Utah Fire and Rescue Academy Magazine October
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October - December 2012 / Volume 13, Issue 4 Utah Fire and Rescue Academy Magazine U Y T T A I H S R V E A L I V L E Y U N DEPARTMENTS TO SUBSCRIBE: 2 FROM THE DIRECTOR To subscribe to the UFRA Straight Tip Magazine, or make changes 14 FIRE MARKS to your current subscription, call 1-888-548-7816 or visit www.uvu. 20 DEPARTMENT IN FOCUS edu/ufra/news/magazine.html. The UFRA Straight Tip is free of charge 24 VIEW FROM THE HILL to all firefighter and emergency service personnel throughout the 44 ACADEMICS 12 state of Utah. UFRA Customer Service Wet or DRY? ............................................................................. 8 Local (801) 863-7700 Toll free 1-888-548-7816 MaintaininG A Standard of Fitness ................................ 10 Fax (801) 863-7738 www.uvu.edu/ufra MAYdaY Before Macho ........................................................ 12 UFRA Straight Tip Winter Fire School 2013 .................................................... 22 (ISSN 1932-2356) is published quarterly by I-S-O, What You Need to Know .......................................... 26 Utah Valley University and the Utah Fire & Rescue Academy and SIZING UP THE PRIVATE DWELLING BASEMENT FIRE ............. 32 distributed throughout the State of Utah. Reproduction without written Solar EnerGY Comes to Cedar CitY FD .......................... 37 permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. InspectinG FleXible SprinKler Pipe Installations ..... 40 SEND INQUIRIES OR SUBMISSIONS TO: UFRA Straight Tip Magazine 22 3131 Mike Jense Parkway Provo, Utah 84601 Phone: 1-888-548-7816 Fax: 801-863-7738 [email protected] DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed in the Editor-in-Chief Editorial Committee Published by Straight Tip are those of the authors Steve Lutz Sue Young Utah Valley University and may not be construed as those Managing Editor Candice Hunsaker Cover Photo of the staff or management of the Andrea Hossley Debra Cloward Jennifer Brown Straight Tip, the Utah Fire & Rescue Design Joan Jensen Academy, or Utah Valley University. Phillip Ah You Rodger Broomé, Ph.D October - December 2012 | 1 FROM THE DIRECTOR First a little history: the ers. The Council’s decision was consequently presented Utah Fire and Rescue Acad- to the Board. This request and subsequent discussions emy (UFRA) and its funding highlighted a concern that numerous people from within source, the Fire Academy sup- the Utah fire service have had for several years; how can port account (herein referred to the account be “spent down” to insure funds are spent on as “account”), was created by legislative action in 1993. fire service related projects? The funds in this account are generated by a percentage of fire insurance premiums and are to be used for fund- Based on recommendations of the Council, the Board di- ing general operations of the Fire Marshal’s office and rected UFRA to create a “menu” of options, which would UFRA. Other than funding the Fire Marshal’s office, the benefit the Utah fire service. These options were to be law is very specific as to how UFRA will spend these presented to the Council, who would subsequently present monies allocated for firefighter training, certification, and their recommendations to the Board. To support the op- firefighting props and facilities. Although UFRA resides tions of their choosing, the Board, if they so desired, could within Utah Valley University; the State Fire Prevention request additional funding from the legislature. Board (herein referred to as “Board”) with help from the State Fire Marshal’s office, is mandated with oversight UFRA considered a wide range of fire service options that responsibilities for the UFRA contract and the account. would benefit Utah firefighters. UFRA sought advice from Fire Chiefs, Utah Fire Officers, and UFRA Program Man- Because this account fluctuates and typically increases agers as to what the departments in their regions needed. over time, our state legislature has the ability to, at their After careful consideration, UFRA presented the follow- discretion, remove funds for non-fire projects from the ing five options, listed below, to the Council (offering no account. Even though this does not occur on a regular opinion as to option priorities): basis, it has occurred several times over the past 10 years. 