Tuesday, December 2, 2008
36 Hours in D.C.
By Janet Wilmoth, Editorial Director
Every year an increasing number of organizations and associations schedule meetings around the Congressional Fire Services Institute's Annual National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner. ...
DHS Opens Application Period for '07 FIRE Grants
The Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Grants and Training will accept applications for the FY 2007 Assistance to Firefighters Grants from March 29 until May 4. The FIRE Grants, which will be distributed in phases throughout FY 2007, will award approximately $492.3 million....
USFA Announces 2006 Outstanding Research Award Winners
Five fire service executives will receive the National Fire Academy's 2006 Annual Outstanding Research Awards. This award recognizes Executive Fire Officer Program students for their research projects. The award-winning projects will be presented April 13–15 at the 19th Executive Fire Officer Symposium at the National Emergency Training Center in Emmitsburg, Md. ...
An Administrator and a Gentleman
By Janet Wilmoth, Editorial Director
Charlie Dickinson, acting U.S. fire administrator, is probably one of the most passionate speakers we have in the fire service. He speaks straight from the heart, and you can always count on him to tell it like it is — no flowery political stuff here. If you need a kick in the butt, he'll give it, but ever the gentleman, he does it without profanity. ...
Never Enough Money
By Janet Wilmoth, Editorial Director
President Bush recently submitted his FY 2008 federal budget to Congress. The budget proposes only $300 million for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant program and zero dollars for the Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response Act Grant program. ...
What Do Youths Do in Your Department? NVFC Wants to Know
In support of the national Junior Firefighter Program it is forming with Spartan Motors, the National Volunteer Fire Council is researching what different departments do to encourage youth participation in the fire and emergency services. ...
The Top 100
By Janet Wilmoth
Recently, Fortune magazine published its 2007 list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For following what the magazine called the most extensive employee...
Happy New Year
By Janet Wilmoth, Editorial Director
Are you still keeping your New Year's resolutions? My goal was to be better organized in 2007, until I read articles about how multi-tasking is not good for your mental health. So my goal is to better organize my tasks and only do two things at a time, not multiple — that's three or more, right?...
Two Presents
This column is a departure from reminders to wear seatbelts, suggestions for books to read or the latest controversy on EXIT lights. We have two holiday presents for you...
Mail Call for Firefighters Overseas
Whether it's snail-mail or e-mail, what do you do open first? Pitch the junk and delete the spam, stack the bills and savor the handwritten cards or e-mails from friends that don't have "Fwd:" in the subject line...
Turkey Feathers
When we first moved to a small town in England years ago, I went down to the local butcher shop to buy a turkey for Thanksgiving. I was quite insistent that our family would celebrate the holiday even though England doesn't. ...
Vote for Yourself
By Janet Wilmoth, Editorial Director
How secure is your job? Up until a couple months ago, I'm sure that House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert thought he was a shoe-in for another couple years. Longtime champion of the U.S. fire service Rep. Curt Weldon (Pa.) is currently in the fight for his political life as competitors resort to slinging a few mud pies to unseat him...
On the Road Again
By Janet Wilmoth, Editorial Director
Geographic Information Systems have become an essential tool in organizing and analyzing information for better decision-making. They're like real-time encyclopedias that can be invaluable, particularly for public safety agencies. To learn more, I attended the 2006 ESRI Homeland Security GIS Summit in Denver...
Hope from the Hill
By Janet Wilmoth, Editorial Director
The Fire Emergency Manufacturers & Services Association and the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers Association held their annual meetings in Washington, D.C., this week. The purpose of the meetings was to encourage members to contact Congressional staffers in the Capital...
Expect Nothing Less
By Janet Wilmoth, Editorial Director
Birthdays and anniversaries traditionally are good reasons to look back and look forward. Whether it's your birthday, a wedding anniversary or service...
Post-Show Thoughts
In celebration of our 50th anniversary last week at Fire-Rescue International in Dallas, the FIRE CHIEF booth displayed a 1956 Maxim fire truck courtesy of its owner, Garry Sande, and the Texas Fire Museum. Thanks are in order to Dallas Fire Chief Eddie Burns Jr., Chief Ken Johnson and International Association of Fire Chiefs Exhibits Director Karissa Jacobs for working with us to allow this old truck to be part of our anniversary celebration...
The Innovators
By Janet Wilmoth, Editorial Director
Last night on Sept. 14 I had the opportunity to be part of two special events. The first was the unveiling of the latest in apparatus safety, and the other revealed the best in fire service leadership...
FIRE CHIEF Names Chiefs of the Year
FIRE CHIEF magazine has announced the winners of its 11th annual Fire Chief of the Year awards for 2006. The winners, Chief Alan Brunacini of Phoenix and Chief Thomas Kuntz of Red Lodge, Mont., were recognized for their dedication and leadership in fire and emergency services....
As Legends Go
By Janet Wilmoth, Editorial Director
This past week Chief Alan Brunacini retired from the Phoenix Fire Department after 48 years in the fire service. Ever since he announced his retirement earlier this year, any mention of his name has brought forth a host of "Bruno" stories...
Dressed for Success
By Janet Wilmoth, Editorial Director
It's always interesting to visit the different fire service trade shows and conferences. Each show tries to market itself as different, yet the same instructors tend to make the circuit, tweaking their messages to different audiences. While finding new and exciting instructors is always a challenge, there's no doubt that attendees are the "pulse" of both good shows and bad...
Strengths of Leaders
By Janet Wilmoth, Editorial Director
The deadline for the 2006 Chief of the Year nominations was this past week, and it's been interesting to read the letters detailing the nominees' accomplishments. Every year I look for the common thread or strength among the nominees that makes these particular men and women stand out enough to be put forward by their peers...
Summertime
By Janet Wilmoth, Editorial Director
Summer in Chicagoland doesn't get any better than it has this week. The Fourth of July falling on a Tuesday also means that just about everyone is on vacation. It's quiet, making it a good time to catch up and update...
Home of the Brave
By Janet Wilmoth, Editorial Director
On June 9, I shared with you an excerpt of an article written by Bttn. Chief Mark Sacra of Chesterfield County (Va.) Fire & EMS about his Memorial Day experience at the National Fire Academy. That day Sacra joined other staff and students to attend the funeral of a local Emmitsburg soldier killed in a roadside bombing in Iraq. Sacra’s article on the services and the eulogies prompted several responses from readers, including an e-mail from Fire Marshal Jeff Allen, Irmo Fire District, Columbia, S.C. ...
Memorial Day in Emmitsburg
Chesterfield County (Va.) Fire & EMS electronically publishes a daily newsletter for its personnel. The responsibility for the Daily Business Plan, as it's called, rotates among the four operational battalion chiefs on each shift. At the end of each edition is an opportunity for the author to add a personal comment.
This past week, Bttn. Chief Mark Sacra wrote of his experience on Memorial Day, which he spent in a National Fire Academy classroom until the day's events changed.
I was so touched by what Sacra wrote that I asked to reprint a portion of his article...
Take It Home
It couldn't be more obvious. Invite someone to your home for lunch and your relationship changes — usually for the better....
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