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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,

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Fire in the United States Now Available from USFA

Congress Needs to Hear From Manufacturers on Benefits of Trade Agreements

TOPOFF 4 Seminar Emphasizes Preparedness: FEMA’s Paulison says exercises help prepare for real disasters

Small Businesses Develop Disaster Plans

DHS Provides Additional $260 Million in Supplemental Grants Funding Secretary says funds will help reach national preparedness goals

September is National Preparedness Month

Colorado Springs Fire Department Selected to Receive the
Benjamin Franklin Fire Service Award for Valor

Westermann Becomes International Association of Fire Chiefs' President

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) has received notice of the following firefighter fatality:

Fire in the United States Now Available from USFA

August 28, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Fire in the United States Now Available from USFA

WASHINGTON D.C. - Gregory Cade, FEMA Assistant Administrator of the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), announced today the availability of the latest edition of Fire in the United States. This fourteenth edition of Fire in the United States covers the 10-year period from 1995 to 2004 and focuses on the national fire problem and provides as well an overview of the fire problem in structures, vehicles and other mobile properties, and outside and other properties. The purpose of the report is to aid the fire service, media, and general public with fire loss information that can be used to set priorities, establish and evaluate specific fire programs, and serve as a guide for fire data analyses at the State and local levels.

"It is a sad reality that fire deaths and injuries occur everyday in this great nation," said U.S. Fire Administrator Cade. "As a fire service leader, I understand and appreciate the value of fire data provided by the fire service community and other organizations. With the compilation of this data into the Fire in the United States report, we can examine the fire problem and use it to our advantage to aid in reducing the tragic deaths and injuries related to fires."

This edition of Fire in the United States is organized differently from previous editions. The report presents a summary of the national fire problem in terms of losses for structures, vehicle and other mobile properties, and outside and other properties. Detailed analyses of the residential and non-residential structure fire problems will be published as stand-alone reports. Data on firefighter casualties are now published in two separate documents: the annual Firefighter Fatalities in the United States report and a new report, Fire-related Firefighter Injuries in 2004, to be released at a later date.

The USFA publishes Fire in the United States - a running 10-year statistical overview of fires in the United States, focusing on the latest year in which data were available at the time of preparation. The primary source of data is the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS), along with data from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), State Fire Marshals' offices, U.S. Census Bureau, and the Consumer Price Index.

The Fire in the United States report can be accessed through the USFA Web site at www.usfa.dhs.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/fa-311.pdf (PDF, 4.1 Mb).

Printed publications are expected to be available at a later date.

Source: USFA

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Congress Needs to Hear From Manufacturers on Benefits of Trade Agreements

August 14, 2007

For the Attention of Karen Burnham:

Congress has adjourned for its summer recess, and most Members of Congress are back in their districts/states until Labor Day. This is an excellent time to contact, and when possible, to visit your elected officials, raising issues of importance to your company and your workers. As you do so, please consider making trade a topic of your conversations.

Earlier this year, the United States finalized important free trade agreements (FTAs) with four countries: Colombia, Peru, Panama and Korea. These agreements will break down foreign barriers – making U.S. goods more affordable – and expand business opportunities for thousands of American companies and their workers. These free trade agreements will also advance key U.S. national security and economic interests around the world, promoting democracy and developing closer relationships with our allies.

But the agreements cannot take effect until Congress approves them.

Leading Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill hammered out a deal with Administration officials this spring to ensure that trade-related issues (labor, environment, intellectual property rights, others) are handled properly in future free trade agreements. Legislatures in Peru, Panama and Colombia have already approved these agreements. All the major hurdles to passing these agreements have been cleared with one exception – Congress has not yet scheduled a vote and approved them.

How Can You Help?
Make plans now to contact your Members of Congress in their state/district offices before Labor Day. Town Hall events, or other public meetings, provide another useful forum for sharing your views. To locate address, phone and fax information for your lawmakers’ district offices, click here.
Use the NAM Web-based resources and talking points featured below to explain the benefits of trade to our economy and to U.S. manufacturing and, more importantly, to your company and workers.
Ask Members to contact Congressional leaders and request a vote early this fall on the four free trade agreements. Urge Members to support these agreements when they come up for a vote.
Follow up with a letter to your Senators and Representative. Samples are available at www.nam.org/tradetoolkit. We encourage you to: 1) personalize it, using information relevant to your company; 2) print it out on your company letterhead; 3) mail it; 4) fax a copy to the district office; and 5) fax a copy to the NAM at (202) 637-3182, attn. Doug Goudie.

