E-Update Archive

1. Special Member Update: NVFC Calls For Department of Justice to Award Hometown Heroes Claims
2. National Junior Firefighter Program Launch
3. NVFC Launches National Firefighter Health Week
4. Senator Hillary Clinton Introduces Companion LOSAP Bill
5. Senate Passes Campus Fire Safety Right-to-Know Act
6. Fire Chief Gregory Brian Cade Sworn In as New USFA Administrator
7. NVFC Executive Committee Awarded the President's Volunteer Service Award
8. New Hampshire Establishes Line-of-Duty Death Benefit
9. NTSB Identifies Risk with Aluminum Cylinders
10. FM Global Launches Fire Prevention Grant
11. Support Those Who Support the Voice of the Volunteer Fire and Emergency Services

^ Back to Top

Calls For Congressional Investigation Into the Award-Making Process

At a press conference on July 11 in Washington, DC, the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) called for the Department of Justice (DoJ) to begin awarding Public Safety Officer's Benefits (PSOB) to families who applied for the benefit under the Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefits Act. PSOB is a one-time payment of nearly $300,000 to the families of fallen public safety officers. The Hometown Heroes Act, which became law in 2003, was supposed to make it possible for public safety officers who die from heart attack or stroke caused by participation in emergency response to qualify for PSOB. Since passage of the law, DoJ has made seven awards, denied 47 claims and has 199 claims that are still pending.

"From the language of the law to the clearly expressed intent of Congress, DoJ should be paying benefits in cases where a public safety officer died from heart attack or stroke within 24 hours of participating in emergency response," said NVFC Chairman Philip C. Stittleburg. "DoJ needs to start making these payments today, and Congress should investigate why three and a half years after passage of the law so few payments have been made and so many denials and pending cases exist."

The press conference took place in the Dirksen Senate Office Building. Also speaking were Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Congressmen Bob Etheridge (D-NC), Dave Reichert (R-WA), and Spencer Bachus (R-AL). The widows of three fallen firefighters and representatives from other public safety organizations also spoke.

DoJ has denied claims in which firefighters suffered a fatal heart attack during emergency response. Their justification is that emergency response doesn't necessarily constitute "nonroutine stressful or strenuous physical" activity. A report that appeared recently in the New England Journal of Medicine would appear to contradict this, finding that firefighters are at an extremely heightened risk of suffering a heart attack not only during fire suppression but during alarm response and alarm return as well.

"I've got a news flash for DoJ," said Stittleburg. "Emergency response by its very nature is nonroutine stressful and strenuous physical activity. Ask anyone who actually knows what it is like to respond to an incident and they'll agree with me."

"DoJ has been determining on a case-by-case basis whether or not the emergency response described in a PSOB application passes some illusory litmus test," Stittleburg continued. "This puts tremendous pressure on public safety agencies to create a detailed narrative of the deceased officer's activities that accurately conveys the physical and emotional strain of emergency response."

For more information on Hometown Heroes, go to www.nvfc.org. The NVFC encourages supporters to contact their Representatives and Senators to call for a Congressional investigation into DoJ's implementation of the Hometown Heroes Survivor's Benefits Act.

^ Back to Top

Join Spartan Motors and the National Volunteer Fire Council at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 28, at Booth 2008 during the Firehouse Expo in Baltimore.  Officials from both organizations will be on hand to announce the launch of the National Junior Firefighter Program, a great way to get young people active and involved in your department.  The National Junior Firefighter Program gives young people the chance to learn about local fire, rescue and emergency medical services response organizations in a safe, controlled, educational and fun program -- and it provides departments with an excellent recruitment tool.  Learn more about how to launch a successful program and meet members of an active junior program from Elkridge Volunteer Fire Department (MD) during this short program.  For more information, visit www.nvfc.org/juniors.

^ Back to Top

As part of its ongoing effort to promote and strengthen the health and safety of firefighters and EMS personnel nationwide, the NVFC is launching the inaugural National Firefighter Health Week from August 13-17. The NVFC encourages all fire and emergency personnel, their departments, and their families to focus on health and wellness during this week.

Each of the five days of National Firefighter Health Week spotlights a different health issue of particular concern for emergency responders. These are:

• Monday: Behavioral Health
• Tuesday: Cancer
• Wednesday: Heart-Health
• Thursday: Nutrition
• Friday: Lifestyle 

^ Back to Top

On July 20, Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) introduced the Volunteer Emergency Responder Recruitment and Retention Act of 2007 (S. 1840). The bill, which is the Senate companion to H.R. 2160 in the House, would clarify the treatment of length of service award programs (LOSAPs) in the federal tax code. LOSAPs are similar to pension programs and exist for use by volunteer emergency services personnel. About 20 percent of America�s volunteer firefighters participate in some form of a LOSAP.
                                                  
"This legislation is crucial for the volunteer fire and emergency services," said National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) Chairman Philip C. Stittleburg. "LOSAPs have no clear place in the current federal tax structure. This creates problems for states and communities that want to provide LOSAPs for their volunteers but face unnecessary complications in setting up programs. For this reason, LOSAP participation is lower than it otherwise would be, and the programs that do exist are more difficult to administer."

