January 2005.indd - International Association of Fire Chiefs

Fire & emergency service news from the International Association of Fire Chiefs
I A F C
January 15, 2005
Volume 19 Number 1
$3.50 per issue
Memphis recruits pray before a training session the day after ‘Hell Night,’ when fellow recruit James Coleman
collpased and went into a coma. Six others went to the hospital dehydtrated.
‘Hell Night’ for recruits:
Typical or an isolated incident?
By Jule Gardner
News accounts of a fire
fighter training video
out of Memphis, Tenn.,
describe instructors taunting
recruits.
Recruits collapsed; seven
became dehydrated and were
treated at a local hospital.
One, James Coleman,
stayed there.
Coleman, who was seen
in the video picking up is
his legs with his hands so he
could keep moving, remained
By John Tippett
The first of three meetings
of the National Fire
Fighter Near Miss Reporting
Task Force took place at the
Hyatt Regency, Reston, Va.,
on Dec. 16 and 17, 2004. The
task force, chaired by author
Dennis Smith, well known
for his commitment to fire
fighter safety, was assembled
to assist in implementing a
national near miss reporting
at press time in critical
condition. He was unable to
speak or breathe on his own,
after slipping into a coma in
October and slowly regaining
consciousness.
Much has been made in the
fire service about “Hell Night,”
what Memphis instructors
and fire fighters call the
department’s grueling set of
recruit training exercises.
But is “Hell Night” typical
of the culture of the fire service
or is it an aberration?
system for the nation’s fire
service. The effort is funded
by grants from the U. S. Fire
Administration and Fireman’s
Fund Insurance.
Fire fighter line of duty
deaths and injuries continue to
occur at the same rate as they
did in 1977. This stagnated
rate is troubling given the
following:
• Structure fires are down
54 percent during the same
Photo: The Commercial Appeal
Really, it’s both, said IAFC’s
Health & Safety Committee
Chairman, Chief David
Daniels of the Fulton County
(Ga.) Fire Department.
“You’ve got people on both
sides of this,” he said.
There’s a growing number
of safety-minded officers and
instructors who understand
recruits are the most vulnerable
of all fire fighters and need to be
trained to protect themselves
Let’s call training
deaths what they
really are: Fratricide
The following letter written by
Garry Briese, executive director
of the IAFC, was originally
printed in December’s Fire
Chief magazine. It is reprinted
here with permission.
Over the past several
years, the fire service has
had several fire fighter deaths
and many serious injuries in
training situations or even
in basic fire fighter training
courses. Why does any fire
fighter need to die in training?
What possible justification can
be offered for these deaths?
In fact, according to both
USFA and NFPA reports, about
one in 10 fire fighter fatalities
in 2003 were in a training
context. What is unknown
is how many of these deaths
were of recruit fire fighters,
perhaps the most vulnerable
of all our fire fighters, since
they are still learning the skills
and knowledge necessary to
survive.
How ironic — recruits
are trying to learn the skills
and knowledge necessary to
survive as a fire fighter and we
kill them!
We need to understand
what training deaths are not:
they are not accidents. These
deaths and serious injuries
occur in the most controllable
environment in which we
operate — a training situation.
These deaths are the result of
carelessness, negligence, laxity,
sloppiness, neglect, recklessness
and imprudent or even stupid
behavior on the part of those
with the responsibility for
the safety and welfare of the
students: the training officers,
the training chiefs and the fire
department leadership.
These are “trained and
experienced leaders” who, at
the very least, tolerate and,
at the worst, condone and
encourage the type of training
which results in recruit or
fire fighter deaths and serious
injuries.
We need to call these
senseless deaths what they are:
fratricide.
Fratricide (frat*ri*cide),
n., 1. the act of killing one’s
brother. 2. one who murders
or kills his own brother.
The military used to call the
actions of friendly forces that
See ‘Hell Night’ : page 2 See Training: page 2
Near Miss Task Force: Moving from concept to reality
period.
• Significant improvements
have been made in fire fighter
protective clothing.
• And there’s been greater
emphasis on fire fighter
survival and training in the
last 10 years.
Sparked by an information
exchange between the fire
service, aviation industry and
military more than four years
ago, the development of a
near miss reporting system
for the fire service is thought
to be necessary to reduce fire
fighter line of duty deaths and
injuries. One factor surfaced
immediately. Parallels between
operations in the cockpit, the
military chain of command
and the fire service make a
near miss reporting system for
the fire service a logical option
to explore.
Chief R. David Paulison,
U.S. Fire Administrator,
noted that reducing fire fighter
deaths has been a difficult task
because fire service culture
glorifies death and hides
mistakes. Sadly, most fire
fighter fatalities are the result
of a preventable occurrence.
Even more notable is the fact
that the resulting fatality or
See Near Miss: page 4
Route to: ❒ Chief ❒ Deputy Chief ❒ Assistant Chiefs ❒ Battalion Chiefs

Training deaths: fratricide
from page 1
result in DOD casualties “friendly
fire.” Nothing could be further from
the truth. But, at least these deaths
are the result of a chaotic combat
environment and often are due to
human error under the duress of
combat. The fire service has no such
“excuses” for our training deaths.
