Fire/Emergency Response News
Speed, Social Media and Crisis Communication
Organizations communicating health and safety information during a crisis need to respond quickly and in common terms when communicating to the public, otherwise audiences will seek information elsewhere...
CSB: ConAgra Explosion Likely Caused by Natural Gas
Based upon its ongoing investigation of the fatal June 9 ConAgra Foods explosion, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) said the blast likely was caused by natural gas that may have been purged into the building during a water heater installation...
GAO Report Finds Federal Agencies’ Flu Preparedness “Uneven,” Recommends Monitoring
In testimony before a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs subcommittee, Bernice Steinhardt, director of strategic issues at the Government Accountability Office (GAO), said some federal agencies are not fully prepared for a possible flu pandemic...
CSB Releases Safety Video on Need for Chemical Emergency Preparedness
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) recently released a new safety video showing the need for emergency response agencies, companies and communities to work closely together...
Two Workers Dead, Dozens Injured After Blast at N.C. ConAgra Foods Facility
An explosion rocked a ConAgra Foods facility in Garner, N.C. around 11:30 a.m. on June 9, killing two workers and sending more than 40 workers to local hospitals, four of them with critical burns. Four fighters were sent to the hospital after they inhaled ammonia, which is used at the facility as a refrigerant. ...
Fire Chief Jeff Johnson Testifies on Capitol Hill in Support of Better Hazmat Preparedness
Jeff Johnson called for improved national preparedness for the response to hazmat incidents during testimony before the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure’s Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials....
Government Urges Americans to Focus on Personal Emergency Preparedness During Hurricane Season
As Hurricane Season 2009 begins to ramp up, and with Katrina and other hurricanes still in the minds of many, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) continues to work with state, local and federal partners to increase preparedness and coordinate response and recovery in the case of a hurricane or disaster. FEMA also is urging Americans to use the annual start of hurricane season as a reminder to assess your personal readiness to respond to emergencies....
Public Comments Sought for Two Radiological Emergency Preparedness Documents
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is seeking public comment on two radiological emergency preparedness documents, published in the Federal Register. These documents will update emergency preparedness requirements for planning and response organizations surrounding operating nuclear power plants....
FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate Outlines Priorities With IAEM
The Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Administrator Craig Fugate addressed members of the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) attending their mid-year meeting at FEMA's Emergency Management Institute in Emmitsburg, Md., indicating the agency intends to focus on the public’s preparedness for emergencies....
AIHce: Communicating Risk and Effective Crisis Communications
Session speaker Pam Ferrante, CSP, CHMM, discussed key elements of effective crisis and risk communication at the American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Expo (AIHce) ...
Ready for Anything? An Emergency Response Checklist
Years ago, it was acceptable to factor loss of life into the planning for major public works projects like dams and bridges. In those days, safety in...
OSHA Adds Three Standards to Revised Shipyard Industry Document
In its recently revised Shipyard Industry Standards, OSHA published three additions: Fire Protection in Shipyard Employment, contamination issues related to hexavalent chromium and Employer Payment for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)....
New Center Aims to Improve Recovery of Soldiers with Severe Injuries
The new Georgia Tech Center for Advanced Bioengineering for Soldier Survivability is working to improve the recovery of soldiers with severe injuries by quickly moving newly developed tools and technologies from laboratories to use in military trauma centers....
Student Engineers Design Fire Suppression System
A group of graduating engineers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute designed a prototype of a new "smart" fire suppression system that pinpoints the location of a fire in a building ...
House Hearing: Ensuring Preparedness Against the Flu at School and Work
Protecting health care workers, first responders and other employees on the frontlines of a pandemic outbreak is key to strengthening the nation’s ability to fight viral outbreaks and keep the public safe, experts told the House Education and Labor Committee during a May 7 hearing....
National Police Week Honors Fallen Law Enforcement Officers
This year, the names of 387 fallen officers are being added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC. These officers include 133 who died in the line of duty during 2008, plus another 254 who died in previous years but had been lost to history until now....
CSB: Bayer Explosion Caused by Runaway Chemical Reaction
A large explosion and fire that took the lives of two workers at the Bayer CropScience plant in August 2008 was caused by a thermal runaway reaction during the production of an insecticide...
Controlling and Removing Static Electricity During Confined Space Entry Ventilation
EHS professionals need a clear, well-defined 'how-to' standard on the proper procedures for controlling and safely removing electrostatic charges during confined space ventilation....
Supporting Service Members with Combat Injuries
Service members returning from deployments with combat injuries may benefit from a recent Department of the Army grant awarded to the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) and the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress (CSTS)....
Company Pays Settlement for not Providing Toxic Chemical Info for First Responders
EPA recently reached a $241,290 settlement with the Angelus Sanitary Can Machinery Corp. of Los Angeles for allegedly failing to submit required toxic chemical reports...
IAFC: Investigation Following Virginia Firefighter’s Death May Impact National Firefighter Safety
The International Association of Fire Chief’s (IAFC) Safety, Health and Survival (SHS) section will address the national recommendations made in the Prince William County, Va., Department of Fire and Rescue’s investigative report following the 2007 line-of-duty death of a local firefighter. According to IAFC, its work with these recommendations could prevent future firefighter fatalities and have a nationwide impact on firefighter safety...
Your Guide to the Safe Handling of Flammable Liquids
In the March article, Your Guide To The Safe Handling Of Flammable Liquids, we discussed the chemistry of fire and some fire facts about flammable liquids,...
Responder Health and Safety: Who Cares for the Caregivers?
During emergency situations, such as natural or man-made disasters, often the last people thought to need care are the first responders, the caregivers....
DOJ Settles Lawsuit Alleging Firefighter Hiring Discrimination in Portsmouth, Va.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced March 25 that it has entered into a consent decree with the City of Portsmouth, Va., that, if approved by the court, will resolve the complaint that the city engaged in a pattern or practice of employment discrimination against African Americans in its hiring of entry-level firefighters, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII)....
Federal Program Has Improved Agencies' Preparedness for Bioterror or Disease Outbreaks
A federal program designed to help metropolitan public health agencies prepare to deliver essential medicines to the public after a large-scale bioterror attack or natural disease outbreak has succeeded in improving the level of readiness, according to a new RAND Corp. study. ...
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