Fire Engineering wins Jesse H. Neal Journalism Award
Fire Engineering was presented with its 12th Jesse H. Neal National Business Journalism Award in March at the 48th Annual Jesse H. Neal National Business Journalism Awards luncheon at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. Out of more than 1,000 entries, Fire Engineering was one of only 23 winners.
“Searching Smarter” by Deputy Chief John “Skip” Coleman of the Toledo (OH) Department of Fire and Rescue won top prize in the “Best how-to article or subject-related series of how-to articles” category. The article described in detail the oriented search method. The judges noted that “it will surely help to save lives.”
Fire Engineering was a finalist in the “Best single article category” as well. It was cited for “Our Most Tragic Day: Initial Report,” an overview of the momentous events of the morning of September 11, 2001, at the World Trade Center in New York City and a tribute to the 343 Fire Department of New York (FDNY) firefighters who perished there.
In a tribute to the late FDNY Deputy Chief Raymond Downey, Fire Engineering parent company Pennwell Corporation’s President and Chief Executive Officer Robert Biolchini spoke at the awards luncheon: “Ray led the charge on September 11, and he was here at this luncheon in 1996 when Fire Engineering received the first Grand Neal award. We feel he’s here in spirit today.” But, Biolchini added, “ellipse even this fearless firefighter was no match for what happened on September 11. He lost his life doing what he always did-helping people.”
Downey’s son, Joseph, a captain with FDNY Squad 18, was present as Biolchini told the audience of business press professionals that Fire Engineering has created the tax-free Courage and Valor (C&V) Foundation to honor Ray Downey’s memory and “firefighters who show exceptional heroism in the line of duty.” Each year, at the Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC) in Indianapolis, a C&V medal and a cash award anticipated to be between $40,000 and $50,000 will be awarded to a firefighter (or his/her family members if the firefighter is deceased) in perpetuity. The first C&V award was presented to Ray Downey’s widow this year at the FDIC. The award will be known as the “Ray Downey Courage and Valor Award.”
Biolchini invited audience members “who share our grief, our pride, and our gratitude” to contribute to the Foundation and to remember forever the courage and valor of the U.S. firefighters. “It would be a gift from America’s business-to-business media to the nation’s firefighters who risk their lives every day to keep us safe,” he said.
FDNY Chief Daniel Nigro read a proclamation issued by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg declaring the day “American Business Media Day in New York City. “What you do is journalism of the highest order,” Nigro told the audience; “all should be thankful for having you as our watchdogs.”
Monument to memorialize responders
Responders to emergency management and civil defense incidents will be memorialized in a 12-foot-high, 15-ton pyramid-shaped monument to be erected on the campus of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) National Emergency Training Center (NETC) in Emmitsburg, Maryland. The monument was dedicated on April 6.
A large bronze American eagle, sculpted by Lorenzo Ghiglieri of Oregon, tops the polished white Vermont granite monument, which was funded by donations. The monument’s three sides represent the shared civil defense/emergency management responsibilities of federal, state, and local governments.
Among the participants in the April 6 dedication program were the Mount St. Mary’s College Band; Congressman Roscoe G. Bartlett, in whose district the monument is located; Chief R. David Paulison, U.S. Fire Administrator; and Brian Bex of the National Civil Defense/Emergency Manage-ment Monument Commission.
U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science asks OMB to fund NIST investigation of WTC
The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science has asked the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to provide the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) with $40 million to conduct its investigation of the World Trade Center collapses.
In a letter dated March 6 to Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr., OMB director, Representatives Sherwood L. Boehlert (R-NY), committee chairman, and Anthony Weiner (R-NY) and Steve Israel (R-NY), committee members, said their decision was the result of Com-mittee hearings held that day in which “there was unanimity among the witnesses on the need for a comprehensive assessment and research agenda to address evacuation procedures, emergency response, and structural analysis of the site’s buildings.”
The $40 million cost, the legislators said, was based on a Federal Emergency Manage-ment Agency’s (FEMA) Building Perfor-mance Assessment Team (BPAT) estimate for a “comprehensive study of an event of this magnitude and complexity.” (President Bush eventually requested $16 million.)
The congressmen also asked that NIST or FEMA be given investigative authority, comparable to that of the National Transportation Safety Board, to ensure that they will be able to gain access to drawings and other materials critical to the investigation.
Earlier that day, Glenn P. Corbett, professor of fire science at John Jay College, New York City, and Fire Engineering technical editor, testified, with several others, before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science concerning the hearing investigation “Learning from 9/11: Understanding the Collapse of the World Trade Center (WTC).” Corbett stressed the need to investigate disasters “as a whole, following standard investigative procedures” so the lessons from this disaster can be learned and applied.
Corbett proposed that a single standardized model with a specific set of “adaptable” procedures for each type of disaster be developed for all disasters and that FEMA initiate the development of an enhanced disaster investigation protocol. Other federal agencies and private sector organizations with disaster responsibilities/interests should participate in the protocol’s development as well.
Corbett also suggested that a commission be established to employ the enhanced disaster investigation protocol to the WTC disaster. Such a commission, he explained, “would allow for the various public and private research efforts currently underway to come together ‘under one roof’ and share information.” The Commission would operate under the auspices of FEMA, which would coordinate the effort and provide staff and facility support, including developing the final report.
The final report of the Commission, Corbett suggested, could include the following: identification of building/fire code provisions that need to be added/updated/deleted; procedural changes for the fire service response to high-rise and terrorist incidents; changes in evacuation procedures; and egress capacity criteria.