The term “friendly fire” has been
changed to reflect the seriousness
with which the military now takes
these casualties. “Fratricide” more
accurately describes the seriousness
that the military now ascribes to these
preventable deaths.
Deaths that occur in a military
training environment result in
immediate investigations, charges
being filed under UCMJ, court
marshal proceedings, convictions,
fines, confinement in a military brig
or jail, reduction in rank, elimination
of all benefits (including retirement),
termination of military careers and
dishonorable discharges.
Each time a fire fighter dies in a
training environment, a full criminal
investigation should immediately take
place. These deaths are not accidents,
these deaths are fratricide. People are
directly and indirectly responsible for
the death and all appropriate persons
must be held personally accountable,
including criminal, civil and career
accountability.
We owe that much to the training
officers and fire chiefs who work hard
to do it right.
We owe this much to our recruits,
our fire fighters and our families. ✠
Garry Briese, CAE
Executive Director, International
Association of Fire Chiefs
‘Hell Night’ discussed
from page 1
as well as their fellow fire fighters.
“In the life of a fire fighter, recruits
are like kindergartners. They’re not
stupid, they just need to be taught
what to do,” he said.
“But what happened in Memphis is
not new. And it’s not Memphis’ fault,”
Chief Daniels said.
“There’s a script out there and if all
you’re doing is changing the actors,
the next group is going to do the same
thing,” he said.
Many, if not most, of today’s
instructors came up through a recruit
regimen that would today be considered
unfair, at best, and at worst: hazing. To
be sure, they’re influenced by that, said
both Daniels and Chief Gary Morris,
past chair of the IAFC Health &
Safety Committee and current chief
of the Rural/Metro Fire Department
for Maricopa and Pinal Counties, near
Phoenix, Ariz.
“Here’s my observation,” said Chief
Morris, who also served as chief in
Seattle, Wash., and retired after 30
years with the Phoenix Fire Department
as assistant chief. “People who are
in chief officer positions typically
have 20 to 30 years’ experience …
and recruit training 30 years ago was
very military, very in-your-face. The
training officers had, at that time,
complete authority to terminate an
employee for any reason.”
Today, that culture continues in
many departments, both rural and
metro, career and volunteer.
And although there are standards —
including NFPA 1582 (Comprehensive
Occupational Medical Programs for
Fire Departments), the IAFC/IAFF
Health and Wellness Initiative and
several NFPA standards for live fire
training — those standards don’t cover
a lot of what must to be covered when
training new fire fighters, Chief
Morris said.
“The same focus that’s applied to
safety at fireground operations needs to
occur in the broader sense of training,”
he said.
And, in some places, that’s happening.
“If you look around the country, you’re
seeing stronger emphasis on curriculum
and on teaching survival.
“But we need to teach more recruits
how to get themselves out of trouble
when they get in it,” he said. For
example, he said, there should be
standards for awareness of SCBA air
supply and how and when to declare
a mayday.
“The purpose of recruit training is
not to weed out people,” Chief Morris
said. “It’s to develop fire fighters.
“You would never get away with
people being treated like (recruits
are) in the fire stations. There’d be
lawsuits,” he said.
“It’s a rite of passage that shouldn’t
occur,” he added. “It opens the door
to hazing.”
Chief Daniels agreed and said
that what happened in Memphis
Continued: next column
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Scholarships available to Fire-Rescue Med
The International Association of Fire Chiefs, in partnership with Jeep® brand
— a member of the DaimlerChrysler Corporation — has embarked on a
program to mentor future leaders in EMS.
The IAFC will award scholarships to Fire-Rescue Med 2005 to be held in
Las Vegas. Financial support for this scholarship program was provided by
the DaimlerChrysler Fund to the IAFC through the Jeep Everyday Heroes
Porgram. The purpose of this program is to further the education of future
leaders in fire-based EMS. To that end, this partnership focuses on developing
the human resources necessary to meet the EMS challenges of the future.
Scholarships will include full registration (pre-conference included), air
travel, and lodging in Las Vegas. This will include pre-conference registration
for Staying Alive: EMS Safety conducted by Richard Patrick, Director of EMS
Programs and Emergency Services Initiatives at VFIS.
Selection will be done by a special committee of the EMS Section of IAFC
with emphasis given to first-time attendees and those officers with primary
responsibility for EMS. Applicants must submit a resume and an essay.
Instructions will be available on the IAFC Web site, www.iafc.org. Deadline
for applications is February 14, 2005. Award notifications will be made on
March 1, 2005.
Command course set in Maryland
The 2005 National Fire Service Staff and Command Course, presented in
cooperation with the IAFC by the Maryland Fire & Rescue Institute at the
University of Maryland, will be March 9 to 16 in Ocean City, Md.
The course, a high-intensity and concentrated program, is designed to help
officers with modern concepts of management, technical skills and professional
knowledge.
It’s open to all personnel above the company officer level and involves networking
and interactive exercises involving several relevant subjects, including: applying
NIMS to a major incident, grant writing, grievance management, dealing with
elected officials, and various case studies.