NAM Resources
Contact Doug Goudie, the NAM’s trade policy director, with questions on trade or any feedback on conversations with Members of Congress that could be helpful to our lobbying efforts. His contact information is: Doug Goudie, dgoudie@nam.org, (202) 637-3078.
The NAM’s Trade Toolkit – accessible at www.nam.org/tradetoolkit – contains talking points, summaries of the four free trade agreements, sample letters to Congress, state-by-state fact sheets, and more.

Talking Points
Four free trade agreements (FTAs) that will benefit American manufacturers await action by Congress: three with Latin American nations (Colombia, Panama, and Peru) and one with Korea, our 7th-largest trading partner. Manufacturers support passage of all four of these market-opening agreements as soon as possible. A bipartisan agreement earlier this year between Democrats and Republicans in Congress and the Administration addressed many lawmakers’ concerns on labor, environment, intellectual property rights and other issues in these trade agreements. Now it is time for the U.S. Congress to act.

These free trade agreements will level the playing field for U.S. exports. Right now, nearly all products entering the U.S. from Peru, Panama and Colombia receive duty-free access; duties on Korean imports average less than two percent. Meanwhile, U.S. exports to these nations face significant tariffs – 8 to 15 percent, on average. Passage of the FTAs will eliminate these tariffs and provide important new export opportunities for American manufacturers.

U.S. companies will continue to be at a competitive disadvantage with Colombia, Peru, Panama and Korea until Congress passes the agreements. We will gain advantages for U.S. exports over the rest of our global competitors once we sign these agreements.

These free trade agreements open the door to other new opportunities for U.S. companies, including:
· Lower non-tariff standards and regulatory barriers;
· Better customs enforcement and faster release of goods;
· Increased protection for our investments;
· Stronger protection for U.S. intellectual property;
· A more open services sector; and
· A robust dispute settlement process to ensure all countries are playing by the rules.

· Free trade agreements do not harm U.S. businesses and consumers; in fact, they help them. The U.S. trade deficit is very large, and growing -- $800 billion last year. Fully 96 percent of that deficit comes from nations with whom the U.S. does not have free trade agreements. Our manufactured goods trade deficit with our FTA partners is only $28 billion – 4 percent of the overall deficit. Moreover, the manufactured goods deficit with our FTA partners has not grown since 2001. One key to improving our economic growth is to sign more free trade agreements.

· Please support these four important agreements and urge Congressional leaders to schedule a vote on them early this fall. They are of enormous economic and strategic importance to the United States, and they deserve your prompt attention.

Jay Timmons

Senior Vice President for Policy
and Government Relations

Source: NAM

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TOPOFF 4 Seminar Emphasizes Preparedness: FEMA’s Paulison says exercises help prepare for real disasters

In a recent address at the TOPOFF 4 National Seminar on Federal Response Plans, FEMA Administrator Paulison emphasized the importance of exercises as an essential part of preparedness, saying that exercises like TOPOFF 4 give participating jurisdictions, agencies, and private sector partners "a focused system of opportunities to identify and resolve policy shortfalls, improve plans, and develop relationships." The TOPOFF 4 exercise is part of the National Exercise Program, a multi-year plan for conducting homeland security preparedness exercises involving all levels of government and the private sector.

Paulison said exercises are the U.S. government's primary tool to evaluate its capacity to perform in a crisis or emergency, because they indicate what responders and officials have learned and expose gaps in their training. In addition, he said that exercises enhance collaboration and coordination. "The more prepared we are, the better will be our response when it truly matters," he said.

TOPOFF 4 will link with other Department of Defense exercises that address global missions to combat terrorism and weapons of mass destruction. Its comprehensive nature involves all levels of federal, tribal, state, and local authorities, as well as critical private sector entities.

Source: DHS

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Small Businesses Develop Disaster Plans

Small businesses across the nation learned the lessons of Katrina, according to a new report. But while many are developing disaster plans, are the planning needs more complex than they think?

In an article on the CIO.com website, Joyce M. Rosenberg looks at how a number of small businesses have improved their plans in the past two years. She says that although many small businesses see the need for planning, there are still more who have yet to create the plan. Those plans are also a lot more complex.

“Companies in areas vulnerable to hurricanes and tornadoes are often the ones who sense the greatest exigency about disaster planning, but all small businesses need to be prepared – fires, vandalism and power outages are other events that can shut a business down and even threaten its existence,” Rosenberg says.

Throughout the article, Rosenberg looks at a number of small businesses that have worked hard to implement comprehensive plans. Those companies have discovered a need for more complex and detailed plans than they originally thought, Rosenberg says.