LOSAP treatment in the current tax code has not been updated legislatively since 1996. In 2002, the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) formed a LOSAP Committee to examine current law and come up with ideas for clarifying how LOSAPs are taxed. The NVFC then worked closely with members of Congress and other emergency service groups to develop the Volunteer Emergency Responder Recruitment and Retention Act.

The point of LOSAPs are to provide participants with a financial benefit after they reach a certain age and length of service. As with pension plans, LOSAPs should be taxed when a beneficiary begins drawing from it, not each year when a payment is made into the LOSAP account. S. 1840 would fix this problem.

Another major change that S. 1840 makes is to increase the limit on how much can be contributed into an individual's LOSAP account each year from $3,000 to $5,000. The $3,000 limit was established in 1996 and has not been increased since. The bill also creates a mechanism for adjusting the $5,000 limit based on inflation.

The NVFC urges its members and supporters of the volunteer fire and emergency services to contact their Senators and ask them to co-sponsor S. 1840.

^ Back to Top

On July 24, the United States Senate passed the Campus Fire Safety Right-to-Know Act of 2007. Introduced by Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), the Act requires campuses to make their fire safety information public, as well as all fire-related events over the last two years.

Through the Campus Fire Safety Right-to-Know Act, colleges and universities must release statistics on the number of fires in each student housing facility, and the number of deaths, injuries, and structural damage resulting from these fires. The schools also need to provide facts about fire safety education, training provided to students, faculty, and staff, and any future plans for fire safety improvement. The Act requires universities and colleges to keep a log of all campus fire incidents, which will be made public. Fraternities and Sororities and the owners of their campus residences must also disclose all fire safety information and fire safety incidents.

The Campus Fire Safety Right-to-Know Act is a vital component to furthering the safety of the nation's university and college campuses. Over the last 17 years, institutions of higher education have been releasing information on campus thefts, assaults, and sexual and capital crimes. Releasing information on fire-related incidents is the next step in ensuring the safety of campuses across the country. "I'd like to thank Senator Lautenberg for introducing this important piece of legislation," said National Volunteer Fire Council Chairman Philip C. Stittleburg. "I urge all NVFC members and supporters of the volunteer fire and emergency services to contact their U.S. Representative and ask them to co-sponsor H.R. 592, the House version of the Campus Fire Safety Right-to-Know Act."

^ Back to Top

On July 13, Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff swore in Fire Chief Gregory Brian Cade as the new Administrator of the United States Fire Administration (USFA). National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) Chairman Philip C. Stittleburg attended the ceremony, which took place at FEMA headquarters, and stated, "I would like to Congratulate Chief Cade on being sworn in as Administrator of USFA. I have had the pleasure of knowing him for several years through the Institution of Fire Engineers. He is intelligent and motivated and will be an asset to the fire service in his new position." Chief Cade started out in the fire service as a volunteer with the Glenn Dale Volunteer Fire Department in Prince George's County, Maryland, and has been an emergency responder for almost 40 years. He became a career firefighter in Prince George's County in 1971, went on to serve that department in a variety of positions for more than 20 years.

Chief Cade moved on to a position as Fire Chief of Hampton, Virginia. Following his time in Hampton, he took a position as Fire Chief and Emergency Management Coordinator in Virginia Beach, Virginia. While Chief Cade served in this capacity, Virginia Beach became one of the first fire departments in the country to be accredited by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International.

^ Back to Top

U.S. Fire Administrator Gregory Cade presented the President's Volunteer Service Award to the National Volunteer Fire Council's (NVFC) Executive Committee on Friday, July 20 during the Committee's semi-annual meeting. This national honor recognizes the volunteer service of these nine fire service leaders.

Established in 2003 by the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation, the President's Volunteer Service Award is given to individuals, groups, and families who have met or exceeded requirements for volunteer service and have demonstrated exemplary citizenship through volunteering. As one of thousands of Certifying Organizations participating in the award program, the NVFC confers the award to recognize the outstanding achievements of its volunteers.

"The NVFC has a long history of volunteer service, and more than one million volunteers selflessly serve their communities each year by serving as volunteer fire, EMS, and rescue personnel," said Cade. "The NVFC Executive Committee selflessly devotes their time not only to the organization, but also to each of their communities where they have spent as many as 50,000 hours over the course of their lives making our communities stronger and safer."

