UC Davis: Student Resident Firefighter Program

UC Davis is one of only three universities in the country that has its own fire department and a student residency program that gives ... all » undergraduate and graduate students an opportunity to work alongside career firefighters. Alumni from the firefighting program have gone on to work in fire departments throughout the United States. Some have stayed local, including the assistant fire chief, Wes Arvin. For more information about the program, click here.

Mechanical Failure Causes Dallas Gas Explosions

Click here to watch 10 minutes of the raw fire footage

Investigators on Wednesday said a gas canister leak sparked an explosion at an industrial supply plant near downtown Dallas that injured three people, forced evacuations and closed down freeways.

According to a City of Dallas press release, a mechanical failure of pig-tailed acetylene cylinders is to blame for the blasts at Southwest Industrial Gases at 538 S. Industrial Blvd. at around 9:50 a.m. The "pig-tails" are the flexible hoses that attach to the top of the tanks.

"There were 100,000 cubic feet of acetylene gas in individual containers in a trailer located at the dock area. A leak was discovered. The employee that discovered the leak went inside and told the owner of the company. The owner and the employee went to the dock area with a fire hose in an attempt to keep the cylinders cool. Before they could cool the tanks a fire ignited," according to the release.

The co-owner of the business, 56-year-old Daniel McMurry, and company manager Randall Bibb, age 52, suffered burns when they attempted to put out the fire. They were listed in serious condition at Parkland Hospital.
A third man injured was a truck driver for GWS Welding Supply who was at the facility to refill empty cylinders. His employer, Buddy Dean, told FOX 4 that the building exploded before the driver could enter.

The driver hurt his back when he jumped from his truck. He was taken to Methodist Central Hospital.


The blast spewed flaming debris into the surrounding area, including parts of tanks that flew like missiles onto nearby I-35. Other debris broke windows several hundred yards away at Reunion Arena and the Hyatt Hotel.

Emergency workers decided to evacuate one-mile perimeter around the site, including several businesses and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.


Acetylene is a colorless, highly flammable and explosive gas used for metal welding and cutting.

Acetylene poses a minimal health risk when burned, according to health officials on the scene.


Dallas County health officials were at the scene monitoring air quality and said they had not detected any toxic or hazardous gases.

An eyewitness who works in the nearby courthouse said the explosion caused that building to shake.
TXU said it had cut power to Union Station at the request of the fire department to protect firefighters from electrocution.

A team from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board is investigating the incident.

The CSB is an independent federal agency charged with investigating industrial chemical accidents. It does not issue fines or citations but instead makes safety recommendations.

Job Security

Firefighter's Prayer

FIREFIGHTER'S PRAYER
-Anon

When I am called to duty, God
Whenever flames may rage,
Give me the strength to save some life
Whatever be its age,
Help me embrace a little child
Before it is too late
Or save an older person from
The horror of that fate
Enable me to be alert and
Hear the weakest shout
And quickly and efficiently
To put the fire out
I want to fill my calling and
To give the best in me,
To guard my every neighbor and
Protect his property
And if according to my fate
I am to lose my life,
Please bless with your
protecting hand
My children and my wife.

Two firefighters among four killed in San Pablo fire

San Jose Mercury News - Two firefighters among four killed in San Pablo fire They were caught in the flashover while attempting to rescue the occupants.

SAN PABLO, Calif.—An early-morning house fire Saturday killed four people, including two firefighters trapped by surging flames while trying to rescue one of the home's residents, authorities said.
Fire Captain Matt C. Burton, 34, of Concord and Fire Engineer Scott P. Desmond, 37, of Brentwood died in the blaze that broke out around 1:45 a.m., said Emily Hopkins, spokeswoman for the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District.

A 67-year-old man and a 62-year-old woman who lived in the San Pablo house also died in the blaze. Their names were not yet released.

One of the residents had already been found when the firefighters plunged back into the burning building to find the other person.

Firefighters on the scene then "heard kind of a whoosh sound, and the fire started going through the rooms," Contra Costa Fire Chief Keith Richter said. "That trapped the firefighters."

The men were wearing standard safety equipment when they were caught in a "flashover" in which hot gasses trapped in a burning structure ignite in a sudden burst of flame, Richter said.