For example, Rosenberg looks at small business Thorp & Co., a Miami-based public relations firm that, prior to Katrina, had what now seems like a bare-bones disaster plan.

“We used to have a plan that mostly consisted of, ‘Here’s the call tree. Call the person above you and let them know you’re OK or if you need help,” founder Patricia Thorp told Rosenberg. But after Hurricane Wilma struck two years ago, Thorp said, she put a generator into the cottage behind her home and bought phones that don’t need electricity to work.

“We’ve done a lot of work the last two years,” Thorp added. “We all take it much more seriously than we used to – we never had a hurricane before where you could just throw your cell phone away because it was unusable.”

To read the full article, click here: Link

Source: Disaster Resource Guide

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DHS Provides Additional $260 Million in Supplemental Grants Funding Secretary says funds will help reach national preparedness goals

On Thursday, the department released supplemental Fiscal Year 2007 grant guidance and application kits for three grant programs: the Port Security Grant Program (PSGP), Transit Security Grant Program (TSGP), and Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) Program. The supplemental announcement of $260 million is in addition to $567 million awarded from the regular FY 2007 appropriations for these programs, totaling roughly $827 million this fiscal year.

“State and local governments will benefit from this additional influx of federal dollars to enhance security measures at our ports and transits systems,” said Secretary Chertoff. “It will also assist emergency managers with even more tools to build on national preparedness goals.”

The U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-28) provided an additional $110 million for the PSGP, $100 million for the TSGP, and $50 million for the EMPG.

Eligible applicants must apply for FY 2007 supplemental funding online at http://www.grants.gov.
Grant guidance and eligibility criteria for the supplemental funds are also available online. Although dollar amounts to some areas have been determined, all applicants must still submit completed applications no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Aug. 29. As required by Congress, the department anticipates awarding supplemental grants by Sept. 30, 2007.

More information is available at: http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/releases/pr_1187294574562.shtm.

Source: DHS

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September is National Preparedness Month

Over the past decade, Americans have endured tragedies including 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and the Virginia Tech massacre. During such times of crises, community members are often called to action to help protect our homeland. September is National Preparedness Month and Fire Corps programs across the nation are stepping up to assist their local fire/EMS departments in ensuring their communities are prepared for all types of emergencies and disasters.

Today, over 10,500 citizens volunteer in local Fire Corps programs. Often these volunteers help stop tragedies before they start by educating community members about fire prevention and life safety. Many Fire Corps members also receive training in first aid, amateur radio operations, emergency operations center duties, and other tasks that will allow them to contribute to recovery efforts after catastrophic events.

At the City of San Antonio Fire Department in Texas, Fire Corps members are working to prepare the city for the influx of refugees that will occur should the Texas coast become the target of a large hurricane. In June, the state held the Texas Hurricane Exercise (HUREX), which allowed cities across the state to practice evacuation activities and set up communication centers with very short notice. During HUREX, emergency communications volunteers, including many Fire Corps members, kept local emergency management officials in contact with their counterparts in coastal cities. Using amateur radios, these citizen volunteers reported vital information to officials regarding the number of evacuees to expect and whether or not these evacuees had medical needs, pets, or other special concerns. Because this data was gathered before the evacuees even left the coast, officials were able to prepare for their arrival by arranging for hospital beds, care facilities, and pet shelters in adv! ance.

In California, the devastation of a major earthquake and its aftershocks is something the state must be prepared to handle. Since it is expected that resources and emergency personnel would be strained in the event of a major earthquake, the quick mobilization of Fire Corps teams in such a scenario is imperative. Fullerton Fire Department’s Fire Corps recently participated in an Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) mobilization exercise drill at California State University-Fullerton in which they worked with the Fullerton Fire Department, a search and rescue team from Orange County, the campus police force, a hazardous materials team, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s California USAR Task Force 5.

The drill, which simulated an earthquake, required Fire Corps members to assist in locating several victims who were either trapped or missing. The scenario included the collapse of a parking structure next to the student dorms. Injured persons were also strategically located across the campus. Mark Shapiro, the District 5 Team Leader, noted that while Fullerton’s Fire Corps members do not have the same level of experience and tools that the professional urban search and rescue teams have, they are equipped with the basic skills and resources needed to offer crucial assistance until the professionals arrive.

"The drill was an excellent opportunity for us to hone our skills and build the confidence we will need to function effectively in an actual emergency," Shapiro said.