The Executive Committee is comprised of four Officers and seven Board members. The current Committee consists of Chairman Philip C. Stittleburg (WI), First Vice Chair Norman E. Hoeft (NE), Second Vice Chair Jack Carriger (OR), Secretary/Treasurer Allen Metheny (DE), Jeff Cash (NC), Pat Hlavaty (TX), Robert Kilpeck (VT), James Monihan (DE), Phil Sayer (MO), Paul Wilcox (MI), and Jim Williams (NY).

As part of the award package, the Executive Committee members received a pin during Friday's meeting. They will also receive a letter of congratulations from President George W. Bush and a personalized certificate.

To be eligible to receive the President's Volunteer Service Award, individuals, families, and groups must submit a record of their annual volunteer service hours to participating Certifying Organizations, such as the NVFC. The NVFC will then verify the service and deliver the award. Eligibility for individuals and groups is based on required hours, which vary by age. To nominate a volunteer for the President's Volunteer Service Award, send an email to nvfcoffice@nvfc.org that includes the persons contact information, a detailed description of their service, and the number of hours volunteered.

For more information about the President's Volunteer Service Award or how to become a certifying organization, visit www.presidentialserviceawards.gov. For more information about the NVFC, visit www.nvfc.org.

^ Back to Top

On July 3, New Hampshire Governor John Lynch (D) signed into law a bill establishing a $100,000 line-of-duty death benefit for New Hampshire firefighters and police officers. This bill is effective as of the signing, and a legislative study committee was created to examine the eligibility and award process of the benefit. This committee will report its findings and recommendations on or before November 1.

"This legislation is important because it provides financial security to the families of courageous public safety officers who die in the line of duty," said Martin Carrier, the National Volunteer Fire Council's New Hampshire Director. "As a firefighter, knowing that my family will be taken care of financially if something happens to me gives me tremendous peace of mind."

At the federal level, the Bureau of Justice Assistance, through the Department of Justice, provides a one time Public Safety Officers' Benefit in the amount of $295,194. This benefit is paid to survivors of public safety officers whose deaths are the result of a traumatic injury suffered in the line of duty. Nationwide, 28 states have some kind of line-of-duty death benefit.

^ Back to Top

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recently released a safety recommendation addressing the high risk associated with partially pressurized aluminum cylinders used to transfer compressed gases. When under too much pressure and heat, these cylinders have been found to threaten the wellbeing of the general public as well as emergency personnel. These portable cylinders were previously constructed from steel; however, in the 1980s, regulations were passed that allowed aluminum to be used as well.

Several factors are contributing to this newly realized danger. First, steel withstands heat better than aluminum. Although aluminum does not melt at a temperature below 1,020 degrees Fahrenheit, the material does weaken considerably in high temperatures, making it more vulnerable to failure. A second factor is the malfunction of a component part. The cylinders are equipped with a burst disk, which is designed to activate before a fully pressurized cylinder ruptures; however, the NTSB reports that when a partially pressurized cylinder at 'less than 78 percent of its full charge is heated to a temperature exceeding 400 degrees Fahrenheit, it will structurally fail before its internal pressure actuates the burst disk.'

To reduce the risks of transporting gases in these cylinders, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) recommends �limiting the number of cylinders to the extent practicable and limiting the total weight of cylinders to 99 pounds per vehicle.� Following these guidelines may prove difficult in emergency situations such as immediate evacuations, but the NTSB urges all personnel to consider the safety of the public first. The NTSB has also recommended that the PHMSA establish criterion for safe transportation of these materials.

To view the full safety recommendation, go to the NTSB web site at www.ntsb.gov and search for Safety Recommendation I-07-3.

^ Back to Top

FM Global, one of the world's largest business property insurers, has created a new Fire Prevention Grant Program so fire departments - as well as national, state, regional, local and community organizations - can more effectively prevent fire, the leading cause of commercial and industrial property damage.

Funding from the new program is available to support a wide variety of fire prevention, preparedness, and control efforts, including arson prevention and investigation; pre-fire planning for commercial, industrial, and institutional facilities;  and fire prevention education and training initiatives, to name a few.

"At FM Global, we believe the majority of fire damage can be prevented and we are dedicated to helping those who share the same philosophy," said Michael Spaziani, the manager of the program. "Working together, we can make a difference in preventing fire loss, rather than simply responding to the incident after it occurs."

The new grant program replaces FM Global's former arson grant fund. For more information or to apply for a Fire Prevention Grant, visit www.fmglobal.com/grants.

^ Back to Top

The NVFC relies on the assistance of its corporate and association partners to be able to provide a voice for the volunteer fire and emergency services in Washington. We encourage you to look at a list of our Sustaining Members and support them with your business.