PEPCON Explosion in Henderson NV

Training BLEVE

1:27

Water & elements that don't play well together

What happens when alkali metals enter in contact with water? (I'll give you a hint, it goes BOOM!)3:16

BLEVES

What is that funny sound the news crew wonders? uh oh.
5:42

Drunk Cowboy

Cowboy gets pulled over for DUI. It appears he is both a happy and talented drunk...just not a smart one! lol 2 mins. enjoy

Fire Crew Tests Skills -on Wrong House

ABC News: Fire Crew Tests Skills _ on Wrong House
D'oh! Don't you hate it when things like this happen?

It looked like a textbook training exercise, but there was something amiss.

Firefighters drove to a vacant house on Tuesday, cut holes in the roof and walls, and broke windows to test their tools and their proficiency.

The problem? It was the wrong house.

They were supposed to be two blocks away at a house slated for demolition.

The owners of the damaged home now want the town pay for the mistake, but they're trying to keep a sense of humor about it.

"Accidents happen," said Jeffrey Luu, who owns the house with his brother, Clayton. "Luckily, nobody got hurt," added Clayton Luu.

The home had been vacant since an electrical fire last year left a scorch mark up one side. The knee-high grass had not been cut in several weeks. The owners were planning a renovation of the house just not this much of one.

The fire department is conducting an internal investigation, Deputy Chief John Donahue said in a statement, but officials otherwise remained tightlipped and red-faced about the incident.

Meanwhile, the house where the firefighters were supposed to train was demolished later Tuesday as scheduled.

Firefighter Impersonator Scams Restaurants: There's a hair in my food!

Funny, he didn't LOOK like a firefighter....
Firefighters are warning people to look out for a man posing as a Casselberry fireman in order to get refunds from restaurants.

The manager of a local Mexican grill said the man told him that he took food to the firehouse for the other guys and there was hair in it, but it didn't seem to be true.

Officials said not too many firefighters are 5 feet 11 inches and 550 pounds.

It is a felony to impersonate a fireman.

Click here to watch the video.

Firefighter Arrested For Making False 911 Calls

A South-Central Kentucky firefighter has been arrested after allegedly making false 911 calls because he was bored.

Eighteen-year-old Joshua Garmon is a member of the East Barren Volunteer Fire Dept. Garmon was charged July 15, 2007, with nine counts of falsely reporting an incident.

The false calls came from cell phones that don't work, except for emergency calls.

Detective Rusty Anderson said Garmon reportedly made false reports of fires and wrecks with injuries because he wanted to go on fire runs.

Click photo to enlarge!

Training Mistake

Vapor density. Flammable range. Movement of gases. Apparently all this firefighter knew was that gas makes big fire....like magic.

Japan earthquake in pictures-WWFD?

The city of Kashiwazaki was hardest hit by a 6.8-magnitude earthquake that struck central Japan on Monday. These are photos of the damage. Here is the story.
WWFD? (What would FEMA do?)

Another reason to plan your escape!

Wildland Fires & Resources

Fire in Reno area briefly forces hundreds to evacuate

RENO, Nev.—A fast-moving wildfire Monday threatened hundreds of homes and briefly forced the evacuations of many residents in the upscale Caughlin Ranch area in southwest Reno.

Reno Fire Department spokesman Steve Frady said the smoky blaze that broke out around 2:30 p.m. was fanned by winds gusting to 30 mph and had burned more than 900 acres of brush and some timber. More than 180 firefighters were battling the fire, aided by two air tankers. More fire crews were en route to the area.

Frady said officials had ordered evacuations of 150 to 250 residences, as the flames crept up to some backyards. By Monday evening, the fire began moving south, away from the homes, and most evacuees were allowed to return. Residents who lived closest to the fire line remained under the evacuation order.

Fires Force Evacuations Near Santa Barbara- Firefighters Tackle Stubborn Wildfire In Wine Country; Hundreds Are Advised To Leave Their Homes

Firefighters tackled a stubborn wildfire Tuesday in the mountains of Santa Barbara's wine country, with several hundred residents advised to leave their homes over concern that a shift in the wind could push flames their way.

Officials issued the voluntary evacuation notice — the first since the fire began on July 4 — Monday evening.

At the time, the 43-square-mile blaze in the Los Padres National Forest had come within about two miles of some homes, said Santa Barbara County Fire Capt. Eli Iskow.

The notice covered a swath of land where Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch is located. Jackson has not been living at the ranch. It was unknown if residents or staff members had evacuated.

