FMD Fire Investigators Announce Retirement Fire Prevention Week
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October 2003 Vol 5, Issue 10 Fire Prevention Week - October 5-11, 2003 NFPA has announced the week of October 5-11 as Fire Prevention Week (FPW) 2003. The State Fire Marshal’s Office is joining forces with fire departments, schools, and safety groups across North Special Interest: America to reinforce a simple, but lifesaving message during Fire Prevention Week: “When Fire Stirkes: Get Out! Stay Out!” Public Safety Campaign to At least 80% of all fire deaths typically take place in the home, so this Reduce Fire Deaths of Babies and Toddlers... .....3 year the focus is on home fire safety. The fire service, in planning FPW activities, should relay three important messages to their community: Homes should have working smoke alarms on every Zippotricks.com ............... 3 level; plan and practice a home fire drill; and, if fire strikes, get out and Non-Reporting Fire stay out, until the fire department says it is safe to go back inside. Departments (NFIRS) ..... 5 For more information about Fire Prevention Week and activities your department can perform, log on to the official web site MFFTC Instructor Alert ..... 9 www.firepreventionweek.org. Breakfast with the Detroit Fire Department ........... 11 FMD Fire Investigators Announce Retirement D/Lt. Larry Lewis and Spl/Sgt. tration and supervision of five James Curran have announced investigators. He has been a their retirement from the Michigan member of various fire service Inside this Issue: State Police effective August 30, organizations involved in fire 2003, after 25 years of service. safety, education and arson August Fire Deaths ........... 2 D/Lt. Larry Lewis enlisted with awareness. the State Police in 1978, graduat- Larry received a Masters in NFIRS ................................ 5 ing from the 95th Recruit School. Public Education from Western He was first assigned as a Michigan University and a Juris MFFTC Meeting Trooper to the Ionia Post, then as Doctor from Cooley Law School Summary ....................... 6 a Spl/Trooper at the Bridgeport in 1999. He plans to practice law Lt. Larry Lewis MFFTC Issues and Lab, transferring to the Fire upon his retirement. Answers ......................... 7 Marshal Division in 1988. Larry currently lives in Portland He was promoted to Detective with his wife, Glenda, and son, MFFTC Registered Lieutenant in 1995, commanding Andrew. Training ........................... 8 the Health Care/Corrections Unit; The Fire Marshal Division transferred in 1997 to the Criminal wishes Larry and Glenda all the Hazardous Materials Investigation Division, returning best in their future endeavors. Training ........................... 9 to the Fire Marshal Division, Field Spl/Sgt. Jim Curran enlisted Operations, in 1998 as the Region For Sale ........................... 11 with the Michigan State Police in 4 Supervisor in Grand Rapids, 1978, graduating from the 95th Calendar of Events ......... 12 where he served until his Recruit School. He was first retirement. assigned to the Erie Post, and As Region 4 Supervisor, Larry served at the Detroit Freeway, 1935 PA 59 Sgt. James Curran Number of copies printed: 3,000 was responsible for the adminis- White Pigeon, and Niles Posts Total Cost: $1,110.00 Cost Per Copy: $0.37 (continued on page 10) Michigan Fire TIES — October 2003 1 Fire Deaths Fire Deaths Reported in August 2003 Smoke Smoke Date of Responding Cause of Detector Detector Name Age Sex Fire Cause of Fire Fire Dept Death Present Operational Mittlestat, R. 52 F 07/17/03 undetermined Newberry/4801 smoke inhalation no NA Send fire death information to Mary Nemeth at [email protected] or by fax to 517.322.2908 Fire Fact of the Month In 2002, a total of 97 firefighters were fatally injured while on duty. Of these, 30 were career, 50 were volunteer, and 17 were non-municipal (those not employed by local, public fire departments). Source: NFPA 2 Michigan Fire TIES — October 2003 Public Education Zippotricks.com – The Finale (Editor’s note) Last June, we issued a fire safety alert regarding a web site called zippotricks.com. Last month, we updated you on our quest to have this web site shut down, with responses from Zippo and the National Fire Protection Association. We are happy to announce that our concerns were finally recognized and our goal attained. The following is a press release from Zippo Manufacturing regarding zippotricks.com. Thank you to everyone who contacted Zippo with their concerns regarding the safety of this web site and especially Lt. Ron Mills, Flint Township Fire Department, who first brought this web site to our attention. Effective Monday, August 25, completely independent from By taking this action in closing 2003, Zippo Manufacturing Zippo. By taking over the site down the site, Zippo Manufactur- Company closed the from the creator, we were able to ing Company disassociates itself zippotricks.com web site. We exercise greater control over it from any and all web sites that took this proactive