1. This project eliminates the initial testing fee ($20) for Now to the point, several months ago, a Fire Chief re- any department utilizing the state certification sys- quested a $300 thousand prop, which could be used as a tem. Additionally, the cost of certification ($20) will regional training facility. The State Standards and Train- be waived for those firefighters who pass the exam ing Council (herein referred to as “Council”), who is on the first attempt. For the second and third attempt charged with providing training and certification advice the cost of testing will be $20 each. The one-time to the Board, considered the Chief’s request; and decided cost of certification will also remain $20 for the sec- there might be better ways to spend additional monies ond and third attempts. So, to make it simple, pass on that would support a larger percentage of Utah firefight- the first attempt, no cost. Pass on the second attempt, $40 ($20 for testing and $20 for certification). Pass on the third attempt, $60 ($20 for second attempt, $20 for third attempt, and $20 for certification). If departments have their own internal tester for writ- ten exams there will be no testing fee for the second and third written attempts. Obviously, the goal is to incentivize passing the first attempt. Currently, ap- proximately 85-90 percent pass on the first attempt. 2. This project lowers the minimum student require- ment from twelve to 8 for departments serving popu- lations of 10,000 or less. Considering the majority of Utah fire departments are volunteer, some depart- ments find it difficult to assemble twelve students for a class either independently or regionally due to level training for departments who desire increased their smaller department size. Because of this, many response capabilities, and technician training for the departments are not able to receive the most basic highest level of response. Initially, the concentration firefighting training. By reducing the minimum class will be in the disciplines of rope, confined space, requirement to 8 students, UFRA believes that it can trench and excavation, structural collapse, machinery, increase the number of departments certified at Fire- and vehicle. As with hazardous materials training, fighter I, Hazardous Materials Awareness, Hazardous technical rescue training will follow the National Materials Operations, and hopefully other levels that Fire Protection Associations 472 Standard format of were not previously available to smaller departments. a tiered system beginning with the awareness level and may include Operations and Technician, depend- 3. This project eliminates charges for state and local ing on the need. firefighters attending lower and upper NWCG cours- es (approximately 30 per year) offered by UFRA. In The Council carefully considered all of these project the past, our State has received “ready-reserve” train- options. They weighed the needs of Utah’s fire service ing grants, from the Federal government, to pay for from multiple perspectives. After much discussion, the local and state firefighters to attend wildland training. Council voted to support these three options: eliminat- However, this grant was not funded this year; thus a ing initial certification fees, lowering class minimums, need has arisen to fund this important training. and funding NWCG training. 4. This project provides for regional training sites to Council Chairman Ryan Eckhardt presented the Coun- be strategically located throughout Utah. A regional cil’s recommendations to the Board. The Board supported training site would allow fire departments, within a this recommendation and voted to have the Fire Marshal’s specified geographical area, to have a fixed training office draft all necessary documents for further consid- location with the needed props and/or infrastructure eration from the State Public Safety Commissioner, the for fire training throughout the year. Based on their Governor’s budget office, and eventually the Legislature. needs, training history, and number of departments committed to using these training sites, regions UFRA supports the Board’s decision; and has extraor- would qualify for different levels and configurations dinary support from the Board, Council, Fire Marshal’s of training resources. Training sites could range from Office, and State Legislature. Adding these options would a simple concrete pad and hydrant in which props further provide unprecedented training opportunities for could be delivered to (approximately $45 thousand), the Utah fire service. If you have any questions give us a to a site which includes a large concrete and asphalt call. In the meantime, Stay Safe! pad, fixed props, and a classroom (approximately $520 thousand). Each regional training facility would be scheduled by UFRA, maintained by the region and/or host department, and UFRA would provide instructors for core courses requested by the region. UFRA would require the donation of property for a Hugh Connor was hired by the Orem Fire De- regional training facility. partment in 1979 where he worked for 27 years. He served as a Firefighter/Paramedic, Engineer, 5. This project creates a long-term, comprehensive Lieutenant, Captain, and Battalion Chief.