The course will be held at the Clarion Resort Fountainbleau Hotel in Ocean
City. For more information or to register, call MFRI at 301-226-9962 or
800-ASK MFRI or visit www.mfri.org.
Laidlaw sells AMR
On Dec. 6, Laidlaw International, Inc. announced it will sell American Medical
Response, the largest private provider of ambulance transport services in the
United States, and its other medical company, EmCare, to Onex Partners LP,
an affiliate of Onex Corp., for $820 million. Net cash proceeds to Laidlaw are
expected to be approximately $775 million after debt assumed by the buyer and
payment of transaction costs. Completion of the sale is anticipated by the end of
March, 2005.
Onex Partners LP, a $2.2 billion private equity fund established by Onex Corp.,
is headquartered in New York. Onex Corp. is one of Canada’s largest companies
with global operations in service, manufacturing and technology industries. It
has annual consolidated revenues of approximately $16 billion.
‘Hell Night’ ... continued
– or anywhere else – is not an excuse
for people who know better to point
fingers.
“This is just the latest incident.
Yes, it’s deplorable. It’s bad; it’s all of
those things,” he said. “But it’s not
something that we should criticize
then walk away.
“The worst thing we can do is turn
on each other when we should be
turning to one another.
“This is not just a problem in
Memphis,” he said. “This is a problem
for all of us, for all fire chiefs.” ✠
For an in-depth look at creating a
safe training culture, check out Chief
Gary Morris’ feature in the February
Fire Chief.
Jule Gardner is IAFC’s
communications manager and
editor of On Scene.
2 IAFC On Scene/January 15, 2005

Shipments of
hazardous
materials by
motor carriers
are considered
highly vulnerable to catastrophic
terrorism. Each day in the United
States, there are more than 800,000
shipments of hazardous materials. On
a daily basis, there are about 300,000
movements of hazmats according to the
U.S. Department of Transportation.
The local emergency responders
will always be the first to confront a
hazmat emergency, whether caused
by an accident or terrorist act, and
will play the central role in managing
its immediate consequences,
acknowledged a 2003 report issued
by the Independent Task Force on
Emergency Responders, sponsored by
the Council on Foreign Relations.
“The efforts of emergency responders
in the first minutes and hours
following an attack will be critical to
saving lives, reestablishing order and
preventing mass panic,” noted the
report, which was entitled “Emergency
Responders: Drastically Underfunded,
Dangerously Unprepared.” It
called for increased funding and
underscored the importance of
interoperable communications systems
for emergency responders across the
country so that those on the front lines
can communicate with each other
while at the scene of an attack.
Staying Informed
Advanced communication and
information sharing is vital for
improving the response to hazmat
incidents, both intentional and
unintentional.
To assist local emergency
responders, the U.S. Department of
Transportation, in cooperation with
several private sector organizations,
has been evaluating new technology to
help improve the safety and security of
hazardous materials during transport.
Critical Information
Improving hazmat incident response
During some field operations tests in
2004, nine commercial hazmat carriers
involving 100 trucks, multiple shippers,
and law enforcement and emergency
response agencies from New York,
Illinois, Texas and California tested
a system called E2RMS (Emergency
Response Management System).
The Spill Center, a Massachusetts
based company that helps hazmat
carriers manage hazmat spills, was one
of the prime developers of E2RMS
— a system is designed to provide
a local emergency operation center
with immediate and validated hazmat
incident information from carriers
and shippers within minutes of an
occurrence of a hazmat incident.
According to Tom Moses of the
Spill Center, the project was designed
to provide high-level analysis of safety
and security risks in the transportation
of hazmat by continuously monitoring
data streaming from truck tracking
systems, on-board computers and
other equipment. The system uses
“intelligent agents,” which compare
the streaming data with predetermined
triggers that will identify an emergency
or a developing incident that requires
an immediate response.
When patterns associated with
increased risk are identified, alerts are
automatically sent to law enforcement,
response agencies, transporters,
shippers and other registered users.
Physical security devices and sensors,
as well as radio frequency identification
(RFID)-tagged containers can also be
integrated into the system.
Hijacking Scenario
Certain combinations of incoming
data might indicate a truck has been
hijacked. In one scenario, a truck’s onboard
computer sends data indicating
that the vehicle, carrying a PIH material
(poisonous by inhalation), is speeding
on US-71 in Bentonville, Ark., in
the vicinity of a populated stadium
or a school. This specific pattern
— a speeding truck, carrying highly
toxic material, in a populated area —
represents a potential threat. In that
case, an alert message would be sent to
a list of appropriate authorities. Even if
the driver were incapacitated, the alert
message would be transmitted.
E2RMS technology showed its ability
to provide real-time information from
the carrier’s manifest data base about
the hazmat cargo; the vehicle’s exact
location from its GPS locater, and
the nature of the incident, enabling
emergency responders to arrive at the
scene faster and better prepared to
handle the incident.