action as a and eliminating content we found promote lighter tricks. If any result of on-going internal most objectionable. present or future site infringes on discussions and the expressed Despite our best efforts some our trademark or other legally concerns of some in the fire still find the site controversial. protectable rights, we will pursue safety industry. Based on this controversy, legal action. Zippo Manufacturing Company continued internal concerns, and The Zippo Hot Tour will acquired the zippotricks.com web the inability to adequately restrict continue as a musical tour with site several months ago after site access by individuals under tour details to be announced by discovering its existence during a the age of 16, the company has Zippo’s marketing group in the worldwide trademark infringement decided that Zippo should no near future. All planned tricks search. This site had existed for longer be associated with this or demonstrations have been over five years before that, any site that promotes tricking. cancelled. FEMA Kicks Off Public Safety Campaign to Reduce Fire Deaths of Babies and Toddlers The Department of Homeland have a disproportionately higher prevented by parents who take Security’s Federal Emergency risk of fire death than the rest of the necessary precautions,”said Management Agency (FEMA) the population. They depend on Fire Administrator R. David announced on August 13 a their parents and caregivers to Paulison. “Every parent and campaign to raise awareness keep them safe, to prevent every caregiver with young about the increased risk of fire residential fires from starting, and children depending on them must “No child -not a single death for young children and to to increase the chances that the take a few simple but important one- should suffer such teach parents and caregivers how entire family can escape a fire steps to prevent this tragedy. an awful death, a death they can avoid the tragedy. The quickly and safely.” Even toddlers can be taught how that can be prevented by campaign’s message emphasizes From 1989 through 1998, U.S. to quickly respond in case of fire parents who take the installing smoke alarms, securing children younger than age five and adults need to know how necessary precautions.” lighters and matches, and were twice as likely as the rest of they will escape with infants.” developing a fire evacuation plan the population to die in a The Fire Safety Campaign for under the theme: “Prepare. residential fire; in that decade Babies and Toddlers includes Practice. Prevent the Unthink- 5,830 children died in fires in this four national partner able.” country, according to the U.S. Fire organizations that have pledged “A baby or toddler under age Administration, part of FEMA to spread the message to parents five dies nearly every day in a and the initiator of the campaign. and caregivers, including the residential fire,” said Homeland “No child -not a single one- American Academy of Pediatrics, Security Under Secretary Michael should suffer such an awful ZERO TO THREE, D. Brown. “These young children death, a death that can be Michigan Fire TIES — October 2003 3 Public Education National SAFE KIDS Campaign at www.usfa.fema.gov/ Security. FEMA’s continuing and the National Fire Protection applications/publications/. mission within the new Association. The U.S. Fire Administration has department is to lead the effort to a mission to reduce life and The campaign materials include prepare the nation for all hazards Even toddlers can be a print public service announce- economic losses due to fire and and effectively manage federal taught how to quickly ment, an educational video on fire related emergencies through response and recovery efforts respond in case of fire safety for babies and toddlers, leadership, advocacy, following any national incident. and adults need to know posters, brochures and fact coordination and support. It is the FEMA also initiates proactive how they will escape with sheets. The media, parents and federal leader in public fire mitigation activities, trains first infants. caregivers can access the education and awareness, fire responders, and manages Citizen information, in both English and service training, fire-related Corps, the National Flood Spanish, at www.usfaparents.gov technology and data collection. Insurance Program, and the U.S. or can order materials through the On March 1, 2003, FEMA Fire Administration. U.S. Fire Administration’s became part of the U.S. Publications Online Catalog, Department of Homeland NFIRS/Non-Reporting Departments The Fire Marshal Division of the strategies to address these website at www.michigan.gov/ Michigan State Police appreciates issues. msp, click on Services to the cooperation and support of The Michigan Fire Prevention Governmental Agencies, State the 1,033 fire and public safety Code, Act 207, P.A. 1941 Fire Marshal. departments that provided mandates that all organized fire Listed below are 47 fire incident data through NFIRS for departments in the state report departments that DID NOT the year 2002.