E-update: June 17, 2008
June 17, 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:
June is Home Safety MonthAccording to the Home Safety Council (HSC), fire and/or burns are the third leading cause of unintentional home injury in the U.S. June is Home Safety Month, providing a perfect opportunity for Fire Corps teams to take a hands-on approach, reach out to the public, and work to reduce this unfortunate statistic.
The HSC is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing home-related injuries that result in nearly 20,000 deaths and 21 million medical visits on average each year. Through national programs, partnerships, and the support of volunteers, HSC educates people of all ages about home safety. Learn more about the HSC and Home Safety Month. Fire/EMS Safety, Health, and Survival Week: June 22-28
Fire Corps members can promote health, safety, and survival in their department by utilizing the suggested activities and materials, which emphasize three key areas where standard operating procedures, policies, and initiatives – along with the training and enforcement that support them – can limit fire/EMS personnel’s risk of injury or death. These areas include vehicle safety, wellness-fitness programs, and personal protective equipment. Fire Corps members, whether they are retired firefighters, public educators, fitness instructors, or family and friends of emergency personnel, can make a difference to improve the safety, health, and the overall survival of our nation’s first responders. Theme Announced for Fire Prevention Week 2008: "Prevent Home Fires!"
The National Fire Protection Association announced that the theme for Fire Prevention Week 2008 (October 5-11) will be, “It’s Fire Prevention Week – Prevent Home Fires!” Start planning your Fire Prevention Week activities now. Learn more about Fire Prevention Week and access resources. Fire Corps and the National Volunteer Fire Council will once again team up to release tips and resources to help you distribute important fire prevention messages. Stay tuned to the Fire Corps E-update and web site in the coming months for more information. Fire Corps Funding Opportunity: Fireman’s Fund Heritage ProgramIs your Fire Corps program looking for additional funding opportunities? The Fireman's Fund Heritage program is a national community-based program that provides funds for equipment, fire prevention tools, firefighter training, fire safety education, and community emergency response programs. Fireman's Fund employees and agents award grants and provide volunteer support for local fire departments, national firefighter organizations, and burn prevention/treatment organizations. Fire Corps members can tap into this resource to help their program and department expand its activities, such as by creating pamphlets with fire prevention tips to distribute in the community or ordering smoke alarms to install in residential homes. If your Fire Corps volunteers help with the department’s fundraising activities, consider utilizing the Heritage Program to secure funding for needed gear and equipment for the department’s first responders. Visit the Fireman’s Fund Heritage web site to get answers to frequently asked questions, take the survey, or to learn more about the grant program. Department Profile: Glendale (AZ) Fire Department Crisis Response Program
The Glendale (AZ) Fire Department strives to provide rapid response to community needs, caring service for everyone, innovative efforts to save life and property, and professional performance at all times. To compliment this mission, the department established the Crisis Response Program (CR) and registered with Fire Corps in March of 2008. CR volunteers provide assistance, guidance, referral, and grief support to citizens at emergency scenes and during crises or tragedies. Once the team arrives, firefighters and police are able to go back in service and respond to the needs of other citizens, knowing the highly qualified CR team is taking care of affected community members. Members come from a variety of diverse backgrounds and include a housewife and a Dean of Students at a local University. Interns pursuing their bachelor and master degrees from several local universities also volunteer with the unit, along with Emergency Medical Technicians from the local community college. CR delivers an innovative service that involves immediate crisis intervention to family, victims, and witnesses of a tragic event such as fire, drowning, unexpected death, or crime. The program has been an effective tool for the past five years and the trained volunteers have contributed over 80,047 hours in 2007 alone. The value the CR volunteers have provided to the Glendale Fire Department and the community is estimated at more than $1.5 million, based on the Independent Sector’s estimate that the hourly value of volunteer time is $19.51. Volunteers are recruited through various mediums, such as the city’s web site and informational brochures. If selected, they receive 90 hours of training from a Regionalized Crisis Intervention Training Team. This training includes: Victimology, Crisis Intervention, Communication Skills, Sudden & Violent Death, Stages of Grief, Death Notification, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, On Scene Safety, Incident Command, NIM’s, Sexual Assault, Infection Control, Mental Health, Suicide, Vulnerable Adults (Abuse & Neglect), Victim & Legal Issues, Child Maltreatment, Children & Trauma, Substance Abuse, Domestic Violence, Stress Management, Diversity, and more. The program was initiated to increase response reliability for fire and police units. By dispatching the CR volunteers to an incident, the team is able to relieve the emergency response units to go back into service and mitigate the incident when it is appropriate to do so. Previously, once the firefighters extinguished the fire or other emergency, they often had to respond to another call, leaving the family with little information on how to cope with the loss. Now CR volunteers are dispatched to this same response scene and assist the family in crisis intervention, helping with contacting insurance companies, locating shelter, and identifying all immediate needs such as food, water, clothing, and medication. The CR program recently received funding through the city and will be included in the 2009 budget. In addition, the team has several partnerships within the business community and educational sector, and secures private and corporate donations to support its operating needs. Lynette Jelinek, Human Services Division Manager of the Glendale Fire Department, stated, “In a career fire department, having paid personnel and volunteers work collaboratively may be challenging. However, the Glendale Fire Department personnel support the volunteers of the CR program and understand that the volunteers are the foundation of the Crisis Response service delivery. Without volunteers, the Crisis Response Unit would not exist. The program is a benefit to the community, the Glendale Fire Department, and nearby cities. The program can provide the necessary guidance to make a difference in someone’s life during a very difficult time.” Learn more about the CR 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. Fire/EMS Safety, Health, and Survival Week Prevention, Advocacy, Resources and Data Exchange (PARADE) Co-Chairs Meeting Firehouse Expo Fire Rescue International (FRI) National Firefighter Health Week Fire Prevention Week To be removed from this list please enter your email on the unsubscribe page.  |
The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF), and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), all members of the Fire Corps National Advisory Committee, have partnered to support the 2008 Fire/EMS Safety, Health, and Survival Week, scheduled for June 22-28. The theme for the week is “Committed to Long-Term Results,” which encourages long-term investments by both chiefs and firefighters to enhance their health and safety. The ultimate goal is to institute a strong culture of health and safety within the fire and emergency medical services.