During the field test, actual
information from a number of
different participants was analyzed
by an intelligence agent according to
customized rules, searching for data
patterns or specific criteria defined by
users. As those patterns were detected
and criteria met, the system sent one
or more messages, according to a userspecified
distribution list.
Alert notifications were related to
situations involving unauthorized
drivers, off-route conditions and panicmessage
data received from the trucks.
Color-coded red, yellow and green —
based on the perceived threat — the
alerts were delivered in the individual
user’s choice of e-mail, fax, page, phone
text messages and voice notification.
Customize to Needs
The results were real-time alerts based
on monitoring of hazmat shipment
information, increased load security
and enhanced law enforcement actions
and incident responses in selected test
areas. It also allowed recipients of the
information to create and manage
rules via the Internet that specified
which conditions triggered alerts and
sent notifications. According to Moses,
the intelligence agents can be modified
by police, fire fighters, fleets and other
participating organizations, according
to the type of information and criteria
that each specified. For example,
if a special event is taking place in a
community, the alert criteria can be
adjusted for the duration of the event.
The use of GIS, GPS and other
telematic devices by law enforcement,
fire and rescue services, shippers
and transporters, and many other
segments of society are becoming
very widespread. Rather than creating
something separate, the E2RMS
can be incorporated into the existing
platform.
Using Existing Data and
Information
Sign up now to join IAFC members in Germany
Intershutz, the global fire and rescue
event that happens once every five
years, will take place June, 2005, in
Hanover, Germany.
More than 130,000 public safety
personnel from nearly 40 countries are
expected to attend, as are more than
1,000 companies and exhibitors in the
areas of rescue, fire prevention, disaster
relief, safety and security.
Sign up now to join. A travel
package available to members includes
roundtrip airfare, four-star hotel,
admission to the fairgrounds, and
much more. Members who sign up
will depart the U.S. on June 3, 2005,
There are new hazmat information
systems being proposed everyday that
can deliver hazmat information fast.
The problem: The systems usually
have no information to deliver — it
is either so generic that it has no value
or belongs to someone else who may
not want to dump it into a database
for security, business or proprietary
reasons.
The E2RMS approach uses electronic
information already in place and uses
the Internet and other communication
channels to provide incident, threat
and vulnerability information to public
safety agencies when it is needed.
More importantly, it can integrate
output from any telematic device,
irrespective of type, manufacturer
or proprietary software, he says, and
deliver meaningful information,
events messages, and alert notification
to users based on what they need and
want.
Technology will continue to enhance
the ability for hazardous materials
responders to access up-to-the-minute
information. By staying abreast of
new information, responders will
continue to increase their efficiency,
effectiveness and safety. ✠
This article is sponsored through a
cooperative agreement between the U.S.
Fire Administration and the IAFC.
and return June 12, 2005. There is
also an optional three-day package
tour for Berlin to Warsaw.
For more information, contact
Marie Coleman at:
mariekcole@aol.com, call (916) 682-
2537 or fax (916) 689-4998. ✠
IAFC On Scene/January 15, 2005
3

IAFC applauds 9-11 legislation signed by President
President Bush signed the Intelligence
Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act
of 2004 (S. 2845) into law on Dec. 17,
2004.
In a press release, the IAFC applauded
Congress and the administration
on “this groundbreaking and highly
important piece of homeland security
from page 1
injury is the end result of a string of
seemingly unrelated incidents. The
tragedy and personal loss are often
overshadowed by the ceremony of the
line of duty death funeral.
Chief Paulison stated that the flag
at the National Fallen Firefighters’
Memorial hangs at half-staff every third
day. After the honor and ceremony of
the funeral, lives are still shattered, the
loss and pain are permanent. We have
to redouble our efforts to keep the entire
fire service family from experiencing
the anguish and eternal loss of a loved
one. The U. S. Fire Administration is
enthusiastically supporting the project
based on the documented success of
the aviation industry experience.
Also at the meeting, Daryl Siry, Vice
legislation,” said IAFC President Chief
Bob DiPoli.
The Intelligence Reform and
Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004
includes a number of measures that are
important to America’s fire service.
“This bill codifies a number of very
important emergency preparedness
President, Fireman’s Fund Insurance
Company and Executive Director of
the Fireman’s Fund Heritage Program,
informed the task force that Fireman’s
Fund’s interest in the project stemmed
from its 100-year-plus association with
the fire service. The Heritage Program
issues grants to organizations interested
in promoting fire fighter safety.
From the aviation industry, Linda
Connell, Director of the NASA
Airline Safety Reporting System,
told the group that the keys to the
aviation system’s documented success
lie in its confidentiality, non-punitive
posture, buy-in from all stakeholders
(i.e., Air Line Pilots Association,
Federal Aviation Administration),
and feedback from the stakeholders
validating the program success. The
and response initiatives that will help
fire fighters do their jobs,” said Chief
Michael Freeman of the Los Angeles
County Fire Department, chairman of
the IAFC’s Terrorism and Homeland
Security Committee.
The IAFC has developed a document
for its members that details items in
aviation industry has accumulated
28 years of data in its near miss
reporting system.