Two states away in Utah, Fire Corps teams have united together to prepare their communities not for earthquakes, but for wildfires. Every year, homes and lives in their state are at risk, many times unnecessarily. Fire Corps members are actively pushing wildland/urban interface safety in their area by conducting training classes for those in rural areas.

During these classes, homeowners learn how they can make their homes less susceptible to wildfires through methods such as strategic landscaping and by using fireproof materials on their homes’ exteriors. Open forums are also held during these sessions to allow agency representatives and area homeowners to discuss their concerns and develop solutions that meet everyone’s needs. Fire Corps members are working with the creators of the training courses to produce a version relevant to those who live in urban areas. In addition to homeowner training, these Fire Corps members are working to update educational materials that the state distributes to people who are concerned about wildfire.

The Fire Corps national office offers many resources to assist communities all across the nation prepare for emergencies. These include the Fire Corps National Preparedness Month Resource Center, which covers topics such as weather, terrorism, and health-related emergencies; the All-Ways Fire Safe at Home Fire Safety Module, a curriculum designed to teach fire and life safety to all ages, from pre-school to older adult; and more. To learn more about how Fire Corps programs can increase community preparedness, visit www.firecorps.org.

Source: Fire Corps

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Colorado Springs Fire Department Selected to Receive the
Benjamin Franklin Fire Service Award for Valor

Fairfax, Va., Aug. 23, 2007... Lieutenant Brian Moffitt, Driver Engineer Christopher Richardson, Firefighter Nicholas Chapel and Firefighter Ryan Douglas, of Colorado Springs Fire Department’s (CSFD) C-shift, have been selected as this year’s winners of the International Benjamin Franklin Fire Service Award for Valor. The award is co-sponsored by Motorola, Inc. and the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and will be presented at Fire-Rescue International on August 24 in Atlanta.

For 38 years, the International Benjamin Franklin Fire Service Award for Valor has recognized firefighters around the world for their expert training, their loyalty to their profession and their dedication to saving lives.

Not long after midnight on January 16, 2007, a call came in for a structure fire at the Castle West Apartments. Within seconds, many more calls began pouring in from both occupants trapped by the fire and witnesses outside. The burning apartment building was a 3-story, wood-frame, garden-level type of apartment with interior hallways and 135 units, covering most of a 2-block area. It was built in 1968, prior to fire code upgrades, and so it didn’t have a sprinkler or general-alarm system.

The fire spread rapidly throughout the entire building and escape stairways were very quickly fully involved in fire. When occupants tried to make their exits, they found the hallways and stairways blocked by heavy smoke and fire. The first firefighters were on scene within three minutes of being dispatched; when they arrived, they saw heavy black smoke pouring over the complex and many occupants already hanging off of balconies, preparing to jump or jumping with heavy fire engulfing their apartments and blowing over their heads.

According to Fire Chief Manuel Navarro, despite a rapid response, there was no chance of saving the building. “They did some initial attack and realized the fire was going to overwhelm them immediately,” Chief Navarro said. “They said, ‘We’re basically going to stop firefighting operations and just do rescues until we can get everyone out of here.’” Instead of extinguishing the blaze, all responding firefighters were ordered to focus on rescuing residents.

That night the temperature plummeted to just five degrees and the firefighters had to work in dangerous ice conditions and had little or no relief for hours. The initial attack and rescue included 107 operational personnel and another 17 in management and support roles using 27 pieces of apparatus. Nine crews from CSFD rescued 85 occupants from the building using ladders; most were rescued from balconies or upper-story windows. Truck 8 alone made 20 rescues off of ladders.

Truck 8 and the other companies not only made these rescues, but searched aggressively in very dangerous conditions to clear as many apartments as possible as the fire advanced. Truck 8’s crew was nominated for the Ben Franklin Award for Valor as the leading representative of all of CSFD’s crews who worked so diligently and bravely that night. “Every person involved in the Castle West rescues and firefighting efforts served our fire department and community proudly. I wish they could all be recognized in Atlanta for what they accomplished in extreme conditions. This award represents the entire department’s efforts,” stated Chief Navarro.

About the International Association of Fire Chiefs
The International Association of Fire Chiefs is the professional association for senior fire and emergency service leaders around the world, with a membership of nearly 13,000 fire chiefs and associated officials. An international organization, the IAFC counts among its members representatives from more than 30 countries, including Japan, Canada, Mexico, Australia and Ghana.

The mission of the IAFC is to provide leadership to career and volunteer chiefs, chief fire officers and managers of emergency service organizations throughout the international community through vision, information, education, services and representation to enhance their professionalism and capabilities.