Also testifying with Corbett were Robert Shea, acting administrator, Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration; Craig Wingo, director, Division of Engineering Science and Technology, Federal Emergency Management Administration; Dr. W. Gene Corley, P.E., S.E., American Society of Civil Engineers, chair of the Building Performance Assessment Team reviewing the World Trade Center disaster; Dr. Abolhassan Astaneh-Asl, professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley; and Dr. Arden Bemet, director, National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Shannon new NFPA president and chief executive officer
James M. Shannon will succeed George D. Miller as president and chief executive officer of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) effective June 1. Miller, who has served as president for 10 years, is retiring.
Shannon has served as NFPA senior vice president and general counsel since 1991. Previously, he was Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, a senior partner in the Boston law firm Hale & Dorr, and a member of the House of Representatives.
Public safety organizations ask Congress to accelerate access to spectrum
Various organizations responsible for public safety and emergency management have jointly asked in a letter that members of the House of Representatives support H.R. 3397, “The Homeland Emergency Response Operations Act,” sponsored by Representa-tives Curt Weldon (R-PA) and Jane Harman (D-CA). The letter was signed by the International Association of Fire Chiefs, Association of Public Safety Communications Officials, International Association of Chiefs of Police, International City/County Management Association, Major Cities Police Chiefs Association, Major County Sheriffs’ Association, National Association of Counties, National Emergency Management Association, National League of Cities, National Sheriffs’ Association, and the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
In the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, Congress required the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to reallocate an additional 24 MHz of radio spectrum for public safety, the letter points out. The new allocation represents a portion of the radio spectrum that will become vacant once television stations on channels 60 to 69 convert to digital television (DTV). The FCC allocated the spectrum-doubling the amount of radio spectrum available for public safety-and adopted rules for efficient and interoperable public safety operations, the letter explained. But, the organizations say that unless the television stations vacate this portion of the spectrum, public safety agencies cannot go ahead with plans and budgeting for using the new spectrum.
The problem is that the 1997 Act gave the television stations until December 31, 2006, or an indefinite time thereafter-until at least 85 percent of the television community has access to digital television-to vacate the spectrum. Public safety agencies need this spectrum today, not at some future unknown date, the organizations asserted.
New firefighter hero postage stamp unveiled
The “Heroes of 2001” semipostal stamp, unveiled March 11, will cost 45 cents. The difference between its cost and that of a first-class stamp will be used to raise funds to assist families of emergency relief personnel killed or permanently disabled in connection with the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. President George W. Bush and Postmaster General John E. Potter unveiled the new stamp. The funds raised will be transferred to the Federal Emergency Manage-ment Agency.
At press time, the stamp was expected to be available in post offices nationwide in the late spring.
NVFC Firefighter of the Year applications due July 1
July 1 is the deadline for receipt of applications for this year’s National Volun-teer Fire Council’s Firefighter of the Year award. The award, sponsored by Scott Health and Safety, honors a volunteer firefighter for exemplary performance.
Individuals nominated must have given outstanding service to his or her state or state fire service association. It is not a heroism award.
The following information should be included with the nomination: name, address (including city, state, and zip code), telephone number, fire service history, fire department and location (city and state), date joined, any elected positions held, any appointed positions held, other pertinent department information, association history, state level service, local/county level service, family history (wife/husband/children, relatives/siblings also in the fire service), other service to community/state government, council/board/commissions/legislative service, past honorary awards, letters of recommendation, articles, and a resume.
The award will be presented at the NVFC’s Fall meeting in Sitka, Alaska, in September. Forward applications and other materials to NVFC Firefighter of the Year Award; 1050 17th Street, NW, Suite 490; Washington, DC 20036; or fax to (202) 887-5291.
Line-of-Duty Deaths
March 4: Firefighter Richard Dake, 48, of the LaGrange (KY) Fire Department, died on returning from a training exercise when the tanker he was driving was struck by a train at a railroad crossing.
March 6: Firefighter Joshua Brandon, 22, of Harrisburg (NC) Volunteer Fire Department & Rescue, Inc., died as a result of burns he received at a structure fire when the wooden floor gave way in a house in which he was advancing a line.
March 7: Firefighter/Paramedic Timothy J. “T.J.” Lynch, 28, of the Manlius (NY) Fire Department, died from burns and smoke inhalation he received when he pulled a line into a house on fire and the kitchen floor collapsed.
March 7: Firefighter/Paramedic John “Gino” Ginocchetti, 41, of the Manlius (NY) Fire Department, died from burns and smoke inhalation he received when he pulled a line into a house on fire and the kitchen floor collapsed.
March 16: Chief Clarence Francis Birchmore, 60, of the Whiting (VT) Fire Department, died of a heart attack en route to an alarm in his personal vehicle.
March 16: Lieutenant Leo Leon Swank, 50, of the Bellville-Jefferson Township (OH) Fire Department, died of an apparent heart attack while returning to the station from a residential structure fire.
March 18: Senior Engine Supervisor Joan Spear, 46, of the MT DNRC Fire & Aviation Management, Dillon (MT) Unit, was participating in fitness training when she collapsed and died.
March 20: Firefighter Adam Lee Weisenberger, 19, of the Gluckstadt Volunteer Fire Department in Madison, Mississippi, was struck by an auto and killed while assisting injured victims at an accident scene.
March 20: Firefighter Bernes “Bernie” Schutte, 69, of the Palisade (NE) Volunteer Fire Department, collapsed on the front lines while battling a wildland fire and later died.
March 25: Captain Allen Frye, 31, of the Rosyln (NY) Rescue Fire Department, was killed at a training drill when a private vehicle crossed through road barriers and struck him as he was stowing equipment.
March 26: Chief Louis Jones, 46, of the Roswell (NM) Fire Department, died from a gunshot wound to the head he received from a burn victim he was assisting at the scene of a house explosion.
Source: National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Database, United States Fire Administration.
