E-Update: April 16, 2008
April 16, 2008
Welcome to the Fire Corps E-Update. Fire Corps is a locally-driven Citizen Corps program that allows community members to offer their time and talents to their local fire and EMS departments in non-operational roles. Fire Corps serves as a gateway to information for and about fire and EMS department programs and meets a citizen's desire to serve as well as a department's need for support.
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Applications for National Junior Firefighter Scholarship and Grant Program Due May 15Does your Fire Corps program have youth who help with non-emergency tasks in the department? Are they interested in continuing their involvement in the emergency services? If so, consider registering your youth program with the National Volunteer Fire Council’s (NVFC) National Junior Firefighter Program. Registration is free, and your program will be eligible for the National Junior Firefighter Scholarship and Grant Program, sponsored by Dunkin’ Brands Community Foundation. Ten $5,000 scholarships will be awarded to junior firefighters nationwide who demonstrate commitment and dedication to their local junior firefighter program and the fire service. In addition, the departments of each of the winning students will receive a grant of $5,000. The application and criteria for the competitive scholarships are available on the NVFC web site at www.nvfc.org/juniors. Applications must be received by May 15. Department members, junior firefighter program coordinators, and Fire Corps volunteers are encouraged to inform their department’s junior members about this opportunity. Scholarships can be applied to a two- or four-year institution of higher learning, a trade school, or a certification program. The corresponding grants to departments must be used to benefit the departments’ junior firefighter program. Applicants must meet the following criteria:
The National Junior Firefighter Program helps fire and EMS organizations nationwide develop, grow, and promote local programs that encourage youth participation in the fire and emergency services. In addition, youth can use the Program to find out how to join a local fire, rescue, or EMS organization, keep track of their hours of service, and earn exciting rewards after spending a set number of hours helping their department. The Program is supported by the Dunkin’ Brands Community Foundation and Spartan Motors, Inc. Register the youth component of your Fire Corps program with the NVFC National Junior Firefighter Program. The NVFC has released a podcast which you can use as a resource for establishing a youth program or for maintaining or expanding an existing program. The podcast introduces departments to the National Junior Firefighter Program and offers insights and best practices for establishing and managing a local youth program within a department. Firehouse.com recorded the podcast, which is available online at www.radiofirehouse.com, on the NVFC web site at http://nvfc.org/index.php?id=1036, and can be downloaded from iTunes. Learn more about the NVFC National Junior Firefighter Program, scholarship criteria, and application process, and download the application at www.nvfc.org/juniors. The scholarships and grants will be awarded during Firehouse Expo in July. Fire Corps Participates in Vision 20/20 Washington ForumFire claims an average of 4,000 lives and $12.7 billion in property damage each year. Fire Corps joined fire safety experts from across the nation for the Vision 20/20 Washington Forum in Washington, DC, from March 31-April 1 to develop a national strategic agenda to reduce the loss of life and property from fire.
Crawford saw a common theme emerge from the 170 participants, all of whom are passionate about fire and life safety. "They want to see action. They want to show that taxpayers' money was not wasted." More information about Vision 20/20 is available at www.strategicfire.org. Recognize Your Volunteers During National Volunteer Week: April 27 - May 3National Volunteer Week starts April 27, providing an excellent opportunity to recognize the work of millions of volunteers nationwide and promote the spirit of volunteerism among the general public. Use this time to recognize your Fire Corps members and let them know how valuable they are to your organization. It is also a great time to reach out to your community to recruit new Fire Corps members to support your department. National Volunteer Week was created in 1974 when President Richard Nixon signed an executive order to establish the week as an annual celebration of volunteering. Every year since, each U.S. President, along with many governors, mayors, and other elected officials, has signed a proclamation promoting National Volunteer Week. The Points of Light & Hands On Network offers a National Volunteer Week Toolkit with planning materials, sample media releases, and more, available online at www.pointsoflight.org/programs/seasons/nvw/. Recognize the hard work and commitment of your volunteers by highlighting them on the Fire Corps web site. Simply fill out the Fire Corps Profile Information Sheet and email, along with photos and captions, to info@firecorps.org. Consider nominating your Fire Corps members for the President’s Volunteer Service Award. Fire Corps is a Certifying Organization for this national honor. To nominate your volunteers and nationally recognize their contributions, send an email with subject line “PVSA” to info@firecorps.org. The email must include the nominee’s contact information, a detailed description of his or her service, and the number of hours volunteered. Learn more about the President’s Volunteer Service Award. Arson Awareness Week is May 4-10, 2008The 2008 Arson