For more information about the IAFC or the International Benjamin Franklin Fire Service Award for Valor, go to www.iafc.org/awards.

Source: IAFC

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Westermann Becomes International Association of Fire Chiefs' President

Fairfax, Va., Aug. 27, 2007... The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) installed Steven Westermann, fire chief of the Central Jackson County Fire Protection District in Blue Springs, Missouri, as its president during Fire-Rescue International in Atlanta. The installation ceremony was held the evening of Saturday, August 25, during the FRI Presidential Celebration.

As president, Chief Westermann will provide leadership to a 20-member board for the association located in Fairfax, Va., and will serve as the primary spokesperson for the association on matters of national and international interest. He will be called to testify at House and Senate hearings and is the representative dignitary for the association in all major political and international functions.

Chief Westermann has served as chief of department to the Central Jackson County Fire Protection District since 1988 and has been in the fire service since 1972. Prior to serving as a vice president, he served as the International Director for the Missouri Valley Division, president of the Missouri Valley Division and was on the IAFC's NFPA 1710 Implementation Guide Task Force.

Westermann is the former chair of the National Policy Centers Task Force. He has served as president of both the Heart of America Kansas City Metro Fire Chiefs Council and the Missouri Association of Fire Chiefs. He has a Master's in Public Administration from the University of Missouri-KC, is an EFO graduate and a graduate of the Senior Executives in State and Local Government program at Harvard University.

Westermann plans to focus on enhancing current partnerships and seeking new. One such partnership is the Labor-Management Initiative (LMI), formerly known as the Leadership Partnership Initiative. The LMI provides training and best practices that bring together individual departments' labor and management leaders to work together for a thriving, positive environment.

"An LMI workshop that I and my union counterpart attended in 2000 made a dramatic difference in our own department. For a time, the two sides in our department had been in the adversarial relationship, not untypical in the fire service. At the workshop, we looked at the baggage both sides were carrying, and we dropped it and started anew. The resulting atmosphere of trust and openness has enabled our department's labor and management to accomplish many initiatives together and I want that for all departments."

Additionally, Westermann is focusing efforts on growing the IAFC membership and creating more inclusiveness. He plans on investigating the potential of a new member classification more attuned to the needs of the company officer. "The most experienced members have retired or are nearing that time and newer members are still learning the basics, but without the frequent fire responses that seasoned their elders. Chiefs have a responsibility for succession planning in our departments: a responsibility to provide appropriate training, mentoring and preparation for company officers. I want them to have every opportunity to become successful fire chiefs."

At the IAFC dinner, Chief Kelvin Cochran, fire chief of the Shreveport (LA) Fire Department was installed as first vice president and will succeed Westermann in 2008 as president of the IAFC. Janesville (WI) Fire Department Fire Chief Larry Grorud won a spring election to become the Association's second vice president.

Established in 1873, the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) represents the leadership of over 1.2 million firefighters internationally. IAFC members are the world's leading experts in fire fighting, emergency medical services, terrorism response, hazardous materials spills, natural disasters, search & rescue, and public safety legislation.

Source: IAFC

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The United States Fire Administration (USFA) has received notice of the following firefighter fatality:

Name: Jeffrey Swartz
Rank: Firefighter
Age: 36
Gender: Male
Status: Volunteer
Years of Service: 1
Date of Incident: 08/19/2007
Time of Incident: 1900 hours
Date of Death: 08/19/2007

Fire Department: Wagener Fire Department
Address: 299 Park St., Wagener, SC 29164
Fire Department Chief: Mark Redd

Incident Description: Firefighter Swartz was responding to a cardiac
distress call when he lost control of his private vehicle. The vehicle
left the roadway, but Swartz corrected it back on to the road, striking
another vehicle. Swartz's vehicle then traveled off of the roadway
again, where it rolled and burst into flames at its final resting
position. Firefighter Swartz passed away from carbon monoxide inhalation
and thermal injuries. Swartz was wearing his seat belt. Both occupants
in the second vehicle involved in the incident were transported to the
hospital, but were listed in good condition the following day.

Funeral Arrangements: Visitation will be held from 1800-2100 hours on
08/22/2007 at Blizzard Funeral Home, Wagener. Funeral services will be
held at 1700 hours on 08/23/2007 at Bethcar Baptist Church. Interment will
be private.

Memorial Fund Contact and Address: Donations may be made to Wagener
Fire Department, 299 Park St., Wagener, SC 29164

Tribute is being paid to Firefighter Jeffrey Swartz at
http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/fatalities/

Source: USFA

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