Also at the meeting: The “Father
of Human Factors,” Dr. Robert
Helmreich (University of Texas). He
told the task force that his research into
errors and reporting in the aviation
and medical industry support that the
system will work in the fire service.
Dr. Helmreich noted that 70 percent
of all commercial pilots have filed
a near miss report and 97 percent of
the events reported are not known by
any other source. Since fire fighters are
generally driven by a desire to help and
save lives, he believes that near miss
reporting for the fire service will be
successful as long as fire fighters realize
that the lives they are saving are those
the bill and provides an analysis of
how they will impact the fire service.
Download the IAFC’s analysis of the
emergency preparedness and response
provisions of the Intelligence Reform
and Terrorism Prevention Act:
@ www.iafc.org/government/index.
asp#homeland.
Near Miss: Task force takes project from concept to reality
of their fellow fire fighters.
The task force has a series of meetings
planned to move the project from the
concept stage to full use delivery by
October 2005. The aggressive timeline
will involve an action plan that includes
focus group meetings across the United
States, database development and
testing based on focus group input,
soliciting fire departments to test the
system and a roll out at IAFC’s Fire-
Rescue International Conference in
Denver, Colo., August 2005. ✠
John Tippett is project manager
for the IAFC and a battalion chief
with the Montgomery County
(Md.) Division of Fire and Rescue
Services.
4 IAFC On Scene/January 15, 2005

CONFINED SPACE
RESCUE EQUPMENT
Liquidation of complete team
equipment including ropes, pulleys,
webbing, harnesses, helmets,
communications, carbon cylinders,
tripod and much more. Call Fire
Marshal Andrew Gurka at (313) 791-
3657 for complete list.
IAFC On Scene is read by 12,000
highly qualifi ed fi re chiefs and
company offi cers. To advertise,
please call (703) 273-9815 ext. 307
or email On Scene Editor Jule Gardner
at jgardner@iafc.org. Ads must be
received one month prior to publication.
I A F C
Volume 19, Number 1
IAFC Executive Director
Garry L. Briese, CAE
Communications Director
Jennifer A. Ashley
Editor/Communications Manager
Jule Gardner
Graphic Designer
Nhu Mai Le
CLASSIFIEDS
FIRE CHIEF
The City of Leavenworth, Kansas (pop.
36,000) is seeking an individual with
strong leadership skills for Fire Chief.
The ideal candidate must have high
integrity, excellent interpersonal and
communication skills, proven history of
fire protection management experience
and proven history of developing
positive relationships with employees,
colleagues and the community.
For complete job description and
minimum requirements, please visit
the City’s website at: www.lvks.org.
Salary Range: $61,202 - $91,804.
The City has an outstanding benefit
package, including medical & dental
insurance, department vehicle and
KP&F. Residency requirement. Please
send resume to: City of Leavenworth,
Attn: HR, 100 N. 5th Street,
Leavenworth, Kansas 66048; or send
as a Microsoft Word attachment to
dweaverling@firstcity.org by January
19, 2005. The City of Leavenworth is
an EEO/ADA employer.
HQ Review
Happenings and events
in and around IAFC
The IAFC’s Eastern Division leadership met in November for the fi rst time with representatives
of the fi ve State Chiefs Organizations that make up the Eastern Division: Delaware, Maryland,
New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.
On Dec. 3 and 4, the EMS Section hosted a meeting to discuss the association’s
comments on the draft national model EMS Scope of Practice published by the National
Highway Safety Administration. Among
those in attendance: Dan Manz,
Principal Investigator, pictured at left.
The EMS Section asked interested fi re
departments to review the document
and submit comments to the IAFC for
consideration. The Scope of Practice Model
is the second stage of a three-stage process
led by NHTSA to revise and update the EMS
curriculum. The comments are being internally
reviewed by the IAFC and will be published.
IAFC Board of Directors
Bob DiPoli, President
Bill Killen, First Vice President
James Harmes, Second Vice President
Ernie Mitchell, Immediate Past President
Julian Taliaferro, Treasurer
Larry J. Grorud, Great Lakes Division
Don Warden, Canadian Division
William Walton Jr., Eastern Division
Jack J. Krakeel, EMS Section
Luther L. Fincher Jr., Metro Chiefs Section
Steven P. Westermann, Missouri Valley Division
Roger Bradley, New England Division
Jack K. McElfish, Southeastern Division
Jerry S. Bower, Southwestern Division
Fred Windisch, VCOS
Timothy Riley, Western Division
IAFC On Scene (ISSN 0893-3936) is an
official publication of the International Association of
Fire Chiefs. Our goal for this newsletter is to provide
fire and emergency services managers with information
to help them make timely and appropriate decisions.
The opinions expressed in the newsletter are
those of the individual authors and do not necessarily
represent the official position of the association.
The International Association of Fire Chiefs,
organized in 1873, is dedicated to the advancement
of the fire service. Its mission statement: Provide
leadership to career and volunteer chiefs, chief
fire officers and managers of emergency service
organizations throughout the international community
through vision, information, education, services and
representation to enhance their professionalism and
capabilities.