The evacuation affected more than 1,000 residents living in and around Los Olivos, a popular tourist spot northwest of Santa Barbara known for its wineries.

For more information on wildland fires check out the following links:
National Interagency Fire Center: Current fire information for the United States
Wildfire Interactive Photo essays, the worst U.S. fires, facts on fire science and health issues.
WildlandFire.com Home of the Wildland FirefighterHere you'll find current wildland fire information, along with wildland fire photos, current news, jobs, training, links, and much more.
Wildland Firefighters Foundation: Care of burned wildland firefighters.
Wildland Firefighter Magazine: Articles on events and issues in wildland firefighting.
Wildland Fire Training Local Area, Geographic Area, National, and other Wildland Fire Training information. The home page also contains current training news and a comment section.
A wildland firefighter speaks. From National Geographic. What's life like for the men and women who fight the nearly 100000 wildfires in the United States each year? Hear a wildland firefighter in his own words.
Wildland Firefighter Apprentiship Program Information on wildland firefighter apprentice recruitment, academy dates, academy pre-work, apprentice forms.
Firewise Resources for homeowners, community leaders, planners, developers in Urban/Wildland Interface Zones.
International Association of Wildland Fire Facilitate communication and providez leadership for the wildland fire community.
Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center
Let Malibu Burn: A Political History of the Fire Coast An exploration of the creation of a fire community.

Before pallet blaze, fire officials considered closing company

Before pallet blaze, fire officials considered closing company
Click the link above for the entire story. More photos and video at the link!

Phoenix fire officials said the department was considering shutting down Sonoma Pacific of Arizona before Thursday's pallet-fueled blaze at 27th Avenue and Buckeye Road.

Three fire marshal visits in the past four months resulted in documentation of various fire code violations, including improper wood storage, weed overgrowth, and fire apparatus location. Company officials maintain they corrected the problems as soon as they were notified.

The fire, possibly sparked by an arsonist, started at about 9 p.m. and burned through piles of wooden pallets at the Sonoma Pacific of Arizona. The blaze spread to parked semi-trailers at a neighboring trucking company. The surrounding area is a mix of homes, business and industrial yards.

Phoenix Fire Department Chief Bob Khan said the fire was difficult to extinguish because of the code violations.

Jobs!!

Employee Opportunity
http://www.cityofwoodland.org/hr
THE CITY OF WOODLAND, CA INVITES YOUR APPLICATION FOR FIRE PREVENTION SPECIALIST I/I(Closes 7/30) QUALIFICATIONS:
Fire Prevention Specialist I:$3576.10--$4346.77 Monthly
Knowledge of: English grammar and report writing techniques; Mathematics sufficient to compute fire prevention statistics; Computer data entry skills.

Ability to: Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing; establish and maintain cooperative relationships with those contacted in the course of work; learn the operating procedures and details of the fire prevention function of the City's Fire Department.

Experience and Training: Any combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying.

License or Certificates: Possession of a valid California Driver's License.

Fire Prevention Specialist II:$3845.34--$4674.03 Monthly
Knowledge of: Codes pertaining to fire safety, life safety and building construction; Hazardous materials, use and storage; Basic fire science and fire terminology.

Ability to: Understand, interpret and enforce fire and life safety codes and regulations. Assist in fire investigations. Maintain records and prepare reports. Respond effectively, orally and in writing, to citizens' inquiries and complaints. Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with fire department personnel and others encountered in the course of work.

Education: Certification as a Fire Prevention Officer I through the State Fire Marshal's office or the completion of 15 units or a comparable number of hours in Fire Science related courses with emphasis in Fire Prevention, Fire Protection and Fire Investigation.

Experience: Two years of fire prevention experience in a governmental fire agency.

OTHER OPENINGS:
UC Berkley: Deputy Fire Marshal/EH&S Specialist II (Until Filled)
Annual Salary Range: $52,620 – $96,588
City of Woodland: Fire Marshal/Battalion Chief (Closes 8/6)
Annual Salary Range: $82,070 - $95,006
City of Gilroy: Paid Call Firefighter Salary: $12.81 Hourly; Firefighter I/II Paramedic Salary: $82,247.00 - $104,604.00 Annually

Mark your calendars! City of Las Vegas will be accepting applications for FIREFIGHTER TRAINEE October 1-12, 2007. Click here for more information!