URGENT: Fire Service Coordination for Buffalo Firefighter Funerals

All firefighters and emergency personnel are asked to honor the wishes of the families of the fallen firefighters and the Buffalo Fire Department. Thanks in advance for your cooperation and concern for all those affected by this tragedy.

• NO APPARATUS at the funerals on Friday - August 28. There is very limited parking and all personnel are asked to carpool and reduce the number of vehicles as much as possible.
• All personnel are asked to assemble outside St. Joseph's Old Cathedral at least one hour prior to each funeral.
• Class A uniform or other appropriate attire is requested.

Funeral for Lt. Charles McCarthy ONLY - Friday-August 28, 2009
Fire Departments wishing to pay their respects to Lt. McCarthy may assemble with their apparatus at the James Cannan Funeral Home http://www.cannanfh.com/ by 7:45am on Friday morning.

• This is an opportunity for a stationary display of equipment and staff to pay last respects and both will be positioned along Union Road outside the funeral home.
• PLEASE NOTE: Understand that your apparatus and personnel will not be included in the procession from the funeral home to the church.
• Directions to the funeral home can be found at: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=3155+Orchard%20Park%20Road+Orchard%20Park,+NY+14127
• All apparatus is asked to approach the funeral home from the south (Milestrip Road/Southwestern Blvd./Five Corners) as equipment will be directed to park facing north on Union Road.
• One representative from each participating agency is asked to contact Tiger Schmittendorf (FC-3) or Dan Neaverth (ES-14) on the Erie County F-2 (46.38) frequency or by cell phone as they approach the area of the funeral home.
• Participating agencies are asked to RSVP with number of personnel and apparatus to:
  Erie County Fire Safety
  716.681.7111
  -OR-
  Tiger Schmittendorf
  Deputy Fire Coordinator
  schmitte@erie.gov
  716.432.3915
  -OR-
  Dan Neaverth
  Deputy Commissioner-EMS
  daniel.neaverth@erie.gov
  716.983.6080
  
• +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
  To: All
  
  From: Michael Lombardo, Commissioner of Fire
  
  Subject: Memorial Services for Lt. McCarthy & FF Jonathan Croom
  
  Date: August 25, 2009
  
  Services for Lieutenant Charles McCarthy and Firefighter Jonathan Croom are as follows:
  
  
  Lt Charles McCarthy:
  
  Viewing: Thursday, August 27th, 2:00pm – 8:00pm
  James Cannan Funeral Home
  3155 Orchard Park Road
  Orchard Park, NY 14127
  
  Funeral: Friday, August 28th, @ 9:30 am
  St Josephs Old Cathedral
  50 Franklin Street
  Buffalo, NY 14202
  
  
  FF Jonathan Croom:
  
  Viewing: Thursday, August 27th, 2:00pm -8:00 pm
  Amigone Funeral Home
  1132 Delaware Avenue
  Buffalo, NY 14209
  
  Funeral: Friday, August 28th, @ 1:00 pm
  St Josephs Old Cathedral
  50 Franklin Street
  Buffalo, NY 14202
  
  A breakfast collation following each funeral will be held at HSBC Arena.
  
  All fire service members are requested to form one hour prior to the start of each funeral, in dress uniform. Parking will be available at HSBC Arena.

Firefighter 1 Boot Camp - July 6-17, 2009 - IS FULL

Registration for the Firefighter 1 Boot Camp course from July 6-17, 2009 (8am-4pm) at the Training & Operations Center is FULL and closed. We received more than 50 applications but unfortunately cannot accommodate everyone. Thank you to everyone who responded and demonstrated an interest in participating.

• A reminder to those students who are indicated as confirmed on the roster for Course#1S09004 which can be viewed at: http://www.erie.gov/depts/community/emergency_fsd_resources.asp#urgent_alerts
  Confirmed students must attend the mandatory orientation along with a chief or training officer on Monday-June 15th at 7pm at the Training & Operations Center.
• A $50 student fee is required, due at the mandatory orientation. This covers beverages, fruit, Boot Camp and Graduation T-shirts and other supplies. This may be paid by check or cash. Please make checks payable to James McCullough.
• Please share and review the attached Student Packet with your chief and address all points outlined as appropriate.

