NFPA sponsors campaign to highlight importance of home fire sprinklers

May 18, 2012 – Fire in the home poses one of the biggest threats to the people of your community. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated average 380,000 home structure fires per year during 2006-2010. These fires caused:

• Over 2,700 civilian fire deaths
• Nearly 13,000 civilian fire injuries
• $7.6 billion in direct damage
• A dozen firefighters killed

On average, 7 people a day die in U.S. house fires. Ninety-two percent of all structure fire deaths resulted from one- or two-family dwelling fires. Home fire sprinkler systems are designed to reduce these tragic statistics.

Firefighters from around the state will gather at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at the Irmo Fire Department, 6017 St. Andrews Road, Columbia, SC, to kick off “Faces of Fire” of South Carolina. This is a state wide campaign to educate the public on the life safety and other benefits of the required fire sprinkler protection for single family dwellings in all national model codes,

A public campaign, featuring South Carolinians telling their story of fires, loss, and recovery resulting from fire incidents in their homes, and consisting of billboard and video public service announcements, side-by-side burn demonstrations, and other events, will be unveiled.

As a way of showing how quickly fire spreads and the life and property saving value of fire sprinklers, South Carolina Fire and Life Safety Education Association (FALSE) will intentionally light two fires in front of a live audience. Each room will contain common furnishings, window treatments and a working smoke alarm.  Only one of the rooms contains a fire sprinkler.

What: Public safety campaign kick-off and live fire demonstration

Where: Irmo Fire Department, 6017 St. Andrews Road, Columbia, SC

When: Tuesday, May 22, 2012 – 2:00 PM  

Facts about home fire sprinkler systems:

• Your risk of dying in a home fire decreases by 80% when fire sprinklers are present.
• Fire sprinklers are supplied by household water – usually off the existing domestic water supply. Just like ordinary plumbing, sprinkler system piping is hidden behind walls and ceilings.
• Sprinklers are activated only by the high temperature of a fire – typically between 135°-165°F.
• Burned toast or other smoke cannot set off a sprinkler; neither can a smoke alarm that activates.
• Sprinklers are designed to flow between 10-25 gallons of water per minute. That’s about 10-15 times less water flow than fire department hoses, and under far less pressure.
• Fire sprinklers control or extinguish a fire often before the fire department arrives.
• Fire sprinklers give family members more time to get out safely, saving lives.  
• Fire sprinklers significantly reduce property damage.

NFPA is proud to work in partnership with the South Carolina State Firefighters Association, the South Carolina Sprinkler Coalition, the Fire and Life Safety Educators Association of South Carolina, to bring this important educational opportunity to South Carolina.

(The Public Information Officer for this event is Joe Palmer. He may be reached at (803)454-1808)

About the Fire Sprinkler Initiative: Bringing Safety Home

The Fire Sprinkler Initiative, a project of the National Fire Protection Association, is a nationwide effort to encourage the use of home fire sprinklers and the adoption of fire sprinkler requirements for new construction.

About the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

NFPA is a worldwide leader in fire, electrical, building, and life safety. The mission of the international nonprofit organization founded in 1896 is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training, and education. Visit NFPA’s website at www.nfpa.org for more information.

May 17, 2012 2:00 pm

South Carolina Firefighters Gather to Commemorate the Cleveland School House Fire

On May 17, 1923, a fire erupted in the Cleveland School auditorium outside Camden SC.  The resulting tragedy killed 77 persons in attendance of a performance by the students that evening on the second floor of a wood frame local school house.  The fire garnered national attention and foster the development and revision of national fire codes.

The SC State Firefighters’ Association and the City of Camden will gather on the afternoon of May 17^th at the school site to remember and reiterate the importance of school and public fire and life safety.  Local, State, and National dignitaries will present information about the fire and about what we can do today to honor those family members by remembering and keeping thought to our safety.

