Fire Prevention Week kits to arrive in fire departments this month
How to plan an escape from a home fire is the focus of this year`s “Fire Drills: The Great Escape!” Fire Prevention Week (October 4-10) program. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), sponsor of the initiative, has mailed approximately 40,000 kits, or “toolboxes,” to fire chiefs in the United States and Canada. They should be received in fire departments across the country this month.
The “toolbox,” a brightly colored, sturdy container, contains a step-by-step guide for implementing Fire Prevention Week activities. The guide contains the official “The Great Escape” grid/entry form, contest rules, a planning calendar, a comprehensive lesson plan for teachers, media materials, and “The Great Escape” videotape covering the planning of program activities for Fire Prevention Week. The videotape was shot at the San Antonio Fire Department and features San Antonio school children.
The “toolbox” also contains six Sparky the Fire DogT rubber stamps, which chiefs can use to validate entry forms for “The Great Escape” grand prize contest.
The “toolbox” will be sent only to fire chiefs. However, other safety advocates may request planning guides. The American Red Cross is distributing the guides to its local chapters. For a copy of the guide, fax your request and mailing address to “The Great Escape,” c/o NFPA Public Affairs, (617) 770-0200. Only fax requests will be accepted.
NVFC sets legislative agenda
The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) will commit the majority of its resources to supporting the following legislative issues this year and is asking that the volunteer fire service support its efforts.
Ambulance Restocking–See “DHHS advisory opinion `has potential to disrupt emergency services` ” on page 36.
Volunteer Fire Assistance program–The Council supports the new funding arrangement proposed by the Clinton Administration for FY 1999. Under the proposal, the Rural Community Fire Protection (RCFP) and the Rural Fire Prevention and Control (RFPC) programs will be combined and funded solely through the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee in a new Budget Line Item (BLI) entitled “Cooperative Fire Protection.” This BLI will have two expanded budget line items, State Fire Assistance (redesignation of the RFPC program) and Volunteer Fire Assistance, which will replace the RCFP program. The latter will continue to support rural volunteer fire departments by providing matching funds through state forestry agencies. The NVFC is urging Congress to increase the funding of the Volunteer Fire Assistance Program to $10 million. (See also “New funding policy expected to benefit volunteer departments,” News in Brief, March 1998.)
Tax-Exempt Financing for Volunteer Ambulance Companies (H.R. 2523)–Under the Volunteer Firefighter Equipment Enhancement Act, volunteer emergency services would be able to purchase ambulances and other emergency response vehicles using tax-exempt financing. Under present law, volunteer fire departments may issue tax-exempt bonds to purchase fire trucks.
The second provision of the Act would treat any organization that provides volunteer emergency medical services as if it were a volunteer fire department for purposes of using the proceeds of tax-exempt obligations to purchase emergency equipment. Although this bill, sponsored by Congressman Sam Gejdenson (CT), has 21 cosponsors in the House of Representatives, at press time, it had no sponsor in the Senate.
Revisions to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)–The revision the NVFC seeks would allow paid firefighters to volunteer their time and expertise in their communities. H.R. 94 and S. 656, both entitled “The Volunteer Firefighters and Rescue Squad Worker Protection Act,” aims to preserve the spirit of volunteerism in the community and assist volunteer firefighters and rescue squad workers in their mission to provide vital life-saving and property protection services in their communities.
Liability Limits for Donors of Equipment to Volunteer Fire Departments–Industry is prevented from donating or selling discarded usable fire protection equipment to fire departments because of the threat of civil liability should someone be injured while using the equipment. Attorneys, therefore, discourage their clients from donating or selling the equipment. The NVFC is attempting to have federal legislation introduced that would take the liability burden off private individuals and corporations who donate used fire equipment to volunteer fire departments.
For additional in-formation, contact the NVFC national office at (1-888) ASK-NVFC.