New Web Page Focuses on Challenges of the Volunteer Fire Service

New USFA Web Page Focuses on Challenges of the Rural and Volunteer Fire Service

There are fundamental differences in the nature of the rural fire problem compared to the U.S. fire problem as a whole. Additionally, the volunteer rural fire service has unique challenges not faced by their counterparts, such as large minimally populated areas to provide protection and service, often no guarantee of staffing levels, water supply challenges, lack of population to provide a revenue or tax base to support service, etc.

What are the major the challenges you as a rural volunteer fire department are facing?

• Funding?
• Retention of your current volunteer firefighters and support staff?
• Recruitment of new members for both active firefighting and support?
• Training?
• Fire prevention and public education?

And have you developed any innovative ways on how you have overcome them?

To support you, USFA has developed a dedicated web page on Rural and Volunteer Fire Department Resources: www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/subjects/rural/index.shtm

This page focuses on the numerous resources developed to deal with the unique fire challenges faced by fire departments operating in rural communities. It provides statistics and fire reports dealing with rural fires; public fire education and prevention programs targeted at the rural fire problem and community; critical firefighter health and safety issues impacting rural and volunteer firefighters; and National Fire Academy training opportunities focusing on the rural and volunteer fire service that include a wildland firefighting skills crosswalk for structural firefighters.

In addition, USFA is currently working with the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) on a revision to the Health and Wellness Guide for the Volunteer Fire and Emergency Services that will provide the most up to date information in this area. Look for this document in the near future.

Other resources include the NVFC, http://www.nvfc.org/, and the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) Volunteer & Combination Officers Section (VCOS), www.vcos.org/.

FEEDBACK: Officers List Update Needed

Please complete the Officers Contact List for 2009 and return it to the Fire Safety Office ASAP. Thanks in advance for your assistance in this important project. The form can be downloaded from www.erie.gov/fire.

FEEDBACK: Training Needs

URGENT: Feedback Needed - 2009-2010 Training Needs

We are asking all Erie County Fire Departments to submit their 2009 Training Course Requests by February 9, 2009 so that we can begin the process of scheduling courses to start after April 1, 2009.

Thanks to your commitment to training, we delivered and exceeded the 2,400 State training hours alloted to us in FY-2008-2009.

Although we have not yet received our training allotment from the NY State Office of Fire Prevention & Control for their 2009-2010 fiscal year, we hope to receive at least as many hours as we did in 2008-2009. As in past years, we requested more than 5,000 training hours from the State. The more course requests we receive now - the more additional hours we can request be assigned to our county throughout the year as necessary. The State's fiscal year runs from April 1-March 31.

Please remember that Courses 05-Fire Police; 1Y-Apparatus Operator-EVOC and 505-Fire Radio Communications are typically available year round as they are also taught by County Instructors. While our State training hours were cut by 500 last year, our County training budget was increased by approximately 400 hours and should remain constant this year.

The standard training course request form can be downloaded from http://www.blogger.com/www.erie.gov/fire. It must be completed and submitted by an authorized chief or training officer.

A complete listing of available State courses can be found at: http://www.dos.state.ny.us/fire/residential.html. Please note that outreach courses available for field delivery are indicated by an "O" designation next to their description.

Please also note that certain courses have pre-requisites. Specifically, 1Y-Apparatus Operator-EVOC is the pre-requisite for 78-Apparatus Operator-Pump and 79-Apparatus Operator-Aerial Devices.

FIREFIGHTER 1:
In addition to these course requests, we need to know how many new recruits your fire department has who need Firefighter 1 training. We will prioritize class locations and allocation accordingly. Please reply to the Fire Safety Office ASAP via e-mail with this information and your contact information for follow-up.

Thanks in advance for your cooperation in this important matter. As always, please do not hesitate to contact our office should you have any questions or require further information.