The school is located at:  410 Cleveland School Road in Camden SC 29020.  More information can be found on the Cleveland School fire at:  http://www.scarboroughgenealogy.com/cleveland.htm

Firefighters’ from around the state will gather to hear comments from those invited to attend such as a representative of the families, members of the General Assembly, representatives from the State Fire Marshal’s office, and representatives from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) that conducted articles on the fire in 1923.

Photo opportunities will exist at the mass grave of those unidentifiable at the time of the fire, a mock reconstruction of the school house, and the large granite monument erected to the deceased at the schools original site.

Questions or comments can be directed to:

Joe H. Palmer, Executive Director of the SC State Firefighters’ Association

(803)454-1808 or joe@scfirefighters.org

Or

Chief John Bowers of the Camden Fire Department

(803)425-6042 or jbowers@camdensc.org

May 9, 2012 12:00 noon

South Carolina Firefighters Gather at the Statehouse

As part of the annual Legislative Day of the SC State Firefighters’ Association, around 500 firefighters from around the state will meet at the statehouse on Wednesday May 9^th at 12 noon to speak to their legislators and unify the fire service voice with concentration on several bills that effect public safety.

The Firefighters’ Association President Ken Kerber of Fort Mill will lead the group in a focused effort to draw attention to safety and protection needs of fire service personnel, both volunteer and paid, in the annual meeting being held on the Statehouse grounds.  Firefighters’ will meet House and Senate members and offer directed thoughts on several bills and share messages and concerns from constituents back home.

Senator John Land III (D-Clarendon) and Representative Roland Smith (R- Aiken) will be inducted into the SC State Firefighters’ Society of the Maltese Cross at the luncheon offered on statehouse grounds.  The Society honors General Assembly members that have, throughout their legislative career, contributed and participated with Firefighters in pursuit of public safety.

Several Bills being followed by the Firefighters’ of South Carolina are an arson law re-write to alter the definition of arson; enhancing the definition of public safety districts and the roles they play in the local community; and effective funding for forest fire suppression equipment utilized by the SC Forestry Commission.

For comments and question, please call or email:

Chief Ken Kerber at (803)547-5511 or kkerber@fortmillsc.gov

Joe Palmer {Executive Director of the SC State Firefighters’ Association} at (803)454-1808 or joe@scfirefighters.org

The raid is remembered because of many successes. It was the first successful bombing by American forces on the mainland of Japan and the first launch of bombers from the flight deck of a carrier. The attack involved thousands of military support personnel here and aboard. Our Chinese allies assisted by rescuing pilots and aircrews who bailed out over the occupied country. But the success I find key to the entire event is that it was carried out by volunteers. Yes, that’s correct – volunteers.

Doolittle needed experienced pilots and air crew members. He sought them out. Doolittle then asked for volunteers. Each individual agreed without knowing the details of the secret mission. It wasn’t until the USS Hornet left port that the pilots and crews were informed of the intended target. Training was short- literally. Never before had a B-25 bomber lifted off in less than 500 feet. The planes would have 498 feet on board the carrier. Crews expected 50 hours of training. They received 30 hours. Was mission success achieved? Yes!

According to data from the the United States Air Force, the shortest recorded practice take-off was 287 feet. A feat in and of itself. While enroute to the launch location the carrier nearly avoided detection but was spotted by a Japanese ship. The enemy vessel was destroyed but without knowing if a warning had been sent to the Japanese military. Rather than abandoning the mission, the Raiders launched 200 miles further out to sea and eight hours ahead of schedule. Flying in low to avoid detection, all 16 aircraft reached the mainland and completed the mission. Two planes scuttled on the Chinese coast. The crews of 13 planes bailed out over China. One plane landed in Russia.

Knowing they had attained mission objective, the pilots and air crews had no inkling of the impact of their actions. It’s recorded that Doolittle actually expected a court martial for ditching his bomber but back home news of the successful mission lifted the spirit of our nation. The Japanese were stunned believing their country safe from an aerial assault. Although World War II would rage for three more years, the actions of these volunteers stands as a testament to their commitment.

