states. Cigarettes are the leading cause of home fire fatalities in the United States, killing between 700 and 900 people each year. There are close to 35,000 structure fires in this country every year ignited by smoking materials. The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) has been working through the Coalition for Fire-Safe Cigarettes to get legislation passed state-by-state with the eventual goal of achieving a national fire-safe cigarette law. To join or learn more about the Coalition, visit www.firesafecigarettes.org. Source: NVFC NVFC Offers Training Courses on Retention and Recruitment, Health and Safety The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), in partnership with the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), offers two different training programs in 2007. The NVFC's training schedule includes courses on retention and recruitment as well as health and safety at state fire/EMS association conferences and individual department events across the country. The Retention and Recruitment Seminar focuses on the results of the recent NVFC study on retention and recruitment. The program delves into the reasons why there has been a decline in volunteers in the fire and emergency services and provides recommendations on what departments can do to counter this trend. The course is led by a VFIS instructor. The Health and Safety Workshop focuses on the NVFC Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program and the need for heart attack awareness and prevention among firefighters and emergency medical personnel. The program reviews proper diet, exercise programs, and tools to keep first responders on track. Information on available health and safety grants is also provided, as well as the results of the recent NVFC/USFA Emergent Health and Safety study. The course is instructed by a trainer from L&T Health and Fitness. Below is a schedule of training opportunities in 2007. For additional information, please contact Megan Botten at mbotten@nvfc.org or 1-888-ASK-NVFC (275-6832). 2007 NVFC Training Schedule Mississippi Texas Missouri South Dakota Nebraska Alaska Source: NVFC FEMA Pricing of Trailers Called Unfair The inspector general for the Department of Homeland Security has just released a new report taking the much-maligned Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to task over the price the agency sold trailers to hurricane victims. A United Press International (UPI) report says Richard L. Skinner, inspector general for the DHS, found FEMA sold trailers to hurricane victims for prices ranging from $1 to $20,000. That “inconsistent policy forced a temporary ban – since rescinded – on all trailer sales,” the article says. The report suggested uneven practices in Texas, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida were unfair to some hurricane victims and wasted taxpayer money. “Pricing has not resulted in the best return for the government and has been inequitable to buyers,” Skinner wrote to FEMA chief R. David Paulison. UPI notes that Skinner’s is the latest criticism of FEMA’s handling of the multibillion-dollar housing program established in 2005. About 86,000 families left homeless by the hurricanes continue to live in trailers and mobile homes, down from a peak of about 120,000. To read the full article, click here: http://www.washtimes.com/upi/20070526-022601-1623 Source: Disaster Resource Guide Atlantic Hurricane Season Preparations Underway Secretary Chertoff and FEMA Administrator Paulison, along with officials from the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Air Force Reserve, discussed the federal government’s preparations for the 2007 Hurricane Season, which begins June 1 and runs until Nov. 30. They participated in a press conference at which NOAA officials announced a 75 percent chance that the Atlantic hurricane season will be above normal this year, with seven to 10 storms becoming major hurricanes of Category 3 or higher. In his remarks, the secretary said, “We are coming into this hurricane season with a set of tools that we’ve never had before. We’ve got much more communications equipment, including interoperable equipment that is capable of being put on-site very quickly, including real-time video to give us eyes on the actual situation when the storm hits.” However, the secretary warned against complacency, saying, “Last year was an unexpectedly easy season; there’s no guarantee that this season is going to be anything less than very tough.” During his remarks, Paulison reinforced the secretary’s comments about the level of preparedness, especially at FEMA. He added that all levels of government and private citizens have to do their part to be ready before a major storm hits. Warning against complacency, he said, “We have predicted a very heavy hurricane season. We need to make sure that those who are in those hurricane zones have prepared themselves for this upcoming season.” A transcript of the press conference is available at: http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/releases/pr_1179922325611.shtm. Source: DHS Mark W. Light Selected as IAFC Executive Director Fairfax, Va., May 31, 2007... The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) Board of Directors announces the selection of the association’s new executive director, Mark W. Light, MPA, CAE. A nation-wide search was conducted with the assistance of Korn/Ferry International, an executive search firm and culminated in late May. “It soon became evident to us and the search firm from intensive vetting and interviewing, that the best person for this extremely important leadership position was Mark,” said Chief Jim Harmes, president of the IAFC. Light has a 30-year fire service background and has been with the IAFC for the last six years. He began his career in the fire service as a volunteer paramedic and firefighter. He was hired by a large combination fire/EMS department, where he worked his way up through the ranks and was promoted to deputy chief. His operational fire/EMS career culminated when he became fire chief in a metro-sized career department. Additionally, he served as an elected board member and second vice president of the Virginia Fire Chiefs Association. Light has a Master of Public Administration from Virginia Tech. He is a graduate of the Executive Fire Officer Program through the National Fire Academy and participated in Harvard University’s Harvard Fellowship Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government. In 2006, he obtained his Certified Association Executive (CAE) credentials through the American Society of Association Executives. In 2001, Light coordinated the September 11th emergency response for the IAFC, sending a team into New York on the night of the 11th and providing critical information to members of the association in the days and weeks following. “I feel that my 30 years experience in the fire service and association management has been preparing me for this opportunity. I am extremely honored to be selected by our top fire service leaders to serve as the executive director of the IAFC, said Mark Light. “The future of the IAFC is exciting, challenging, and unlimited. My role is to harness that excitement and tap into the collective wisdom, experience and perspective of the leaders of the fire service to take our association to the next level,” said Light. Chief Steven Westermann of Blue Springs, Missouri will be sworn in as president of the IAFC in August. “As incoming president, I’m delighted with the selection and looking forward to the prospect of working with Mark and the vibrant future for the IAFC,” said Westermann. “We are looking forward to continued success as we take the fire service into the 21st century,” said President Harmes. For more information about the International Association of Fire Chiefs, go to www.iafc.org. Source: IAFC Congressional Fire Services Caucus Urges Department of Justice to Fully Implement the Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefit Act On Wednesday, May 30th, the leadership of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, the largest caucus in the United States Congress, sent a letter to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales urging the Department of Justice to immediately implement the Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefit Act. The legislation, which was unanimously passed by both houses of Congress and signed into law more than three years ago, provides a one-time financial benefit to the survivors of public safety officers who give their lives in the line of duty as a result of a heart attack or stroke. Unfortunately, as of today, the Department of Justice has only ruled on 40 of the nearly 250 cases submitted under the Hometown Heroes provisions of the Public Safety Officers’ Benefit (PSOB) program – they have denied 38 of those families the benefit. CFSI has been diligently working with our Congressional allies, DOJ staff, the White House, and several of the national fire and emergency services and law enforcement associations to resolve this situation. In 2004, the Institute awarded its Legislator of the Year Award to Congressman Bob Etheridge for sponsoring the Hometown Heroes legislation. The Congressional Fire Services Caucus was formed in 1987 to support the work of our nation’s fire and emergency services. The largest caucus in Congress, this bipartisan caucus is led by eight co-chairs; four in the House of Representatives and four in the Senate. The co-chairs for the 110th Congress are Senator Joseph Biden (DE), Senator Susan Collins (ME), Senator Christopher Dodd (CT), Senator John McCain (AZ), Congressman Robert Andrews (NJ-1), Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson (MO-8), Congressman Steny Hoyer (MD-5), and Congressman Peter King (NY-3). Source: CFSI |
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