Questions about material in this issue should be
directed to the editor at: 703/273-9815 ext. 307. The
IAFC main number is 703/273-0911; fax 703/273-
9363.
Unless otherwise noted, all material in IAFC
On Scene is copyright 2005 by the International
Association of Fire Chiefs.
On Dec. 14, IAFC Headquarters hosted
a meeting of the Virginia Fire Chiefs
Association, Inc. Pictured, from left, are Bill
Smith, executive director of VA Fire Chiefs;
Mary Beth Michos, Prince William County
Fire and Rescue chief; and Willie Howlett,
1st vice president of VA Fire Chiefs.
Keep in touch with IAFC
Many IAFC members are
not receiving official IAFC
correspondence. It’s getting lost
in other fire department mail.
Make sure you receive every piece
of information by sending us
your home address. Log into the
members-only section of the IAFC
Web site at www.iafc.org and click
“update profile” on the member
welcome page to add your home
address to your contact information.
Or, e-mail membership@iafc.org or
call 703/273-0911 and ask to speak
with someone in the member services
department. ✠
IAFC On Scene/January 15, 2005
5

IAFC Profile
Jose Torres: Washington Flyer driver is ‘always there’
By Jule Gardner
Jose Torres figures he’s driven about
1.7 million miles in his cab without
an accident.
It’s without doubt an impressive
safe driving record. But it’s only one
reason Torres has become the preferred
“Washington Flyer” taxi service driver
of the IAFC.
Torres’ association with this
association started about 14 years ago,
when he picked up Executive Director
Garry Briese as a customer. Briese
noticed Torres’ courteousness and his
dependability and has come to rely on
it for himself, IAFC members and the
IAFC staff.
“
I wait for the
customer; I don’t like
the customer to wait
for me.
”
–Jose Torres
“Jose is the most reliable and
pleasant person,” Briese said. “We have
enjoyed a long relationship and he’s
always there when we need him. I have
tremendous respect for his driving and
safety record!”
“That was one of the best things I
did,” Torres said about gaining Briese
as a “regular.” “Now I think I have
taken care of at least 10 of the last
presidents (of IAFC).”
Washington Flyer drives people to
and from the airports surrounding
Washington, D.C. – Dulles, Reagan
The Emergency Management and
Response-Information Sharing and
Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC), in
development since 1998, became even
more relevant after Sept. 11, 2001.
Thousands of fire chiefs and
departments have signed on, provided
and received sensitive information.
Now, the center’s level of
information-sharing has become even
more relevant and specific.
As of Nov. 1, the center can
regionally target information. The
newest development came out of
EMR-ISAC’s efforts to improve its
successful “Infogram” and sensitive
Critical Infrastructure Protection, or
CIP, information-sharing programs,
National and Baltimore/Washington
International – although Torres will
take his regulars anywhere they want
to go.
And he will get there early, without
charging for waiting time. “I wait for
the customer,” he said. “I don’t like the
customer to wait for me.”
The 2003 Lincoln Town Car he
currently drives is his fourth car. He
puts about 500,000 miles on each car
before trading it in, which is how he
estimated his mileage.
He started driving with Washington
Flyer after moving to the capital region
from New York City, where he ran a
parking garage. He came to the U.S.
from Ecuador in 1970 and has a home
in northern Virginia he shares with his
wife and four children.
Two have graduated from college
and two are still in college. “Education
is a priority for me,” he said. “It’s the
only way to have a better life. … That’s
why I work seven days a week. It’s
expensive!”
Regarding his safe driving record,
Torres chalks some of it up to luck. But
he’s careful, too, he said.
He doesn’t speed unless there’s an
emergency. “What’s the point of going
80 miles per hour and get to the airport
two minutes earlier?” he asked.
He leaves early, checks his mirrors
often and he does not get easily
frustrated by things he cannot change,
namely traffic.
“You have to deal with the traffic,”
he said. “There is no other way. If I
get angry with traffic or with another
driver, I could get in an accident.”
“Sometimes,” he said, “if a customer
available to chiefs and officers in
emergency services.
Located at the National Emergency
Training Center, a secure facility, the
EMR-ISAC can provide round-theclock
operations and CIP information
for first responders during periods of
national crisis.
Nearly 17,000 emergency responders
receive CIP information from the
EMR-ISAC, and the numbers continue
to rise on a daily basis.
Using an Internet-based secure portal,
accessed through www.DisasterHelp.
gov, the center disseminates
Department of Homeland Security
Sensitive CIP Information, labeled
“For Official Use Only,” to key federal,
Jose Torres, the IAFC’s longtime taxi driver, talks to a passenger in the backseat while
driving in downtown Washington. Torres estimates his safe-driving record at 1.7 million
miles.
IAFC President
Chief Bob
DiPoli, left, is
recently picked
up at Regan
National Airport
by ‘Washington
Flyer’ Jose Torres,
who has driven
at least 10 of the
past presidents of
IAFC.
wants to take a different way, I say OK.
I will go whatever way the customer
wants, even if there will be more
traffic. If not, I pick what I think will
be the best and say to the customer:
‘I’m going to go this way. I hope you
like it.’”