Awareness Week campaign will be observed from May 4-10. This year’s theme is “Toylike Lighters – Playing with Fire.” Toylike or novelty lighters have been responsible for injuries, deaths, and accidents across the nation. Some local and state governments are taking action by banning their sale and limiting distribution. Children are attracted to novelty lighters because they look like toys. This mistake has proven to be deadly. On September 25, 2007, 15-month-old Peyton Edwards and 2-year-old Breydon Edwards of Russellville, AR, died after setting fire to their apartment with a motorcycle-shaped lighter. Children are not the only ones fooled by novelty lighters. Beaverton, MI, resident Laura Fowler purchased a novelty lighter for her 4-year-old child after mistaking it for a toy. In 2006, a South Carolina woman shot herself in the hand while attempting to light a cigarette with what she thought was a pistol-shaped novelty lighter. Arson Awareness Week offers an opportunity for Fire Corps members to focus on the issue of toy-like lighters. Fire Corps members can play a critical role in teaching the difference between tools and toys, not only to children, but to parents as well. Educate parents on the difficulty children have in deciphering a novelty lighter from a toy and how they can take preventative measures by ridding their household of such items. Fire Corps members may also choose to advocate for the ban of novelty lighters in their region or state. Use Arson Awareness Week to launch your Fire Corps program’s efforts to help prevent tragedies and make our homes and communities safer. Visit the U.S. Fire Administration’s web site at www.usfa.dhs.gov for more information. Department Profile: Ingleside Volunteer Fire Department, TXThe Ingleside Volunteer Fire Department, located near the Corpus Christi Bay in Texas, has had a long-standing history of volunteerism. The department was founded in the early 1940’s when local residents joined together to gather equipment and supplies needed to protect its population. Dedicated individuals worked to evolve the service into a full-time operation based entirely on volunteers. The department’s enthusiasm to help friends and neighbors is still strong today, not only from Ingleside’s first responders, but also from the members of the Ingleside Fire Corps (IFC). The IFC is comprised of 17 community members and spouses of Ingleside’s first responders. They registered with Fire Corps in August 2006 and have donated over 735 hours to help with the department’s non-emergency activities. These include administrative functions, fundraising, fire and life safety education, providing refreshments at long incidents, public relations, pre-plan research, apparatus and facility maintenance, and more. During Fire Prevention Week in October, the Ingleside Volunteer Fire Department and Fire Corps members held a series of events which included traveling to local elementary schools to teach fire and life safety messages to the students. The week concluded with the department’s annual Fire & Emergency Services Expo, where firefighters and the IFC team provided residents with activities designed to promote fire safety and prevention. Firefighters from the neighboring Corpus Christi Fire Department and representatives of the Ingleside Police Department, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Halo Flight Air Ambulance, and other local and regional entities all participated. The event was such a success that the IFC members were asked to help with the Corpus Christi Fire Department’s Fire Expo in April. The Director of the South Texas/Coastal Bend Fire Training Academy also requested the IFC’s assistance to provide snacks, water, and administrative help at various academy functions. The IFC also contributes to other special events, including the Ingleside Volunteer Fire Department’s annual haunted house and a Little League Opening Ceremonies Parade. Fundraising events are an essential service the IFC provides the department. Members recently hosted a silent auction during an Easter egg hunt at the department. For Valentine’s Day, the IFC’s combined a car wash with a raffle to raise over $400 for the program. These events provide a way for the department to connect with the community while relaying essential safety messages in a fun environment. Members of the IFC are coordinating with the city’s emergency management team on a Special Needs Registry to keep special needs resident’s information up to date. This will allow department personnel or other community members to locate individuals who may need assistance in case of an emergency involving evacuation. IFC members receive Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training so individuals are able assist the department in the case of an emergency. Some IFC members are also working to become Red Cross Certified Instructors for CPR, AED, and First-Aid. The Fire Corps team was recently successful in obtaining a grant to purchase a trailer that can be deployed during a disaster or used for community functions. Some members have received driver/operator certification for the department’s command unit, which is used for rehab and personnel transport.
Calendar of EventsBelow is a list of events that Fire Corps staff will be attending, as well as nationally recognized dates which Fire Corps would like to acknowledge. National Volunteer Week Arson Awareness Week Prevention, Advocacy, Resources and Data Exchange (PARADE) Co-Chairs Meeting Firehouse Expo Fire Rescue International (FRI) National Firefighter Health Week National Preparedness Month Fire Prevention Week To be removed from this list please enter your email on the unsubscribe page. 
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