E-update: May 20, 2008
May 20, 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. In this issue:
Focus on EMS During National EMS Week, May 18-24
Hundreds of grassroots activities coast-to-coast have been planned around this year’s theme, "EMS: Your Life is Our Mission." This statement was chosen to recognize the commitment that emergency medical personnel make to the communities they serve. This dedication to their mission provides round-the-clock care to communities across the nation. There are many ways Fire Corps volunteers can help their community’s first responders, both firefighters and emergency medical personnel. For example, the Ingleside (TX) Fire Corps program is working to promote the Vial-of-Life project, a program which encourages individuals to post their medical information on their refrigerators in order to assist emergency personnel in administering proper medical treatment. Fire Corps programs can participate in National EMS Week by recognizing outstanding emergency medical responders on their department web site or hosting an open-house to educate the public about your EMS services. The ACEP has created EMS Week Fact Sheets you can distribute during your EMS Week activities. You can customize the sheets with your department’s logo and contact information. Refer to the ACEP’s 2008 EMS Week Planning Guide and Ideas for a Successful EMS Week to find tips and activity ideas. Topics include hosting an open house; working with the media; joining one of the many national events held around the country; reaching out to special populations such as the elderly, children, and those with limited English proficiency; and more. EMS Week is supported by a network of partner organizations including the National Volunteer Fire Council and the International Association of Fire Chiefs. Learn more about National EMS Week. Fire Corps Coordinator Releases New Children's Fire Safety Book
As children follow the adventures of Sparkles, they learn valuable fire safety tips that will help keep them and their families safe. The book is based on the latest research presented in Oklahoma State University Fire Protection Publications’ comprehensive Fire Safety for Young Children, an Early Childhood Education Curriculum for children between the ages of four and five years old. Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog addresses four of the eight key fire safety concepts from the curriculum, including: recognizing the firefighter as a helper and a friend, knowing the sound and purpose of a smoke alarm, learning how to crawl low under smoke, and understanding the importance of practicing a home fire drill using an escape map. One of Hilton’s goals as an educator is to assist fire departments across the country with their fire and life safety educational programming. One of the ways in which her publishing company hopes to assist is to provide fire departments with the opportunity to purchase copies of the book at a promotional price. The department can then sell the book at full price and use the proceeds for their department’s fire and life safety educational efforts. Departments may want to solicit funds from local businesses and other sponsors to purchase the book at the promotional rate. Hilton’s next book, Sparkles Goes to Boston, will be released next year and will include additional fire safety messaging. Hilton and Sparkles will travel to Boston in June to take photos for the book with members of the Southborough Fire Department. They will also conduct fire safety programs for area children. For more information about Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog, please visit Hilton’s web site at www.firehousedogpublishing.com or contact Hilton at dayna@firehousedogpublishing.com. Nominate a Deserving Firefighter for a New HomeExtreme Makeover: Home Edition is looking for a firefighter whose house and family need help. The show is accepting nominations for a firefighter who has displayed heroism or has proven to be a positive role model within the community, but whose family is in dire need of a new home. Firefighters put their lives on the line everyday to ensure the safety and security of their communities. If there is a firefighter within your department that can benefit from a home makeover, Fire Corps members can take this opportunity to nominate them today. Learn more and view nomination guidelines. 2008 Firewise Leadership Awards: Call for NominationsAwards promote local, regional, state efforts to reduce wildfire riskThe national Firewise Communities Program is calling for nominations for its third annual awards program to recognize outstanding efforts to promote a cooperative approach to reducing the loss of lives, property, and resources in the wildland/urban interface. The Firewise Leadership Awards are open to individuals and organizations conducting wildland fire mitigation activities in residential developments in the wildland/urban interface. Eligible Firewise efforts may include, but are not limited to:
Beyond recognition, the Firewise Leadership Awards program helps program administrators capture success stories and share best practices across the country, between all types of interests – public, private, and tribal. The Firewise Leadership Awards are open to a maximum of the following every year:
The 2008 Firewise Leadership Awards winners will be announced in November at the bi-annual National Wildland/Urban Interface Fire Education Conference, "Backyards and Beyond," in Tampa, Florida. All entries must be submitted by June 30, 2008. Visit www.firewise.org/awards for entry guidelines and forms. E-mail questions to firewiseawards@nfpa.org. The national Firewise Communities program is an interagency program designed to encourage local solutions for wildfire safety by involving homeowners, community leaders, planners, developers, firefighters, and others in the effort to protect people and property from the risk of wildfire. For more information, visit www.firewise.org. Department Profile: Mesquite Fire Corps, TexasThe Mesquite (TX) Fire Corps’ mission is to augment & compliment the Mesquite Fire Department. Mesquite’s 14 Fire Corps members support the department’s activities and receive training appropriate to their duties. Their responsibilities include:
Fire Corps members recently provided critical support to the City of Mesquite in search and recovery efforts during a flash flood that claimed one life. Mesquite officials praised the regional cooperation during the rescue efforts, noting that, “it is unfortunate it takes such events to highlight the importance of regional response teams, but it is during such times that we also find the value of that service. No one city can provide for all of the resources needed to meet all hazards, which is why we are stronger and more effective working together than we are as individual communities.” Mesquite Fire Corps and surrounding Citizen Corps programs in North Central Texas, including the City of Rowlett Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), made such a positive impression on the Mayor and City Council members during the flood that the Mesquite City Council passed Resolution No. 17-2008 on April 7. The resolution endorsed regional emergency planning and response, officially recognized agencies that willingly offered a helping hand, and encouraged other entities to continue to support regional planning and preparedness initiatives in North Central Texas. Learn more about the Mesquite Fire Corps program.
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 EMS Week Prevention, Advocacy, Resources and Data Exchange (PARADE) Co-Chairs Meeting Firehouse Expo Fire Rescue International (FRI) To be removed from this list please enter your email on the unsubscribe page.  |
This week is National EMS Week, a time to celebrate and honor those serving in the emergency medical field. Brought to you by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), this event brings together local communities and emergency medical personnel to publicize safety and honor the dedication of those who provide the day-to-day lifesaving services on the medical front line.
Firefighter and Public Educator Dayna Hilton of Clarksville, AR, has added two new hats: that of publisher and author. Hilton, Fire Corps Coordinator for the Johnson County Rural Fire District #1 fire safety team, released her new children’s book, Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog, on April 11 at the Fire Department Instructor’s Conference in Indianapolis, IN. The book is named after Hilton’s Dalmatian, whom Hilton has trained to help teach fire safety messages to children.