Torres hopes to cut back some hours
and retire within five years. But it’s not
because he is unhappy.
state, tribal and local emergency service
leaders (including fire, EMS and police
department chief and deputy chief
officers; senior emergency managers;
and fire marshals).
Relevant examples of recently
disseminated CIP information include
“Potential Terrorist Use of Emergency
Vehicles” (10/14/04) and “How
Terrorists Might Exploit a Natural
Disaster” (9/15/04).
The sensitive CIP informationsharing
initiative supports effective
preparedness and mitigation activities
by emergency departments. It
provides a degree of knowledge that
agency leaders must have to enhance
organizational survivability, continuity
“I am fortunate,” he said. “I have
flexibility. … I could not have an
inside job.
“And I have beautiful customers,”
Torres said. “They are wonderful
people to work with.” ✠
Jule Gardner is IAFC’s
communications manager and
editor of On Scene.
Sign up now: Sensitive information sharing targets specific regions
of operations, and mission success.
Several chief officer recipients of this
no-cost sharing endeavor have said it
gives them the time and information
necessary to appropriately adjust
emergency plans and operations,
and to protect their internal critical
infrastructures against terrorism.
To receive sensitive CIP
information, you must be willing
to provide your full name, duty
position or title, electronic address,
organization/agency name and
physical address.
@ For more information on how
to sign up to receive this information,
visit: http://disasterhelp.gov/usfacip.
html.
6 IAFC On Scene/January 15, 2005

By Chief John M. Buckman III
German Township Volunteer
Fire Department
VCOS Chairman: 1994-1997
When I became chairman, I
envisioned an organization
that would provide something to chiefs
of volunteer departments to help them
become better leaders. One of our
first projects was to research volunteer
leadership training throughout the
country. We found very few courses
designed for volunteer leadership with
volunteer subjects. That’s when the
committee developed the leadership
course, still delivered today as an
updated version of the original.
We also spent considerable time
at board meetings to see how the
organization worked and quickly
realized that if we were to be effective,
we needed to establish ourselves
as a section. We were successful in
motivating the IAFC members at the
St. Louis Fire-Rescue International to
sign the petitions and attend the very
first meeting. That meeting room in
St. Louis overflowed. The crowd was
loud and boisterous and I am forever
indebted to Chief Mike Chiaramonte,
who was serving as a board member,
for coming forward to run the first
meeting.
I really enjoyed my tenure as
chairman and still look at the VCOS
board and officers with a tremendous
amount of pride in what they are doing
to help the volunteer and combination
leadership. ✠
Ten years of VCOS: Reflections on IAFC’s
Volunteer/Combination Officers Section
By Chief Fred Windisch
Ponderosa Volunteer Fire
Department
VCOS Chairman: 1997-1999
During the “formative” years of
my chairmanship, we had a lot
of focus on bylaws, organizational
procedures and our attempts to
“nationalize” the VCOS. (We’re still
working on that…)
I remember the solid support given
by the IAFC Board of Directors and
IAFC staff. We understood we were
still new, but the constant support
helped guide us through the hard
times. I also remember discussing with
Chief Buckman two dreams. The
first one was the development of the
Leadership Course and the second one
was the symposium.
The Leadership Course is truly
more than a dream; it’s a very
successful effort to educate our peers.
That dream became a reality when a
simple question was posed to Pierce
Manufacturing: What can you do to
help educate the volunteer fire service?
The rest is history.
The Symposium started as a “what
if” question. We started with 105
attendees; six years later we had 350.
We’ve broken even or lost a little in
some years, and we had some positive
revenue to do more VCOS projects
in other years. I believe symposium
attendees will attest to the success.
VCOS is truly an organization of
dynamics. The commitment of our
past, present and future board members,
along with a strong membership base,
will certainly benefit our nation’s
volunteer and combination fire
service. ✠
By Deputy Chief Larry Curl
Hilmon Firefighters, Inc.
VCOS Chairman: 2002-present
Just over two years ago when I stepped into this position, my first reaction was
fear. I was truly fearful of not being able to lead such a terrific organization as
well as my predecessors had done.
Since taking office, I have been assisted by an executive committee made up of
Robert Bettenhausen, Fred Windisch and Tim Wall, and we work together as a
real partnership in the managing of VCOS.
We’ve just completed our tenth year, and what a success story that has been.
We have had the opportunity to lay a strong foundation upon which we continue
to build. We have had some of the very finest fire service leadership join our
board and assist in the overall development and management of VCOS. We
have strengthened the 21st Century Leadership program that was started just
a few years ago and remain thankful to our sponsor of this program, Pierce
Manufacturing. We’ve just completed our sixth VCOS Symposium and, while
getting started was a bit shaky, we have overcome that and are now on the road
to providing all our attendees with one of the finest educational opportunities
available. We have established a strategic plan (just over two years old) that will
soon be going into a revision mode, and we have created a list of partnerships
more valuable to us than gold.