Today, nearly 80% of the fire and emergency services in America are provided by volunteers. Is mission success obtained? Yes!

Volunteer firefighters and emergency services personnel sacrifice their time, experience and knowledge to keep our citizens safe and our communities protected.  In departments large and small they meet to train. They keep the trucks and equipment operationally ready. They do this while conducting pancake breakfasts, hot dog suppers, carnivals, etc. just to have funds for fuel, insurance and new equipment..

As National Volunteer Week 2012 draws to a close, Lieutenant Colonel Doolittle’s words ring as true today as they were then, “There’s nothing stronger than the heart of a volunteer.” Volunteers, take a bow. Hear the applause. Your efforts and dedication are appreciated. From this Fire Chief, THANK YOU!

The commemoration will take place at 2 pm on the 17th and all are invited.  The site may be found at 410 Cleveland School Road in Camden.  The commemoration will bring family members, national and state fire service leaders, and the media together to remember and honor those fallen.

I will try to answer the question, as best I can, given the most current information that we have.

First of all, let me clarify that the TERI program is only available to participants in the (regular) SCRS program.  Participants in the PORS (Police Officers Retirement System) do not participate in the TERI program, but are eligible to retire and rehire, through a separate program.  I won’t go into the detailed differences between TERI and Retire and Rehire (or Return to Work) here, but let’s just say they are different.

What makes this question even more complicated to answer is that there are currently three (3) different scenarios that are at play regarding what changes will take place for new hires, current employees, and retirees.  I will try to address the proposed changes, specifically for the TERI and Retire and Rehire programs, in each venue of debate.

- In November of 2011, the State Budget and Control Board approved changes to all of the retirement systems.  Their changes would affect the different retirement systems, but did not change TERI or Retire and Rehire.

- The House of Representatives has passed a bill that will make changes to the retirement systems.  Their changes would affect TERI and Retire and Rehire in the following ways:

- TERI would not be available for employees in the SCRS hired after July 1, 2012.  It does not affect current employees in the SCRS.  Changes to the Retire and Rehire program in PORS were not mentioned.

- The Senate has a special subcommittee appointed by the Senate Finance Committee that is currently working on proposals for their version of a bill that would make changes to the retirement systems.  This bill is still being debated in subcommittee and has not yet been approved by the full Senate Finance Committee, nor the Senate.  The SC State Firefighters Association, along with a coalition of law enforcement associations, are working with members of the special subcommittee to keep the Retire and Rehire program available to these in the PORS system.  We do not yet know what changes the final bill will include.

This is a situation where doing nothing is not an option.  Some changes WILL and MUST occur to maintain a solvent retirement system, that our members can trust will be there in the future.  Regardless of the outcome, we will likely face changes to the system again in the future.  My advice to all is, don’t retire until you can afford to retire, and don’t bank on your state retirement alone to sustain you in retirement.  Good financial planning at the beginning of a career, can make retirement at 25 years an affordable option.

Mustaches for Kids – Registration for Firefighters

www.fcc.gov/narrowbanding

• The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) narrowbanding webpage includes news releases, PowerPoint presentations and videos that address the impending January 2013 deadline. Also available is the planning document FCC Narrowbanding Mandate – A Public Safety Guide for Compliance that was developed in partnership  with the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and the International Municipal Signal Association (IMSA).

www.dhs.gov/files/publications/narrowbanding.shtm

• The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Emergency Communications (OEC) narrowbanding webpage provides access to valuable resources that can assist agencies in meeting the FCC narrowbanding deadline of January 2013. Resources available include the Practical Guide to Narrowbanding and the Narrowband Mapping Tool which pulls FCC data each week to assist licensees in determining the status of VHF and UHF narrowband migration.

www.wirelessradio.net

• This website provides a clearinghouse of narrowbanding data from both government and industry sources.

This information is provided for your use by the S.C. Budget and Control Board, Division of State Information Technology

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