It would be a huge misstatement to say all of these things, and others I didn’t
have space to mention here, are the direct result of my being chairman. What I
can say is that under my term as chairman, our successes are due to those who
surround me. ✠
Note: Chief Peter McMahon (Retired), Grand Island Fire Co.,
also served as VCOS Chairman: 1999-2000.
The VCOS crew at a board
meeting:
Bottom row, from left: Tim Wall,
John Buckman, Fred Windisch,
Robert Bettenhausen.
Top row, from left: Neil Good,
Gary Scott, Mike Chiaramonte,
Pete McMahon and Ed Arons
By Chief Fire Inspector Michael Chiaramonte
Lynbrook Volunteer Fire Department
VCOS Chairman: 2000-2002
At the time of my chairmanship, the VCOS had few funds and we needed to
communicate with our members.
We obtained sponsorship to print a quarterly newsletter and we developed
the VCOS Web site. New board members came on board and used their talents
to advance the mission of the VCOS. Partnerships were made, including one
with the National Volunteer Fire Council. The VCOS Leadership Course
was refined. We were at the beginning of being recognized as the voice of the
volunteers. We changed our name from the Volunteer Chief Officers Section to
the Volunteer and Combination Officers Section, recognizing the ever-growing
number of volunteer departments that have gone combination. We realized
that these organizations are managing volunteers and we needed to take care
of our members. We worked closely with the National Fire Academy to allow
more members of the combination fire service to attend VIP courses. In fact, we
worked with the academy to increase the number of VIP courses as well. Overall,
it was a very productive and exciting time in the history of the VCOS. ✠
John Buckman checks over one
of the exhibit halls at Fire Rescue
International.
The VCOS Board following a
symposium and board meeting
in Florida: Bottom row (from
left) John Buckman, Robert
Bettenhausen, Larry Curl, Tom
Kuntz; Top row (from left) Fred
Windisch, Steve Miller, John
Leahy, Tim Wall, Jim Wilson,
John Heath, Mike Chiaramonte
Fred Windisch takes brainstorming to a new level
at a VCOS board meeting at IAFC.
IAFC On Scene/January 15, 2005
7

A message from Health & Safety:
Seatbelts still save lives
In the fire service we have very strict
and specific rules that require fire
fighters to be seated with their seatbelts
fastened whenever a vehicle is in
motion. That specific requirement has
been incorporated in NFPA 1500 since
1987 and today, 17 years later, it is
difficult to find a fire department that
has not adopted an equivalent internal
rule or regulation. Nevertheless, every
year we experience fire fighter fatalities
that could have—and should have
—been prevented by following this
simple rule.
If we were really serious about
following and enforcing policies about
seat belt use, this simply wouldn’t
occur. We wouldn’t see fire fighters
standing up to get dressed or just to
enjoy the view as their apparatus is
driving down the street. Can any fire
chief explain why such a clear and
simple safety policy is not followed?
It seems like the fire fighters know
the rules and choose to ignore them.
The drivers know the rules, but they
still drive the apparatus. The company
officers know the rules, but they must
not see what is going on inside the cab.
The chiefs know the rules and must
assume that they are being followed,
in spite of what they see.
Until someone is killed or seriously
injured, wearing a seatbelt seems to
be an unreasonable infringement on
the freedom to enjoy the fire fighting
lifestyle. In too many cases it only
becomes a priority after an avoidable
injury or fatality has occurred.
The responsibility for ensuring that
safety practices are followed comes
with the position of fire chief, as well as
every level of officer. If we can’t follow
the simple safety rules that are intended
to keep us safe, how can we expect to
follow the complicated ones?
If our seatbelts aren’t fastened,
how are we doing with maintaining
personnel accountability, following
the 2-in/2-out rule, establishing rapid
intervention teams and choosing
the appropriate strategy for every
incident?
Let’s stop making excuses and
accept the responsibility for actually
implementing and enforcing safe
practices.
Fire fighter injury and death—it’s
time to turn it around so everyone
goes home. ✠
A fire fighter survival message from the
IAFC Health and Safety Committee—
written by J. Gordon Routley of
the National Fallen Firefighters
Foundation
Homeland Secuirty launches Fire Corps
Photo: USA Freedom Corps
The Department of Homeland Security offi cially launched its ambitious Fire Corps
project on Dec. 9, 2004, in a ceremony at the White House Annex. The program,
designed to encourage active citizen support of volunteer and career fi re departments,
is a partnership of the IAFC’s Volunteer and Combination Offi cers Section, the National
Volunteer Fire Council, the International Association of Fire Fighters and the White
House’s USA Freedom Corps offi ce. Pictured from left are: Division Chief W. Edward
Buchanan, Jr., Chief Fred Windisch, District Chief Timothy Wall, IAFC President Chief
Robert Dipoli, Director of Fire Corps Shawn P. Stokes, Deputy Chief Larry Curl and Chief
Fire Marshal Robert Bettenhausen. To fi nd out more, visit www.fi recorps.org, e-mail
info@fi recorps.org or call 202-887-4809. ✠
I A F C
International Association of Fire Chiefs
4025 Fair Ridge Drive
Fairfax, VA 22033-2868
TIME SENSITITVE—PLEASE RUSH!